Why Should I Go To Church?
Why should you go to church? People go to church for many reasons. Some go because their parents or grandparents made them go and took them to church as kids, so now going to church has just become a habit. They know most of the people that attend their church and it’s become a place just to hang out. Some people go to church to fulfill some religious obligation that they think will satisfy God, other people, themselves, parents, etc. Some people go to church to fulfill or relieve a sense of guilt; they sin all week and want to make it right on Sunday! Some people go to church for its feel-good features – the music sounds good, or you like the charisma of the Pastor or the Preacher, and it makes you feel good about yourself, if only for a minute, and gives you hope to press on at least for the moment. Where do you find yourself? Do you find yourself somewhere in there?
There are many reasons why people go to church, and if you don’t go or find yourself in the list above, then here are some substantial reasons why you should go. Okay, okay, I get it! You work five days a week and you have to get up early to do it and you just want to chill and hang out and do fun stuff on the weekends, but now I’m asking you to get up early on Sunday to go to church. I’m not a morning person so I do get it. On Saturdays you have to run errands and do chores so when are you ever gonna get the rest? When are you going to do what you want to do? I get it, I went through the same thing. However, I have since learned that there are some things you have to do for yourself to enhance your life and all of its parts to make it better. So I had to became very good at time management.
Now for those of you who already go to church, that’s great, but how did you choose that church and how’s it working for you? Prayerfully you’ll understand what I’m about to say. Whether you go to church or not, keep these things in mind when making that decision about going to church, where to go to church and whether to stay in your current church. Yes, where you go to church does matter and here’s why:
- The main reason you should go to church is because God said so in Hebrews 10:25; Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer. When you get together in church you bring your gifts and talents and so does everyone else. These resources can then be shared among each other. You are much stronger together than apart.
- Another reason why you should go to church is because in church you should get assistance in developing your personal relationship with God. You should learn how God operates, learn how to get to know Him & hear Him. You should also learn the reasons God sent you to earth.
- Attending church regularly should put you in touch with people who are just like you. People who should be trying to get to know God, enjoying his company, and learning how important the act of being a spiritual person or a spirit lead person is. There is power in unity according to Matthew 18:19-20; I promise that when any two of you on earth agree about something you are praying for, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 Whenever two or three of you come together in my name,[a] I am there with you.
Factors in Choosing the Right Church
Like I said before it does matter very much what church you go to. Many people go to what we call it their “Family Church”; that’s the church that their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins have always gone to. But in order to meet the objectives that I’ve listed above, you need to look out for the following things:
- Only God can tell you what church you need to attend. Only He knows where He placed the resources that you need for your growth and development in the things of God in order to fulfill your divine assignment on this planet. As much as it may pain you, your grandmama don’t know.
- Take time to check out the Pastor. Is he living what he’s preaching?
- Is the church teaching the Word of God directly from the Bible or is it some type of filtered interpretation? That means you must first be studying the word so that you know the difference. Never take someone else’s interpretation for something you can find out on your own or for yourself. But you must be willing to do the work.
- How are you treated when you walk through the doors? Are strangers treated and greeted as warmly as the members? How are unsaved people treated? How are people who look different treated?
- Watch leadership – check out the character of the church leaders. How do they treat people when they think no one is watching? Do they seem phony and fake? Getting the answer to these questions will take time, so don’t be in a hurry to join and don’t allow yourself to be pressured by others to join either. Read what Paul has to say in 1 Tim 3.
- Freedom of Worship – are people free to express their worship to God in the manner they see fit? Are there different kinds of worship? Or is conformity the only form of worship?
- Are there systems and ministries in place to support your daily everyday life and your spiritual growth and development?
- Holiness – has this church set the standard of living based on the word of God or has it been set by man? Living right is living according to God and that has to be the standard and goal of all the people in the church. No one is perfect, but the church standard has to be holy living as outlined by God. The church is where you begin to learn what these standards are and should support your life as you work to meet these standards. There should be things in place to support and demand this holy living standard. This has to be tempered with grace, mercy and compassion – not religious judgment.
As you can see, there are many factors that come into play when you decide to pick the church to join and attend regularly. This decision will shape the rest of your life and play a huge part in positioning you for your place in eternity!
The good news is God has already made the decision for you – you just have to connect with God, ask Him (the bible says you have not because you ask not; James 4:2) and he’ll tell you what church He has picked out for you. This goes beyond the physical feeling and will impact your life in remarkable ways!
Why should you go to church? You should go to church because you want the best for you and the best for your family in this life and the next! And isn’t that what we all want?
clarence D. Sellers jr
i believe you have to have the fellowship of one another and to go to a bible teaching church. i think that is so important for your growth.