Why is going to church important?
The writer of Hebrews understood the importance of attending church. He expressed it well in chapter 10 verse 25…“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much more as ye see the day approaching.”
Even back around 70 A.D. Christians were grasping the value of community. It served a number of very specific functions in the life of the believer. Allow me to list a few:
- First it provided a setting where anointed men and women could teach doctrine. Without attending church we are often left to our own devices. Scripture says that “iron sharpens iron” (Proverbs 27:17). We need each other to keep on the right track. There is an accountability to each other that is healthy and good. Some have made the declaration; “I am only accountable to God.” Those people scare me to death and are headed for a fall.
- Second, the local church provides an excellent opportunity for corporate worship. It is true that we can worship God anywhere and anytime, but there is a dimension of worship that can only be achieved in a body of believers. God has gifted each one of us differently and has a body of believers “fitly joined together” (Ephesians 4:16) to be the best and most complete expression of Christ possible.
- Another part of gathering together meets the human need of fellowship. No man is an island. We are created to be in relation with God, but also to relate to other people. The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia and means partnership, participation and intercourse which speaks of interaction with one another. We all need fellowship; and I can’t think of a better place to get it than in the House of the Lord with those of like precious faith.
Now allow me to be very candid with you. Many who say they can be a Christian without attending church have an underlying issue that needs to be dealt with. Sometimes it has to do with their upbringing or past “church” experiences. Other times there are sinful behaviors that the person desires to hold on to. They are afraid that attending church will force them to confront the sin issue in their life and they are not willing to do that. I am not sure where you are at today…but whatever the root issue of your reluctance to attend church, I can guarantee you this, it needs to be dealt with.
Finally, let me encourage you by saying that you need what the church has to offer. And the church needs what you have to offer. We need each other. That is a beautiful part of the plan of God. The church is not a building…it’s you an me…it’s people! We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, it is more important now than it has ever been. Acts 5:42 records that on a regular basis the disciples of Jesus gathered together; both in the Temple and in houses. The early church was successful, at least in part, because they did not forsake the assembling of themselves together. Neither should we.