As Christians, others expect us to go to church. But is it really necessary? You may ask: “Do I really need to get involved with a church?” The answer: yes!
First of all, it’s important to remember that going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger. The key thing to remember is that repenting of sins, acknowledging Jesus as your Savior, inviting Him into your life to be your Lord, and consistently obeying His Word is what makes you a Christian – nothing more, nothing less. Ephesians 2:8 tells us “for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (emphasis added). If salvation was of our own doing, we could be saved Christians by just going to church once a week and doing whatever we wanted the other six days. But that’s not the Will of God.
But – still the question remains – if church doesn’t save us, why go? You may say: “If I’ve repented, acknowledged Jesus as my Savior, invited Him into my life as my Lord, and consistently obey His Word, why do I need to go to church? Do I really need to get involved with a church?” The answer is still yes!
Crosswalk.com has identified 10 reasons for Christians and believers alike to go to church. They are:
- Church involvement is evidence that you’re a Christian (Hebrews 3:12).
- Gathering with a church encourages believers to love others and do good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).
- Church is the main venue for using your spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1)
- Church helps you defend Christianity against those who attack it (Jude 1:3)
- Church is a great venue for pooling resources to support missions and benevolent works (2 Corinthians 8:1; 3 John 1:5)
- Church helps its members maintain the right doctrine (1 Timothy 1:15).
- Church is the best group of people (after family) to meet your physical needs in an emergency (1 John 3:16; 1 Timothy 5:3)
- Church supports you when your face persecution (Acts 4:23; Acts 12:12).
- Church is where you can be baptized and take part in the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 28:18; 1 Corinthians 11:17; Ephesians 4:4).
- Church provides the setting for corporate worship (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).
But most importantly – going to church is commanded by God.
In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 31: 12-13 instructs us to: “”Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and the stranger that is within the gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: And that their children, which have not known anything, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God.”
In the New Testament, Hebrews 10: 24-25 instructs us by stating: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.”
So when you ask yourself: “Do I really need to get involved with a church?” Just know that the answer is: yes.
