Do You Need to go to Church to be a Christian or
why should Christians go to church?
This is an easy question to answer. No, you don’t need to go to church to be a Christian. The thief on the cross is a perfect example of this. Christians don’t go to church because we are the church. But do you eat only one meal a day? If you did, you’d be alive but wouldn’t have much energy to do anything else. You eat more than one meal a day to get more energy so you work and provide for your family.
Then why is going to church so important? It has several benefits. Here are some:
– because the bible tells us to (Acts 20:7 & Hebrews 10:25)
– being with other believers spurs us to walk with God closer (Hebrews 10:24)
– it spurs us on to do good things for God (Hebrews 10:25)
– because we will receive heavenly rewards for doing God’s will (Hebrews 10:36)
– its good to have leaders overseeing the work and needs of each local church. Not all of us
are called to leadership. That’s why God has called certain people to lead us in our local
area (Acts 14:23 & Titus 1:5)
– full time leaders can teach us the bible more completely and in-depth than we can learn
on our own (Hebrews 13:7, 1st Timothy 5:17 & Hebrews 4:12)
– it’s a place where Christians can use our spiritual gifts for the benefit of others and for
them to benefit us (1st Peter 4:10 & 1st Corinthians 12)
– we’re to comfort one another (1st Thessalonians 4:18)
– we’re to build one another up (1st Thessalonians 5:11)
– we’re to pray for one another and bear each others burdens (James 5:16 & Galatians 6:2)
– we’re to confess our sins to one another so that we might be healed (James 5:16)
– God designed the church to be a place where our leaders could watch out for us as a
shepherd guards his sheep (1st Peter 5:1-4)
– a close knit community lovingly urges us on toward maturity (Ephesians 4:13-24,
John 8:31, 32 & Proverbs 27:17)
– to remind us of our living hope in this life and the next one (Matthew 28:18-20)
– God is in the midst in a special way that He isn’t when we’re alone (Matthew 18:20 &
Psalms 22:3)
– it’s an expression of our love for God (Matthew 10:32, 33 & Psalm 22:22)
– it combines our spiritual strength in prayer with that of other believers (Matthew 18:19)
A good bible believing church will have some or all of these things. I know of no other place that provides all of these benefits to you. Praise God for His church!
For His Kingdom,
Dave Maynard
https://bsssb-llc.com