Do I HAVE to go?
“Can I still be a Christian and not go to church?” This often-asked question is rightly countered with, “Sure you can, just not a good one.” Some Christians wrongly conclude that they don’t need to be part of a church community because their church is watching meetings on TV or on the internet. However, Christians are designed for friendship, needing to be part of an assembly. The three essential aspects of the Christian life can only be gained through a close relationship with a local church. Like a 3-legged chair, if one of its legs is missing, it will not be very steady or helpful.
The local church for all three supplies all three legs:
1. Friendship
2. Spiritual growth
3. An outlet to help others.
Besides the need for community, it’s also essential to sit under the teaching of and be accountable to spiritual leaders who will watch over us and guide us in our growth. The Bible also says Christians don’t get to heaven by doing good; doing good is what Christians naturally do. The place to start a life of good works is the local church. “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do” (Hebrews 10:25). Churches in the New Testament era were small assemblies that met in homes. Big European cathedrals were in style during the Middle Ages. However, in the last 30 years, churches meeting in converted warehouses or shops have become trendy. As the church is people, not buildings, the options for meeting places are almost unlimited. Christians worldwide have gone full circle these days, meeting in homes again. The important thing is not where Christians meet; the vital thing is that wherever they meet, they worship Jesus and, as a group, help people come to faith in Him.
What about leaving church early? Is that a problem? Of course, there’s a problem; did you expect a different answer? The most serious difficulty with skipping the church service is not necessarily the content you would be missing from the service or the benediction at the end of the service, or “The Mass has ended, go in peace”. The concept that I have done my duty for the week by attending service, or at least most of it, is wrong thinking. The most significant way you are ripping yourself off is that you won't be able to benefit from the community atmosphere after the service. There could be somebody you might bump into who needs encouragement that only you could provide. Likewise, there might be somebody lingering afterwards who could be an answer to a question or problem you have! Christians need community, not merely church attendance.
Most Christian churches gather on Sunday because it’s been a tradition over the centuries to do so. Some Christians believe that the church service must happen on Sunday. Other Christians think they must have their weekly services on Saturday because God required the Jews in the Old Testament to do so. However, the Bible is clear that every day is an excellent day to gather to worship Jesus – We’re not to make a big deal out of it. The Apostle Paul said that if an individual or a group were to insist on one day over another, we were not to argue over it because, by far, the most important thing was that we gather to worship Jesus, “…one person thinks that some days should be set aside as holy and another thinks that each day is pretty much like any other…each person is free to follow the convictions of his conscience” (Romans 14:5 TM)."