Church Is Not A Bad Word

“It is my only day off.” “There are too many hypocrites.” “It is my favorite team’s game day.” “Church is boring.” “I have no interest.” “All they talk about is money.” “They make me feel guilty.” “I’ve had bad experiences.”

Do any of these statements sound familiar to you? Maybe you have thought of one of these statements yourself, or have had a family member or friend say something similar to you.

For the purpose of this article, the word “church” is being defined as the place where believers in Christ come together to worship, participate in ministry work, and fellowship.

My clients and I often discuss the importance of having trusted relationships and community when facing difficult seasons. It is no secret that our generation has faced its fair share of church hurt, which can perpetuate the lack of church attendance and ministry involvement. My aim is to share this list with sensitivity to the reality that not everyone has had a good experience with church. I am also aware that some people may have even experienced trauma by those who professed to be followers of the Christian faith. I hope to outline several reasons why in a world of hurt, church should not be discarded.

Here are 5 compelling reasons that answers the question, “Why should I go to church?”

1. It is a biblical requirement.
Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not give up meeting together as some have.”

2. It can prevent backsliding and provide accountability.
Although this is not a guarantee, a person is prone to stay faithful when they are with the faithful in church.

3. It provides spiritual encouragement.
Acts 2:42 is a snapshot of what the early church was up to and God blessed them, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to the fellowship.” These are all communal activities.

4. It follows Jesus’ own example.
Luke 4:16 states, “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.” If anybody had a reason not to go to church, it was Jesus Christ! Yet, even so, we see a pattern of going to the place of public worship in Christ’s life.

5. To have experiences with God that happen publicly.
1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14 show the importance that each Christian has in using their spiritual gifts. These gifts were given for the building up of the body of Christ, that is, the Church. How can this occur if you are not going to where the body is gathered?

Fellowship with other believers can help with accountability, assist with mental health issues such as anxiety and situational depression.

Church is not a bad word. Let’s not lose something important while trying to get rid of unwanted things.