Do Christians Need To Go To Church?

Being a non-churched Christ Follower is something that I've experienced, and honestly, it just doesn't work well for me...at all.  Fighting the adversary alone is mentally exhausting because the evil one never stops trying to breathe darkness into your mind through his constant bewitchment.  The Lone Ranger needed Tonto, and Christ Followers need God and each other in a supernatural battle! 

 

Hebrews 10:23-25

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

I'm going to list some popular excuses below.  I'll bet one of them applies, or has previously applied to you. ...

I only see hypocrites at church. ...

This was my favorite line of all time...until I realized I was full of hypocrisy myself, and then I realized the entire world is double minded!  Our help comes from God, and He is not fraudulent.  God's truth applied to any subject matter can help us to cut the hypocrisy down. ...

My friends and I believe in God, but we don't need church. ...

If you're fortunate enough to have believing friends in your life, that means you've got folks to go to fellowship with! So, what are you waiting for?  If it's because you feel out of place, not all churches sing those dusty hymns in their original style, nor do they all have inward-focused preachers.  Look around and you'll soon find a Biblical church singing those same hymns in a new fashion ! 

I don't know anybody, and church seems like it's just for families and established friends. ...

This one is a big deal, and it's very understandable.  If you don't know anyone at church it can be a pretty awkward feeling.  Often times a believer stops hanging out with sinful friends, or looses them because they've made a decision for Christ.  The modern life also forces us to move away from friends, and it can be difficult to meet new people.  Finding a good church can be a challenge, especially for the single, divorced, or bereaved Christ Follower.  Church shopping is like the first day of school over and over for some people, but for others, it can be sort of an adventure.  A Christian life outside of the fellowship building is truly living for Christ, and having some good friends in Christ is critical.  It's going to be hard to form real Christian friendships if you only see people from church at church, so find a church that actually follows Christ outside of the building.  In other words, find a church where you can easily make friends.  It takes a while to find such a church sometimes, but it is NOT impossible...don't give up!

The Bible Says Christian Fellowship Is A Great Idea 

Ancient believers met every day, but we know that the modern way of making a living and the geographically scattered church community hinders that.  The two verses below will get you started in your research should you want to look into the matter further.

Matthew 18:18-20

 "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." 

I Thessalonians 5

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.  Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 

Living The Life 

Establishing a life with Christian friends and staying active in the way you study the word is the key to happiness on this side of reality!  Following Christ should be a lifestyle, and it works better when you do your best to include God in everything.  Seeing the light of Christ through friends is an encouragement, but if one is always alone...they can't see that light.  Even if you're not a social person, you still need the light of God in your life through interaction with others.  Being alone is not healthy, and people can get weird if they are alone too much.  Having a happy life and inner peace is mostly up to you, so do something about it!

 All Bible references were NIV 1984