There have definitely been times in my life when I didn’t feel like going to church.
And the interesting thing is that once I stopped for a couple of weeks or so, it slowly started to develop into a habit.
There was a time when I stopped going to church for about 4 or 5 months.
That was a lot for me because I grew up going to church pretty much every week.
But at this particular time, I had a lot on my plate, and I thought it would be best to just stay home and get some stuff done.
My faith in God was also a little shaky, so I wasn’t really enthused about going to church.
Plus, I was thinking that I can read the Bible, I can play worship music at home, and I can pray. So I thought I didn’t need to go to church.
I believed that I could have church at home….just me and Jesus.
We Need Each Other
Looking back, I think there was some pride there, too, because I thought I didn’t need people. I didn’t think I needed a church family. I thought I could grow spiritually all by myself.
But God didn’t create us to do life all by ourselves.
We need each other.
That’s why Paul talks about the church being like the physical human body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
The feet need the eyes to ensure they don’t fall into a ditch. And the stomach needs our teeth to break down the food.
The body parts are interdependent….they need each other so they can fulfil a greater mission, like daily sustenance and survival.
And it’s the same for us. We need each other to grow and to be effective.
There have been a few more times after that season when I stopped going to church.
And after all of that experience, I have decided that it’s best for me to go to church regularly.
So I’m sharing with you some of those reasons. Hopefully, they will inspire you to go to church regularly as well.
Benefits of Going to Church
Here are some benefits of going to church regularly. These are benefits that I have experienced firsthand.
1) You get to hear how God is working in the lives of those around you
One thing I noticed is that when I go to church, I get to hear testimonies that really strengthen my faith in God. And the good thing is that after church, I can speak with the people who shared.
And even though I heard some of those testimonies years ago, they still serve as an encouragement to me today.
2) Going to church helps you grow spiritually
Another key thing is that iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). Being around other Christians who are growing in the Lord really ignites a fire in you.
Going to church helps to create an appetite for spiritual things. Whatever you surround yourself with, that’s what you will desire.
Being around other believers will also help to challenge and stretch you.
In my early years as a Christian, I would usually fast for a few hours. I didn’t think I could fast for 24 hours.
But my church decided to have a 24-hour water fast, and I joined. And that was the first time I fasted for that long.
During that fast, my fear of approaching strangers and sharing the gospel went away. Because we went out in groups and ministered to and prayed for people in the community.
I always thought it would be awkward to approach strangers, but after that experience, I was more willing to do so because I realised how receptive people were.
Being a part of a church community also motivated me to memorise Bible verses, and that has been a tremendous blessing to my spiritual walk.
Those Bible verses came back to memory when I had tough decisions to make. They also help when I’m going through challenging times, and my faith is weak.
And attending church has also equipped me for street evangelism through Bible studies, as well as discipleship classes and training events.
3) It helps you to have a deeper understanding of the Word
I also make it a habit to attend church because it helps me to have a better understanding of the Word. It’s true that I can read the Bible at home.
But the Bible also tells us that we know in part and prophesy in part (1 Corinthians 13:9).
I get more revelation of the Word when I attend church.
The pastor is normally able to show connections between Scriptures that I missed, even though I read those passages before.
Have you ever listened to a sermon on a Bible passage that you read multiple times, but the preacher shows you a different revelation that you never saw before?
If you have, then you must have realised that there is so much depth to the Scripture and how applicable it is to our daily lives.
They can take one Bible verse and preach a whole sermon on just that verse. And that’s a revelation that you probably wouldn’t have received if you just stayed home.
The thing is that God gives us more insight as we go through different seasons and challenges of life, and these lessons and insights are often communicated in the sermons.
In other words, we don’t know everything, so we need to be around other believers to share, learn and grow.
Also, pastors are more likely to do a deeper study than you would. They may look into the meaning of Greek and Hebrew words or even explore the contextual background at the time.
And those really help you to have a greater appreciation of the Word as well as the Sovereignty and intentionality of God, which helps to strengthen your faith in God.
Another benefit is that if the pastor mentioned anything in the sermon that was not clear, I can go to him immediately after the church service and ask him for clarity and further explanation.
4) Having a church family can provide guidance for decision-making
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 11:14 that where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
My church family has also been very helpful during times when I had tough decisions to make. I remember when I was considering quitting my job, and I wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do.
I shared it with one church member, and he prayed for me, and he was able to give me confirmation to go ahead. A church sister also gave me confirmation.
So that’s another reason I go to church, because there are some people who recognise God’s voice much clearer than I do. And even if I recognise God’s voice, their confirmation really serves as an encouragement.
5) It gives you the opportunity to serve
Another key reason is that attending church regularly helps me to become aware of ways in which I can serve others.
I always believed that as Christians, we should be going out and sharing the Gospel because not everyone will come to the physical church building.
But there were some places that I wanted to go, but I didn’t want to go by myself for safety reasons.
But being a part of the church allowed me to join a Ministry group that does outreach to vulnerable women. So I got to serve with the Ministry instead of doing nothing.
6) It helps you to have social support and to make friends
Being around the people at church also gives me the opportunity to make friends and to encourage others.
After the church service, we get to talk with each other, and sometimes someone shares something that is bothering them. And I get to share an encouraging word or tell them about a resource that can help them.
I have also found that attending church regularly helps me to have a community of people who share my spiritual beliefs. It can be really challenging to be a Christian in a world that disregards the things of God.
But when you have a group of people around you who have the same beliefs, values and goals, it’s much easier to stick to the ways of God. So I don’t feel alone because I have the support and encouragement of others.
7) Attending church provides accountability
And that brings me to the next point, which is that attending church also provides accountability.
If I start drifting, it’s good to have someone who can call and check what’s going on, and they can remind me what the Word says when I have forgotten.
Sometimes the accountability comes through sermons because each week, I’m reminded of teachings and practices that the Bible talks about.
For example, there was a time when I was extremely upset with someone, and I had not forgiven them.
But some weeks later, while I was in church, the pastor started talking about the importance of forgiveness, and I felt convicted because I know that God has forgiven me, so I’m supposed to forgive others. So I eventually did, and I went to the person and told them that I had forgiven them.
Going to church has also helped to expose the weaknesses or blind spots in my spiritual walk.
The sermons have challenged me and shown me the areas where I need to grow, whether it’s areas like forgiveness, serving, fasting or being intentional about seeking God’s direction for all aspects of my life. In other words, it helps me not to get complacent.
And finally, one main reason I go to church is that the Bible tells us that we should meet together as believers to encourage each other so it’s obedience to the Word (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Takeaway
I hope this was insightful, encouraging and inspiring. And I hope that you will be motivated to go to church regularly and that you will experience similar or even better benefits.
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