top of page

Why Should I Go to Church?

First, let’s clarify that “going to church” really means attending a service in which the church is present and gathered together. This is an important distinction because the church is not a service and it is not a building, it is the people, God’s people.

The reasons for attending your regular weekly church services are plenty, and my reasons will not be extensive, but concise.

In Romans 1:11-12, the apostle Paul is writing to the church in Rome that is mostly made up of Jewish believers living in Rome. There were certainly many Gentiles (non-Jews) who were a part of the church, but there were a surprising amount of Jews living in this secular culture of first century Rome.

Paul writes to his beloved friends, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you – that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” Notice Paul’s attitude here. He is nothing like so many of the believers we know in our churches. His desire to see the Roman believers face-to-face is not so that he can say he has done his duty, or checked off his list of “Things a Christian Should Do.”

Rather, Paul’s desire is deeply rooted in his love for God’s people. He longs to see them, not just to mingle and have coffee, but to have a significant spiritual impact on their lives. That is the first thing on Paul’s mind.

His primary passion is that he strengthens them, not the other way around. Paul is displaying humility here. He is “counting others more significant” than himself (Philippians 2:3). This is the driving element to being a godly church-goer. We are not church-goers for legalistic reasons, just to say we went or feel a sense of accomplishment for doing our Christian duty of attending service. The primary reason we attend Church is to significantly impact and enhance other believer’s lives.

Hebrews 10:25 tells us that we should “not neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some." So here is a command that we ought to make a conscience effort to continue to meet together as believers, and not make a habit of neglecting this duty and this joy.

But why?! The answer is in the previous verse. Hebrews 10:24 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” This is the same others-centered attitude that Paul shares in Romans 1:11. Our reason for “not neglecting to meet together” is not that we would get, but that we would give.

The command in Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages us to consider the needs of the church before our own needs. We do not go to church to “get” something out of the church (although that element is certainly involved…I’ll get to that in a moment). We go to church to “give” something to God’s people, to provide a service to the kingdom with our gifts.

God has uniquely gifted every believer with a spiritual gift that is meant to be used to build up the kingdom and serve others. Notice that is Paul’s point in Romans 1:11, “That I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you.” This is the attitude of a healthy church member, one who seeks to use their gifts to serve others, as oppose to an unhealthy church member who’s attendance is based on preference.

Peter tells us in 1 Peter 4:10, “Each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” So our attendance at church is less about our own preferences, and more about taking advantage of every opportunity to join with believers and use our spiritual gift to serve the body of Christ.

When we have that attitude right in our minds, and begin to display that attitude in appropriate actions of serving the church, we are primed for what Paul says in Romans 1:12, “That we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” It is only after first revealing his primary reason for wanting to see the Romans (using his gifts to strengthen them), that Paul unveils his desire to also be blessed and be served.

Too often believers begin with this attitude first. “What’s in it for me?” “I don’t get anything out of church.” “Why should I go to church, they don't do anything for me!” These are the attitudes of “Me First” believers, those who are more concerned with what they get out of church, and less concerned with what they put into the body.

Paul does not condemn wanting to get something out of church, he actually encourages it in this text, as he told the Romans that he longed to be encouraged by them. And that is not a wrong attitude to have. It is normal, and it is ok to go to church thinking, “I hope I get encouraged at church today!”

However, Paul sets the example that this thought must follow the primary reason for our attendance, to serve others first, and thus strengthen the church. When we have that prioritized, we are primed and prepared to be encouraged. And as Paul says, when we start with humility and a desire to bless and serve others first, it opens doors to “mutual encouragement” in the church, and builds the kingdom to be more effective in spreading the gospel, glorifying God and satisfying his people.


RECENT POST
bottom of page