Why Church? (Part 1)

This morning, many will put on their “Sunday best” and make their way to their local place of worship. Yet there are those who will sit at home and wonder, “Why do I have to go to church? Can’t I be a Christian all by myself?” The answer to that depends on what you understand about church.

There are several definitions for “church.” One speaks to the physical building in which Christian worship takes place. But the other, more relevant definition, is that a “church” is a body of believers. It is a congregation of like-minded Christians who come together to serve the Lord and fellowship with one another.

I’ve heard many people say, “I get my church on TV,” and proceed to name their favorite Christian cable network and/or televangelist. For those with no means of getting to church, this may suffice. But unfortunately, many people use this medium as a way to avoid contact with other Christians altogether.

On the flip side, there are those who go to church every week—because it’s a tradition. They put no more thought into going to the church house on Sunday than they do of getting into the shower in the morning. It’s just the thing to do.

As Christians, our attitude toward church should not be one of avoidance nor obligation. We should actually be excited about the thought of coming together! On Sunday morning, we get to go to a building that is dedicated to our Father and join a group of people in acknowledging all that He has done for us! We sing songs to His glory! We learn more about His promises to us and how to live life with Him! This is why in Psalm 122:1, David said, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’”

Why church? For those who love the Lord, it’s a place to enjoy worship with people who love Him also.