A Christian Involves Going to Church.

Hebrews 10:24-25
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

I've heard many people tell me..."Oh I believe in God, but I don't go to church." I have nothing against them, but I don't think they receive the full benefits of being a Christian this way. (I'm sorry if you disagree with what I'm saying - this seems to be controversial).

First of all, how can you stay on track with your faith without friends from your church? Having friends in a church, peers or not, helps to support your beliefs and furthers your understanding of God. Ideally, you should spend time with at least some people that are Christians. When you are with people who aren't Christians, you should do everything you can to be Christ-like.

Secondly, it's much harder to connect with and find Chrisitans if you're not involved in a church. Attending church allows you to get more familiar with people who have similar beliefs as you. If you meet someone outside of a church, normally you won't say, "Hi my name is _________ and I'm a Christian." It may take years for friends to clearly figure out what each other's beliefs. So even though you can pray alone and study alone, you need fellow believers.

Thirdly, churches may have rules that at times make you feel guilty. In order for families to be strong they must have the bar set high as far as moral standards are concerned. The same is true for churches - to be one family of God. It is true that people can make you feel guilty, but guilt can be seen as a gift from God. Pray during this time and read the bible to help figure out what God thinks because what you may think and what God is trying to get across to you can be totally different. He could be trying to get your attention.

Finally, along with everything mentioned above, a church provides a great spot to worship the Lord. All the songs that are sung are dedicated to him no matter what time of day or day of the week it is. This is where God sees how much you love him and how meaningful you are.

Nonetheless, going to church allows you to build a relationship with God and other Christians. Don't sleep in, but go to church as much as you can if you're serious about being a Christian!

“The difference between listening to a radio sermon and going to church...is almost like the difference between calling your girl on the phone and spending an evening with her.” ~Dwight L. Moody