Why is it when it comes to the subject of finding a church home that believers feel the need to get so defensive? These same people will continuously say that they don’t have to go to church to have a relationship with God, and they get angry with anyone who says differently. The truth is there are some people that go to church every Sunday who still don’t have a relationship with God. So while church may not be the sole factor in a relationship with God, it surely doesn’t mean that you don’t need to go to church. And while you may not agree, God backs me up on this one:
“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.” – Hebrews 10:25
Why is church important for believers you ask? One word: fellowship. That’s right, God believes that it is good for us to interact with other believers. And when you think about it, it makes totally good sense. We get beat up on weekly by our jobs, bad relationships, and just the overall burden the economy has been putting us through for the last couple of years. I can imagine that it is probably good for the soul to be around other believers who are enduring the same struggles.
The other part of the argument is that most churches are evil and go against what God is truly about. And people are usually referring to these “mega churches” that have thousands of members with mega rich pastors.
While all preachers may not be pure, it isn’t our job to crucify them either. Pray for their souls and find another church home. Crooked preachers don’t excuse you from going to church.
And don’t be so quick to believe you will find peace in a smaller church. The fact of the matter is a smaller church isn’t necessarily without it’s problems either. That’s why it is so important to find a church that fits your needs.
If you like bigger churches, then find a bigger church. If you prefer smaller churches, there are plenty of them to worship in each Sunday. All that matters is you find a church home that you can truly find refuge in during these hard times. Continuously work on your relationship with God, but don’t ever forget the importance of fellowship with other believers. It’s one of God’s biggest wishes for believers.