1. Church attendance strengthens vital relationships.
Social media is sort of great and sort of awful. Endlessly scrolling news feeds allow me to keep at least a little up to date with all the random people I meet in life. But nothing online can ever take the place of in-person relationships. We weren't made for curated bits of people's lives—in fact, studies are starting to show that this often leads to loneliness and depression. We were made to do life together with real people. And for real relationships with real people, you need to be with them, have time to talk with them, give them a handshake/hug, pray with them, share a meal, and more. If you see someone once every month or two, how deep will that relationship be? Regular church attendance strengthens your relationships with other people who are also learning to follow Jesus. These relationships are vital.
2. Church attendance reminds us of what's true.
God has given us one means by which people come to faith and grow in their faith: hearing and believing the gospel. This isn't a one-and-done kind of deal. We're frail creatures, and in the sin and struggle of life, we need repeated reminders of what's true. There are many voices in our culture preaching many messages—some of which are true. If we as a church are not preaching the truth from God's word, that's on us. But if we as a church are preaching the gospel and seeking to apply it in all its myriad ways, and you regularly miss it, what else is going to give you the stability at hope you need to live in this crazy world?
3. Church attendance provides opportunities for ministry.
There are two forms of ministry in the church: formal and informal. Formal ministry is organized by church leadership and takes place in ministry teams (e.g., Worship team, Welcome team, Gospel Kids team, etc.). Informal ministry is encouraged, but not organized, by church leadership and takes place when individual believers are prompted by the Holy Spirit (e.g., to pray for someone, bring over a meal, share resources or encouragement, etc.). In both formal/informal ministry, the purpose is to provide loving service that meets needs and builds up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16). When you attend church, you have way more opportunities to do ministry and be ministered to. We need you! And you need us! That's what being a member of a church family is all about.
4. Church attendance is the primary marker of spiritual growth.
It's true that you can attend worship faithfully, give generously, sing worship songs loudly, etc. without ever being a Christian (which is scary). However, I don't know of a single Christian who has experienced life-transforming spiritual growth who didn't attend church regularly. Of course, there are Christians who are homebound due to illness, but they are the exceptions, not the norm. And they should have fellow believers visiting them, ministering to them, and trying to include them as much as possible. Weekly worship may not be the most "mountain-top" type of spiritual experience every week. But it's like having a regular family dinner together. The little things, done consistently over time, will have a far greater impact than any "mountain-top" experience ever could. If you want your faith to have an impact on this world, if you want your faith to be a legacy for your kids and grandkids, come to church. Church attendance is not the sum total of following Jesus. But it's definitely the place to start.
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