Hebrews 10:24-25

 

Attending church is not the basis of your salvation, but it is required for your sanctification. … Church is not what saves us; going to church doesn't grant us salvation. However, attending helps us to become who God wants us to become. To transform into our best selves, we need to grow closer to God, and going to church and learning helps us grow. 

 

Seven reasons why attending church is essential for spiritual growth:

  1. Jesus commands it. … This isn't a suggestion, it is a command. We are told to gather together by Jesus. Now, if you miss a few weeks here or there, it's not an issue, not until it turns into only attending every so often. 
  2. Attending gives God the first of your week. … The Biblical view of the week sets Sunday as the first day of the week. For Jews, the week was 6 days and a rest day on Saturday. It's important to have that day of rest. It's also important for us to give our best and firsts to God. That is why most churches meet on Sunday. We begin the week by worshipping God and tithing and recognizing that He comes first. 
  3. It forms your habits. … When we continually attend worship, it creates habsit that overflow from Sunday into the rest of our week. 
  4. Church reorients you to what matters most. … The world pulls us in all directions and fights for our attention. This has the effect of knocking us off focus. We began to focus on things other than God. Our world begins to revolve around lesser things. Worship helps center our orbit on the Creator. 
  5. Worshipping together gives you a preview of heaven. … The church is full of diverse people from all around the world. People gather in different nations and sing in different languages and worship in different ways. Sometimes even your local church might have people there from all over the world. Heaven will be the most diverse worship service you could imagine. 
  6. Gathering fuels your joy. … Being with other believers has a tendency to make us more joyful. There have been various studies done that show attending church has a positive effect on a person's mental health. 
  7. Assembling declares the victory of Jesus. … When the church gathers, it is a reminder and a celebration that even though the devil has tried to put the church down, God still reigns. 

 

For Further Study/Resources Used to Prepare This Message

  • Why Bother With Church? by Sam Allberry
  • Love Your Church by Tony Merida
  • I Am a Church Member by Thom Rainer
  • Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential by Collin Hansen & Jonathan Leeman
  • The Compelling Community by Mark Dever & Jamie Dunlop
  • Habits of Grace by David Mathis