Can't I be a Christian without attending church? 

Someone has said that going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you a car.  Whoever that person was, he or she had a point.  Attending church doesn't necessarily mean you're a Christian, but for some reason Christians all feel the need to participate in the church. 

Why?  Because being a Christian means being connected in two directions:

  • connected vertically with God through faith in Christ and

  • connected horizontally with our sisters and brothers in God's family. 


When Jesus invited his first followers to join with him, he was inviting
them into a community. It was not always a perfectly harmonious community (yes, even those first disciples had their differences!) but the times when they were together with Jesus quickly became special times for them. 

Today we have Jesus' promise that whenever even two or three gather in his name, he will be with them. That isn't to say that he won't hear us when we pray on our own. (Of course he will.)

But it is also a fact that when Jesus' followers come together earnestly seeking him they discover his presence and are empowered to serve him in a special way. 

We soon learn that the encouragement and challenge that we can give one another is essential if we are to grow into a faith that is balanced,
mature and fresh. That's why Christians find it important to get together not just for large church gatherings, but in smaller groups as well, where we can care for one another and receive the support we need on a personal level. 

More questions