The primary reason you should regularly go to church is to worship the Lord.
It is not the only reason, but it is the most important one. And on one level, this might sound obvious and right; of course that’s the reason we go to church. But on a practical level, especially in our individualistic, preference-based culture, this will not be the default mindset that drives us if we are not careful and intentional.
In our day, what feels good to you and what you want to do in the moment are the leading factors in whether you should do something or not. We are told we need to be our authentic selves (again, meaning pursue whatever you desire). We are told to prioritize self-care (ironically, much of our self-care methods actually lead us to be more miserable). We are told to avoid situations and relationships that cause stress or may be triggering (because again, these things are hard to handle and don’t feel good).
And so, without realizing it, we can bring these same attitudes to shape how we view the Lord and the role that a local community of faith should have in our lives.
There are many passages all over Scripture that teach us the importance and wisdom of having regular rhythms of worship and remembrance of who God is and what he has done.
Deuteronomy 6:6–7 — “These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Psalm 105:4–5 — “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wondrous works he has done, his wonders, and the judgments he has pronounced.”
Leviticus 23:3 — “Work may be done for six days, but on the seventh day there is to be a Sabbath of complete rest, a sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; it is a Sabbath to the LORD wherever you live.”
Note: Jesus has fulfilled the Law for us in his coming, death, and resurrection. We are not bound to the Sabbath command in the same way as ancient Israel, but the wisdom of weekly worship of the Lord remains.
Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2 — “On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread…” (Acts 20:7); “On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he is prospering, so that no collections will need to be made when I come.” (1 Corinthians 16:2)
Note: The assumption made by Luke and Paul in these passages is that Christians were gathering together every Sunday. They are essentially saying, “On the first day of the week when you gather together.”
Hebrews 10:24–25 — “And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
What we see in these passages, and many others you could pull from, is that we gather regularly to worship the Lord, remember what he has done, and give him the honor he is due.
Meaning, the primary reason mature believers regularly gather for worship is not for what we might get out of it. Contra our cultural ethos that tells us that all of our decisions should be based on what is best for us, we do not go to church for us. We go to church to worship God.
We do not go to church based on who is preaching that day. We do not go to church based on whether or not we feel like it. We do not go to church only if we aren’t tired and don’t have other things to do. We do not go to church based on whether they are going to play our favorite worship songs.
We go to church to worship the King of the universe who has redeemed us and graciously brought us into relationship with him. We go to church to worship our good and loving Father who has adopted us into his family.
For many of us, the good news is that there are various churches in our area. So you certainly should seek out a church with good, biblical teaching. It is okay to go to a church that has your preferred worship style or kids ministry. It is perfectly fine to join a church that has a solid and encouraging community. It is not wrong to have preferences (especially biblical ones!). But it is wrong to view church primarily as something that exists to meet your needs and preferences and to let those needs and preferences determine whether or not you attend.
A sign of a maturing follower of Jesus is understanding that the main reason for going to church is to worship the Lord, not for what we can get out of it.
Again, it is good to participate in a local church where you can learn God’s Word and where the community helps you in your walk with the Lord. But if the main reason you go to church is for what you can get out of it, you will treat church as something that primarily exists to serve you. And the Church does not primarily exist for you.
Wise followers of Jesus don’t go to church simply based on whether they feel like it. Instead, they intentionally prioritize their lives to include weekly worship. This does not mean you never miss! We get sick, we go out of town for vacation, we have family emergencies or work obligations — there are a number of reasons why we may miss gathering with our local church family.
But these should be the exception, not the rule. No one accidentally grows in faithfulness and sanctification. We are told in Romans 12 to “renew our minds” and in 1 Timothy 4 to “train ourselves in righteousness.” To do these things requires consistent rhythms of worship and spiritual practices. And so we go to church.
Jesus died for the Church, of which you and I get to be a part. And we participate in the Church by joining a local church where we seek to live out the way of Jesus, the way God’s Word prescribes — in community with others. The Lord is worthy to be worshiped, and a wise believer will structure their life in such a way that demonstrates this reality.
There are so many benefits to participating in a local church, but above all, we gather to worship the Lord because he is worthy.
The primary reason you should regularly go to church is to worship the Lord.
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