6 Consequences of Skipping Church

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There are many Christians who love going to church but there are also many Christians who don’t. It has become increasingly popular for Christians to stay at home and find alternative methods to practice their faith including prayer, meditation and personal Bible study. Many people who don’t attend church regularly or at all wonder what the point of going to church is if they have a personal relationship with God. While not attending church will not send you to hell or make God love you any less, it is not what God hoped for His people and can hinder spiritual growth. One of the biggest reasons why we should go to church is because of what church represents for us in our Christian lives. Church is commonly understood to be a building used for public Christian worship but the biblical definition characterizes the church as people. We see the word church used in the Bible multiple ways. First, it is described as the body of Christ. The church is often defined as a local assembly or group of believers. Paul, who was called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, says in his greeting “To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be His holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (1 Corinthians 1:2). As believers, we are a body of living, individual believers. When we don’t go to church, we are missing out on an important call from God. Here are six consequences of skipping church.

We Miss Out on Worship

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God wants us to go to church not only because it’s good habit, but also because of the value of worship. The Bible says, “Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship. But we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer” (Hebrews 10:25). Scripture tells us that it is a good habit to regularly attend church and worship. When we worship, we are surrendering our lives to God. Romans 12:1 says, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.” Worship also puts the focus on God. True worship of God is based on the desire to honor God. It is not based on personal preferences or priorities that we’ve created for ourselves. The focus is on Him.

We Miss Out on Community

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Church is important for fellowship. It is also a place where we come together to not only hear God’s Word, but also encourage each other. We do this not only through prayer, but also by being involved in classes, groups and serving where we get to know, pray, help and encourage others on an intimate level. Church is a good habit and when it is a regular part of our practice, we benefit and those who we are in community with benefit as well. The church is also an incredible reflection of the Kingdom of God which equips us so to live thrillingly and triumphantly. Also, through community in church, we becoming living examples and witnesses as we live out Godly principles.

We Miss Out on Spiritual Growth

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When we become Christians, we attend church not simply because it’s a good habit for growing in spiritual maturity. We join a church because it’s what Christ called us to do and who Christ made us to be – members of His body. When we are in are union with believers, we are in union with Christ. Church is a place where we go to be inspired to model our lives after Jesus’, to live more Godly lives, and to discover our sense of purpose. The church helps us see that we are here to serve and to love. Instead of occasionally going to church or shutting it off all together, going to church should be a priority. It is a part of who we are as believers. Yes, there are a million other things we could be doing on a Sunday but none of these reasons outweigh being in fellowship and mission. This is what God wants for you.

We Miss Out on an Opportunity to Minister to Others

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When we go to church, one thing we are doing is exercising our spiritual gifts to serve and minister to one another. A few verses that remind us of this is James 5:16: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” Another reminder comes from 1 Peter 4:10: “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” When we skip church, we miss out on the satisfying sense of fulfillment when we begin to carry out our purpose in the body of Christ. We also begin to miss out on all the blessings of God and the gifts of our family members in the body of Christ.

We Disobey God’s Command

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Worship is the formal gathering of God’s people for worship and we are called to gather weekly to enter a journey to the house of the Lord to meet with our God and His people. Hebrews 10:25 commands us not to neglect meeting together: ”let us not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” We are told here to not forsake the assembly of yourselves. One of the biggest reasons we are encouraged to find a good church and to attend is church is because the Bible instructs us to be in relationship with other believers. If we are part of Christ’s body, we will recognize our need to fit into the body of believers.

We Miss Out on the Opportunity to Develop the Character of Christ

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When we go to church, we develop the character of Jesus Christ through bearing with one another in the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:2 says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” We can’t grow spiritually unless we spend time interacting with other believers. The best way this happens is when we go to church. In church, we learn humility, gentleness and patience. We also develop the character of Christ as we relate within the body of Christ. Our Christian character matters. Other people look us to be an example of Christianity. God calls us to be the best people we can be, not only through words but also through our actions. We should go to church so that we allow Christ to build up our character.