DOES IT REALLY MATTER IF YOU "GO TO" CHURCH?

How important is your church attendance? Before you answer, let me clarify that question. I am not asking you how important your church attendance is TO YOU. Instead I am asking how important is your church attendance to God, to your family and to your church family?

The word "church" first appears biblically in Matthew 16:18 (ESV)  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Jesus is not describing a building made of brick and plaster, He is talking about THE church, the entire body of believers/followers of Jesus Christ. The actual word that Jesus said was not the English word "church" since He was a Jew. He used the word "ekklēsia" which describes "an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting" [Enhanced Strongs' Dictionary]. So the "church" that Jesus is talking about are those who assemble together as followers of Jesus Christ for worship, instruction, edification and instruction.

You will notice that this "church" or assembly is built upon "this rock" but what is that rock? It is the truth that Peter spoke in Matthew 16:16 (ESV)  Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The church is built on the truth that Jesus really is the Christ, the Son of the living God... the one and only God... the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. [As a side note, the word "church" is used properly in describing THE church which is all of the followers of Jesus around the world or the LOCAL church which is the assembly that meets in various local locations.] 

So if you are not actively participating in your local church, you are in essence saying "I don't want to be a part of Your assembly" or "I don't believe that You are the Son of the living God". You may think that this last statement is extreme but think about it. If you are not actively participating in your local church, you are choosing not to be a part of that assembly. And if you choose not to be in that assembly, then do you really believe that Jesus is the Son of the living God because we are commanded throughout scripture to worship together, love one another, teach one another, warn one another and so much more. But how can that be done if your local church never sees you?

For example, read this passage from Hebrews...
Hebrews 10:23 (ESV)  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 

How can you obey that passage if you are not part of an "us"? How you stir up anyone or be stirred up by anyone to love and good works if you neglect your responsibility to be actively involved in a local church? Does it really matter if you "go to" church? Absolutely.

The second time that the word "church" is used in the Bible is found in Matthew 18:15 (ESV)  “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16  But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 

Not only does the "church" belong to Jesus as shown in Matthew 16:18, but the church has a serious responsibility in this last passage. If person in sin refuses to repent and it has been reported to the church and he still doesn't repent, the church is to consider that person an outsider instead of a member of that church because of his rebellion. That person is choosing to remain in his sin instead of repenting and being forgiven by God.

There are plenty other references of "church" in the New Testament that you should look at such as these...

• Acts 12:5 (ESV)  So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. 
• Acts 14:23 (ESV)  And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 
• Acts 20:28 (ESV)  Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 
• Ephesians 3:10 (ESV)  so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 
• Colossians 1:18 (ESV)  And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 

So does it really matter if you "go to" church? Yes it really does. If you have not been faithfully going to your church, would you please pray right now that God would forgive you and help you understand the importance of actively participating in your local church?

It really matter to God because you are being obedient to Him when you go.

It really matters to your family because they need to see you being obedient to God and growing in your faith.

It really matters to your church family. You need them and they need you.

So once more the answer is "Yes, it really matters if you go to church".