Do I Have to Attend Church to Be a Christian

Summary

Instead of asking how little we must do to be Christians, such as whether church attendance is required, believers should ask how they can fully serve the One who saved them. Christianity is a team calling. Jesus is the Head, and every believer is a vital part of His body with gifts meant to strengthen the church. Gratitude, not obligation, should drive us to gather, grow, and contribute for God’s glory.

A Revealing Question

I raised financial support as a staff member of Campus Crusade for Christ in the mid-1970s. I shared my ministry at a church that is part of my denomination. At the end of the presentation, the pastor asked, “What is the least we can give?” My answer was exactly what the church decided to give—"Nothing.”

Do I Have to Attend Church to Be a Christian?

It seems to me that behind the question “Do I have to attend church to be a Christian?” lies another question: “What is the least I can do and still be a Christian?”

The Right Question: How Can I Serve Jesus?

A far better indicator of one who possesses new spiritual life by grace through faith in Jesus is asking, “What is the most I can do for Jesus who took my place on the cross of Calvary and delivered me from eternity in hell?” How can I live for Him who died and was raised for me? (2 Corinthians 5:15).

Where is gratitude for the undeserved gift God has provided through Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection? Healthy Christians demonstrate “want to,” not “have to,” motivation.

Why Church Matters

Do I have to attend church to be a Christian isn’t the best question for Christians to ask. A better one is, “How can I strengthen the church with the gift(s) God gave me and be strengthened by others’ gifts?”

The real issue isn’t merely attending church, but being a contributing and healthy part of it, because Christians are part of the body of which Jesus is the head (Colossians 1:18).

We Are Christ’s Body

Asking if I have to attend church is as inappropriate as the index finger asking the brain, “Do I have to do anything today?”  The Scriptures assume that just as the head controls the body, Jesus controls the members of His church.  

Of course, we have to do something for Jesus today—live for Him. We are vital parts of His team, His hands and feet on Earth.

Christianity Is a Team Calling

Would we not be surprised if a football player asked, “Must I go to my team’s practices and games to be considered a football player?” That is not a far-fetched analogy. Football is a team sport. Christianity is a team ministry.

Every Believer Has a Purpose

Each Christian has at least one special gift from God to benefit the entire church.  ^“A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other” (1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT). The Holy Spirit fosters oneness in the church.

Unity and Growth

^“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” (Ephesians 4:16 NLT). Refusing to attend is withholding the gift and special work God has given us to strengthen the church.

No “I” in Team

As athletic coaches often remind their players, there is no “I” in the word team. Self-denial undergirds the team’s success.  Similarly, we are part of Jesus’s team and have the highest priority to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33).  

Our Calling

We are not free agents to pursue our own agendas. We are blood-bought servants of God. “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT).

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