Faith Time: Why go to Church?

Chad Petri
·2 min read

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Joining us this morning is David Roach, with Shiloh Baptist Church in Saraland. We want to talk about this subject. A lot of people are probably getting ready for church right now. Why should somebody go to church?

Guest: Well, it’s an obligation, but it’s also a joy, but an obligation in that if we say we’re followers of Jesus and he’s our king, then we have to do what he says. And that includes church attendance. But it’s not all drudgery. There are great spiritual benefits.

Anchor: Yeah, talk about the spiritual benefits of being part of a church. What are they?

Guest: Well, God is present and active in the gathering of His people in a unique way. In the Old Testament, God showed his care for Israel at the Tabernacle and the temple worship. And then that carries over into the New Testament, where Jesus said, if two or three are gathered, he is there with them.

Anchor: What are some of the social benefits of going to a church?

Guest: Believers sharpen one another. Proverbs talks about that. When we are with other believers in church, it challenges our thinking and it refines the way we live our lives. This is something that’s really come up in the last four years. The idea of online church services. They’ve been growing as a choice for believers.

Anchor: What do you think a virtual service lacks that an in-person service has?

Guest: We ought to say first that online services are a blessing, especially for those that can’t attend church physically. But they’re also not a substitute for in-person church attendance for most people, because an online church service lacks the full spiritual and social benefits that we were just talking about.

Anchor: What do you think are the benefits of worshiping as a community or a congregation as a whole?

Guest: When we worship as a congregation, we can look around, see others and be encouraged. It reminds us that we’re not alone. We sing songs. We take the Lord’s Supper, we study the Bible, and then look around at others doing that and see that these people in this room share the same commitment to Christ that I do.

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