Growing up I spent every single Sunday and Wednesday at church. It never occurred to me to ask the question why. Why is it so important to spend these days in church? It may sound silly to ask that question, but I think the meaning may go deeper than you think. I always just brushed off the question by telling myself we go because God wants us to. If you grew up consistently in church, then you may have experienced this as well. We tend to get in the routine of things, as humans, and forget to stop and ask ourselves why. We fail to pause during our busy lives and find out the meaning behind what we are doing. This is more important than you may think. Knowing the reasons why we need to attend church and find a good church home is important to know. If someone came up to you and asked you why it is so important, what would you say? I genuinely used to not be able to answer. That was because I had just always gone to church. It was a part of my routine simply because my mom said I had to go. It was not until I hit college that I started questioning why I actually attend church. There is always a deeper meaning, right? Maybe you go because your friends do. Maybe it is because your parents make you go as well. Maybe you do not go regularly at all and are wondering what the point is in going. Most who attend church regularly stop when they get out of their home and can make that decision themselves. Some see Sunday as a homework or chill at home kind of day, especially after a late night out.
College is a time to find yourself and what you really believe individually. With what your parents taught you in mind, it is important to search for who you are and who you want to be yourself. It really is just a time of questioning, which can be frustrating, but do not let it be. Allow it to be a time to grow from finding answers, which then allows you to better yourself. College is the first time you step out from under your parents wing. You can decide whether or not you want to go to church, along with many other things you can decide on your own. Take the newfound independence you have and put yourself to work. Ask as many questions as you can think of and find the answers. Become your complete own person and find joy in who you become.
It did not take me super long to find my answer to why I need to be in church. However, I did walk away with a couple new ideas of the church itself. The first truth I learned was what the church is. I used to always just see it as the building you go to in order to attend Sunday school and sermons. Even though I had been told before “we are the church”, I was never actually taught what that meant exactly. The church is those who are saved. It is not the building itself, but those who gather in it. Even those who do not gather in a physical building, as long as they are saved, are also a part of the church. We, God’s children, are the church. That being said, a great question can be asked. Why do we need to gather in the physical building? I found many reasons why we should. One reason is to find others who you can befriend and that can hold you accountable. As Christians, the best place to find friends is at a church. Who we become friends with is important to our walk and daily life. Another reason is to gain a good mindset for your week ahead. With COVID I have realized how hard it is to go through the week with a Jesus focused mind without attending church. Even when I do my devotionals, it is not the same as gathering together and being taught. Attending church really sets the tone for your week, even if you have to watch it online. Hebrews 10:25 is one example where we see we, the church, are called to gather. We are called to gather in order to encourage and come alongside each other. Today’s church gathering looks different for everyone. It does not matter if you gather through a screen, house church, or attend the physical building, all that matter is that you gather.
Verses on what the church is:
Colossians 1:24. 1 Corinthians 12:13 1 Corinthians 12:27 Ephesians 1: 22-23 Ephesians 2:19-22 Ephesians 4:16 Romans 12:4-5
Dig deep and ask yourself why you attend church.
Kokonaomi
