Do I have to go to church to be a Christian?

The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies’… Leviticus 23:1-2

Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. Luke 4:14-16

And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing but encouraging one another… Hebrews 10:24-25

The dentist was having a good poke around my mouth one day when he said, “Did you know that you grind your teeth?” To which the answer was “No, I didn’t, since you ask”. “Oh yes you do”, he said. “It must be while you’re asleep”.

Well, perhaps so. But thinking about it later I came up with an alternative explanation. Could it be because of the times I’ve heard someone say, “Sorry, but I don’t have any time for organised religion”? That, I suspect, is enough to get anybody’s teeth grinding (after you’ve hit them a nice juicy punch on the nose, of course).

The obvious reply, if you’re not too bothered about being polite, is “Well, what do you want then? Disorganised religion?” Grrr…

I suspect that the person who “has no time for organised religion” is really saying, “I don’t mind religion as long as I can have it on my own terms, at my own convenience, and at no expense in terms of effort, time or money. Especially, as long as I don’t have to get up at inconvenient times and in all sorts of weather, and go to some dreary building and sit for a dreary hour in the company of a group of dreary people I have nothing in common with, engaging in some kind of dreary ritual that makes no sense”.

That’s a travesty of the truth, of course; but I wonder if that’s the way some people’s minds work.

Why am I talking in this cynical way?

Because I expect soon to be speaking at a church service under the title “Can I be a Christian and not go to church?” I’m using this blog (I might as well come clean) to try and get some thoughts into shape so I have something useful to say. So bear with me, please…

I hope it goes without saying that there’s a whole lot more to being a Christian than “going to church”. A whole lot more! Indeed, you might go to church every day of your life and not be a Christian.

How wonderful it would be if we could really get it into everybody’s head that “church” is not “a building you go to” but a community you belong to. It is, in New Testament terms, “the body of Christ” on earth, the vast world-wide family of all men and women who love him, trust him and seek to bring his light and love to everyone they meet.

This means that if you are a believer in Jesus then you are already part of the church, whether you like it or not – and whether you gather with your fellow-believers or not. (Let’s stop talking about “going to church” and talk instead about “gathering regularly with fellow-believers”.)

But that raises the key question: Can you be a Christian and also be indifferent to something that mattered so much to Jesus? Did he found the church for fun? Did he found it as a kind of optional extra, an add-on for those who happen to like that kind of thing, so that we might say, “Well thanks, Jesus, for founding the church – but personally I don’t think I need it, thank you very much, so you won’t expect me to show up at gatherings, will you?”

Do we know better than him? Are we his pupils or his teachers?

There are many Christians in our world who would love nothing more than to be able to gather with others – and who would shake their heads in disbelief that we can be so casual.

I’m thinking, of course, of the sick, the frail, the elderly; people who might say, “Yes, I used to be an absolute regular, never happier than when I was able to join in fellowship and to serve. But now I just can’t do it…” (Sadly, they might sometimes add, “And now that I can’t go any more, nobody seems to bother much with me; it’s as if I just don’t matter any more… And oh, how I miss them…”)

And I’m thinking of those for whom gathering together is just not possible because of persecution. Perhaps an occasional furtive meeting with a small group might happen, but a full gathering of the  local church...? No! How they must envy us! And what if you’re the one, solitary, Christian in your locality or village? Imagine that.

I’m running out of space, and I’ve hardly started. What I want to do, of course, is to root in the Bible - God’s word to us - what I say at that meeting I mentioned. But that will have to wait till next time.

And if, in the meantime, you have any thoughts to share or suggestions to offer, please do get in touch. I’d love to hear from you.

Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of your church, even with its many faults and weaknesses. Teach me to value it, to serve it, to enjoy it, and to do everything I can to strengthen it. Amen.