1. Do I really need to go to church...to be saved?
No. A big, fat, honking, NO. The church didn't die for you (neither did baptism or good works) and it is not what saves you. Maybe God used the church as an instrument for your salvation, but the church itself is not where salvation lies. Church doesn't save you...and Jesus does. Romans 10:9 "because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved"
2. Do I really need to go to church...to glorify God?
Yes and no. Glorifying God is not exclusively done in "church-going". You can actually glorify God in all that you do. More explained in my post, Happiness Is..., my point is that we should not put glorifying God into a box. It is, and can be done in far more situations than such. As John Piper said, "God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in him."
3.Do I really need to go to church...to worship?
No you do not. Worship is not just music. Much alike the concept of glorifying God in everyday life, so should you worship Him. He deserves it a whole lot more than just 10 minutes on Sunday morning during music. Now church definitely is and can be a means of worship, but it's not the only one.
4. Do I really need to go to church...to witness to others?
I say yes, and here's why. Witnessing, or being an example of Jesus, is an all the time constant thing. You don't have to be preaching at someone to show them Jesus, it can and frequently happens simply through an example. Maybe someone wondering what is different about you, or how they can have it. So going to church plays into that because to be an example of Jesus, you need things such as encouragement, fellowship, and to have a relationship with him. A good church helps bring about such things.
5. Do I really need to go to church...to be a good person?
Before even answering this one, we should take a step back. Romans 3:9-18 says "What then? Are we Jews any better off? Not at all. For we have already charged that all , both Jews and Greeks, are under sin. As it is written 'None is righteous, no not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.' 'Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.' 'The venom of asps is under their lips.' 'Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.' 'Their feet are swift to shed blood; and in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.' 'There is no fear of God before their eyes.'" If you didn't get the point, that passage is saying that we aren't good. We can't be good, and trying would be of no use. We need Jesus, and there's no way around that.
6. Do I really need to go to church...to grow?
Yes. Growing requires several things that the church provides. You cannot obtain a mature faith on your own, God is the one who does that, and he often works through the church. How can you grow without an example of someone who is where you want to be? In other words, it is important to involve yourself with other Christians if you want to grow.
7. Do I really need to go to church...to maintain my salvation?
If you are truly asking this question, I am about to give you potentially one of the most comforting things you'll ever hear. You can do nothing for your salvation. I'm serious. You cannot earn it (#5, we could never obtain anything that requires perfection) and you cannot do anything to keep it. It is by God's mercy and grace alone that you even know what that word means, and because of that, you can rest in the fact that it's not up to us. You cannot loose your salvation. If you look at yourself honestly and recognize your sin, you'll understand that. If we could loose it, we would. John 10: 26 "But you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one." If you are saved, that is that. You cannot out-sin God's grace, and you can't mess up more than He can fix...you.are.His.
8. Do I really need to go to church...to edify others?
"Edify: to instruct or benefit, morally or spiritually, to uplift." This one is huge. Christians should be unified, working together as one...and how can you do that if you do not encourage and help one another?
9. Do I really need to go to church...to change myself?
My answer for this one depends on what you really mean. If you mean "will church change me?" then the answer is no. But if you mean "can attending church help change me? or provide me with things to assist that change?" then absolutely yes. Much alike #6, grow, change, whatever you would like to call it, you need a lot of the help that comes from church. Now of course God can do incredible things, and any way that He would like to-I am not saying that He needs you to go to church for these things. He doesn't need you at all, for anything. But He wants you, and that's the cool part.
10. Do I really need to go to church...to serve?
Church is not the only place you should serve (after all, if nobody served anyone outside of church, servitude would be dead), but it is a crucial place for it. How would you know what serving is or what it means without the church? Of course you see it elsewhere, but it would be like seeing people eating kale everywhere you went. You have no idea that it is kale, or why in the world anyone would eat it, but you see it nonetheless. And then one day, at this place, somebody explains it all to you, and you understand why, and how wonderful it truly is. (I don't like kale, I just use it for example because its a superfood). You keep going to that place to learn more about it and see people do it, because it only makes sense, and it helps you. Of course serving others isn't like eating kale, but hopefully that brought about clarification. The church trains you on servitude.
And don't forget to hop on over to BecKyle's post and read hers!
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