Do I Have to Go to Church to Be a Christian?

1,724 people made decisions for Christ at Victory on Easter
weekend!
Do I have to go to church to be a Christian?
U.S. Census Bureau & The Barna Group:
• 75% of Americans identify with a Christian faith.
• 35% of Christians identify with being born again.
• 16% of Americans frequently attend church (2017 — twice a
month).
• 31% of Americans attend church once a month.
• Every year around 2.7 million church members fall into
inactivity.
• The U.S. now ranks 3rd in the world, following China and India,
in the number of people who are not professing Christians.
• Half of all churches in the U.S. did not add any new members to
their ranks in the last 2 years.
• 85% of U.S. churches are either declining or plateauing.
• By 2050 the percentage of U.S. population attending church will
be about half of what it was in 1990.
Reasons People Aren’t Attending Church:

1. The church is not relevant to the world they live in. (Not addressing
   the social problems the world is interested in)
2. They’ve had a bad experience in a church. (Offense, moral failure,
   etc.)
3. They burn out on church. (Over served in a church)
4. They feel guilt or shame for their current lifestyle.
5. They prioritize other things above church. (Work, sports,
   entertainment)
6. The whole idea of church requires too much work and commitment.
7. The option of online church
   Hebrews 10:23-25 NIV
   Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who
   promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one
   another on toward love and good deeds, NOT GIVING UP MEETING
   TOGETHER, AS SOME ARE IN THE HABIT OF DOING, but
   encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day
   approaching.
   Why Should I Go to Church?

1. It’s a natural expression of someone who is devoted to Christ.
   Acts 2:41-47 NLT
   Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the
   church that day—about 3,000 in all. All the believers devoted
   themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to
   sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep
   sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many
   miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers MET
   TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE and shared everything they had. They
   sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those
   in need. THEY WORSHIPED TOGETHER AT THE TEMPLE EACH
   DAY, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals
   with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying
   the goodwill of ALL THE PEOPLE. And each day the Lord added to
   their fellowship those who were being saved.
2. It creates an opportunity for a new spiritual family.
3. It multiplies the power of your life.
   Acts 2:47 NLT
   …all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the
   people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who
   were being saved.
4. It provides a platform for spiritual growth and accountability.
   Ephesians 4:11-16 NLT
   Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the
   prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their
   responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the
   church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such
   unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature
   in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
   Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed
   and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be
   influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound
   like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every
   way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the
   church. 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.
5. It’s a place to discover and use the gifts God gives us.
   Romans 12:4-8 NLT
   Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special
   function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body,
   and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us
   different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you
   the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has
   given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a
   teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be
   encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you
   leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a
   gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.