There is a common misconception floating around that going to church is the only way you’ll get to heaven. Let me assure you that what saves you is the love of the Holy Trinity, the sacrifice made to cleanse you from your sins and the assurance that your slate is clean. There is nothing YOU can do to make that happen.

In my lifetime I’ve seen a steady decline in church attendance. Part of the decline has to do with what’s going in in the American family. Church used to be a part of Sunday mornings and many times, extended into the afternoon hours with fellowship, family get togethers, potlucks and Christians encouraging each other. When Sunday came, we knew we were going to church. Some might call it a wasted part of the weekend when we could be adding to our own personal recreation. Others might think that by attending church they are making amends with God and then go on living the way they were before and after church ends. Some attend church simply to worship. So why is church attendance falling by the wayside?

During the COVID epidemic, we became a nation in isolation. We were required to stay home and hopefully avoid the spread of the disease. A good thing came out of that time. Online church services were made available, so many were still able to attend church, hear the message, sing the hymns and worship all in the comfort of their own homes. After that, many continued to isolate. Going to church took on a new facade. Now you could watch and hear the service without even going.

During the past fifty years or so, the ministry is also declining. There aren’t enough pastors to house the many existing churches. A new approach to worship has created the partnering of those many edifices to compensate for the lack of ministers. The building itself, the preacher, the size of the congregation has very little merit in the eyes of God. The real church is the body of Christ accompanied by those who believe in Him. We can worship anywhere – in a closet, in our own living room – in nature – anywhere that God is (which is everywhere,) and with our prayers at any time.

The church itself is full of sinners just like you and me.  It’s an imperfect body of soiled and ugly people – often dressed in their most beautiful clothes and looking like a million bucks.  Within this seemingly perfect refuge lies deceit, judgment, anger, adultery, bigotry, liars, hypocrisy, thieves and every other kind of evil you can imagine.  This is one of Satan’s most popular places to visit, because it’s filled with imperfect people who are subject to sin. However, when you look at the ministry of Christ, it took place in the most unusual places. He went to the core of humanity – to the sinners of the world – to all those who needed His healing.  He still does.  Through His Word, the Bible, He comes to the broken hearted, the poor in spirit, the lost and condemned and those who need Him most.

Going to church isn’t going to guarantee our salvation, but if our church is preaching the truth of the Bible, we will be nourished each week and fed with the good news of the Gospel.  A steady diet of God’s truth will show us that our sins are forgiven through Jesus.  It will heal troubled spirits and lift those who are sad out of depression.