I Don’t Attend Church — Am I A Bad Christian?
Odds are, you’ve asked yourself the same question.
It’s a fact — Church attendance has unfortunately been steadily declining over the past several decades.
There are many reasons for this, ranging from technological advancements, popular culture and increasingly — a society that no longer abides by Judeo-Christian values. In 2020, there are higher rates of both atheism (not believing in God) and agnosticism (being uncertain about God’s existence) than ever before.
The United States has a growing population, but more and more people are moving away from believing in God — and therefore fewer people are attending Church services.
A Church used to be a staple in the community — and a central meeting place where all are accepted and welcomed. Due to the decrease in Church attendance, Church’s have had to pivot to hosting virtual services. Jesus had a large following and encouraged group gatherings.
Even more recently, due to the Corona Virus (COVID-19), Church’s have been ordered to close down physical services and most have even moved online.
You can even sign up for a service like Bible Hint, where they will send you a Daily Text Message of a Bible Verse, every day.
The Corona Virus cannot stop the word of God!
WHAT MAKES SOMEONE A GOOD CHRISTIAN?
In my opinion, you do not need to attend a weekly Church service to be a good person of faith (we think most people would agree with us on this). Similarly, you are not a good person just by virtue of attending Church.
In my eyes, you are a good Christian if you do the following:
1) Accept God as the creator of the universe
2) Follow the 10 Commandments
3) Try every day to improve your community and to spread the word of God
Understand What Changed?
In times past — the Church was a “community center” and even a social event. You attended Church to see friends and family on a regular basis. Church was a weekly event for the whole family.
It was extremely common for families to wake up on Sunday morning and attend a Church service. It is now turned into an uncommon activity. Attending Church has been replaced by sleeping in and watching television.
In the past couple of decades, Church has been replaced by other activities and is no longer a cornerstone of a family’s week.
Embrace Technology
Church services can now be streamed daily from anywhere in the world. Most commonly on Zoom or your Church’s website. We see this as a benefit as it will allow people to attend a Church service from afar.
If I grew up in Minnesota and am missing my hometown Church service from my apartment in Chicago, I can easily watch every Sunday on my Church’s website. It’s never been easier to do this.
Not so long ago, a whole family had to put on their Sunday’s best, hop in the car and drive over to Church. This simply doesn’t need to happen. No matter where you are, you can virtually attend your favorite pastor in your hometown or even a famous pastor in a different state, all from your own couch at home (and you don’t even have to dress up!)
You can even sign up for a service like Bible Hint, where they will send you a Daily Text Message of a Bible Verse, every day.
There are even mega churches that offer a more contemporary interpretation of Church and the Bible — these have also become quite popular.
To sum it all up, as long as you believe in God and have some sort of daily practice that works for you, you are on your path to continuing to be a good Christian.
