church goersAttending church is often central to the spiritual lives of the religious. However, many people who consider themselves religious do not spend nearly as much time in church as they used to. According to a pole from the Pew Research Center, in the last decade there has been a 5% increase in the number of parishioners that report attending a religious service seldom or never in a year.

One reason for this is often because people find they are too busy. It's also possible that an established church doesn't speak to people's exact beliefs and instead emphasizes the specific dogmas of the particular denomination. Either way, it can be difficult to administer to any given set of like-minded believers; not to mention people have other plans for their weekends.

Many people are convinced that the difficulty in addressing all of this results in parishioners skipping out on going to church. Church is seen as an as an obligation, but we may not realize the benefits they may reap from attending church regularly. Studies have shown religious people who attend church with their families regularly fare better than religious people who don't.

The "church" itself can come in many forms and still bestow the same benefits. While many congregations have a dedicated building, others meet in community centers and homes. An emerging trend is also the online church, like the Universal Life Church. These give congregants access to the message and fellow members at any time and in any place. All of these forms can help grow a person spiritually.

Great Community

One of the greatest things about attending church regularly is you get to be involved in a community. For most people, church is a place where you can meet up with friends and catch up on the events of the week. It can be a great time to have people pray for you and share things you are struggling with to get encouragement. Many people find when they go to church regularly, they start looking forward to it because of the sense of community they feel. You can foster a sense of community by attending church-related activities such as:

  • Bible studies

  • Focus groups such as youth group, online forums, or worship music rehearsals

  • Community Events

These things can help friendships develop and relationships mature. Having this support system can be highly beneficial when you are going through a crisis or are simply looking for some extra encouragement during a challenging time.

Families who attend church together are more likely to spend time together as a family outside of church functions. This includes being more likely to eat your meals as a family, which allows families to share and discuss things going on in each other's lives.

Lower Risk for Youth

Children who attend church are less likely to engage in criminal or rebellious activities. This may be because of the family time that attending church regularly encourages. It could also be because church provides an atmosphere where an agreed upon sense of morality is socially enforced. Kids naturally have a tendency to want to fit in, and having a community based on shared values can help shape children to act in certain ways as well as provide friends that parents know and can trust.

When a family attends church regularly together, they are more likely to have more of a routine. This can help you be more organized and successful in life. While you obviously don't need to have every single hour of your life planned, it can help if you have a routine in order to stay organized and make sure you get everything accomplished in a day that you need to. Another bonus to having a routine is it really helps children. Kids need routine in order to thrive, and many behavioral problems can be tracked back to a lack in daily routine. Adults benefit from it as well, even if the effects aren't as obvious as they are in children.

Teach Compassion

Many churches are involved in community outreach or charities that your children can become involved in. This can be a great way to show your children compassion. This is something that many people lack these days, and it is something that we could certainly use more of in this world. Teaching compassion can help your child make a difference in the world.

As you can see, there are several benefits to going to church regularly as a family. If you don't feel comfortable in one church, you may consider giving a different church a try. You may be surprised at how much one church can differ from another, and it may not take long before you find your church home.

9 comments

  1. Daryl Porn's Avatar Daryl Porn

    Very well written article. I agree with every thing that was wrote. I would love to open a small church and fill it with God loving people. Where I could bring more lost souls to Christ. Only Jesus Christ can change someone's heart. I can lead them there so God can touch there heart as I share his word with them.
    God Bless you all Pastor Daryl

  1. pastor mary's Avatar pastor mary

    Amen brother! So many lost people and kids in this world today. Planting a church is always a great thing, so much help we can provide to others, the comfort , the love that we can share .

  1. Kate Hansen's Avatar Kate Hansen

    I really appreciate how you point out that children who attend church are less likely to engage in criminal or rebellious activities. I make sure to take my family to church every week and I know that it has brought our family closer together. I love the feelings I get while at church and I'm glad you listed all the benefits!

  1. Erika Brady's Avatar Erika Brady

    I have been thinking about going to church the past several months, and have been trying to weigh the pro's and con's to going. I like the fact that most churches teach about compassion and are working to be charitable. That is something I could really use in my life right now. I will start searching to find which one I should attend.

  1. Derek Dewitt's Avatar Derek Dewitt

    My wife and I have been thinking about attending church again after a long time but we aren't sure if it's worth it yet. I like that you talk about how a belief system can teach children compassion at a young age. I think every child needs a moral compass to help them understand the world so this sounds really helpful. Thanks for sharing!

  1. raisadelima's Avatar raisadelima

    It's great that many churches teach compassion. I want to take my family to church so that my kids will learn principles like that. I hope by doing so, they will grow up right and become responsible adults.

  1. Jocelyn McDonald's Avatar Jocelyn McDonald

    My family and I haven't been to church in several years, and we're wondering if we should start going back and if there are any benefits to this kind of worship. Your article had some great tips for people like us, and I liked how you said that it can be great to teach children compassion by showing them community outreach or charities they can become involved in. Thanks; we'll keep this in mind when deciding if going to church is right for us.

  1. Florence Welch's Avatar Florence Welch

    It sure got my attention when you said that kids who go to church have lower chances of engaging in criminal or rebellious activities because it develops spirituality and faith which fosters a sense of morality in children. As a parent, I want my kids to grow up as decent and responsible human beings with compassion to others and a love for service. That is why, while they are still young, I am planning on taking them with me to church. This would allow them to grow closer to my community and develop their individual spirituality. Thanks for telling me about the benefits of attending church!

  1. Mia Stewart's Avatar Mia Stewart

    I like how the article explains that by attending church, you can get involved with a community and be able to find friends. In my day to day life, I have found that it is difficult for me to find activities to be able to make friends. I will look into attending a church to become apart of a community.

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