STORY OF THE WEEK: Worshiping Alone vs. Going to Church
A New Era of Faith: From Church Pews to Backyard Fires
I’ll admit it.
I felt so guilty when a friend at work asked me if I went to church, and I said, “No!” even though it was the truth.
Why did I feel guilty? Well, it’s because growing up in the church, I was told that saying you “didn’t go to church” was akin to denying your faith — kind of like Peter denying Jesus before the rooster crowed.
Being a Christian and going to church went hand in glove. You couldn’t have one without the other, or at least that was the common perception.
However, a study from Lifeway Research has shown that times are changing… and they’re changing at a rapid pace. In fact, most Americans now believe that worshipping alone or with family is a valid replacement for attending church.
What’s even more shocking is that over half of evangelicals (54%) also believe that worshipping alone is a valid expression of worship — up from 39% just two years ago. No doubt, COVID-19 has influenced these results, given that for many, attending church in person wasn’t even an option for much of 2020. Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, said in a statement. “When in-person church attendance behaviors were interrupted, and habits were broken, it affected some Americans’ beliefs about the need to gather with other believers to worship.”
However, I have to say… as a person who grew up in a time when church attendance was not optional for Christians, I am shocked by the result. Check out the graph:
The study also found that over half of Americans don’t believe Christians are obligated to join a local church, compared to 36% who contend that every Christian must fulfill this obligation.
Is worshipping alone okay?
As a modern-day church refugee who grew up going to church every week, twice a week, for the first 38 years of my life, sometimes I feel like I should get out my Sunday best, dust off my hymnal, and head down to the local chapel for old time’s sake, or perhaps to appease some lingering sense of internal guilt that tells me I am destined for the bowels of Hell — a belief that, ironically enough, I picked up from my involvement in Church in the first place.
My problem is not with Jesus. So far as I am concerned, he is history’s preeminent teacher of love, grace, and compassion and worthy of being followed. Rather, my problem is with the institution of the church.
Which left me with a conundrum.
How do I follow Jesus now that I don’t go to church? And is it okay to “do church” alone at home?
I think the answer is yes and no. Let me explain.
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