4th Step to Getting Closer To God: Attend Church.

art 3 of this series on getting closer to God dealt with finding a mentor — someone who will tell you what you need to hear and give you godly guidance and feedback.

This is part 4, the final part, is about something many overlook — the importance of going to church.  For some, this may be the hardest step to take. I can relate; it took me decades to understand just how important church is to a growing faith.

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I Hardly Ever Went To Chruch

I spent the first fifty years of my life as an atheist.  My family wasn’t very religious. We called ourselves Christians but only went to church on Easter — a small Baptist congregation just a few blocks away. Even so, I felt a call on my life from a young age. I didn’t know where that call came from but during my teenage years, as the chaos of the 1960s grew at home and in the world, that call became stronger.  I never thought that going to Church would help me understand what that call was.

As it never really does the call didn’t stop.  I tried to answer it in my own way — through the Peace Corps and a career in human services.  Those paths felt right for a time, but deep down, I felt there was something missing. 

My wife, a Christian and a church goer suggested I try church again.  Desperate to answer my call, I agreed and we started attending services at International Christian Fellowship. I wasn’t sure what would happen, but I was amazed.  Nearly a third of the congregation were ex-felons or former addicts — yet, now, they were transformed. They were strong, compassionate believers, full of mercy and grace.  For the first time, I saw what church was meant to be. I realized that when church is done right, it works.  Eventually I became an ordained minister, and I finally felt complete in answering the call God had placed on my life years before.

Attending Church Regularly

The fourth and final part in this series, growing closer to God, is attending church consistently. Church isn’t optional; it’s essential. It’s where we learn how to be Christians:  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  -- 2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV).  

It’s also where we build godly friendships and discover opportunities to serve.  Below are five reasons every Christian should attend church regularly.

1. To Grow Through Teaching and Learning.  Going to Church regularly brings accurate instruction and a deep understanding of God’s Word.  

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. — Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

Hearing the Word strengthens faith, enhances discernment, and teaches believers how to apply Scripture to daily life. Learning together often reveals truths that self-study misses.

2. To Receive Correction and Guidance.  The church is not just a classroom — it’s a place of accountability and spiritual correction.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. — 2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV)

Through preaching, counsel, and community, the Holy Spirit works within the church to align our hearts and actions with God’s Word.  Correction keeps us humble and prevents spiritual drift.

3. To Build Fellowship and Mutual Encouragement.  Church is God’s family come together — a place to share joys, burdens, and victories of faith.

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together… but exhorting one another. — Hebrews 10:24–25 (NKJV)

Isolation weakens faith, but fellowship strengthens it. We grow stronger through prayer, testimony, and worship with one another.

4. To Serve and Use Spiritual Gifts. Every believer has been given gifts to serve others and glorify Christ.

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. — 1 Peter 4:10 (NKJV)

The church gives a place for those gifts to be used — teaching, helping, praying, giving, and leading. Serving builds humility, unity, and joy within the Church.

5. To Worship God Together in Unity.  While personal worship is important, there’s power when believers come together in one accord.

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. — Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)

In Summary

Corporate worship reminds us that faith is both personal and communal. Together, the church becomes a living, visible expression of Jesus’ presence on earth.

By attending church regularly and participating in worship, prayer and service, we become part of a family that has one direction: to obey Jesus’ commands.  It’s where we can fully understand our call and learn how to answer it using the gifts that God has given us.  And that is where we get the ultimate sense of fulfillment.