Last week I was listening to a podcast. It was training for my direct sales business, but the speaker is a Christian and runs a Christian-based business so she prays at the beginning and end of the podcasts and includes Bible references throughout her teaching.

She mentioned in this particular training that over the past year God had led her to no longer attend church but spend time with Him at home reading the Bible, listening to sermons online and doing “church” there.

When she made this comment something in my Spirit made me raise my eyebrows and then made me question her teaching.

I am fully aware that God can say whatever to whomever He wants. However, I also know that God never speaks against His written Word – the Bible. Her comment made me ask:

Do Christians have to go to church?

and more specifically

Do Christian singles have to go to church? Or is church just for the married elite?

Going to church by yourself as a single woman can be utterly painful. I know this firsthand. I feel guilty even writing that because church should be everything but painful. However, when you’re single it brings up so many different emotions as you sit there alone seeing young married couples.

Even if you’re not ready for marriage, the church often lacks in the ministry of single adults. You may feel like an outsider. Like everyone’s wondering, “What’s up with her?” It can be complicated and uncomfortable. This is the reason many young Christians are not members of local churches.

So if it’s uncomfortable to go to church as a Christian single, do you have to go at all? 

First, let’s get the big question off the table.

Do Christian singles have to go to church to be saved – to have salvation? Of course not. The Bible makes it clear that salvation is only through faith alone. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” Ephesians 2:8-9.

Church attendance is not a requirement for salvation.

Then why should single Christians go to church?

The simple answer is because you love Jesus. But I love Jesus, and I haven’t always wanted to go to church. I’ve also gone through periods in my life when my church attendance was very sporadic.

Even though I know why Christians may not want to go to church, I still know that God’s best is for every Christian to belong to a church body where other Believers come together to worship Him, learn about Him and serve Him. The Bible makes this clear:

“not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25 

“so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Romans 12:5

For no other reason our answer should be “because God says so”. But this doesn’t satisfy me, usually, and it probably doesn’t satisfy you. Which brings us to the next question.

What’s in it for me?

Tomorrow I’m going to answer this for you. Read part 2 here.

What are your thoughts about Christian singles and the church?