Do I Need to Go to Church to Be a Christian?
It's one of the most common questions people ask me: "Can't I just believe in God on my own? Why do I need church?" Maybe you've been hurt by church before. Maybe you're more of a homebody. Or maybe you just aren't sure what church is actually for.
In part two of our Back to Acts series at The Open Church, I wanted to tackle that question head-on, and I want to share some of it with you here.
What the first Christians did
Acts 2:42 describes the very first church: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."
Look closely at that verse. They didn't just devote themselves to the teaching. They devoted themselves to one another.
I believe the early church in the book of Acts is the model of how church should actually function. There are so many books, manuals and conferences out there about how to do church better. But I don't want to do church better. I want to do church right. And the good news is, it's not rocket science. The challenge is stepping out of the way and letting Jesus build his church.
Faith is personal, but it isn't meant to be private
Jesus saves us personally, but he didn't save us just so it would stay personal. Our faith is actually public. Our faith is relational. He saved us into a family.
Paul and the other New Testament writers keep coming back to the same instructions: love one another, encourage one another, forgive one another, carry one another's burdens, serve one another, pray for one another. Here's the thing: you can't practise "one another" alone.
Galatians 6:2 says, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ." But you can't carry someone's burdens if you don't know they exist. That's why being in community, and being known, matters so much. And it's more than sending a prayer-hands emoji. Pick up the phone. Send a voice message and pray for them. Do something with your faith, don't just talk about it.
I'm an introvert too
If the idea of community makes you want to run, I get it. I'm naturally an introvert. Give me a blank wall, or sit me in front of a fire, and I'm happy for hours.
I'll be honest with you too: I've been hurt by church and by people. So opening up again means making myself vulnerable again, and that's hard. But if I don't open my heart, I'm not being the church God has called us to be.
What I've learned is that the same walls that protect us from being hurt can eventually prevent us from being loved. Before Brooke came into my life, God did a lot of healing in me. I went through a year of pain, of pulling the junk out, so I could actually let her in. Sometimes we have to do those hard yards.
Connection takes intentionality
Community requires intentionality. You can't build deep relationships by accident. Someone has to make the invitation. Someone has to open their home. Someone has to share honestly. Someone has to make the phone call. Someone has to stay when leaving is easier.
When I'm driving around with 20 or 30 minutes to spare, I ask myself, "Who can I call?" I've noticed the people I'm closest to are the ones I'm intentional with.
So here are some simple steps: join the table. Accept the invitation. Make the invitation. Share something real. Ask someone how they're actually doing, and stay long enough to hear the answer.
Not a crowd, but a family
I don't want a church full of people who come in, check in and check out, with no real connection. It's very easy to get lost in a crowd. The church isn't simply a gathering to attend. It's a family to belong to.
In Acts the believers met in the temple courts and in each other's homes. I call it the temple and the table. We don't have to choose between them; a healthy church needs both. The temple gathers the family, and the table lets the family actually know one another.
And when a church lives like that, people notice. Jesus said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35).
So, do you need church to be a Christian?
You become a Christian by trusting Jesus, not by walking into a building. But following Jesus was never meant to be a solo journey. We grow best alongside people who know our story, pray with us and carry our burdens, and whose burdens we help carry.
So let me leave you with a few questions I asked our church:
Who am I sharing this journey with?
Who knows when I'm struggling?
Whose burden am I carrying?
Who helps me become more like Jesus?
Come and find your people
If you're in Butler, Merriwa, Clarkson, Ridgewood, Alkimos, Joondalup or anywhere in Perth's northern suburbs, we'd love to save you a seat. Come with your questions, your doubts, or just your curiosity.
Sunday 10am: Irene McCormack College, Butler
Friday 7pm: 12 Hughie Edwards Dr, Merriwa
Or watch the full message first: Back to Acts, Part 2.
God bless,
Ps Mike
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