Why go to church if God is everywhere?

Source: Photo by Pixabay: www.pexels.com

It’s Sunday morning. It’s been a busy week. You’re bone-tired and craving that morning lie-in. Or perhaps it’s your teenager who you’re struggling to drag out of bed. Maybe your threenager is refusing to put on their socks, or your pre-teen is in the middle of an episode or is desperate to go to that party or match instead. We all know the struggle! Inevitably the question comes…“Why do we have to go to church if God is everywhere anyway?!”

Well firstly, great job for raising a mini theologian who knows that God isn’t just with him at church! But secondly, I wonder how you’ve answered them. If church-going has been part of your family’s routine for a while, then you’ve probably tackled this question more times than you can count – maybe previously you’ve said something like…

• “Because it’s good for you…
• Because the Bible tells us to…
• Because God wants to meet with you there…
• Because you’ll enjoy it when you get there…
• Because people will miss you if you don’t go…
• or simply because that’s what we do and while you live in my house you follow my rules!”

Whilst probably true, there is something slightly unsatisfying about those answers. I’ve used some with my kids and have had others said to me when I was a kid! But I wonder whether in the desperate moment of trying to get out of the door on a Sunday morning we’ve focused on the outward and missed their hearts.

God is everywhere

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