Benefits of Going To Church: Children & Grownups

Did you know there are some awesome benefits to going to a church that both children and grown-ups can benefit from? It’s true! Read on to learn more.

*I’m super proud to announce that this article was picked up Iceland’s first Christian Magazine with support from Joyce Meyer Ministries! To order a print or online copy of Christ Magazine head here.

Children in Sunday School-

“Start children off on the way they should go,
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

Proverbs 22:6 NIV

As humans, we love having something to look forward to week to week and to raise a child to look forward to going to church is awesome because it’s such a wonderful environment. From Sunday School, she is being taught to bring happiness, joy, and compassion back into the world, along with, responsibility and good leadership.

Abby also finds an adventure through attending Sunday School. This wouldn’t be an Adventure of Abby Girl post if the true adventure aspect wasn’t discussed. When Abby goes to Sunday School, she’s embarking on a new adventure every week. 
Noah and the great flood, Daniel and the lion, Jonah and the whale the miracles of Jesus, etc. Through these adventures, she’s learning the Bible and all the awesome things God can do. She’s truly learning to love Jebus. (She can’t pronounce “Jesus” )

She’s also getting an education outside of her Monday-Saturday extracurricular activities and home school. Church school does this through a ton of activities, crafts, and worksheets. Each month, we as parents, get a new unit that they will be working on for that month.  My arms are loaded every week along with her socks, shoes and the occasional hat. When Abby gets “comfortable,” she usually loses some articles of clothing such as her socks and shoes.

Lastly, Sunday School is a great place to start practicing being away from the caregiver for a couple of hours. I’m with this child almost 24-7. So to have a break from each other in a positive, nurturing, safe environment is wonderful. I feel a Hallelujah-Amen coming.

For Grown-ups-

20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Matthew 18:20 NIV

We can Praise God alone. It is encouraged to Praise God in all we do and walk with him daily. He is always with us. However, this passage is showing the benefit of attending a church. It’s showing the mighty power we can have as a group coming together as a community to worship the Lord.

Fellowship & Support is the main benefit of attending church. To go to a church and have people there that you can talk to and go to either personally or through small groups is awesome. Sometimes, a person is just having a straight-up crummy day. But, through the fellowship and support, that can all be turned around. Even when one might be suffering from something more serious such as an addiction, there is help within the church walls.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV

Worship is another benefit of attending a church. The Lord doesn’t care if you can sing. Let your voice be heard. I hear all different sorts of voices in the church. Perhaps being a musician, helps me pick out all those different voices. I’ve had the opportunity to serve in Praise and Worship Ministry and a professional Gospel Choir. I, first hand, got to look out over the congregation and see the impact worship has on people. It is truly inspirational.

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Colossians 3:16

Hearing the Word is another benefit. There are times when you just don’t want to go to church. I’ve walked into church proclaiming, “I’m here because of Abby. She wanted Jesus, I’d rather be on a mountain.” But, after sitting through the sermon, I took away so much. I would have missed it if I was hugging a tree on a mountain. I can do that after church. So many times, what is spoken to me through Bible Scripture can be applied to our everyday lives. People argue that the Bible is old and not relevant to today. That is so far beyond not true.

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:11 KJ

Lastly is new opportunities. Doors open at church. There is an opportunity for small groups, missions and even coming to Christ. For me, that was back in 2002. The music stopped … But my feet kept walking. Happened in church. I’ve also been able to join some awesome ministries and small groups throughout my life. I feel like there is something for pretty much anyone.

I don’t go to church every week. But, life happens. However, I encourage whoever is reading this, that if they are searching for something or even one point discussed above, take the adventure and try a church. You might have to hop from church to church before you find a fit. We have personally been to many churches. You might even start going to church and something happens and you need to find another church. It happened to us when our Pastor stood up one day and announced he was heading to Africa with his family on Missions. We ended up having to search for a new church home. But, we were blessed with finding an awesome church home and family. Have a look here at a great blog post about finding a new church from lalatomama.com

Click here

Lastly, I have an awesome free printout called the Bible ABC’s. I put a word with every letter of the Alphabet that has to do with the Bible. Obviously, for most letters (x there is only one), you can insert many. I also put a Bible reference next to most. Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD HERE