HEY MIKE! When Sunday morning rolls around, I never feel like going to church. Why is it so important to worship God in a sanctuary? Why can’t I do it on my own?
—P.L., Altadena, Calif.
Let’s be honest. We all wake up from time to time on Sunday with the strong temptation to worship at "Bedside Baptist" or "First Church of the Water Bed." But if we’re wise — and if we don’t want our parents to ground us for eternity — we fight off the temptation.
Here’s why church is important:
1. There’s no such thing as the Lone Ranger Christian. Worshipping God is an interactive experience. It’s meant to be shared with others. Even if you can’t understand all the big words the pastor says—or if you can’t find the Book of Malachi if your life depended upon it — spending time in church teaches you that God’s family is a whole lot bigger than your own. Get this: Heaven is gonna be packed with all kinds of people praising and worshipping God. Church is a good place to prepare. What’s more, our church family keeps us accountable.
2. Going to church plugs you into God’s truth. Face it, we encounter a lot of distractions during the week — at school, on TV, in the computer games we play. Too many things can pull us away from God. Sunday mornings give us a spiritual ZAP — and get us back on track.
3. Church gives you a chance to be fed from God’s Word. Now you might say, "But, Mike, I can do that by reading the Bible; can’t I have a day off?" And I would ask, what if your Mom used that approach in cooking meals? "We feed you six days every week. Why don’t you take a day off from eating?" I don’t think you’d be amused. 
