Why do I bother going to church?
“Do you believe in Santa as well?”
“Religion is nice, but I believe in science.”
“Why would you support a god that allows suffering?”
“There are thousands of religions. How do you know yours is the right one?”
“Haven’t you got better things to do on a Sunday?”
“If you can’t prove it, what’s the point?”
“I can’t go in there… I’ll burst into flames!”
Around two years ago, I decided to be open about going to church. I know, totally radical, right? When people asked what I did on the weekend, I decided to say, “I went to church and it was great.” I realise this was a bit unconventional—after all, you’re not supposed to talk about money, politics, and definitely not religion. (Ironically, my three favourite subjects to discuss.) In my head, I felt like one of those creepy guys on a soapbox telling everyone they’re damned to hell. But it turns out I wasn’t—those guys creep me out, too!
The responses I got fell into three distinct groups:
Group 1- “That’s nice for you. Let’s move the conversation on.”
Group 2- Insert one of the statements from the list above.
Group 3- “You go to church? Why? What happened?”
I suspect if you’re reading this, you might relate or even remember saying some of those things yourself. If you’re in Group 1, thanks for reading this far. I genuinely appreciate your time, but this is probably where you’ll want to get off. Have a lovely evening, weekend, or morning! I hope to see you soon so we can steer well clear of religion together. I can’t guarantee we’ll avoid politics or money, but yeah… I’ll get back in my box about religion. The international break sucks, right?
If you’re in Group 2 or 3, then this next bit is for you.
The “Wellness” Bucket
🪣I’ll never forget a work conference on “wellness” where they used a diagram about your bucket getting empty and how you refill it. I was shocked when the speaker mentioned how religion could revitalise you. I honestly thought he was going to be carried out on a loony stretcher. However, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.
I was nurtured at St. James Methodist Church in Shirley as a three-year-old and grew up surrounded by the most amazing people. I’d call them family, and they put up with my crazy ideas and antics. They were there at my baptism and wedding, and I’ll likely be at their funerals. If I ever needed a hand writing a UCAS application, a meal when I was struggling, or just an ear to bend, there was always someone there for me. The common denominator was church, and I have a real sense of loyalty and gratitude for them putting up with me.
I also learned so many skills there: playing the piano, leadership, lighting and sound tech, computer networking, fundraising, and public speaking. My GCSEs in Religious Studies, IT, and Music were a doddle because all those subjects were just a part of my life from a young age.
Zooming out, I believe our society could really do with “church” right now—not the building, but the family of people. I’ve found that the biggest joys in life come from focusing on helping others rather than just myself.
A Community of People
At church, you’ll find gardeners, university lecturers, teachers, factory workers, computer programmers—probably even someone who works with you! These are people who stand alongside you in times of need, united by one thing. They do it because we are all on the same journey, exploring life and aiming to be the best we can be.
Every year, I’m part of a team that helps run a “Halloween Pit Stop.” We give out free hot dogs, hot drinks, do crafts, and set up a bouncy castle in the hall. Doesn’t sound very “churchy,” right? Every year, I see the smiling faces of kids from local schools whose families struggle to feed them, finding a safe place with a positive message. The care, love, and generosity are what church is all about.
Then there’s the Alpha course. Anyone fortunate enough to have been on one will tell you that you meet incredible people and make lifelong friends. You can be vulnerable and grow together. One of the most joyous moments of my life was sitting at the piano, playing for the wedding of friends I met on this course. I’m not the emotional type, but I cried with happiness!
And Now… The Awkward Bit: God
The truth is, everyone at church is at a different stage in their belief. My grandad once told me, “Test your beliefs in God; it will make them stronger.” That’s exactly what I do. I love having conversations about whether God is real or just Santa in disguise. I often ask people to prove that he isn’t real so I can just join a Table Tennis club instead. Many have tried, but no one has yet to do so. For me, the more I dig, the more I find a compelling case for Christianity.
At church, I’m surrounded by great minds—university scientists, mathematicians, and people at the top of their game. These aren’t people who are stupid enough to still believe in the tooth fairy. They’ve seen and observed the unexplainable in the universe and delved into historical facts.
There seems to be a fear of the unknown and a mistrust that everyone is trying to dupe you. So, I would encourage you to look for yourself and come to your own conclusion. Don’t just look at what you’re comfortable with; explore the alternatives. Realistically, Christianity is either the most important thing to know or not important at all.
After checking that Jesus wasn’t a fictional character and examining the historical evidence, I’ve explored more and now believe that I’ve experienced the impact of God in my life. I have had and seen circumstances that I cannot reasonably explain away, and I directly point to Christianity.
So, Why Am I Writing This?
Based on the 50+ conversations I've had with people, I believe there's a genuine desire to explore life more, build community, and even "do church." I want people to know that I'm not going to shove a Bible down anyone's throat, but I am here if you're curious.
If you fancy a coffee, tea, hot chocolate, beer, or cider, then just drop me a message.
If you’d like someone to sit with you at church, let me know, I’ll send you all the details and sit with you if that helps.
Or if you like free meals, good chat, and want to talk about life, then you can sign up for Alpha here.