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[Zach]

Am I a bad christian for not going to church?

I haven't gone in a few months and I feel kind of bad for it but I don't feel "right" when going. I liked it a lot more a few years ago when they were smaller but they made a huge addition to the building and now have way more people and it doensn't feel right anymore. The pastor mainly just asks for money constantly then we see him on vacation to Europe a month later then he comes back and doesn't ask for a bit then starts begging for money again then goes on another trip or adds onto his house more. He also made some questionable comments to my Mom about "needing to please my Dad more often" which also turned me off a good bit from going. So am I bad for not going?

[jimwalton]

One of the "big deals" about Christianity is community. It's not just a matter of individual salvation, but also about belonging to a community of people, having friends, helping each other out, encouraging each other, and all that stuff. The most important things that the Bible teaches us are about "loving your neighbor as yourself," and if you aren't part of a community of people, you can't learn much of anything about love, especially loving people that are different from you, especially loving people that are hard to love, patience, forgiveness, tolerance, encouraging others, helping others, and learning to be the people of God together. If you aren't part of a community, you probably don't have much of any way to use your spiritual gift(s), whatever it might be. That's why the Bible says, "I want you in community with each other."

In the Old Testament, the people used to come to a central location individually or as a family, do their religious thing (sacrifice), and head home. No interaction was necessary. When we get to Jesus and the New Testament, they say, "No more. From now on all of you come at the same time and be a community together." Totally different approach to being the people of God.

So it's important if not necessary, if you are physically and geographically able, to go to church and be part of a group of Christians who are Christians together. If you're turned off by the congregation you're part of, the answer is to find another congregation, not to drop out.