What makes you want or not want to come to church?

Question

Ok... I want to know what makes you personally want or not want to go to a church... It doesn't matter what kind of church just any church.

Here's a couple of questions to keep in mind while answering:

1.) If you were invited by a friend would you go?
2.) Would it be easier to go to a special event and not a service?
3.) Do you go to church at all? If yes, How often?
4.) Do you think "church people" are friendly?
5.) What would make church better for you?
6.) Do you think people care what you wear to church?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and answer my questions...this is a HUGE help with a survey project!

ALSO...PLEASE PASS THIS QUESTION ALONG TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY... I STILL NEED A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION TO PULL FROM!

Thank you for all of your help so far!

Answer 1

I go to church because it spiritually rejuvenates me. I only recently returned to church after a VERY long absence.
The reason I had stopped going for so long was the attitudes of some of the people. I felt I was being judged (by some) for things I had no control over. There were actually people who VOICED their personal opinions to me openly! I could have over-looked this, but I felt NO support from those who understood my situation (if indeed there were any ~ no one stood up!). I also felt pressured to take spiritual steps which (at the time) I didn't feel I was ready for.
I thank God daily now for sending us a new pastor who actually gets it. He has changed our little church SOOO much (not only in attitude ~ new music, and even remodeled the sanctuary) that I now feel at home, and can't wait to return.
When I first heard about him I was skeptical. It took me 10 months to decide to check him out, but when I finally did I was astounded. I didn't know what a wonderful experience going to church could be. I think the congregation had forgotten that Jesus sought out the down-trodden, he didn't further persecute them. Our pastor has brought this back to the fore-front where it should be.
Our dress has also changed. Church USED to be the place to wear your "Sunday best". NOW, we wear whatever we have. If it's blue jeans, O.K. If they have holes, that's O.K. too. If you choose to still dress like your going to the ball, so be it. Church shouldn't be a fashion show.
I don't think special services or invitations would have been the answer to my problem. I felt so alienated that the ONLY thing that would have (and DID) helped was word of mouth.
May God bless you for trying to figure out what brings his sheep home.

P.S. ~ I read the rest of the comments after I posted this. All I can say is, "Ask, and ye shall receive".

Answer 2

Here are my answers:
1. It was a friend that originally asked me to go with them.
Glad I did!

2. Most people are only asked to special events by members of
churches. It is an easy way to introduce people to the church.
Like a revival, Bible school or homecoming. The person is
more at ease in that type of environment. I personally like
going to different churches services. When we moved
recently, it was a good way to gauge what church worked for
us.

3. Yes I do attend and only miss a Sunday if I have to.

4. Some are and some are not. But that is everywhere you go.
It is in the churches best interest in cultivating new members,
Sometimes shyness is misunderstood as unfriendliness and
we should all remember that even christians make mistakes.

5. To see people remembering that the church is the house of
God and not their families legacy of faith to them. Instead of
moving pastors around; maybe every now and then the
members should be moved to another church. It seems that
some people feel entitled to a church and think any behavour
is correct. They sometimes forget that it is God's house and
are only the stewards. It happens quite often and can damage
new membership.

6. Some do and some don't. It works both ways. All I worry about
is what I wear. I try to respectful to the church and service, but
do not care what others in the building think. That was a hard
one to learn since I am a woman. Some are ridiculed for not
having nice things and some are for having too nice things. All
I know is that God knows who we are and how we are. He
couldn't care less what we wear. He loves us anyway. It is
a societal thing, what we wear should fit the situation. In
church we should be neat, clean and proud to be there. As far
as fashion; well jeans and a t-shirt works for me.

Answer 3

The main reason I do not like to go to any church is that I find it boring. I figure if I want to be spiritual, I can do it in my house.
1. I have been invited many times and have accepted the invitation. I have been to all sorts of churches.
2. Special events like Christmas and Easter make church a bit more interesting for me. But Bible study groups and the like are very unappealing.
3. I only go if someone else (usually a family member) wants me to go with them. Usually, I end up at some kind of church on Christmas and Easter.
4. Most church people are friendly. I went to a baptist church where everyone felt that they were better than everyone else. I did go to a different baptist church though, where they were very kind.
5. If it wasn't so long and boring. I don't want to listen to someone talk for an hour.
6. They might care. I personally don't feel like I should go to a church unless I am dressed somewhat nice. For me, that means no jeans or t-shirts.

Hope that helps.

Answer 4

1.) If you were invited by a friend would you go?
----Yes, I probably would go as long as I felt comfortable about the situation
2.) Would it be easier to go to a special event and not a service?
----Yes, that's a something that will get you acquainted with the church so you don't feel like you're being thrown in to it. It's a little lighter for those who are uncofortable in church, and it will maybe even draw them in.
3.) Do you go to church at all? If yes, How often?
----Yes, every weekend when I'm at home, and most weekends during the summer when I'm in Wisconsin. My family has found a church up there that we like to go to when we can't be at home.
4.) Do you think "church people" are friendly?
----Absolutely, at least at my church. That's part of what coming to church should mean: sharing in the fellowship with other believers. In fact, at our church, we do a greeting at the beginning of the service where we say "Thank's for coming, glad you're here, nice to see you, etc." to everyone around. It's a nice way of bringing people together.
5.) What would make church better for you?
----Hard to say, I like my church. We only have one pastor though, and it's hard on the congregation when he's not there. It's also nice to have a mix of pastors with different backgrounds and styles.
6.) Do you think people care what you wear to church?
----No, they shouldn't. The important part is being there.

Answer 5

When I was growing up, my family went to church a lot! I'm talking a minimum of 5 times a week - Sunday morning service, Sunday evening service, then a service on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. As I got older, I realized that there were a lot of feelings of racism among the church members, which I found really odd. To me, the last place you should have to deal with racism is at church.

After I became aware of the racism, I also started to notice that there was some degree of money corruption as well. Also, it seemed like whatever stand the church took on an issue (abortion, for example), the entire congregation was supposed to have the same belief, which almost seemed like brain-washing to me. By my mid-twenties, I had pretty much had it with regular church attendance. I felt like I had gone to church enough for 10 lifetimes anyhow. So, I decided to stop going to church and decided to pursue a spiritual path, rather than a religious one.

I have to say, I do miss the fellowship sometime, but I'm still happy with my decision. As for church people being "friendly", it really depends on the church. I've been to very friendly churches, and I've been to churches where I didn't feel welcome at all. Some churches accept you as you are, (as far as how you're dressed) and some are very conservative in that area. It just depends on the church.

I always felt that not only was religion shoved down my throat as a child, I was also taught this very scary, "God will get you if you sin" message. I just felt shamed and guilty about everything. In fact, myself and other teenagers at the church started this joke that "if it feels good, don't do it", because that's all we heard.

I never wanted to put my daughter through that. I just want her to find her own way to God, after just giving her the basics of what I believe and practice as far as spirituality. I may seek out church membership again one day, but it will be after choosing where I attend VERY carefully.

Great question!

Answer 6

I am a christian and do attend a church. I don't go every week. I have to (unforunately) work every other weekend. There are some times I don't go because of the weather and what the street conditions are.My car is a slider. I get pleasure from attending church but also feel a bit sad for some. I am not perfect and never will be, but I do see some things that make me feel sad about whether some people are attending for the right reason, or if they are really getting it , inside I mean. I go to hear the word, I go because I feel this pleases My Father in Heaven,I go to enjoy the wonderful music of praise to my father. I go to recieve communion and to ask forgiveness and thank him. I know I can do most of this wherever I may be, but it feels good to be around others who seek the same as I do. Do I think it matters, my clothing? I wonder at times, if Jesus walked in, after a long travel, looking a bit disheavled, what would the reaction be from some.If there were a homeless person sitting on the front steps, what would thier reaction be? I don't think my father is going to judge anyone for thier clothing, he looks in the heart. We should look in the heart. What brought this person through the door? I think one thing a lot of people have a problem with is judging others by appearence. I go the later service because I like dressing casual. There are some in the church that look down on that and also on the newer music. I am 53 yrs. old. I enjoy the music, old and new. I really don't worry about what the others think. I am there for one reason, to honor my Father, to praise him, to worship him, not Martha, or Joe, or whomever. I find some people unfrendly, I think they need to come down to earth and realize it doesn't matter where they are in life, pertaining to what they have, what kind of work they do, the clothes they wear, the car they drive, the home they live in.... All of that doesn't matter. Are they going to take it with them? NO! I feel God see's us all the same. I feel we are here to love one another, to serve one another, and by serving one another we are in fact serving him. All the glory should go to him. What would make it better? For people to just get real... Get off the high horses. God loves no matter where we are in life. We need to look to him. Sorry, I didn't mean to write a book here. God Bless you.

Answer 7

I'm not a believer, so I don't go to church as a rule, but there are exceptions. That said, here's how I'd answer your six questions.

1. I go whenever my mother asks me to go with her.
2. I do go for a special event, such as a wedding, funeral, baptism, or first communion.
3. Out of my own desire to go to church? No.
4. "Church people" run the gamut. Some are friendly, some are not, just like people anywhere else.
5. I just take it as it is.
6. In the denominations I've gone to, I know for a fact that people care what you wear to church, and I was carefully instructed in what to wear.

Answer 8

I don't go to church because:

1) I'm an atheist.
2) I don't like to hang out with hypocrites (not all Christians are, of course, but I have found a substantial number of them to be!)
3) I'd rather give money to a person in need than put it in a collection plate to pad the church's/pastor's coffers.

To answer your questions.
1) No.
2) No.
3) No.
4) No.
5) Nothing.
6) Yes....that's part of that hypocritical thing I mentioned before.

Answer 9

1) I go anyway, but yes, I have gone to their Churches. - Very
important for a person wanting to go, maybe for the 1st time.
2) I'd go to either
3) Yes, every Sunday to a Protestant Church, generally Anglican.
4) They are a cross section of society with the bias on "friendly",
because that should be a consequence of being a Christian.
5) Hearing a boys' choir. Their voices are angelic, and beautiful
music tunes me in to God. Good preachers are important.
6) Yes. I care, too. I'm sure God desires neatness and tidiness

You can email me for more info. I'm a committed, active lay Christian, spreading God's Word where I can.

Answer 10

1) Yes.
2) Not neccessarily; they're equally easy to me.
3) Yes. At least once a week.
4) Yes.
5) Scripture-based message, mix of traditional and more contemporary music, friendly members.
6) No. But, I think that someone who's a church member should dress up out of respect to God and the church. Someone who's a guest should be welcomed just as they are.