Church attendance means different things to different people. There are social benefits as well as spiritual ones. You might enjoy the company of a small but intimate congregation or you might like being part of a large crowd. You may prefer a solemn and sacred atmosphere or a loud and emotional setting. Some choose to worship in a traditional way while others favor a modern approach. If you live in a large metropolitan area, you'll have your choice of churches. That may not be the case in a smaller town. It can be argued that the point of going to church is to learn and pass on the traditional knowledge of our forefathers. We should change by going to church, church should not change for us. The central message, the Good News of what Jesus has done for us, has not changed in 2000 years and will remain the same forever. The very act of performing traditional rituals connects us with many past generations of church-goers, and reminds us of God's steadfast love for us. This does not change with every passing fad or fashion. While a substantial part of attending a church is to learn about God and what He has done, it is also important to join with others to worship and thank God for all that He has done in our lives. There are many ways to worship. Different people express their love of the Lord in different ways. It is equally valid to worship quietly with bowed head as it is to sing out with loud voices and clapping. A problem arises when too many people decide to try something new and leave their traditional church for a mega-church or modern worship center. Being a member of a church entails a long term commitment to the others in your congregation. Those who taught and encouraged you when you were young may need your social services in their advanced years. Of course, you have the right to worship wherever you choose, but consider the effect your choices will have on the entire group before you make a switch. The article that we present below will provide some things to think about, when deciding where you would like to attend church. Related Links: Crosswalk.com, a for-profit religious corporation dedicated to building up the Church, which is the Body of Christ, has an article about a new study that shows that there has been a significant increase in contemporary worship styles in America's Protestant churches. Next-Wave, a web site on Church and culture, has a viewpoint article about traditional and mega-churches and culture. ChristianTuner.com is a complete source for finding and listening to Christian radio and Christian TV stations, programs, on demand content, Christian MP3 music downloads, and Podcasts. Here, you can find links to internet sites that play Gospel - traditional music as well as Modern Worship music. The Focus on the Family web site has an article about how Church attendance affects parenting. They report on, and link to, the National study on Youth and Religion. The Christian Courier, an online magazine, has an article discussing whether Church attendance is a requirement. For more information on Traditional and Modern Churches, we recommend the following books:
The Purpose-Driven Church	Every church is driven by something. Tradition, finances, programs, personalities, events, seekers, and even buildings can each be the controlling force in a church. But Rick Warren believers that in order for a church to be healthy if must become a purpose-driven church by Jesus. Now the founding pastor of Saddleback Church shares a proven five-part strategy that will enable your church to grow. . .- Warmer through fellowship - Deeper through discipleship - Stronger through worship - Broader through ministry - Larger through evangelism. Discover the same practical insights and principles for growing a healthy church that Rick has taught in seminars to over 22,000 pastors and church leaders from sixty denominations and forty-two countries. The Purpose-Driven Church® shifts the focus away from church building programs to emphasizing a people-building process. Warren says, "If you will concentrate on building people, God will build the church."
Stop Dating the Church!: Fall in Love with the Family of God	We are a Generation of consumers, independent and critical. We attend church, but we don't want to settle down and truly invest ourselves. We're not into commitment-we only want to date the church. Is this what God wants for us? Stop Dating the Church reminds us that faith was never meant to be a solo pursuit. The church is the place God grows us, encourages us, and uses us best. Loving Jesus Christ involves a passionate commitment to His church-around the world and down the street. We can't be apathetic. It's time to fall in love with the family of God.
The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations	The seeker-sensitive movement revolutionized the way we did church and introduced countless baby boomers to Jesus. Yet trends show that today's post-Christian generations are not responding like the generations before them. As we enter a new cultural era, what do worship services look like that are connecting with the hearts of emerging generations? How do preaching, leadership, evangelism, spiritual formation, and, most of all, how we even think of "church" need to change? The Emerging Church goes beyond just theory and gets into very practical ways of assisting you in your local church circumstances. There is no one right way, no model for us all to emulate. But there is something better. Dan Kimball calls it "Vintage Christianity": a refreshing return to an unapologetically sacred, raw, historical, and Jesus-focused missional ministry.
Emerging Worship: Creating Worship Gatherings for New Generations	Where are the 18- to 35-year-olds? Why isn't the church engaging them? What about our current forms of worship isn't resonating with this group? If the church is to regain relevance with and connect to our rapidly, radically changing culture, it must pioneer new forms of worship and trailblaze alternative worship services for those growing up in this post-Christian age. In his previous book, The Emerging Church, author Dan Kimball discussed the holistic changes needed in our Christian communities as this new millennium unfolds. In his newest effort, Emerging Worship: Creating Worship Gathering for New Generations, Kimball ups the ante, focusing specifically on the steps church leaders can take when creating multisensory workship gatherings to reach these young generations.