Let’s get real for a moment. Regardless of your religious beliefs, being part of a biblical church is good for your health. Studies show that adults who are active in their church have more satisfying lives, with greater health and financial stability. We know, we know, you’re getting into your arguing pants and gearing up for a real doozy, but hear us out:
Four Ways That Christian Churches Improve Your Life
- Community
Despite being in the age of communication, where we are more connected electronically than ever before, more people than ever profess to be lonely. More than one-third of the American population admits that they struggle to create meaningful connections with the people around them. Yes, you might be Facebook friends with your entire middle school class, but when it comes to inviting friends over for Easter Brunch, you know you’re going to be celebrating alone.
Being part of a church gives you an instant community of friends, that you know in real life. Churches are family-centric and relationship-centric groups. When you join a church, you have a real group of friends who want to celebrate birthdays with your kids, and go to the movies on Friday nights. This is especially important for your children, who are able to develop positive relationships with other kids in a wholesome environment; friendships that they’re able to foster all their lives. - Marriage Counseling Services
They say that a good marriage is the closest thing on Earth to heaven and a bad marriage is the closest thing on Earth to h-e-double toothpicks. Sometimes, good people find themselves in difficult marriages. Even though neither party in the union has committed one of the three A’s of marriage killers (Adultry, Addiction, Abuse), your marriage might still feel like the closest thing on Earth to h-e-double toothpicks. Often, the issue is poor communication. You guys aren’t able to deal with problems productively, and fighting just leads to permanently hurting each other rather than finding solutions. This is a textbook situation where marriage counseling would be able to rescue your sinking ship and turn it into the closest thing on Earth to heaven. However, marriage counseling isn’t cheap (especially because one of the biggest reasons a couple needs marriage counseling to begin with is often financial stress); it might feel impossible to get the help you need when you need it.
Thankfully, the Christian church is an extremely pro-marriage institution. From the dawn of creation, God teaches that it wasn’t good for man to be alone. It is in the fabric of the Bible to support marriage, and that is the mission of the church. Many churches offer marriage counseling services at no cost. If your marriage is struggling, getting involved in a church that offers marriage counseling might be the step you need to take to get to healthy marital territory. - Volunteering Opportunities
Giving back is very good for your mental and physical health. When you do good for someone else, it gets your mind off of yourself and the vortex of your own problems. It gives you energy to know you are making a positive difference in the world.
While you could find an organization that you believe in and volunteer with them, being involved in a church gives you a regular opportunity to support a variety of good causes. Most churches have community outreach programs, such as making meals for people in need, collecting Christmas gifts for underprivileged children, and spending time with elderly, to name a few. If you want your children to understand being part of a community that makes a positive impact on the planet, joining a church is a great way to do that. - A Support System
Our last point is actually a culmination of all the previous points. When you are at your lowest low and struggling the most, it’s when you need support the most, and also when it’s the most difficult to make connections with people who will offer you support. The basis of the church is support-oriented. Being part of a church community (point one) offers you an instant support network when you need it, without having to offer anything in return…although, we think as you get support, it will give you the strength and inspiration to give back (point three).
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