'You don't have to go to Church to be a Christian.'
Maybe you've said it or heard it but does it make sense?

The following illustration may help

Imagine someone has told you that he/she is a 'golfer'. It would not be unreasonable to believe that they own a set of golf clubs (and probably have updated the set at least once) and used them regularly. you would expect them to have joined the local golf club and probably have taken some lessons from a professional. They would enjoy meeting with fellow golfers had may have even gone on a golfing holiday or attended a golfers convention.

Now someone has said that they are a 'Christian'. It would not be unreasonable to believe that they own a bible (and have updated it at least once) and read it regularly. You would expect them to have joined a local church and probably have taken some lessons from a professional. They would enjoy meeting fellow Christians and may have even gone on a Christian holiday or attended a Christian convention.

On the basis of the illustration above, you can see why some of us find it really odd that people use the title 'Christian' and yet seem to deny many of the main elements of what it means to be one.

Clearly there is a confusion here. So what is it?
I think it stems from just taking one aspect of Christianity and ignoring (or at least down playing) the others. Many claim to follow Christ's teachings and live the 'good moral' life but they don't know the amazing relationship we can have with God through Christ. Some go to Church and completely miss this point as well! Some even get baptised (or their children) and then never go to church again. (This seems a bit like joining the golf club and then never playing a round!) No, it is like two sides to a coin. Heads is having Christ as your head, your Lord and friend, in other words a relationship with God. Tails is the 'good life' that follows. Why put up with having half of what God has to offer you. He offers friendship, his support as well as his rules for living.

Alan Dodds