For some, perhaps, this question comes with a past that was a bit too formal or irrelevant. Others ask because they've had an experience of church that's left a bad taste. And who would want to "lose" their Sunday mornings? But this all sounds like church is something to get out of! That's not how the Bible sees it, and that's not how we see it.

To understand church, and to benefit from it, we need to start where the Bible starts. Everything begins with Jesus Christ, and focuses on his death for sin and resurrection for new life. Christians are people who believe Jesus' actions bring forgiveness from God and entry into his family. It'd be a pretty strange family that never got together - and that's where church comes in.

We've got the slogan In Christ We Believe, Belong, Behave. In other words, real believers belong together, and that affects our behaviour. Week by week we gather to hear the Bible read and explained, to pray together to God, our heavenly Father, and to praise him in word and song. We do this together to help and encourage each other to keep believing, belonging and behaving.

This is what the very first Christians did and that's what Christians still do.

Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:41-47, NIV)

Perhaps we can turn the question around: if you believe in Jesus or want to find out about him, why wouldn't you come to church?