My Experience Going Back to Church

This past Sunday, I did something big.

For the first time in several years, I went to church. Not only did I go to church, but I went to a new church outside of my original denomination.

Why Did I Stop Going in the First Place? Why a Different Denomination?

You’re probably reading this blog post and wondering why I stopped going to church in the first place. Well, after my devout Catholic grandparents passed away when I was around 13, I lost a lot of hope. I lost my reason for regularly practicing Christianity. While I still considered myself a Christian during this difficult time, I stopped going to church, barely read my Bible, and barely prayed.

Since I began this new journey of faith, I decided I needed to get back into the House of the Lord. However, I wanted to go back to church in a different way than I was used to when I was a kid - I wanted to go to a non-denominational church. 

Coming Back to Jesus in His House

So, how did I get here? Well, I started asking my friends in Delight where they go to church. 

My friend Callie, one of the leaders in Delight, said that she goes to a non-denominational Christian church called Covenant Church in Houma and even offered for me to come with her. After praying about it for a while, I decided that I should take her up on that offer - and let me tell you, I do not regret that offer one bit!

First of all, let me just say that everyone at this church is SO nice. From the ushers to the guest speaker to the worship band to even the people in the congregation, the “vibes” in this church were incredible.

The service started with worship music, which has always been my favorite part of going to church. Growing up with a dad who is a musician, music has always been a very big part of my life. I also personally love performing worship music (fun fact: I play guitar and sing), so I’ve always felt a connection through the Holy Spirit by listening to worship music. 

Anyways, at this church, there was an entire worship band with drums, guitar, and multiple singers. Some of the songs I had never even heard before, but I sang the song with them as though I’d known the song all my life – that phenomenon can only be explained by the Holy Spirit!

After worship, we got to the main part of the service, which was led by a guest speaker who spoke on Biblical priorities within the family. While I am not married yet and do not have children, this was still a very important lesson for me to hear. 

My sermon notes and bulletin from the service.

Overall, experiencing a church service different from what I grew up going to was an incredible experience. I got to experience going to church from a new perspective, and I love this new way of being in the Lord’s presence!

How to Start Going Back to Church

Do you feel called to go back to church, but you don’t know where to start? Here’s a list of tips:

• Ask around. Ask fellow Christians within your denomination, outside of your denomination, or Christians not even in a denomination where they go to church. 

• Pray on it. Talk to God and ask His opinion. Ask Him to send you the signs you need to determine which church you should visit (and pay attention to these signs)!

• Go to church with a friend. Going to a new church or even your old church by yourself can be overwhelming. Even though you are in the presence of the Lord, it can still be an intimidating experience. Go with a friend who has been to the church before.

• Go in with an open mind. As it says in Romans 12:2, don’t try to conform to the patterns of the world. Let the renewal of your mind through being involved in the church transform you.

• Stay consistent. Even though I’m just now starting to get back to church, I plan on going every Sunday. However, I do not have a vehicle, so it’s not always possible for me to attend in person, and I’m a pretty far distance away from the church when I’m back home. If I cannot attend in person, I will watch the livestream, and that’s something I suggest to you as well. If you can’t make it in person, see if your church does live streams on Facebook or another social platform!

For my fellow Christians who are getting back into their faith, I hope that you decide to start going back to church – you’ll be glad you did!