You can be a Christian without going to church, but it makes life harder for you. God designed us to be inter-dependent, meaning we are at our best when we work together, rather than when we try to go it alone. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, and can be "up" and "down" at different times too.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian, not even if you've gone to church every Sunday since the day you were born! You can only become a Christian by personally choosing to invite Jesus into your life as your Lord and Saviour. As a Christian, spending time with God on your own (in Bible study and prayer and quiet thought) is important as you get to know someone better if you spend some quality one-to-one time with them. But church is important too.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Why go to church?



'And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together...' ~ Hebrews 10: 24-25



If you're not already a Christian you may want to go to church to see what Christians get up to there, and soak in the atmosphere of the singing, praying and teaching from the Bible.


richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

John: You’re right. God. I’m really sorry for hitting Mark [hits Mark].
Michelle: Er... you’re still hitting him!
John: Yes, but I’m really, genuinely sorry about it; I feel bad about it, I’ve apologised to Mark, and I’ve said sorry to God. What more do you want from me?
Michelle: Am I talking to myself?! Stop hitting him!
John: Oh, I’m not ready to do that yet...


richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

John: No [hits Mark].
Michelle: You know that repenting means not just saying you’re sorry, but also choosing to turn away from your sin, right?
John: I’ve tried that. I turned away [turns 90 degrees, hits Mark even though Mark is now behind him and John can’t see where he’s aiming], and I turned away [turns another 90 degrees, hits Mark sideways], and I turned away [now facing Mark, hits him again]. I still don’t feel any better...
Michelle: Let me put that more simply for you, have you thought about stopping hitting Mark?
John: But it’s SO satisfying. I see him, and I want to hit him, it’s addictive [hits Mark]. There you go!
Megan: Wouldn’t it be more satisfying to have a clear conscience before God?

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Megan: Are you keeping short accounts?
John: [prods Mark in arm instead] I don’t keep accounts at all, Sarah does that in our house...
Megan: I mean with God! Are you regularly repenting to make sure you don’t have a build-up of sins against your name?
John: Oh, yes [hits Mark]. Sorry. See, I just apologised...
Megan: Have you said sorry to God as well?
John: [hits Mark] Sorry Mark; sorry God. [hits Mark – sighs] I still feel guilty...
Mark: Can I say something?


richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Scene: Mark sat on a chair on stage reading a book. Megan and Michelle sat on chairs next to him. John walks on, stands to the side of Mark and hits him on the head with a long cardboard tube (the sort wrapping paper comes on). Every time John hits Mark, Mark says “Ow!”
Mark: Ow! [rubs head]
John: Sorry [hits Mark again]. Oops. Sorry [sighs].
Megan: [over-sincere, like a TV agony aunt] You seem down John. What’s wrong?
John: Lately there’s been this distance between me and God [hits Mark]. I don’t feel I’m walking as closely with him as I used to I don’t know why. I’ve been reading my Bible, and praying, and singing praise songs. [hits Mark].
[Mark puts on a toy yellow builder’s hardhat]


richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.