"What's the point of all of this..."

A question that I have asked in the past, and which many people around me have and are asking in some form is this: "Why go to church?" "What's the point?" and similarly, "What should church be, and what should churches do?" I have been on both sides of this question at different points in my life. I have been hurt by churches and wondered what the point of church is, does it really do any good? I have also been, and currently am, on staff at a church, and I have had a great opportunity to see the benefit that church can bring.

People have all sorts of reasons why they go or don't go to a church. Some people absolutely hate churches and anything that has to do with them. I have seen people become so hurt by and upset with churches that they swear to never go back. I have also seen people who don't go to church because they don't have the time or energy, it's simply another chore for them, and obviously, there are those that don't go because they don't hold religious beliefs.

I have also seen people that go to church because it is a responsibility, something they are expected to do, or something that they grew up with and has become a habit. There are also those that are forced or coerced in some way to go to church and really don't want to be there. And, of course, there are those that go to church because they love it and want to be there to fellowship and worship.

All of this makes me wonder, what should churches be doing, what should their goal and purpose be? Should churches cater to those people who want to be there and ignore those that don't or should they reach out to try and draw in those that don't want to be there and take for granted that those that do will come regardless? Or should there be something between these two?

I have come to realize that church is a very important and essential part of my life, and as I am on staff at my church I want to try and ensure that we are doing everything that we should to ensure that we are reaching people where and how they need to be reached and not hurting or pushing people away, and I do not think that we should ever be content with or "stuck" in how we are doing things, but constantly be striving to make a difference. I also believe that church should not be a place that people merely go to. That's completely useless. It should be a place that people grow in and are changed by. In the movie "To Save A Life" there is a quote:

"What's the point of all of this if you're not gonna let this change you?"

So my question is this: What are you looking for in a church? What would make you want to go to church in the first place? What would make you want to stay at a church? What would change you if you experienced it?

God Bless!