Is there any point in going to church?

Recent trends suggests Christians are leaving behind more traditional expressions of church. Could God be doing something new? 

When my husband and I moved to Cornwall 20 years ago, we found our church before we found jobs or somewhere to live. We’ve been part of the same congregation ever since. Despite its many flaws, I am passionate about the local church, and feel deeply committed to it. But increasingly, it feels like we are in a minority.

Covid-19 accelerated the decline in traditional church attendance (data from the CofE showed it lost one in five of its Sunday worshippers during the pandemic); the 2021 census revealed that Christianity is now a minority religion in England and Wales. Personally, I have a growing number of friends and acquaintances who love Jesus but no longer go to church. These are people from different denominations, many of whom have been in leadership or served faithfully in church for years. They have not deconstructed their faith or walked away from it; God’s presence is clearly, supernaturally and beautifully evident in their everyday lives.