Are We Loving the Church System More Than God?

When church activities become more important than personal intimacy with God.

I know, I’m back again with this topic! Lol. Think of this as Part 2 of my previous blog, You Were Never Supposed to Know God Through the Church Only.

There’s another side to this conversation I believe we need to explore.

How many of us have fallen more in love with the church system than with God Himself?

We love our church community, our pastors, the programs, the traditions, and the routines we’ve created. We’ve become so comfortable with them that we may not even realize something is missing.

It’s easy to say, “I love God.” But does our private life reflect that confession?

This blog might step on a few toes. Good! Lol. Sometimes we need to pull back the layers and examine our hearts.

Are we truly walking with God in spirit and truth, or have we become religious people who are more attached to the activities surrounding God than to God Himself?

I believe there are two simple areas that can reveal where our hearts truly are.

1. You’re More Bothered About Missing Church Than Not Reading Your Bible Daily.

Let me ask you something.

Why does missing one Sunday service bother you more than going days, weeks, or even months without opening your Bible?

Think about that.

You feel guilty when you miss church, but somehow you’re comfortable going days without reading God’s Word.

How did church attendance become more important to us than personally knowing the God we’re going to church to worship?

Joshua 1:8 instructs us to meditate on God’s Word day and night. In 1 Timothy 4:13, Paul tells Timothy: “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” (KJV) And just in case you didn’t know, doctrine simply means teachings of God’s Word.

Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. The Greek word for hearing, akoē, refers to hearing or receiving a message. But somehow, we’ve limited hearing God’s Word to listening to sermons and conferences .

Sermons and group gatherings are important, but they aren’t the only way to receive God’s Word. Scripture repeatedly emphasizes the importance of personally reading, studying, and meditating on His Word.

So here’s my question: What Word are you personally feeding your faith with?

The sermon you heard on Sunday or watched on YouTube? The Scripture someone posted on Instagram? The devotional you read this morning?

Don’t get me wrong. These things can be helpful, but they should never replace personally studying Scripture.

And when I say reading the scripture, I don’t mean only reading one verse or a devotional every day. I’m talking about intentionally opening your Bible and reading a chapter, honestly two chapters a day should be a starting point.

A devotional is often someone else’s understanding of Scripture. That’s helpful, but when will you sit down and discover what the Word says for yourself?

Come on, people. Let’s level up!

Now, before anyone thinks I’m judging, I used to be this person!

I could get so worked up about missing church, yet go days, sometimes even months, without consistently reading my Bible.

Looking back, I had to confront something I never wanted to admit.

I was more concerned about fulfilling a religious routine than cultivating a relationship with God.

I wanted to show up at church, participate, and check that box. But what was happening in my secret place?

Not much.

I was more committed to the activities of the church than to my personal fellowship with God.

And that’s dangerous because it can produce believers who look spiritually active on the outside but are spiritually shallow on the inside.

Jesus addressed something similar in Matthew 15:8:

“These people draw near to Me with their mouth,and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” (NKJV)

Now, think about this.

Our lips can represent what we profess publicly, while our hearts reveal what is truly happening privately.

See what I did there? Lol.

We can sing, shout, pray, and worship publicly, yet have little personal fellowship with the God we’re singing about.

Something is fundamentally wrong when we’re more concerned about being present in church than being present with God daily.

2. You Can Do Everything With the Church, but Barely Anything Alone With God

This one might sting a little.

You can pray for an hour at church, but at home, you struggle to pray for ten minutes.

You can fast for 21 days when your church announces a corporate fast, but you rarely set aside time to fast personally.

You attend Bible studies, prayer meetings, and worship nights, but when was the last time you intentionally studied Scripture or spent time praying without anyone else?

Do you see the pattern?

Your spiritual life is thriving in group activities but struggling in private.

Now, I’m not saying your private prayer must always last as long as your corporate prayer. That’s not the point.

The concern is when almost everything you do spiritually depends on someone else organizing it.

You need a prayer meeting to pray, a Bible study group to study, or a church program to spend extended time seeking God.

But what happens when nobody organizes anything?

Does your fellowship with God stop?

Jesus says in John 15:4 (NIV):

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you.”

Notice that Jesus calls us to abide in Him, not merely in church activities.

Abiding in Christ is personal. No one can do it on your behalf.

Jesus also teaches us in Matthew 6:6 to enter our room, shut the door, and pray to our Father in secret.

Why?

Because there must be a part of your relationship with God that exists beyond the presence of other people.

Let me give you one of my favorite analogies.

Imagine you’re courting someone, but every single time you go on a date, you bring your family and friends.

Every. Single. Time.

Breakfast date? Your cousins are there.

Dinner date? Your siblings are coming.

Brunch? The entire family has arrived! Lol.

At what point do you actually get to know this person intimately?

You might have wonderful group conversations, laugh together, and enjoy everyone’s company, but there’s a level of intimacy that requires time alone.

There are conversations your partner may want to have with just you, things they may not share in front of everyone.

Now, think about your relationship with God.

Yes, God speaks through sermons, other believers, and corporate gatherings. But He also invites us into personal communion with Him.

There are things He may want to reveal to you as you spend time alone in His Word and prayer. Things that challenge you, correct you, strengthen you, and draw you closer to Him.

But are you making room for that intimacy?

I’ll be direct.

If you consistently make time for church activities but rarely make time for God privately, you need to examine what you’re truly prioritizing.

And if you don’t have a daily personal time with God where you pray, read His Word, fellowship, and commune with Him, then perhaps you’ve fallen into the very category we’re discussing: people who love the church system more than God Himself.

Because being committed to church activities or routines doesn’t automatically mean you’re committed to God.

Being busy with the things of God is not the same as being intimate with God.

And spiritual activity should never become a substitute for intimacy.

I’m Not Advocating for Less Church. I’m Advocating for More Intimacy With God.

Before anyone misunderstands me, let me say this again.

I’m not advocating for less church. I’m advocating for a deeper personal walk with God.

The Bible tells us not to forsake gathering together (Hebrews 10:25). Corporate fellowship is important, and we need one another.

But imagine what the church could become if every believer prioritized their personal relationship with God not only corporate gatherings.

Imagine believers who don’t only pray when there’s a prayer meeting.

Believers who don’t only study Scripture when someone is teaching.

Believers who don’t only worship when the music starts playing.

Imagine the body of Christ as God intended it: every member growing spiritually, with every part—the eyes, ears, hands, feet, and all the other parts of the body—functioning in its God-given purpose, working together to strengthen the body and advance God’s Kingdom.

A stronger personal walk with God can produce a stronger corporate body.

I genuinely believe our gatherings would become even more impactful if we are all level up in our personal walk with God.

So, I’ll leave you with these questions:

If church activities stopped for a month, what would happen to your relationship with God?

Would you still pray? Would you still study His Word? Would you still worship, seek Him, and walk in obedience?

Or would your spiritual life come to a standstill?

I’m not asking these questions to condemn anyone. I’m asking because I once had to confront them myself.

And perhaps it’s time we all examine our hearts.

Do we love God Himself, or have we become more attached to the church system we’ve built around Him?

Church should strengthen your relationship with God, not become a substitute for it.

He’s calling us deeper. But will we make room for Him when nobody else is watching?

🎶 Music Time! 🎶

“You Are Good” — Greatman Takit & Nathaniel Bassey 🙌🏽