Attending multiple churches is a practice that some Christians engage in for various reasons. While there may be valid circumstances where this occurs, generally speaking, the Bible promotes commitment to and regular participation in one’s local church community. This article will explore what the Bible teaches about church membership and involvement that can inform our views on attending multiple congregations.
The Local Church in Scripture
The New Testament presents local churches as identifiable communities of believers who gathered regularly in specific locations. For example, Paul addresses his letter “To the church of God in Corinth” (1 Corinthians 1:2) and “To the saints who are in Ephesus” (Ephesians 1:1). Peter similarly refers to “she who is in Babylon, chosen together with you” (1 Peter 5:13), likely referencing the church in that city. The pattern throughout the epistles is to address letters to particular congregations in various towns and regions. This reflects how the early Christians organized themselves into local church bodies.
In addition to identifying local churches this way, the New Testament also discusses what these church communities did when they gathered. Passages like Acts 2:42-47 and 1 Corinthians 14 highlight activities like devotion to the apostles’ teaching, communal meals, prayer, singing hymns, and the use of spiritual gifts. The imagery is of believers regularly assembling together in one location as one spiritual family.
This local church concept can also be seen in the qualifications for church leadership. Elders and deacons were appointed to shepherd and serve in specific churches (Acts 14:23; Philippians 1:1), not just as “Christians at large.” Even the figures we think of as more “translocal” like Peter and Paul had home bases in local congregations (Galatians 2:9). This local rootedness was the norm for early Christians.
Biblical “One Anothers”
The New Testament also contains dozens of “one another” passages – commands and encouragements for Christians to minister to fellow believers. These include:
- Love one another (John 13:34)
- Be servants to one another (Galatians 5:13)
- Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
- Be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving to one another (Ephesians 4:32)
- Speak truth to one another (Ephesians 4:25)
- Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21)
- Consider others more significant than yourselves (Philippians 2:3)
As theologian John Hammett notes, the consistent pattern is “the mutuality of the one-another commands. They aren’t simply about what other Christians do for me, but what I do for them.” These exhortations imply an ongoing relationship among a consistent community of believers where they can truly know each other and “one another” ministry can flourish.
Gifts Given to the Church
Spiritual gifts in the New Testament, such as teaching, healing, tongues, and prophecy, are given for building up the local church. As 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 states, “There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit… To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” And 1 Corinthians 14:12 says to “strive to excel in building up the church.” The emphasis is on using gifts for others, not personal edification. And this mutual service happens through regular gatherings of the local body.
If someone attends multiple churches, it dilutes their ability to fully invest their gifts in any one congregation. It also takes away their consistent presence and ministry from the others. While temporarily visiting other churches can be enriching, the norm should be developing your gifts within one church community.
Leadership and Accountability
Hebrews 13:17 says to “obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls.” 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 similarly admonishes readers to “respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.”
While all Christians should show honor to church leaders, these passages imply an authority structure between leaders and a defined group of church members. Spreading your involvement across multiple churches makes it harder to come under the spiritual guidance and care of any particular leaders. They can’t shepherd you well if you aren’t consistently present.
Commitment and Loyalty
Scripture praises loyalty and commitment as virtues to emulate. Proverbs 20:6 says, “Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?” Ruth is praised for her loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi (“Where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge”, Ruth 1:16-17). And Nehemiah is lauded for his commitment to rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls despite mocking and opposition.
Likewise, Christians should demonstrate steadfast devotion to their local church. While an occasional visit to another congregation is not wrong, regular attendance at multiple churches easily devolves into “church hopping” that exhibits the opposite of loyalty.
Divisiveness and Disunity
Paul exhorts the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:10, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” He goes on to rebuke them harshly for claiming loyalty to particular teachers like himself, Apollos, Cephas, or Christ, rather than the unified local church.
Similarly, Christians today can create disunity and divisions by developing greater allegiances outside their own congregation. Maintaining commitments to multiple churches often tempts people to compare and critique them against each other. It can breed a critical or superior attitude instead of simply participating in one’s own local body.
Of course, leaving a church for biblical reasons can be warranted if false doctrine or other compromises are present. However, mere preference for another preaching style or music genre are questionable motives for abandoning consistency within one church family.
Hindered Fellowship and Relationships
Developing meaningful fellowship and relationships at church requires regular interaction over time. As believers speak truth, bear burdens, confess sins, and serve together, trust builds between them. But these connections are stunted when people spread themselves across multiple congregations.
Attending church should not be a purely spectator event. The richest blessings come through becoming an integral part of the community. Friendships flourish when people worship, pray, study Scripture, and minister together consistently in one location.
Presumption of Discontentment
While no church is perfect, attending multiple congregations may signal an underlying assumption that “the grass is greener” somewhere else. But as long as a church is doctrinally sound, it’s wise to humbly examine your own heart rather than presume other churches must be better.
Of course, newcomers may visit several churches when relocating before deciding where to commit. However, ongoing divided involvement implies none of the churches fully satisfies. This subtly critiques those congregations and leadership without biblically evaluating them against Scripture.
Arguments for Attending Multiple Churches
Those who advocate attending different churches may offer arguments like:
- “I don’t want to just listen to one pastor’s interpretation.”
- “No one church fits all my family’s needs.”
- “I travel frequently so can’t be regular anywhere.”
- “I was hurt at my old church so hesitant to join another.”
- “I think Christians should be less concerned about going to church and just follow Jesus.”
However, these claims often rationalize a lack of commitment or spiritual consumerism rather than reflecting biblical priorities. No church or pastor is perfect, but we must weigh our church involvement against Scripture’s principles, not personal preferences. If a congregation is generally theologically sound and the Bible preached faithfully, God calls us to loyal participation in its fellowship.
When Attending Multiple Churches May Be Appropriate
While Scripture promotes consistent involvement in one’s local church, there are certain situations where attending multiple congregations temporarily may be understandable:
- Transition Periods: When moving or seeking to join a new church, visiting several to find the right fit can be appropriate. The goal should still be to commit to one church community long-term.
- Special Events: Attending conferences, seminars, or musical performances at other churches while maintaining regular attendance at your own church is generally not problematic.
- Travel or Changing Life Circumstances: Military families, business travelers, or those with shifting seasonal residences may need to plug into different congregations throughout the year while striving to become an integral part wherever they are.
- Family Needs: If spouses strongly prefer different church styles, attending together some weeks and separately other weeks could be warranted temporarily, but efforts should still be made to resolve this through biblical compromise.
The key is that these situations should represent temporary exceptions, not indefinite division of commitment among multiple churches.
Principles for Deciding on a Church
When seeking a good church home, look for the following markers of a biblically-sound congregation:
- Faithful expositional preaching and biblical literacy
- Right understanding of the gospel and how to be saved
- Commitment to Scriptural authority on issues like gender roles, sexuality, sanctity of life, etc.
- Understanding of the Holy Spirit’s continuing work and gifts today
- Heart for local and global outreach and evangelism
- Biblical church leadership and structure
No church will perfectly exhibit all these traits, but they help identify foundational strengths and weaknesses. Be wary of making stylistic preferences like worship genre a primary factor.
Also consider your ability to minister and contribute your gifts rather than just critiquing as a consumer. If a church is weak in certain areas, perhaps God wants you to help improve it through selfless service.
Questions to Assess Church Commitment
To test your motivations and commitment to church involvement, prayerfully reflect on questions like:
- Have I made an earnest effort to get to know people at my church and become an integral part of this spiritual family?
- Am I utilizing my spiritual gifts to build up others here?
- Do I pray regularly for my pastor(s) and church leaders?
- Am I submitted to my leaders like Scripture commands?
- Do I freely volunteer my time and resources or only participate half-heartedly?
- Is my church involvement more about what I “get out of it” or how I can contribute?
- Are my reasons for inconsistent attendance or interest in other churches based on preference or biblical truth?
Asking these questions can reveal if we are personally undermining what it means to be committed, faithful members of a local body.
Conclusion
While no church is perfect, Scripture consistently elevates faithful participation in and commitment to one’s local congregation and leaders. This allows believers to fully embrace “one another” ministry, cultivate ongoing relationships, and use their gifts effectively.
Attending multiple churches regularly often hinders meaningful fellowship and reveals a consumer mentality toward church engagement. Of course, Christians should feel welcome to visit other congregations periodically. But if someone finds themselves regularly attending two or more churches each month, they should carefully examine if this divided loyalty aligns with biblical principles of commitment to the local body.
As Psalm 84:10 states, “Behold, O LORD, our shield, and look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.” When we commit ourselves to a local congregation, despite imperfections, we position ourselves to experience the richness, accountability, and belonging for which God designed His Church.