2024 was the year I missed more Sundays of church than I have since childhood. There are plenty of reasons and excuses, but the reality is that I simply lost the habit. My role at work as a pastor changed, and with it, my Sunday responsibilities. But let me be clear: God never took a back seat. If anything, He was more present and important than ever before. Still, embarrassingly, attending a Sunday worship service fell down the list of priorities.

James Clear writes in Atomic Habits that “The first mistake is never the one that ruins you. It is the spiral of repeated mistakes that follows. Missing once is an accident, but missing twice begins to form a new habit.” I found this truth in my own life. A missed Sunday here and there eventually became a routine absence. But now, I’m committed to breaking that cycle.

A benefit of my occupational status change was the opportunity to visit several other churches in the area—sometimes preaching, sometimes consulting, but always worshiping. And let me tell you, our community is filled with great churches of all kinds. There are those that are theologically conservative and others that are theologically liberal. Some are quiet and subdued during worship, while others are loud and free. Many preach “straight from the Bible,” unpacking verse after verse, while others use the Bible as their primary resource but focus on making the Scriptures more applicable to daily life—and some do both.

Simply put, there is a church somewhere in our community that fits your preference and style—if that is even the right evaluation tool for attending a house of worship. The real question isn’t about finding the perfect church but about committing to a community, a body of believers.

And with that realization, I’m resolving to be more present for weekly worship gatherings. I will make it a habit once again. Won’t you join me?

“Most of the choices we make each day may feel like the products of well-considered decision-making, but they’re not. They’re habits.” — Charles Duhigg, The Power of Habit

You might be asking, “Why make a habit of attending church when I don’t get anything out of it?” This, I believe, is the wrong question to ask. Jordan Peterson, in his video Message to the Christian Church, reminds us of why attendance is important:

“The Christian Church is there to remind people, young men included, and perhaps even foremost, that they have a woman to find, a garden to walk in, a family to nurture, an ark to build, a land to conquer, a ladder to heaven to build, and the utter terrible catastrophe of life, to face stalwartly in truth, devoted to love and without fear.”

A better, non-consumeristic question might be, “How can I attend a house of worship and participate in a meaningful way—giving my resources, my service, and my presence in a way that helps the greater community, rather than merely feeding my self-worth and ego?”

I still believe the local church has the greatest potential to build up young men and women who can truly impact their community for good. And for those who have experienced “church hurt,” I want to recognize that this is a very real and painful issue. If you’ve been hurt by pastors or fellow parishioners, I understand that returning to church is no small emotional hurdle. It may take extra effort, time, and even difficult conversations with a trusted advisor, counselor or pastor. But I promise you, it is worth the effort to renew your faith—not in an institution with fallible people, but in an infallible, benevolent person, in Christ, who is always ready to welcome you with a healing embrace.

Lastly, you might feel like you’ve tried several churches, and the perfect one just isn’t out there for you. In that case, you might turn to online preaching for spiritual encouragement. While I’m grateful for the availability of online services, let me offer this analogy: watching online church is like watching a fireplace screensaver. It looks like a real fire, sounds like a real fire  and can set the ambiance in a pinch—but it lacks the heat. The experience of worship, the collective energy and spiritual warmth, can’t be replaced by a screen. In person, worship is like a roaring fire that ignites your heart, awakens your senses and draws you closer to God and others.

So, don’t make online preaching your habit, and don’t wait to find the perfect church. As James Clear writes in Atomic Habits, “It is easy to get bogged down trying to find the optimal plan for change: the fastest way to lose weight, the best program to build muscle, the perfect idea for a side hustle. We are so focused on figuring out the best approach that we never get around to taking action.” As Voltaire once said, “The best is the enemy of the good.”

Find a “good” church and make it a habit to attend. The key is consistency, not perfection. See you Sunday. 

Trey Bailey is a life-long resident of Newton County serving on staff at Eastridge Church and in the public sector as the District 1 Representative on the Board of Education. He’s married to a 29-year veteran public school teacher, and they have three daughters. To read more of his thoughts on education, ramblings about life, and inspirational messages, check out his blog at www.TreyBailey.us.