The Health Benefits of Regular Church Attendance

Even before we were married, my husband and I attended church regularly, every week, unless we were sick.  No exceptions.  We avoided traveling on Sunday, but if we had to, we found the time and location of services along the way.  As our children came along, we raised them to do the same.  (Actually, we didn’t go to church on our first long camping trip.  And we felt absolutely horrible.  So we didn’t do it again.)  On a trip to Yellowstone, we enjoyed services in an outdoor amphitheater a short walk from our campsite.  A few years later, a family vacation to Glacier National Park found us nearly two hours away from church.  Aaron and I discussed the issue and went back and forth on it.  I finally asked him what he hoped his children would do in such a situation.  And so we made the drive.  Aaron got a speeding ticket and we saw a badger crossing the road.  As it happened, what members of my faith call stake conference (where about 6-12 congregations gather for instruction from regional leaders, often in another, larger location) was being held that day, three hours further down the road.  We missed that.  So we all got our wiggles out for about 15 minutes and turned around. 

Growing up, the kids all knew we went to church each Sunday and there were never any protests about it, fortunately.  Becky did try the “I’m sick” thing once when she actually wasn’t.  Of course, I was onto her.  She got to stay in bed all day and didn’t try that trick again.

We recognize that church attendance is essential to our spiritual health.  However, is church attendance really all that important to our physical health?  What does the science say?  Previous articles have focused on somewhat related topics like prayer, forgiveness, gratitude, and generosity, all of which can and should be practiced daily, outside of church.  Now let’s take a quick look at the benefits of regular church attendance.

A Harvard study published just six weeks after the COVID lockdowns began shared the statistics regarding the health benefits of church attendance.  It found that people who attended religious services at least once per week were significantly less likely to die from what it termed “deaths of despair.”  These included deaths due to suicide, drug overdose, and alcohol poisoning.  The benefit was found to be somewhat stronger in women.  Those who attended church at least once per week were 68% less likely to suffer a death of despair.  Men were 33% less likely. 

So why is this?  Why did Christ organize His people into a church?  Well, there are a lot of reasons.  However, the focus here is on the health advantages.  How does regular church attendance reduce these deaths of despair?

Dallin H. Oaks taught:

 

Attendance and activity in a church help us become better people and better influences on the lives of others. In church we are taught how to apply religious principles. We learn from one another. A persuasive example is more powerful than a sermon. We are strengthened by associating with others of like minds. In church attendance and participation, our hearts are, as the Bible says, “knit together in love.” (Colossians 2:2).

 

In attending church regularly, we’re blessed to meet together with friends and family, with people of similar beliefs and mindset.  We cheer and encourage others as they deal with their difficulties, and they do likewise when we experience trials. 

When times get tough, however, some people are inclined to withdraw.  I think it’s important to recognize this so we can strive to avoid it.  If church attendance is something that is decided one way or the other when people wake up Sunday mornings, it’s easy to decide to stay home or go to the park.  Skipping church one Sunday leads to skipping on other Sundays.  And then the practice isn’t in place when needed, especially for those vulnerable to depression.  When our collapse comes and people can’t get their maintenance medications, there will be many suffering from depression.  If our leaders get the war they seem to be aiming for, we’ll possibly have a lot more depressed people in our ranks.  Well-established habits of church attendance may help combat a serious issue. 

References:

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/regularly-attending-religious-services-associated-with-lower-risk-of-deaths-of-despair/

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/18oaks?lang=eng

Links to related posts:

The Health Benefits of Gratitude  

The Medicinal Benefits of Generosity  

The Medicinal Benefits of Forgiveness  

The Medicinal Benefits of Prayer