Every so often, I will get an email with wisdom from my father. I really liked this one, so direct from my father's fingers:

Why Go To Church?
Jan 21, 2003

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.”
2 Cor 1:3-7

“…not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another…”
Heb 10:25

I often come across Christian people who do not attend a church. They have various reasons for this and sometimes it’s because their doctrine is skewed or because they are control freaks who just can’t fit in. More often it is the result of failure within the church itself. Sometimes it is spiritual abuse where leaders are beating on and using the sheep. Often it is the lack of spirituality within the church causing us to ask the question “Why bother?”

2 Cor 1:3-7 gives a rational for “hanging in there” or at least being persistent in continuing to search for a church body that is at least tolerable.

One good example is in the early 1980’s when Ruth and I purchased and moved to a small farm in Southern Idaho. Our new community boasted around 3000 people and a number of churches, but we could not find one that we felt we could belong to. There was one Pentecostal church that we didn’t find at all acceptable and so, rather than drive to a neighboring community for church (we believed we should “bloom where you’re planted”) we ended up attending a Nazarene Church. They did as good a job as they could without becoming openly Pentecostal and although we weren’t satisfied with it, we attended anyway and became involved and a part of the body of Christ there. And I still value our time in that church.

The passage from 2 Corinthians says that it is for our “consolation” that God tells us not to forsake assembling together into a corporate body of Christ. Vs. 6&7 show that the comfort He speaks of in vs. 3-5 is administered through the body of Christ. The word “consolation” means “to exhort, to encourage, to cheer.” If we try to face the trials of life alone or just within our family, we will miss out on that “consolation” and become jaded and hardened spiritually and emotionally. This stops and hinders the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and we cease to grow in Him. The enemy then takes full advantage of the opening we have given him and has a heyday in us and in our families.

There is no such thing as a perfect church – but there are many churches available. Even if you cannot find a church that is suitable, that you feel comfortable in, it is better that you settle for second best than that you float outside fellowship. There is much consolation and comfort to be found even in a “second best” church.