How Far Would You Drive to a Church?

[PrivateWoman]

I am just curious about how many people are willing to drive 30 minutes or farther to attend a church. I find it interesting that some people think that 30 minutes is too far to drive to a church, but they drive about 30 to 45 minutes to their job everyday during the week. I know that many people in bigger cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, New York, etc. do have to spend a lot of time in their cars due to heavy traffic.

I'd love to hear people's thoughts on this.

 

[StefanM]

I think a lot of it comes down to choice. Our job choices are much more limited than our church choices. Sometimes a person can't find a job within 15 miles of his or her home. Churches, however, are usually much easier to find locally.

 

[Salty]

I find it interesting the way the question was asked. Only the first choice said "prefer".

I would say it is much more advantageous to be close to your church, esp for weeknight activities. Assuming folks get off work at 430, get home, eat and go to church - then by the time they get home - you don't want to drive that far; as you need to get home get to bed and do it all over again. Pity that poor family who spend 4-5 weeknights at church activities.

Salty

PS, did I mention I drive 230 miles - one way to church - it is only a temporary assignment - maybe 4-6 months.

 

[annsni]

If there is a good church in your neighborhood, I recommend you attend that church. But I know people from our church who have moved more than an hour away who have not found a church and instead travel each Sunday to go to our church. But now that we've started a new church 30 minutes east of our home church, those people now have MUCH less to drive to get to church on Sunday. However, that means OUR commute has increased to 35 minutes on a quiet Sunday morning.

 

[mcdirector]

I do think it's easier to be more actively involved when the church is closer.

I changed jobs a couple of years ago. I drive a good distance each day and when we have an evening activity for parents, I just stay which makes for a very long day. I'm not sure we can compare what we do with church and work as we are at times limited in employment - like during a recession. I really don't want to have to look at another long drive on the weekends anywhere.

 

[Deacon]

We moved here about 15 years ago.
After we sold our house we started looking for a new one.

On a map, I drew a 15 minute drive-time circle around our church;
I drew a 45 minute drive-time circle around my work;
and I drew a 1 mile circle around each elementry school (I liked walking to school as a kid and thought my kids would like the opportunity to do it too),

Then I let my wife go and look where the circles converged.

She found it on the second day.

Rob

 

[annsni]

We moved here about 15 years ago.
After we sold our house we started looking for a new one.

I drew a 15 minute drive-time circle around our church;
I drew a 45 minute drive-time circle around my work;
and I drew a 1 mile circle around each elementry school (I liked walking to school as a kid and thought my kids would like the opportunity to do it too),

Then I let my wife go and look where the circles converged.

She found it on the second day.

Rob

That's because it only left you two houses and one was for sale!! ROTFL!!

 

[Deacon]

It did limit the choices but the Lord provided.

Same house but now I'm 10 minutes from a new church :love2:

15 minutes from new job :love2:

...and 7 hours from the youngest's college :tongue3:

Rob

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

I find it interesting the way the question was asked. Only the first choice said "prefer".

I would say it is much more advantageous to be close to your church, esp for weeknight activities. Assuming folks get off work at 430, get home, eat and go to church - then by the time they get home - you don't want to drive that far; as you need to get home get to bed and do it all over again. Pity that poor family who spend 4-5 weeknights at church activities.

Salty

PS, did I mention I drive 230 miles - one way to church - it is only a temporary assignment - maybe 4-6 months.

Who gets off work at 4:30???

 

[SolaSaint]

We live in the Bible Belt and have plenty of churches to chose from in our hometown, but sadly they are all either dead churches or sold out to entertain or work up your emotions. We have found a great church that has wonderful fellowship and expository preaching and teaching. It is over 20 miles away and I'm happy to drive that far and would drive even further if needed. I also drive 1 hour each way to work, so I couild hardly justify driving that far for work and not worship.

 

[Salty]

Who gets off work at 4:30???

Goverment employees - of course

 

[matt wade]

We live in the Bible Belt and have plenty of churches to chose from in our hometown, but sadly they are all either dead churches or sold out to entertain or work up your emotions. We have found a great church that has wonderful fellowship and expository preaching and teaching. It is over 20 miles away and I'm happy to drive that far and would drive even further if needed. I also drive 1 hour each way to work, so I couild hardly justify driving that far for work and not worship.

Agreed....I drive by many, many churches (many Baptist) to get to the church I attend. While there are more churches in my town than I can shake a stick out, I've only been able to find a select few that adhere to Biblical principles.

 

[Jim1999]

The last church I pastored, I drove 45 miles, one way, each day and twice on Sundays....country miles.

To-day, the nearest Baptist churches are 40, 45, 55 miles. I can't drive more than a few miles anymore and the only churches locally are Anglican, oneness Pentecostal and Roman Catholic. This area of Ontario was mostly settled by Free Methodist and Weslyan.....tough to find a church. Wife drives us 40 miles once each Sunday morning....snow is a huge factor in winter, so sometimes we worship at home. There is a small Baptist Church 20 miles away, but you wouldn't believe the country roads to get there.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[SaggyWoman]

I prefer the close church, but that isn't always where God wants me.....

 

[Salty]

I prefer the close church, but that isn't always where God wants me.....

raying: :thumbs: I consider that the perfect answer

 

[rbell]

OK, we live about 20-30 minutes north of Montgomery, AL.

Here's a common occurrence for our church:

• Family moves to our area, but they're happy with their former "home church" in Montgomery.
• for 3-5, or even 7-10 years, they continue to commute to church.
• then, one of the following happens:
  • the kids get older, and notice that no one from their school is in the church.
  • the parents get tired of the 30 minute commute every time the doors open.
  • (we weren't always a healthy church) the family discovers there's options out there for a church home that didn't exist several years ago.
• family joins our church after weighing options...

We probably see this scenario played out 20 times per year.

 

[freeatlast]

While I live in the so called bible belt I would prefer one within 10 or 15 minutes, but If I could find a church that was a God honoring bible teaching and practicing church I would drive as far as it takes and still be able to serve in it from a practical standpoint. That might be an hour or two depending on the type of service I could offer.

 

[Scarlett O.]

I am just curious about how many people are willing to drive 30 minutes or farther to attend a church. I find it interesting that some people think that 30 minutes is too far to drive to a church, but they drive about 30 to 45 minutes to their job everyday during the week.

I'd love to hear people's thoughts on this.

Alright. Here are my thoughts.

You are comparing two separate variables that are incomparable. They just happen to share a descriptor of driving a car.

Most people are very lucky to have the jobs that they do. Many people who make long trips everyday complain about it, but they are fortunate just to have the job.

Like Bitsy said, it is much easy to create a church family out of people who live within reason from the church and from each other.

If a person has the misfortune of having to drive 45 minutes to work and yet prefers a closer church home, why should he be thumped on the head for that? The taking of the job whenever and wherever one can and the preference of a local and close church are not two concepts that should be compared.

Otherwise, you make people feel like they have done something wrong.

 

[billreber]

Saggywoman said:

I prefer the close church, but that isn't always where God wants me.....

This is how I feel too!

A few years ago, I was a member of a church that closed down. After it closed, my DW and I visitted three churches. After each one, we had agreed to discuss with each other what we felt God was leading us to do. The first two, we discussed the plusses and minusses of each church. One was about 10 miles away, and the second was about 15 miles away. The third one (about 18 miles away) -- on the way home, we turned to each other and simultaneously said "God wants us here".

Guess where we joined! I now teach First and Second grade Sunday School there, and we are both active as greeters and as money counters. We have done many other things with the church, and will continue to do so until God leads us elsewhere.

God really is good!

Bill :godisgood:

 

[billwald]

>PS, did I mention I drive 230 miles - one way to church - it is only a temporary assignment - maybe 4-6 months.

You that important to your church or that weak away from it? I would attend a Catholic Church if it was the only Christian Church in 50 miles.

Maybe 20 miles as I get older. What you going to do when you get to old to drive? I knew a retired person who bought a house right next to his (Baptist) church and a few years later the church moved to the next town.