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Matt Van Swol @matt_vanswol - I've gone to church with my kids 4 weeks in a row after not going for 7 years.
For what it's worth, here are a few things I learned:
1) There is something to be said for being taught morality, weekly. I don't know where else those ideals are taught in America today.
2) The community of church is a beautiful thing and was originally the main reason I wanted to go to church. No one's perfect and that doesn't matter, it's just lovely to talk to and be around people who also are investing in wanting to be better people.
3) In a very unique way, I feel very at peace after church. Can't really describe it, but it's almost like knowing you were at a fork in the road and discovering you choose the right path. Not sure if that makes sense or not...
4) Rarely are you forced in life to interact with large groups of people, at church it is an inevitability. You can't stare at your phone and ignore people, you MUST interact. I think that's SO healthy for not only parents, but kids too. Phones are still taboo at church, and I think that's an amazing thing.
5) What honestly pushed me over the edge to agree to go back to church was seeing the volunteer work being done by churches during Hurricane Helene here in Western North Carolina. Churches, Christian organizations in general, and their volunteers did more than any government agency. I wanted to know why.
I think there's something to church.
Even with all its flaws that caused me to leave the church years ago, I've realized something I didn't quite understand back then:
Just because something is broken, doesn't mean it's worth throwing away.
Speaking for myself...
I am quick to find immediate flaws and slow to recognize long-term value.
For what it's worth...
Even if you aren't religious at all and even if you generally dislike/disagree with some of the Biblical teachings...
I still would recommend you try going to church and I never thought I would say that, even a couple of months ago.