Why do churches exist?

An interesting post on TwentySomeone about the furor over church closures this past Christmas.

What struck me about the posts were the 3 main reasons churches gave for closing:

1. Christmas is a family day and the church was a family insitution, so the church wanted to honor the family.
2. Church is for non-believers and since nonbelievers wouldn’t come to church on Christmas Day, there was no point in having it at all.
3. Church takes too much time and work for the people who put it on, so to give those people a break, it should be cancelled on Christmas.

Item 2 was the one that has been sticking out in my mind, as it did for Doug.

Why does my church exist? Is it just one big evangelism tool that the person doesn't need after they become Christian? And why would a person who does "accept" Christ not want to go to church?

Maybe the problem is with the churches themselves. If your people don't want to get together to worship God, can you really say that they understand the Gospel? How can anyone who really believes that they are a sinner saved by God's grace not feel the need to praise and worship the God who saved him/her?

If there is anything that ever makes me doubt my salvations, it is those times when I don't feel a deep gratitude for God, and for what His Son did for me. I can't imagine not wanting to praise or worship the Father or His Son. I can't imagine not wanting to say "thank you" one more time. I can't imagine not wanting to get together with other people who truly have the love of God within them. I can't imagine not wanting to hear His Word being spoken and preached. I can't imagine not wanting to learn more about Him.