How Church Could (Literally) Save Your Life

by Rebecca McLaughlin

Bestselling Author Rebecca McLaughlin Presents Evidence That Church Could Be the Greatest Life Hack for Your Mental and Physical Well-Being

People are hungry for the latest wellness secret to improve their physical and mental health and extend their life expectancy. But one of the most evidence-based practices to boost your health and happiness is hidden in plain sight. It’s not a new-age trend, a superfood, or an expensive, recently released pill. It’s the age-old practice of attending church each week.

Harvard School of Public Health and other institutions have discovered that weekly religious service attendance helps guard against depression, increase happiness, improve physical health, and extend life expectancy. In How Church Could (Literally) Save Your Life, Rebecca McLaughlin explores this compelling data from a Christian perspective. Avoiding prosperity-gospel guarantees of health in this life, she shares the significant and science-backed benefits of worshiping God in community and the good news of Jesus, the Great Physician. Written both for skeptics and believers who may have stopped going to church, this brief, accessible guide invites readers to discover the true source of abundant life.

Brief and  Explains key data about the positive effects of church attendance on a person’s physical and mental well-being Accessible Invitation to  Written for anyone who is not currently attending, including atheists, skeptics, and believers who don’t have a church community  Addresses the negative effects that secularism and declining church attendance have had on modern culture and offers hope Practical Next  A QR code leads readers to a webpage where they can find a local, Bible-teaching church A Great Outreach  This short book is a convenient resource that pastors and ministries can distribute widely (accompanying tract available separately)

Genres: Christian

88 pages, Paperback

Published October 28, 2025

About the author

Rebecca McLaughlin (PhD, Cambridge University) is the cofounder of Vocable Communications, a communications consulting and training firm. She is also a regular contributor to the Gospel Coalition and previously spent nine years working with top academics at the Veritas Forum, which hosts forums on college campuses with conversations that pursue answers to life's hardest questions.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and compelling.

[Tyler Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick, persuasive, helpful, and clear walk through of the gospel that heals our deepest sickness, and the church that can (literally) be an agent of restoration.

[Christine Gustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, thought-provoking book!

Initially I found myself wondering, “who exactly is this book for?” After finishing this book, I would say that the primary intended audience is: 1. Atheists or Agnostics living in a post-Christian culture who are curious as to why Christians attend church, and 2. Those who profess to know Jesus, but don’t regularly attend church and/or don’t see the value of church.

I almost stopped reading this book about 25% of the way in. The first 60% is an interesting read full of statistics and feels a lot like an essay. While it was fascinating, I kept thinking, “cool, but is she missing the point a bit here? Is it really ‘church’ that makes the difference or is it the One we encounter there?”

I’m SO happy that I kept reading and finished this book. McLaughlin brought it all together in the final section and knocked it out of the park! 👏🏽 Highly recommend reading this little gem in one sitting!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book! All thoughts expressed are my own.

[DevotedToHope · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something strangely settling about holding a book that feels like a prescription pad for the soul… a little volume where Scripture and science stand together and quietly testify to what God has said all along. We are meant to gather. We are meant to worship. We are meant to be formed in community under His Word. How Church Could (Literally) Save Your Life reads like a high-quality wellness consult with eternal implications, offering evidence without noise and truth without theatrics. Rebecca McLaughlin simply lays the research on the table, and the clarity of it surprised me more than once.

The data reads almost like a doctor whispering a cure. Harvard’s human flourishing research, shaped and explained by Professor VanderWeele, points again and again to the same conclusion. Weekly church attendance strengthens the mind, steadies the heart, nourishes the body, and lengthens life. And tucked inside these pages is that unforgettable line… “This book isn’t a pillbox. But it does contain a prescription.” A weekly rhythm that could add several years to your life and restore joy to your days. What a breathtaking affirmation of God’s design for His people.

McLaughlin approaches the evidence with a steadiness I appreciated, never rushing past the data, always honoring the God who heals and restores. Each chapter feels like a diagnostic result returning to us with the same message. When we remove ourselves from the fellowship God provides, the cracks start to show. Loneliness grows. Hope fades. Compassion thins. Even our cultural convictions wobble because we were never meant to walk this life alone. Study after study echoes a truth Scripture established long before the research existed. We thrive when we worship together.

One part of this little book reached me with unexpected weight. Our shared belief that every human life carries worth did not rise from modern thought. It began with the God who breathed life into us, who calls every person loved, who anchors dignity in Himself. When that foundation is forgotten, the clarity we rely on slips away. And as the final chapter unfolds, McLaughlin lifts our eyes to the reality no wellness trend can fix… every one of us will step into death. Yet for those who trust in Jesus Christ, there is a hope stronger than the grave, a life that does not end, a promise held by the only One who conquered death and gives everlasting life.

For readers who love high-quality, fact-rooted books that honor Scripture, this one is a refreshing gift. Short, accessible, and deeply grounded in truth, it left me grateful all over again that God’s commands are never burdens. They are lifelines. When we follow Him, we receive the blessing of His wisdom and the nearness of His presence.

Ideal for readers who treasure faith-rich nonfiction, for anyone curious about the relationship between worship and well-being, for pastors gathering tools for outreach, and for every seeker who longs for a reminder that the weekly rhythms of worship and community are not optional extras… they are the very prescription the Great Physician has written for our good, for His purpose, and His glory!

I received a digital ARC of How Church Could (Literally) Save Your Life from Crossway via NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review in any way or for any reason. My honest and unbiased opinions expressed in this review are my own. I focused on its faithfulness to Scripture, the writing style, the pacing, and the content, ensuring transparency and reliability.

[Salvador Blanco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine short book to be read and given away with certainty it will challenge and persuade non-Christians in our age.

Good quotes:

“2022 analysis of studies showed ‘a roughly 33 percent reduction in the odds of subsequent depression for those attending services at least weekly versus not at all!.’ In other words, if you aren't currently a churchgoer and you start attending weekly, you reduce your chances of developing depression by a third” (15).


“Church could also help you if you're struggling with alcohol or drug abuse. As we saw above, ‘deaths of despair’ have surged in recent years, and many public health initiatives have tried to stem this tragic flow. But one of the best protections against dying from despair is church. One large-scale study found that women who attended services at least once per week have a 68 percent lower risk of death from despair than those who never attended; men who attended services at least once per week have a 33 percent lower risk” (23).

“The lingering sinfulness of Christians doesn't prove the Christian message isn't true. It's actually one piece of evidence that Jesus's death was necessary. If my heart were basically good, I might need a great example to set me on the right path. But I wouldn't need the Son of God to die to take the punishment for all my sin. I might need a moral mentor. But I wouldn't need a crucified Messiah. No Christian lives up to the moral standards set by Jesus. But we need those self-same standards even to decry the history of Christian sin” (42-43).

“This great physician doesn't merely pop a magic pill into our hands and wish us luck. He takes our moral sickness on himself and gives his life in place of ours.
As Jesus explained to his first followers, although he was the great King sent by God, he "came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28). When Jesus died on a Roman cross, he took the punishment we deserve so anyone who trusts in him could be forgiven and eternally embraced by God. He drained his blood to fill our veins. He breathed his last to fill our lungs. He suffered the most horrifying death so we could live the most ecstatic life with him forever, if we trust in him.”

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cogent and helpful, like everything McLaughlin does.

[Tim Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

What If Skipping Church Is Costing Us More Than We Think?

We live in a cultural moment that celebrates autonomy, self‑care, and personal truth—yet we’re lonelier, more anxious, and more overwhelmed than ever. What if one of the simplest, most overlooked solutions has been sitting quietly in our neighborhoods all along? In How Church Could (Literally) Save Your Life, Rachel McLaughlin makes that case with clarity, data, and conviction. After reading it, I’m convinced it deserves a full five stars.

The Overlooked Health Benefits

I gladly received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review, and it opens with a striking claim: “But study after study has shown that people who attend religious services once a week or more are happier, healthier, and longer-lived, than those who don’t.” McLaughlin adds that “if any other practice had the same results, it would be widely advertised in public health campaigns” (3). She goes further, noting that “less churchgoing has led to lower mental health and happiness, more loneliness, more drug abuse, more alcoholism, less volunteering, less giving to those in need, reduced life expectancy, and more suicides” (5).

The Moral Foundations We Forgot We Needed

When exploring Christianity’s moral influence, she argues that “whether we realize it or not, it turns out that the seemingly self-evident truth that all human life is equally valuable… came to us from Christianity. If Christianity isn’t true, we aren’t left with a better secular foundation for our core belief that all humans are created equal.” Without it, she warns, we’re left with “the ethical rug pulled out from underneath our feet” (6).

Mental Health and the Limits of Modern Solutions

McLaughlin observes that “we’ve removed much of the shame and stigma associated with mental health struggles. But we haven’t succeeded in reducing the struggles.” Instead, she writes, “they’ve spread like an oil spill, entrapping more and more of us like seagulls with our wings weighed down” (11). This tension sits at the heart of her argument: “The benefits of ‘organized religion’ don’t fit with the big story we are telling in the West about the goodness of abandoning traditional beliefs” (15).

Community, Purpose, and the Power of Worship

The evidence is compelling: “Worshipping alongside others seems not only to protect us from emotional distress but also to increase our happiness” (17–18). She acknowledges the value of therapy and medication but insists that “therapy and medications won’t provide the true community and purpose we all need” (22). Many think of church as something for later in life, but she challenges that assumption: “People sometimes think of church as a retirement plan… Yet the positive effects of church on health kick in early” (29).

A Place for Real Transformation

McLaughlin argues that “a healthy church can give us the connection, purpose, and community we need, whether we struggle with alcohol, drugs, smoking, porn addiction, or doomscrolling social media. It can be the magic pill to help us turn away from other ecstasy-inducing or de-stressing spills” (33). Morally, she reminds us that “when we recoil at rape, child abuse, sex trafficking, and people being mired in abject poverty, we’re grasping at the Bible’s diagnostic tools to recognize these things as wrong” (39).

Christianity’s Honest View of Humanity

She doesn’t soften Christian teaching: “The Bible doesn’t claim that Christians are innately good. Instead, it teaches that we are rotten to the core—so bad that Jesus had to die to take the punishment for all our sin” (42). Historically, she notes that “in the last two thousand years, Christians have been responsible for more self-sacrificing care for those in need than followers of any other faith or philosophical tradition” (43).

The Stakes Are Higher Than We Think

Spiritually, she writes that “according to the Bible, our greatest danger isn’t that we’ll die in some horrific accident or from a crippling disease. It’s that we’ll face the righteous judgment of the God who made the universe” (55). She also challenges the idea that all religions teach the same thing: “To say that all religions teach the same things isn’t respectful… it depends on not taking the distinct claims of any world religion seriously” (58).

A Global Influence That Still Shapes Us

She closes with a reminder of Christianity’s reach: “Today, almost a third of humans all across the globe claim to be Christians. Jesus’s teachings have shaped what even many who identify as atheist believe about morality and universal human worth” (60).

Final Reflection

If the research is true, then what do you really have to lose? Maybe giving church a try isn’t such a bad idea after all.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This small booklet uses research to persuade readers of the surprising health benefits of attending church. McLaughlin explains that in our culture's obsession with health and wellness, church attendance rarely gets mentioned, even though multiple studies show a direct correlation between faith and church involvement, and physical and mental health. She summarizes some surprising research, and although I had questions about how the researchers came to some of these conclusions with things that seemed difficult to qualitatively measure, anyone who wants to do a deeper dive can look up the journal articles the author cites.

McLaughlin acknowledges that many people have had deeply painful experiences with church, but she encourages people to give it another try. She speaks to skeptics and to people who fell out of the habit of going to church during the pandemic, and she shares both social science statistics and personal anecdotes to illustrate the value of involvement with a local faith community. She also explains some basics about the Christian faith, and points people with more questions to one of her other books.

I can't speak to how skeptics would receive this book, but I don't know that it would be particularly effective. Even though it's certainly worthwhile to make people aware of the health benefits of something that the people writing wellness articles would never dare mention, I don't know if people are actually going to start attending church just because it might have a positive impact on their health. This book may help reduce prejudices and judgment towards faith by illustrating its positive impacts, but I doubt that skeptics will get over all their other barriers to faith just because there might be something in it for them.

This book will likely be more effective with the audience of people who used to attend church but then fell out of the habit, due to life circumstances or the pandemic. Since these people attended church before and evidently saw its value, they are more likely to find this book persuasive and make changes in their life as a result.

I received a free copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If you think you're spiritually well, you won't see Jesus' offer as good news, but if you know deep down that anyone who saw your darkest, meanest, most unpalatable thoughts would run from you, then you just might be ready to go running into Jesus' outstretched arms...in the end, you could attend church all your life, live to 95, and never take the pill that really counts. That pill is hard to swallow. It requires us to let go of our pride and recognize our need. But if we face up to the fact that we're far worse than we imagined, we will also have the eyes to see how radically we are loved. The doctor who can diagnose a moral cancer in our hearts is the same Son of God who came to earth to take the punishment for all our sin upon himself. If we decide to trust in him, we do not need to fear when cancer comes for us, or when our car spins out of control, or when our heart starts sputtering to an exhausted halt. This Jesus didn't only pay the price for sin, he also conquered death, the enemy we cannot defeat, however much we inundate our lives with healthy practices...When death comes for me, I won't need to be scared because I know the great physician has already taken up my case. The day my heart stops beating, I will fall into the arms of Jesus who alone can carry me through death to everlasting, resurrection life with him. That offer is on the table for you too. The pill is there for you to swallow. No other medication in this world will do you good when you come face to face with death. But if you put your trust in Jesus who has faced the worst imaginable death for sinful people just like you and me, you'll find that all he has for you eternally is life and love beyond your wildest dreams."

[Tim Goldsmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short evangelistic book takes a novel approach. Rebecca McLaughlin explores the benefits of being a regular attender at church.
The book follows 4 areas:
1. The Mental Health benefits
2. The Physical Benefits
3. The Moral Benefits
4 The Spiritual Benefits.

McLaughlin shows how research (secular research, often done by atheists) points to the benefits of being part of a faith community, and particularly being part of a Christian community. This focus is on the health and wellbeing benefits, before Chapter 4 takes a look at the Spiritual side of things, and the reality that the Christian message makes larger faith-claims that and existential and eternal perspective!
It felt a little weird making my way 3/4 of the way through the book without really getting to the core reason for Christian faith. It made Church attendance and Christianity feel a little utilitarian. That said, I appreciate that this is a novel way of sharing the gospel and may really appeal to someone who a)has swallowed the rhetoric of the New Atheists, that Christianity is not helpful to society, and/or b) non-believers whose starting point in their interest in Christianity might be looking for the therapeutic benefits.
As I've thought about it more, I've bumped my rating up from three stars to four. Certainly a worthwhile book to have in the evangelistic arsenal!

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would have thought studies would show that going to church is good for your health, both physical and mental? That is exactly what research from Harvard School of Public Health found. The practice of regular church attendance can elongate your life expectancy by seven years and reduce the likelihood of experiencing depression.

McLaughlin explores the statistics on depression, showing a rise. She also explores the rates of suicide, comparing churched and non-churched people. As some may argue about the harm religion has done, she defends Christianity by noting all the benefits it has produced.

If there was one thing you could do to improve your physical and mental health, McLaughlin writes, attending church on a regular basis would be it.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Kate M. Colby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that this book is short and to the point, and it delivers on the title. It is well researched and eloquently argued, yet it doesn't belabor points, bloat up with anecdotes, or repetitively drag things out for the sake of making a "full length" book. I read it in one sitting, ironically, while I was sick in bed.

For current believers, I think this book will be affirming and also provide scientific evidence to be used in defense of our faith and resulting lifestyle choices. I honestly don't know how convincing this book would be to non-believers, but I hope it would at least help them see that there are benefits to people going to church and following the Christian faith, in particular, so that they will at least be more charitable with the Christians they encounter. Of course, if they choose to give Christianity a try after reading, all the better.

[Bradford Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fear with this book was that religion and “going to church” (a term used, but not explained) were going to be used for self fulfilling means rather than seeing and beholding Christ. Further, my fear was that the argument for going to church was for mental and physical health reasons solely. That is not the case as McLaughlin emphasizes spiritual health and the gospel for the soul.

I think the most fascinating chapter was titled “moral health benefits.” McLaughlin argues that Christianity is good for the moral order. It calls believers to care for the “least of these,” the poor, vulnerable, outcasts, and widows. Whether Christians actually do and apply the things laid out in Scripture is a fair critique, but does not change the text of Scripture. She quotes Jonathan Haidt who finds that those of religious piety actually are more generous than those who are secular.

[Evan Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent entry by Rebecca McLaughlin. This tiny book would serve well as the appetizer to her tour de force Confronting Christianity which does a lot more heavy lifting across the spectrum of critiques of Christianity. "How Church Could" sets out to make one point - data indicates that attending church weekly is objectively and quantifiable good for the health and well being of people both individually and societally.

The book is short and punchy while maintaining McLaughlin's trademark care and thoughtfulness to those who don't share her faith.

This would be an excellent book to read as a Christian, and one you may find worth passing along to intellectual or wellness minded friends who are suspicious of religion as an element of good in society.

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good information about how churchgoers on average live longer than non-churchgoers. Not sure I like the purpose of the booklet, though--is that really the reason to convince people to go to church? Temporal life, as opposed to eternal life?

If that's OK, what other reasons are okay? More friends? Meals? Big parking lots? Is there a line somewhere? I guess I need to think about this more. The author could have provided some justification for her approach, but did not.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so enjoy reading McLaughlin's books, as always she presents a solid case with plenty of research and evidence to back her (and it's only 63 pages). Did you know that going to church can improve your mental health, physical health, moral health and of course your spiritual health? Highly recommend reading!

[Mary Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great end-of-year read! Incredible to think that physically going to church weekly can change your life in such drastic ways. Every person should read this book. I fell off my nonfiction reading this year, but this may have just gotten me back on it!

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

A helpful little book for non-Christians that outlines the health benefits, social and psychological benefits, and finally the spiritual benefits of going to church.

[Ryanne Molinari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant little book.

[Jeremy Tetreau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful little book on the mental health, physical, moral, and spiritual benefits of going to church. The book is accessible for (and respectful to) non-churchgoers!

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short book but very practical guide.

[Lorena]

This is a brief version of Confronting Christianity

[Pat Reeder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only complaint is that it could be longer!

[Becca Lafferty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Succinct but packs a punch with so little space. Great use of research and anecdotes to be a good teaser trailer for anyone interested in church and Christianity. Well done.

[Darin Mirante · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating research. A little too trite, one-dimensional, and packaged together regarding the complexity and ambiguity of the faith journey.

[Josh G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief and compelling. I wish I could copy of this into the hands of everyone who’s on the fence about Jesus, Christianity, and the church.

[Mollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating!