Primary Care Physicians and Church

I grew up believing that everyone needed a primary care physician--a family practitioner. As an adult, new "doc in the box" operations began opening up. While my family does have primary care physicians--a doctor I go see usually, pediatrician for my children, and an OB/GYN my wife sees--we have at times gone to the clinic. I wonder if these institutions have relieved non-emergency calls at the emergency room (a good thing) OR if they lulled people away from primary care physicians (not a good thing). I haven't found any research to suggest that fewer people are establishing relationships with primary care physicians so, my analogy doesn't quite have the punch.

However, it used to be the case that people "knew" they needed a relationship with a denomination and a local church in the same way they "knew" they needed a relationship with a primary care physician. Someone needed to hold their record (letter) and keep up with their vital statistics (date of baptism, marriage, rededications). Yet, increasingly people are not convinced of the need for a relationship with a local church. When they need "church" they assume that they can just go down to "church in the box" and get what they need.

The problem is, of course, that while easily accessible worship services abound--particularly in our area--the other thing people need from church like accountability, support, and the call to service do not emerge quickly in church relationships. It takes time.