NO! … and also…YES!
A Christian is a person who believes in their heart and declares with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord. This can happen entirely outside a church. However, the truth is then displayed in how our lives match our declaration, and God is our judge.
If we’re a Christian in hospital or in some part of the world where a church cannot be reached, then certainly we don’t have to go.
Hopefully the local church will do its best to come to us. Yet, if we can go and we choose not to go, then either we’re not a Christian OR we’re a deeply confused Christian!
Being a Christian is more like netball than surfing. I can surf by myself, but I can’t play netball by myself. Sure, I can practice my skills on my own, but if I don’t join a team and play… then… I’m not really a netballer! Jesus is calling a people who will live to his glory, not individuals. If we’re not interested in being a Christian Jesus’ way, then either we’re not a Christian or we have much to learn about having Jesus as our Lord.
Christians learn and practice these things in church together. It’s in church we hear the Bible taught as a group, so we learn how to behave together as a group; remember that these are the people we’ll be spending eternity with! We also go to pray with each other and for each other and to encourage each other in what we believe as Christians. None of these things can be done if we stay home or skip church for something else.
So, while it’s possible to be a Christian without going to church, every Christian who can, will, any other choice denies the Lordship of Christ.
Michael