Do you have to go to church

[1yugioh]

Okay guys so I have a quesiton. Its kinda long but please take your time to read all of it. And I would like to apologize ahead of time for my horrid gramar and spell mistakes, I am a mather person.

Here it is, do you have to go to church? Dont get me wrong I am not against the idea, its not that I dont want to go. But my mom (great grandmother I call her mom cuz she raised me) is Mormon and I dont want to go to a Mormon church.
To make things stranger my mom dosent believe the strange beliefs that Mormons have and I really dont want to start going to her church cuz then she would go and I dont want them to pump those strange beliefs into her head anymore than mine.
Now am I old enough to make my own choices by law, yes. Does that matter in my household, no. I would completly destroy my relationship with my mother if I went to a diffrent church.

So I figured I could just wate till I was out on my own to start going to whatever church I wanted. However, some christians seam to think that I am going against the scripture “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Now I dont know if I am going against that scripture or not, because when she wants me to lie I wont, I try to prevent her from doing so, and I tell her that I dont think something is scriptual so I wont do it. So I do think I put what god wants before what she wants. when I know for sure its wrong, or unscriptual.

However, other christians, seam to be under the impression that not going to church is like a soul damning problem. And while Going to church is certanly a good thing, and I do think I am missing out, I never really considered it a command, and certainly not a 'this determines where your soul goes when you die' kind of issue.

So is going to church now when I could just waite till later and not destroy my relationship with my mother really that big of a deal?

I know this can be a pashanet topic, anything with religion is, but please be respectfull with your answer. No personal offense to anyone on this form, I have just had some really rude responses from other people in the past.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

ekklesia is simply the set apart people of yahushua, immersed in him, who live for him.
it doesn't mean a group that meets in a building in scripture.

so you may perfectly please yhvh the creator simply doing as you are doing, and ignore those who are trying to make you feel guilty.

as he, yhvh (god), provides time to fellowship with people you know and meet who share seeking the truth, do so in peace and joy and righteousness in yahushua(jesus).

faith is pleasing to yhvh, faith in him, so keep on trusting him to guide you and lead you,
and read the bible from beginning to end, over and over again, daily, always praying for truth (from the creator in the savior yahushua) because
men will not always live or tell the truth,
so we have to trust and have faith in yahushua to let us know what is true, and he says he will. it is written. and he always keeps his word.

 

[1yugioh]

Thank you so much for your reply, I hope you had a happy thanksgiving.
I alwayse thought that it didnt matter if the spiritual growth happened in a building or not.

 

[Johnnz]

No one went to church in the NT. People who were church gathered together to share their new life over a meal.

John
NZ

 

[BryanW92]

No one went to church in the NT. People who were church gathered together to share their new life over a meal.

John
NZ

They spent their time assembled together in prayer and worship. There was a lot more involved than just eating and fellowship. When they were together, they were "in church" (ekklesia). The often-misused verse, "where two or three are gathered in my name" implies that the gathering actually be held in his name, and not just a few believers getting together for coffee or a meal.

 

[chapmic]

Have you tried to convince your mother to go to a different church? I would look up some churches with Christian values online or ask her to check out other churches in your area. If you keep seeking and keep bugging your mother about it she will probably give in and agree to it. Jesus is probably leading you to another place as long as you keep searching and seeking his will you and your mom will eventually have peace. Their maybe some hardships but don't be scared because Jesus will be with you and will guide you to the best church for both of you. I will be praying for you both, God bless!

 

[Johnnz]

They spent their time assembled together in prayer and worship. There was a lot more involved than just eating and fellowship. When they were together, they were "in church" (ekklesia). The often-misused verse, "where two or three are gathered in my name" implies that the gathering actually be held in his name, and not just a few believers getting together for coffee or a meal.

I never implied church was 'coffee time'. 'Ekklesia' connoted people meeting together in the NT period, and was in common use for many kinds of situations where people met for some purpose. The NT Christians gathered in the presence of the Holy Spirit to eat their common meal centered around Jesus, to share, receive instruction, to serve, and to worship.

John
NZ

 

[BryanW92]

I never implied church was 'coffee time'. 'Ekklesia' connoted people meeting together in the NT period, and was in common use for many kinds of situations where people met for some purpose. The NT Christians gathered in the presence of the Holy Spirit to eat their common meal centered around Jesus, to share, receive instruction, to serve, and to worship.

John
NZ

A lot of people believe that a period of fellowship and a shared meal is "church". Its not and never has been. The common meal is not the centerpiece of the Acts church. It was just something you had to do for fuel because they worshipped for long periods of time. Today, we focus on the meal too much.

 

[Johnnz]

A lot of people believe that a period of fellowship and a shared meal is "church". Its not and never has been. The common meal is not the centerpiece of the Acts church. It was just something you had to do for fuel because they worshipped for long periods of time. Today, we focus on the meal too much.

That is simply historically inaccurate. You are reading back your modern experience of church into the NT texts.

John
NZ

 

[BryanW92]

That is simply historically inaccurate. You are reading back your modern experience of church into the NT texts.

John
NZ

No, I'm not. These days, church is one hour and out the door to lunch. In some churches, it may be two hours and then you're out the door to lunch. Now, if you go to a non-western country, you get to see the Acts church. You would see people in the rural areas of Haiti who walk 10 miles to church and spend all day worshipping. They bring food as part of their worship because of the length of the walk and the length of the worship. Basically, they know they're going to get hungry and they prepare accordingly. The Acts church was the same. They didn't have church on every corner. People had to walk distances to worship and they stayed until they were just out of worship.

You are historically inaccurate.

 

[Bramwell]

I feel it's important not to polarize when debating these issues. I see bits of truth in what both Bryan and Jonnz are saying. It's true that the book of Acts church did not just meet for an hour and a meal, and call it a day. But it's also true that sharing a meal was (and is) a significant aspect of Christ's Body gathering together to meet. (In fact it was in the context of the disciples sharing a meal that Jesus revealed Himself to His disciples at least twice after His resurrection.)

If any thing, what really makes the Acts church different than your modern church is the fact that they shared everything in common. (Acts 2:44-45) It's hard to find churches these days which keep to those standards.

Yugi, the Bible is pretty consistent about the need for "2 or 3" to gather together to assure God's presence. The Bible also tells us to forsake not "assembling together", or living and meeting with other Christians. (Hebrew 10:25) This admonition is especially important as we head into the end times.

If you want to be a Christian, the most important thing is for you to believe and obey Jesus. Certainly assembling together with other Christians is a big help toward this goal.

 

[MWood]

Okay guys so I have a quesiton. Its kinda long but please take your time to read all of it. And I would like to apologize ahead of time for my horrid gramar and spell mistakes, I am a mather person.

Here it is, do you have to go to church? Dont get me wrong I am not against the idea, its not that I dont want to go. But my mom (great grandmother I call her mom cuz she raised me) is Mormon and I dont want to go to a Mormon church.
To make things stranger my mom dosent believe the strange beliefs that Mormons have and I really dont want to start going to her church cuz then she would go and I dont want them to pump those strange beliefs into her head anymore than mine.
Now am I old enough to make my own choices by law, yes. Does that matter in my household, no. I would completly destroy my relationship with my mother if I went to a diffrent church.

So I figured I could just wate till I was out on my own to start going to whatever church I wanted. However, some christians seam to think that I am going against the scripture “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Now I dont know if I am going against that scripture or not, because when she wants me to lie I wont, I try to prevent her from doing so, and I tell her that I dont think something is scriptual so I wont do it. So I do think I put what god wants before what she wants. when I know for sure its wrong, or unscriptual.

However, other christians, seam to be under the impression that not going to church is like a soul damning problem. And while Going to church is certanly a good thing, and I do think I am missing out, I never really considered it a command, and certainly not a 'this determines where your soul goes when you die' kind of issue.

So is going to church now when I could just waite till later and not destroy my relationship with my mother really that big of a deal?

I know this can be a pashanet topic, anything with religion is, but please be respectfull with your answer. No personal offense to anyone on this form, I have just had some really rude responses from other people in the past.


I would suggest finding a bible study group in your area that teaches from the Pauline epistles. This will help get your mom away from the Mormon church and give her a different set of scriptures than what she has been hearing. Not many people teach from these epistles.

Stay strong in what you believe, your on the right track. God bless.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Acts 2.42 is relevant.

 

[Anna the Seeker]

It's been years since I've actually been to a Sunday service. But I have recently went to the church spontaneously whenever I feel like I need it, and it has been (around with prayers) pleasant every time.

 

[Alithis]

No one went to church in the NT. People who were church gathered together to share their new life over a meal.

John
NZ

this and more .. but in particular the reference to .. you ARE the church ...


we don't go to church .. we ,the church ,gather together ..we congregate.

we are wisely advised to not forsake doing so .
there are no rules/laws stating we must do so every week without fail but to be honest ..the more we gather to fellowship ,praise study scriptures and PRAY ..the better it is for us .for learning and edification strengthening each other in the most holy faith.

truth is ,if we DONT do so .the more we will "congregate* with the world and be encouraged and strengthened in precepts opposing the truth of the Lord Jesus.
(i know this from personal experience)
there is no middle ground there is no vacuum of neutrality ..if we do not gravitate to the one ..we will be drawn to the other.
so i STRONGLY advocate... dont make it rule and law .. but in love for the lord ..Do not forsake gathering with other believers

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

..........
If any thing, what really makes the Acts church different than your modern church is the fact that they shared everything in common. (Acts 2:44-45) It's hard to find churches these days which keep to those standards.
....the Bible is pretty consistent about the need for "2 or 3" to gather together to assure God's presence. The Bible also tells us to forsake not "assembling together", or living and meeting with other Christians. (Hebrew 10:25) This admonition is especially important as we head into the end times.
If you want to be a Christian, the most important thing is for you to believe and obey Jesus........ .

working backwards, Yeshua said, whoever 1st-believes(actively relying and trusting, experientially,not mentally) and is immersed shall be saved, whoever believes not is already condemned.
and, as Yeshua says, to be His, you must be born again.
(Yahweh's doing. not the work of man, nor of the flesh, nor of the 'chruch')

as for as forsaking the assembly, learn from Him about this - about the assembly of the ekklesia alive in Him - not 'the form of religion without power'. with the ekklesia, there is life, healing, casting out demons, unselfishness instead of selfishness.

'sharing all things in common' . you won't find a 'chruch' , but ekklesia already do this. they never stopped. (they are very rare, obviously).

the road is narrow that leads to life, and few are there who find it.

the road is wide that leads to death, and most everyone is on it.

abba's shabbat shalom to all who love and seek Yhvh by faith in Yeshua.

 

[faroukfarouk]

It's been years since I've actually been to a Sunday service. But I have recently went to the church spontaneously whenever I feel like I need it, and it has been (around with prayers) pleasant every time.

Prayer is certainly one of the very important activities which characterized the early believers in the Lord Jesus, as recorded in Acts 2.42.

 

[BryanW92]

this and more .. but in particular the reference to .. you ARE the church ...


we don't go to church .. we ,the church ,gather together ..we congregate.

we are wisely advised to not forsake doing so .
there are no rules/laws stating we must do so every week without fail but to be honest ..the more we gather to fellowship ,praise study scriptures and PRAY ..the better it is for us .for learning and edification strengthening each other in the most holy faith.

truth is ,if we DONT do so .the more we will "congregate* with the world and be encouraged and strengthened in precepts opposing the truth of the Lord Jesus.
(i know this from personal experience)
there is no middle ground there is no vacuum of neutrality ..if we do not gravitate to the one ..we will be drawn to the other.
so i STRONGLY advocate... dont make it rule and law .. but in love for the lord ..Do not forsake gathering with other believers

 

[1yugioh]

Have you tried to convince your mother to go to a different church? I would look up some churches with Christian values online or ask her to check out other churches in your area. If you keep seeking and keep bugging your mother about it she will probably give in and agree to it. Jesus is probably leading you to another place as long as you keep searching and seeking his will you and your mom will eventually have peace. Their maybe some hardships but don't be scared because Jesus will be with you and will guide you to the best church for both of you. I will be praying for you both, God bless!

O I have played this card before a few times and she BLEW UP!!! Trust me with this perticular mom this is not the way to go...

 

[1yugioh]

I do have a pastor I supose you could call him, I dont think he is a pastor but deffinatley a sunday school teacher, and we talk frequently online about scripture. I have been using that as my sunday school or church if you will, I alwasye thought the quote of where two or more gather was proof you dont actually need to go to the bilding we now call a church. A chaplan I was talking to told me that was an excuse not to go but I really wasnt using it as an excuse I honestly thought thats what that scripture meant. Especially since like michaelmynameis pointed out I thought the bible said that the people were the church.

michaelmynameis and I are correct right, the bible in the NT referes to the church as a group of believers as in people not a building right?

And I love your answeres but some say that we should not neglect fellowship with other believers, but to those couple who posted that as there answer do you mean it has to happen in a Church specifically?

And does it have to be in person? As I mentioned I have been in communication with someone who teaches a class at his church but we have been talking online.