Do Christians need to belong to a church?

Romans 8 said:

I'm getting the feeling from this Pastor that he thinks the more times we meet in one week, the better for reasons in his own mind. But I can pray and worship at home too. I don't think attending more than once a week is going to bring me closer to God since I spend most of my time reading the bible and reading about the bible (minus the time I've been spending in CF which has been a lot lately).

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I still don't get why there is resentment towards the pastor because he is doing his job. How many times has he encouraged your attendance at these meetings that are other than Sunday morning? I believe you said he sent a couple of text messages. If that gets multiplied several times over, maybe then you would have some reason to look for another church, but a couple of text messages????

Albion said:

By definition, a heresy is a 1) serious 2) doctrinal error. It is not merely a disagreement over anything at all which relates to the church or the faith.

When it comes to identifying a heresy, that varies with the denomination, just as you suspected.

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The word for heresy means to choose, implying the original use was "well, you choose to believe that" However, with so many denominations and traditions, the term becomes muddy.

Albion said:

I still don't get why there is resentment towards the pastor because he is doing his job. How many times has he encouraged your attendance at these meetings that are other than Sunday morning?

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I find it's when the pastor crosses the line and acts like he owns you is when it becomes a problem.

Encouraging attendance is not a bad thing in and of itself.

FireDragon76 said:

In my church that's actually considered heresy, the Augsburg Confession actually condemns chiliasm. Many Protestants did, historically.

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That's interesting. Didnt know any church outright called it a heresy!

Lutherans are more historicist, are they not?

HatGuy said:

That's interesting. Didnt know any church outright called it a heresy!

Lutherans are more historicist, are they not?

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Luther himself seems to believe he might have been living in the end-times and the Pope was the antichrist, and he probably saw himself as a bit of a John the Baptist type figure (indeed, woodcuts around the time period portray Luther as the angel in Revelation 14:6 carrying the "everlasting Gospel"), but I think that's a very singular thing and doesn't necessarily carry over to modern Lutherans.

I think we define ourselves more by what we are not than using those sorts of labels. I myself am a "partial preterist", in fact I think most in my denomination tend to be now days. But I think also we see the book of Revelation in terms of Idealism. And there are probably also those that are at least somewhat Futurist, too (in this respect, it's not completely unlike the Catholic or Orthodox approaches).

Amillenialism is normative for Lutherans historically, though many Lutheran pietists were quasi-post-millenialists. They believed progress in society was possible, at least, as the Word of God was spread, even if they did not believe in a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth.

Romans 8 said:

I didn't say that I resent the Pastor.

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I asked WHY you do. His actions, as you described then, do not seem all that special.

Michael Collum said:

The word for heresy means to choose, implying the original use was "well, you choose to believe that" However, with so many denominations and traditions, the term becomes muddy.

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Yes, to choose. But when the church began using the word--well into the Middle Ages--it carried with it the idea of choosing a doctrine that was seriously erroneous.

It would not mean to choose to think that the water in baptism ought to be blessed, or not blessed, before it was administered, for example. It has to be about something really significant and, usually, associated also with some school of thought, not just one persons musings.

As I said earlier, I agree that what constitutes a heresy varies by denomination, but that doesn't also mean that the definition itself changes.

Romans 8 said:

I've heard different views from, "Yes, there is no exception or excuse", to, "No, you are the church". Are there verses in the bible that dictate we must go? If we're Spirit filled and pray on our own, is that considered ok?

I'm not attempting to get out of going to a church. I currently attend one twice a week and two others now and then, but my lifestyle changes and so does my job. Also, sometimes I go through stages where I just don't want to be on a hectic schedule. What say you?

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Heb 10:24b-25 "let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." A hand is not a body, a toe is not a body, an eye is not a body. Only the sum total working together can be called a body. there is no church without the body.

Romans 8 said:

I'm still fairly new to this church and Christianity in general. We don't have greeters, and I'm find with contributing in an area that I may be suited but I'm still taking it all in.

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Wouldnt this information explain why any pastor might encourage regular attendance by the person--new Christian, new member of the congregation, etc.? We can hardly fault a trained minister of the Gospel for thinking that a new Christian is not exactly well-set to start teaching himself the faith by staying home and reading the Bible. Why not just let the incident pass...or else change churches to one that does not expect several extra attendances each week.

Romans 8 said:

My point was that I'm already attending twice a week. If I miss one and only attend one that week I don't need a reminder. How often do you attend church? Do you get a text message because you missed one Sunday?

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I do not get a reminder, no. However, I am not a new Christian and I do not belong to a church which has that perspective or the many mid-week meetings at which faithful members are expected to show up. This is not the normal pattern, if we look across the spectrum of Christian churches. But there are some. Yours apparently is one of them, so.....

Romans 8 said:

My intent is to discuss the issue. Nothing more friend. God Bless.

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But what does it profit is my question? What Fruit does it bear? How does asking this build others in growing in the image of Jesus Christ and build us stronger to love our neighbor and enemies and to Love Father with our hearts, minds, souls, and strength?

I ask because I want you to grow. I want you to flourish in the good things Father has for you.

Romans 8 said:

Raymond, Raymond. Please read through the thread before commenting. Thanks.

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You mean where you mentioned that you are about to pick up a new puppy? Yes I understand....they need a lot of time. And training is much easier the more time you spend at home with them.

I need a physical place I can to for church. I need to worship and praise with others. I need to hear God’s Word preached. I need prayer with other believers. I need fellowship. For me personally when I don’t go I easily slip. Being the only Christian in my family makes the need to be around my brothers and sisters strong. I feel spiritual support to important. When loneliness kicks in then I find that for me makes room for doubt. When everyone around you lives for the world, a place set aside for God is so needed. I think accountability is very important. I don’t think we were meant to do any of this alone.

Next Sunday I will be going to a new church here and I’m crazy excited! I got discouraged by the churches I visited when we first moved and stopped looking. I can’t stop looking. God will get me where He needs me.

Romans 8 said:

I'm still fairly new to this church and Christianity in general. We don't have greeters, and I'm find with contributing in an area that I may be suited but I'm still taking it all in.

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The only thing we can't do here, that every congregation should be doing, is sitting at tables and sharing a meal...you can't have the "Lord's Supper" apart from this and any group or "church" that doesn't do this regularly...I wouldn't attend.

Chris V++ said:

How do we know which churches are apostate, or more specifically, heretical? Is a church being heretical a denominational issue, like many will argue (e.g. our sacraments are superior to your sacraments, your sacraments are satanic mockery of our true sacraments) or is it the attitude of the local congregation regardless of denomination?

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How do we know which churches are apostate? We have to know the word of God and then make judgements on the behavior of it's members. The standard to be held is Ephesians 4:11-13. Is the pastor following those commands? It is the job of the flock to ensure that the scriptures are being taught properly. 2 Timothy shows the desperate need to have proper teachers, for Timothy was frightened of the two, false renegade teachers. Timothy was sent by Paul to save the church....but it truly was a scary proposition, for people were being slain for their faith....and Timothy's life was on the line as well.

Thess said:

How do we know which churches are apostate? We have to know the word of God and then make judgements on the behavior of it's members. The standard to be held is Ephesians 4:11-13. Is the pastor following those commands?

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Ephesians is not speaking to the issue of apostasy. Erroneous teachings per se and the backsliding behavior of the members are concerns, yes, but that's not apostasy.