I do believe that we should get together with other believers, and that it is one of the most important parts of living a Christian lifestyle and maintaining faith and accountability.
However, what the church has become today is not the same as it was in the Bible. I believe two Christians talking together about the Lord and their faith, praying, and discussing Scripture counts as church.
I feel it would be better to not attend a church that is toxic or not functioning as the Lord intended than to attend just because of modern church goers' interpretation of Scriptures says you have to.
There is so much corruption in our churches, and many of them look nothing like what was happening in the Old Testament.
I do not believe that church attendance or meeting with other believers regularly is a requirement for salvation.
As for people who say, "you'll never find a perfect church," or "if you find any perfect church, don't go there because you will ruin it," I think statements like that are a manipulation tactic to guilt or shame people into coming and/or dodging accountability for wrong doings and bad motives within the church. They don't address the valid issues, but want people to feel like they should come anyway.
Perfection isn't expected, but a lack of toxicity, abuse, manipulation, and use of resources in a way that does not put people's needs first rather the "church" and church leaders should be the bare minimum standard.
Most churches that I have encountered fail to meet the bare minimum in one aspect or another, and some more than one. For the most part, church in the United States has become a self righteous social club, a harbor for abuse, and/or a business, instead of the ministry the Lord intended.
