Do Christians need to belong to a church?

[lismore]

or they live in an area in which there are simply no suitable congregations.

That can happen in this country at the present time, especially in rural areas. The number of churches and attendees has been decreasing here for some decades now. Sometimes I've seen little villages in the Scottish Highlands where the only church is now shut. It's a sad situation. Because finding fellowship with other Christians can be a blessing- you can be blessed and you can bless others. Life can be hard as a Christian, best to walk the road in a community if possible. God Bless

 

[RCrihfield]

....When we start to add to what God's Word says we are in dangerous waters. Again,

this gets at the heart of why many have a problem with institutionalized churches.

They start making up stuff that is not in the Bible......

I haven't posted here in a long time and much has changed so bear with me if I break some protocol.

I haven't attended an institutionalized church (congregation is the word) since November 2020. It hit me at that time just how corrupt the American church (correct word) had become. We don't stand for truth, which is THE duty of the church, to be the pillar and ground of truth.

I listened to pastors hem-hah about salvation through Mohammad or Buddha or Moses. Question what the "right" stance on abortion and homosexuality was. I served on a board whose job was to see to the feeding of the congregation....I didn't realize it meant that literally as our only real duty was to see to special pot luck dinners. No thanks.

We are facing either the end of America or a civil war and it is very much the fault of American "Christians". I've had enough of the BS the "church" stands for. No thanks, I serve my king with the life I lead (such as it is) and try to encourage others to know Him (which is increasingly difficult in a heathen and anti-christian society such as ours)

May God's mercy be upon us and may he destroy the enemies (corrupt politicians and judges) and purge the church of unbelievers. That would be a blessed reset.

 

[dzheremi]

Am I the only one here that finds it funny that when people decide to stop going to church, it tends to be accompanied by all kinds of 'righteous' reasons they've found or supposedly had revealed to them to not go? It's enough to make a person suspicious of this topic more generally.

And by "a person", I mean me. I am suspicious of this topic in general. Go to church.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I haven't posted here in a long time and much has changed so bear with me if I break some protocol.

I haven't attended an institutionalized church (congregation is the word) since November 2020. It hit me at that time just how corrupt the American church (correct word) had become. We don't stand for truth, which is THE duty of the church, to be the pillar and ground of truth.

I listened to pastors hem-hah about salvation through Mohammad or Buddha or Moses. Question what the "right" stance on abortion and homosexuality was. I served on a board whose job was to see to the feeding of the congregation....I didn't realize it meant that literally as our only real duty was to see to special pot luck dinners. No thanks.

We are facing either the end of America or a civil war and it is very much the fault of American "Christians". I've had enough of the BS the "church" stands for. No thanks, I serve my king with the life I lead (such as it is) and try to encourage others to know Him (which is increasingly difficult in a heathen and anti-christian society such as ours)

May God's mercy be upon us and may he destroy the enemies (corrupt politicians and judges) and purge the church of unbelievers. That would be a blessed reset.

I am actually grateful that COVID restrictions in the past had actually got some Christians to realize what the popular institutionalized churches were doing. I believe Christians needed to get in the Bible alone and reflect with God on their own time and they needed to evaluate their life in light of God’s Word. They needed to see just how unbiblical many churches today have become. Granted, we should pray and love all people (even those who are doing incorrect things in the church). We should always uplift the Lord’s grace, and His holiness (Sanctification for our lives) by His Word. We should never apologize for standing for the truth. It is all about Jesus Christ and His glory but many have replaced the true Jesus with a version of Jesus that they prefer vs. how the Bible describes Him. All we can do is pray, and love others and preach the truth in this dark and dying world. We need to hold on to the Lord Jesus and His Word with everything we got (Living in full dedication to Him in everything). It starts with love. Loving God and others (Including the loving of our enemies). It starts with us realizing that we are nothing and God is everything.

 

[Yarddog]

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?

The most important thing is to listen to God and follow his will for you. I dropped out of one church and tried others, until God spoke and told me it was time to get baptized and fellowship. I then followed his will and obeyed.

It was right for but I wouldn't tell you what to do. God lives within his children so ask the Father and follow.

 

[coorilose]

What about identity? How do you identify a Christian in society (in some societies it is or used to be important to identify Christians)?

If he/she prays in his/her home, society doesn't see him/her.

 

[Stephen3141]

In the New Testament, we have both the language of "church" and "churches" (there were no capital letters used in the early manuscripts of the New Testament.

This language both refers to one People of God, and the multiple gatherings of the People of God in different locations.

Christians, in English, have traditionally called the singular usage "Church", and the plural references as "churches".

So, your question is not using biblical concepts. To use biblical language, every child of God belongs to the People of God ("the Church"). But every meeting of Christians in a geographic location, becomes a "church".

Note that this biblical language has nothing to do with the American concept of tax-free religious organizations, which American Christians may call "churches".

The Bible addresses regular gathering of Christians, in "do not forsake the gathering of yourselves together."

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Heb 10:23–25.

 

[LW97Nils]

I am actually grateful that COVID restrictions in the past had actually got some Christians to realize what the popular institutionalized churches were doing. I believe Christians needed to get in the Bible alone and reflect with God on their own time and they needed to evaluate their life in light of God’s Word. They needed to see just how unbiblical many churches today have become. Granted, we should pray and love all people (even those who are doing incorrect things in the church). We should always uplift the Lord’s grace, and His holiness (Sanctification for our lives) by His Word. We should never apologize for standing for the truth. It is all about Jesus Christ and His glory but many have replaced the true Jesus with a version of Jesus that they prefer vs. how the Bible describes Him. All we can do is pray, and love others and preach the truth in this dark and dying world. We need to hold on to the Lord Jesus and His Word with everything we got (Living in full dedication to Him in everything). It starts with love. Loving God and others (Including the loving of our enemies). It starts with us realizing that we are nothing and God is everything.

Amen.

 

[YahuShua is The Way]

"Behold, even I shall speak it plainly once again, so you may escape: Sons and daughters of men, come out of the churches and be joined unto Me! For I am your only sanctuary, says The Lord. Yes I, your Redeemer, am calling you to come out of the churches of men, to be separate, and to no more worship Me in that way! - To no more touch the unclean thing! To no more let hypocrisy enter your ears! To no more sit in the company of those who pollute My name and lean upon their own understanding, who trust in their own righteousness as they sit upon self-made thrones of pride, a perverse and high-minded people who rest upon their own laurels by which they highly esteem themselves, seeking always the praise and glory of men.
MY PEOPLE, COME OUT FROM AMONGST THEM!" Says The Lord
Excerpt from: I Am Calling You Out! (Part 2)... Come Out of the Churches of Men and I Will Receive You! Says The Lord - The Volumes of Truth

*Also see "Regarding the Churches of Men": Regarding the Churches of Men - Answers Only God Can Give

 

[Mark Quayle]

"Behold, even I shall speak it plainly once again, so you may escape: Sons and daughters of men, come out of the churches and be joined unto Me! For I am your only sanctuary, says The Lord. Yes I, your Redeemer, am calling you to come out of the churches of men, to be separate, and to no more worship Me in that way! - To no more touch the unclean thing! To no more let hypocrisy enter your ears! To no more sit in the company of those who pollute My name and lean upon their own understanding, who trust in their own righteousness as they sit upon self-made thrones of pride, a perverse and high-minded people who rest upon their own laurels by which they highly esteem themselves, seeking always the praise and glory of men.
MY PEOPLE, COME OUT FROM AMONGST THEM!" Says The Lord
Excerpt from: I Am Calling You Out! (Part 2)... Come Out of the Churches of Men and I Will Receive You! Says The Lord - The Volumes of Truth

*Also see "Regarding the Churches of Men": Regarding the Churches of Men - Answers Only God Can Give

What is this? How do you categorize this —Scripture, Prophecy apart from the Canon, Prophecy extracted or extruded from the Canon? What? Why are you posting this? I looked up the first link, and see no statement of faith, nothing but apparent self-authorization to say whatever they apparently claim to be God speaking.

Or is this an expanded paraphrase of some Biblical text? I don't get it.