Do We Really Need To Go to Church???

[Godz Marine]

I mean, God knows my heart and I can worship Him here at home just as well as I can amidst a congregation...........

How many times have we heard this? How many times have we heard of someone who isn't a part of a church because they just haven't found the right church so they serve God at home?

We can find many references within scripture that clearly shows we are not to "forsake the gathering/assembling of ourselves together." Jesus gave us the gifts of the "five fold ministry" so that the saints could be perfected so as to go and do the work of the ministry. If one is not setting under the authority of the "five fold ministry" then how can they beleive they are setting under the authority of God?

This is just a topic that can get under my skin if I would let it. I was just wandering, "What say ye?"

 

[marc]

I mean, God knows my heart and I can worship Him here at home just as well as I can amidst a congregation...........

How many times have we heard this? How many times have we heard of someone who isn't a part of a church because they just haven't found the right church so they serve God at home?

We can find many references within scripture that clearly shows we are not to "forsake the gathering/assembling of ourselves together." Jesus gave us the gifts of the "five fold ministry" so that the saints could be perfected so as to go and do the work of the ministry. If one is not setting under the authority of the "five fold ministry" then how can they beleive they are setting under the authority of God?

This is just a topic that can get under my skin if I would let it. I was just wandering, "What say ye?"

I agree. I think it is a product of american christianity. You wouldn't find this problem with the believers in russia. They praise the Lord if they can even find a church.
Marc

 

[crystalpc]

I use to think that if you didn't go to church you weren't Christian, until I looked at my grandmothers life. There are times when we cannot get to church, many of the elderly and sick are disenfranchised in a growing church looking for young believers. Thank God for the ministry's of TCT christian television, and television and radio evangelist pioneers. Oral Roberts was my grandmothers favorite. She was an old time salvation armyist. She put her faith to action, until it became impossible for her to go, no one looked in on her, out of sight out of mind.
The church should be as responsive to it's elderly as they are to the youth.

 

[LynneClomina]

oh i know what you mean, it totally gets under my skin too... i mean its one thing when you physically cannot go to church (but you wish you could) and quite another to feel you are exempt from God's command (note its not a suggestion!!) to not forsake the gathering together... people are in such deception over this... two of my sisters do not go to church, and they could, but make....excuses, really.... but, hey, if they are true believers, God'll bring 'em around.... i hope... obedience to the word is pivotal for believers...
mind you, my church rocks... i love it... whereas they havent found a church they liked... but church wasnt easy when i started either. sometimes (often!) its work to be obedient!!!

blessings, Lynne

 

[altya]

Yes, we can worship God in our house and do need to do it daily.
BUT...
The Church is supposed to be there for us as a platform to serve God in our personal ministry that God has give each one of us.

We are the body of Christ and one of our purposes is to work together as ‘one body.’ If a hand is not attached to a body, can it still work? One of the big secrets in Christianity is to come in unity with brothers and sisters.

It is no challenge to stay in your own corner and do your own thing, but a total different story to be a member of a church and rub shoulders in the process to come in unity.

I personally love being part of a group/church. I do find many opportunities to be a blessing to someone and also if someone step on my toes to act Christian like.

 

[d0c markus]

HEB 10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

 

[twosteppin]

its non of our business why some christians dont go to church or havent found the right one

 

[altya]

its non of our business why some christians dont go to church or havent found the right one

This thread is not about ‘sticking our noses’ into peoples business but it’s a topic that we discuss

 

[harmmony]

I have just left my church, because there were things going on there I didn't agree with, so now I'm not in a church and am in no hurry to join one (frankly I've never enjoyed it that much - maybe I was just in the wrong place), but I will in the near future, because there are reasons for being in a church that have nothing to do with how close you are with God. Being in a church gives you the covering of a Christian family, people to help you when you need help, spiritually or any other way. It gives you more ready access to people who are more spiritually mature than you to help guide and advise you when you need it. I also think there is an anointing at church which you just don't seem to have at home in your worship time and I think God moves to a greater extent within a group, even a small group, than he does when you're alone. There's just something spiritually powerful about a group of Christians believing together.

I don't think going to church or not is any indictor of how strong your relationship with God is or how closely you walk with Him. There are plenty of Christians in church every Sunday, but who don't exactly walk the Christian walk in their everyday lives and there are those who don't attend church who are the most upright Christians you'll ever meet.You could go your whole life never being in church and have the strongest, closest relationship with God.

So do we need to go to church - no, but should we go to church, if we can - yes.

 

[enoch son]

I can enter the throne room at home and fall to the ground and fellowship for hours with God no prolbem. BUT IS THAT LOVE, SHOULD BE THE QUESTION? IF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE NOT WITH ME HOW CAN I SHARE HIS LOVE. IF I DO NOT SHARE HIS LOVE DO I HAVE HIS LOVE. 1-2-3 JOHN IN A NUTSHELL.

 

[d0c markus]

I can enter the throne room at home and fall to the ground and fellowship for hours with God no prolbem. BUT IS THAT LOVE, SHOULD BE THE QUESTION? IF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE NOT WITH ME HOW CAN I SHARE HIS LOVE. IF I DO NOT SHARE HIS LOVE DO I HAVE HIS LOVE. 1-2-3 JOHN IN A NUTSHELL.

Yes, but its not exactly gods will. Heb 10:19-25 as paul writes guided by the holy spirit God does not want us to skip out on fellowship 'as some are in the habit of doing.' Regular worship at home should be part of your normal prayer life anyways, instead of seperating church and prayer/praise how about combine them in your walk with christ to be a good steward. Which is biblical.


+ + = God's Ideal, Not always ours.


Edit: I claimed Paul wrote hebrews, no one knows who wrote hebrews.. nonetheless it was guided by the H.S.

 

[crystalpc]

We need the church. Look at the example of how the Lord sent them out always 2 by 2. 1 can put a thousand to flight, two can put ten thousand. They would also bolster one another up.
Do we ever lose our need for fellowship, or being ministered to by our brothers and sisters? As the church though we need to not abandon our "family" when they are in need either, such as the elderly who can no longer get to church as I posted about my grandmother, and am now seeing with a close family member and other friends who are aging. There is a blessing in the psalm for the elderly. It begs not to be forgotten in our old age..

 

[LynneClomina]

Yes, but its not exactly gods will. Heb 10:19-25 as paul writes guided by the holy spirit God does not want us to skip out on fellowship 'as some are in the habit of doing.' Regular worship at home should be part of your normal prayer life anyways, instead of seperating church and prayer/praise how about combine them in your walk with christ to be a good steward. Which is biblical.


Edit: I claimed Paul wrote hebrews, no one knows who wrote hebrews.. nonetheless it was guided by the H.S.

tee hee, i think you guys are saying the exact same thing and dont realize it yet!!!!

btw, i agree totally

blessings, Lynne

 

[enoch son]

I know Lynne my about post was why we should go to church not why we should not go. Thanks!

 

[d0c markus]

hmmm i am confused now. i love all of you though.. that always makes everything better.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I agree. I think it is a product of american christianity. You wouldn't find this problem with the believers in russia. They praise the Lord if they can even find a church.
Marc

Very true marc. . I was in Russia in the dead of winter. . . 35 degrees below. . .and people were walking miles, all bundled up, to come and sit in an unheated school room to praise Jesus and hear the Word. And. . .before they had the freedom to do so in the open. . .they were meeting by the hundreds in secret.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I use to think that if you didn't go to church you weren't Christian, until I looked at my grandmothers life. There are times when we cannot get to church, many of the elderly and sick are disenfranchised in a growing church looking for young believers. Thank God for the ministry's of TCT christian television, and television and radio evangelist pioneers. Oral Roberts was my grandmothers favorite. She was an old time salvation armyist. She put her faith to action, until it became impossible for her to go, no one looked in on her, out of sight out of mind.
The church should be as responsive to it's elderly as they are to the youth.

I think can't and won't are two different issues. And you are so right about the elderly. . .it seems the church of today might be a lot stronger if it learned at the feet of many who've gone before us.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Yes, we can worship God in our house and do need to do it daily.
BUT...
The Church is supposed to be there for us as a platform to serve God in our personal ministry that God has give each one of us.

We are the body of Christ and one of our purposes is to work together as ‘one body.’ If a hand is not attached to a body, can it still work? One of the big secrets in Christianity is to come in unity with brothers and sisters.

It is no challenge to stay in your own corner and do your own thing, but a total different story to be a member of a church and rub shoulders in the process to come in unity.

I personally love being part of a group/church. I do find many opportunities to be a blessing to someone and also if someone step on my toes to act Christian like.

Well said sister

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I can enter the throne room at home and fall to the ground and fellowship for hours with God no prolbem. BUT IS THAT LOVE, SHOULD BE THE QUESTION? IF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE NOT WITH ME HOW CAN I SHARE HIS LOVE. IF I DO NOT SHARE HIS LOVE DO I HAVE HIS LOVE. 1-2-3 JOHN IN A NUTSHELL.

Very true enoch son. It is the love of God flowing through us and onto others around us when we commune and fellowship with one another. And in turn we are recieving His love and affection to us through others.

 

[altya]

Its good to see that we all believe in Church going. So sorry we did not add a poll to this one.