Why Even Go to Church if.....

[seeker2122]

I love the church. I grew up in the church. Some of my life's greatest memories and experiences
came in the church. I want to go to church everyday if possible. The problem is, we don't have
church services/meetings/gatherings/bible studies/fellowship/events every single day or multiple
times a week even. We often only have Sunday service for 1 hour and then you go home and
somehow need to survive the next 6 days until you be at church again.

The new church I attend, I have had this problem since day one. It's not enough. I don't want
to be selfish because other people probably don't want more and Sunday services is enough for them.
Not for me. I even question why people come to church if all you are going to do is have worship for
1 hour with no people interaction or so little of it. You could just stay at home and live stream it or
watch the service later on videos/youtube in the comfort of your own home and at your own time.

Why wake up, spend time to dress up, do your hair, look all nice, then commute all the way to church,
and then only to say hi and bye to each other and go home.

So then, why would you go home and live stream or watch your own church services? You would be free
to choose from thousands of other worship services, world famous preachers/sermons, praise bands, etc.
Why would you even want to live stream or replay and watch your own services? It's because that's your church!
You are a member of that church so you feel like you know those people personally and it's "your team" so-to-speak.
But if we barely even etch the surface getting to know each other, spending time together, then what is the point of
physically going? The point of physically being in a church is to be together, worshipping together in body, fellowship,
talking to each other, praying for each other, breaking bread together, and other things that we "should" be doing
(bible study, prayer, small group, fellowship, outreach/missions, events, even social events). If we don't even spend
the time to get to know our own church members, why even go?

It just feels like touch and go or sunday christians..... are we actually doing ministry together or are we just maintenance
(keeping the status quo). If there is no growth, no progression, no signs of anything actually happening but just the passage
of time ...is this really a church Jesus asked for?

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I love the church. I grew up in the church. Some of my life's greatest memories and experiences
came in the church. I want to go to church everyday if possible. The problem is, we don't have
church services/meetings/gatherings/bible studies/fellowship/events every single day or multiple
times a week even. We often only have Sunday service for 1 hour and then you go home and
somehow need to survive the next 6 days until you be at church again.

The new church I attend, I have had this problem since day one. It's not enough. I don't want
to be selfish because other people probably don't want more and Sunday services is enough for them.
Not for me. I even question why people come to church if all you are going to do is have worship for
1 hour with no people interaction or so little of it. You could just stay at home and live stream it or
watch the service later on videos/youtube in the comfort of your own home and at your own time.

Why wake up, spend time to dress up, do your hair, look all nice, then commute all the way to church,
and then only to say hi and bye to each other and go home.

So then, why would you go home and live stream or watch your own church services? You would be free
to choose from thousands of other worship services, world famous preachers/sermons, praise bands, etc.
Why would you even want to live stream or replay and watch your own services? It's because that's your church!
You are a member of that church so you feel like you know those people personally and it's "your team" so-to-speak.
But if we barely even etch the surface getting to know each other, spending time together, then what is the point of
physically going? The point of physically being in a church is to be together, worshipping together in body, fellowship,
talking to each other, praying for each other, breaking bread together, and other things that we "should" be doing
(bible study, prayer, small group, fellowship, outreach/missions, events, even social events). If we don't even spend
the time to get to know our own church members, why even go?

It just feels like touch and go or sunday christians..... are we actually doing ministry together or are we just maintenance
(keeping the status quo). If there is no growth, no progression, no signs of anything actually happening but just the passage
of time ...is this really a church Jesus asked for?

I've always had a similar problem with 'church.' The thing is, what we need isn't something that interaction at a church can necessarily solve.

The reality of it all is that churches are filled with fellow human beings, people who in their own ways are struggling--sometimes silently-- just like we do and they're not actually capable of meeting our needs for fellowship or psychological encouragement.

So, this means we're going to have to have our needs and feelings filled in other ways, i.e. other healthy ways.

 

[Joy]

MOD HAT ON

This Thread has Moved

From Deeper Fellowship

To Requests for Christian Advice

MOD HAT OFF​

 

[turkle]

You get out of it what you put into it. If you want interaction, start interacting before or after church. Host a picnic after services. Talk to your pastor and offer to lead a Bible study. Or to organize some kind of fellowship. Why not be the one who makes it better?

 

[seeker2122]

You get out of it what you put into it. If you want interaction, start interacting before or after church. Host a picnic after services. Talk to your pastor and offer to lead a Bible study. Or to organize some kind of fellowship. Why not be the one who makes it better?

This is partially true. I do believe that people reap what they sow. I do believe in the saying, "be the change you want to see in this world".
But it doesn't always happen that way. I've served and given my life to the church for many years. I put in a lot. Probably too much which is why I felt hurt many times because I DO expect something in return. I'm not just living to be a doormat and completely have nothing in my life except to be a doormat for everyone else. I got tired of doing that so I stopped.

I don't believe in just serving without actually having love for the church and the members. For me, if you don't even know your church that well or have any interaction and love for the people you serve, then serving will only become a BURDEN and stress/burn you out. It becomes works righteousness and you only do do do without God.

That is why for me, I feel that if I invest and really care for and love my church and the members in it, out of that love, I will then WANT to, DESIRE to serve. But if I feel like I have zero reciprocation from them and they keep asking me to serve and help here and there and do this and do that yet not helping me to meet me personal needs of nurturing and relationship building....then I shy away from wanting to serve and do any work.

I know the "good" answer is, "well if you Love God/Jesus, then you should have a passion and desire to serve the church no matter who is there or isn't, no matter who you know or don't know, because the main focus and reason why you do anything in church is because of Jesus."

But honestly, not many people can do that with that attitude. That is very rare and God bless you if you are one of those who unconditionally can just serve others and the church while completely having none of your own needs met and live this way until your old (because you know your great treasure and reward is Jesus and you'll be bountiful in heaven).

That's honestly too hard for me. I want to connect with church, build relationships, lifelong ones, brotherhood, sisterhood, accountable people who I can call as my "family" and even get married and raise my children in the church. Without that, I don't really see why we even go to a physical church then if the people there are not even going to be a part of your life.

 

[seeker2122]

I've always had a similar problem with 'church.' The thing is, what we need isn't something that interaction at a church can necessarily solve.

The reality of it all is that churches are filled with fellow human beings, people who in their own ways are struggling--sometimes silently-- just like we do and they're not actually capable of meeting our needs for fellowship or psychological encouragement.

So, this means we're going to have to have our needs and feelings filled in other ways, i.e. other healthy ways.

Ultimately I agree. The great needs we have must come from Jesus alone. If Jesus is not enough for me, then I guess nothing can ever be. But I'm having a hard time believing that because there's so much in my own personal life I have not yet been able to experience and want to. I didn't want to be born a monk. I would like to experience the good things "human" life has to offer, too. I don't want to just be an outcast, hermit, excluded from the world, only to live as an ascetic person. I want to be a human (at least experience the good parts of it....and I know the bad parts that has to come with it too).

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Ultimately I agree. The great needs we have must come from Jesus alone. If Jesus is not enough for me, then I guess nothing can ever be.

All of us can feel discontent in this life no matter what or how much we have. This tendency within us is part of the survival psychology we all share as we take day by day in a less an perfectly hospitable world. The notion of Jesus being "enough" in this life-- as Paul the Apostle implied in his writings--- is a daily battle of finding the personal determination to contend with the stuff the world throws at us or entices us with.

But I'm having a hard time believing that because there's so much in my own personal life I have not yet been able to experience and want to. I didn't want to be born a monk. I would like to experience the good things "human" life has to offer, too. I don't want to just be an outcast, hermit, excluded from the world, only to live as an ascetic person. I want to be a human (at least experience the good parts of it....and I know the bad parts that has to come with it too).

Yeah. I can at least partly understand what your sharing here because I felt the same in my teenage years and on into my twenties. There was a time in my life that I thought that I was doomed to singleness, loneliness and economic disparity.

All we can do is live our life one day at a time and contend with "today's worries."

Question: Have you thought about talking to a Christian counselor, life-coach and/or psychologist? They might be able to help you sort out some of your feelings and your thoughts about how you feel about life and the future.

 

[anetazo]

Churches become social club or money hub. Hosea warns us not to go to Beth Aven. It means house of emptiness. They teach tradition of men. Hosea chapter 4, My people are destroyed by lack of knowledge. Hirelings teach tradition of men and the flocks are spiritually starving. Won't teach old testament or revelation. Wont teach parable of the fig tree. Who the kenites are. Get the picture. Zechariah chapter 10 is partly about the latter and former rain. Some churches have deprived people of the latter rain. The former rain is the milk of Gods word. The latter rain is meat of God's word. I recommend buying king James companion bible and STRONGS concordance. If you cant study on your own. I recommend shepherds chapel, on you tube. Were in 5 th trump . Satan as antichrist will come 6th trump. He's coming to load up his buses for trip to sheol. Revelation chapter 13. Knowledge of Gods word is key past antichrist lies and deception.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I hate to lapse into cynicism, but I think this is true in many churches and with many Christians. The cynic in me comes out when I suppose that "church based" Christians do not have a lot to do with each other because, maybe, their lives outside of church are not what they know they should be. Maybe the home and lifestyle are not all that Christian. They may be afraid of being exposed, gossiped about, judged, or cast in doubt about who and what they are. Essentially they do not trust each other outside the pew. I think in this day and age, we can go to church or we can not, and it really does not make much of a difference. I do hate to say this. I know we are charged with fellowshipping one with another. You don't have to go to church to do that. I also think we are coming into a time where "church" or rather "fellowshipping" is going to become a much larger part of our lives. One is because of persecution. Persecution has the effect of separating the wheat from the tares. As long as church is entertaining and a fun social club, many will like it. But add a bit of disapproval from the world, and you can bet the fair weather crowd will be exiting stage left. Another reason is hard times. You are going to need some loving people when the proverbial stuff hits the fan (see my signature for more info). There is no unity like the unity of travail.
I think modern culture, including TV, movies, entertainment as a whole, smart phones, iPads, etc, etc, have not helped us with interpersonal communications and relationships. We have been programmed to not need face to face relationships. Overall our culture is no longer a culture of group friendship and fellowship. Unless, of course, it is a fellowship of unrighteousness. Sad, but unbelievers, I think, are better are fellowshipping in unrighteousness and the world. We have become suspicious and paranoid about peoples' motives and intentions. I think all this is a sign of a culture that is ending. As Christians we need to come out from among them. This is not what we are supposed to be. I guess it all starts with the individual taking the initiative and looking for others of like mind and need.
BE THAT INDIVIDUAL>
Thanks for the thread.

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

"Why Even Go to Church if....."

I hardly ever go to church any more.

If I ever went to church, it was to make christian friendships - and so i thought the important thing about church was getting christians into friendships with eachother.

I consider myself a christian.

 

[Jude1:3Contendforthefaith]

OP, it is very challenging to make real connections / friendships with people in general I've noticed in our current culture. Not just with other Christians.

It seemed easier back in the day when I was younger for some reason.

I was more trusting and willing to put the effort in. Now I just don't care. I'm indifferent / have apathy towards even trying because you just get tired of putting in all the effort.

 

[TheLastGeek]

I love the church. I grew up in the church. Some of my life's greatest memories and experiences
came in the church. I want to go to church everyday if possible. The problem is, we don't have
church services/meetings/gatherings/bible studies/fellowship/events every single day or multiple
times a week even. We often only have Sunday service for 1 hour and then you go home and
somehow need to survive the next 6 days until you be at church again.

The new church I attend, I have had this problem since day one. It's not enough. I don't want
to be selfish because other people probably don't want more and Sunday services is enough for them.
Not for me. I even question why people come to church if all you are going to do is have worship for
1 hour with no people interaction or so little of it. You could just stay at home and live stream it or
watch the service later on videos/youtube in the comfort of your own home and at your own time.

Why wake up, spend time to dress up, do your hair, look all nice, then commute all the way to church,
and then only to say hi and bye to each other and go home.

So then, why would you go home and live stream or watch your own church services? You would be free
to choose from thousands of other worship services, world famous preachers/sermons, praise bands, etc.
Why would you even want to live stream or replay and watch your own services? It's because that's your church!
You are a member of that church so you feel like you know those people personally and it's "your team" so-to-speak.
But if we barely even etch the surface getting to know each other, spending time together, then what is the point of
physically going? The point of physically being in a church is to be together, worshipping together in body, fellowship,
talking to each other, praying for each other, breaking bread together, and other things that we "should" be doing
(bible study, prayer, small group, fellowship, outreach/missions, events, even social events). If we don't even spend
the time to get to know our own church members, why even go?

It just feels like touch and go or sunday christians..... are we actually doing ministry together or are we just maintenance
(keeping the status quo). If there is no growth, no progression, no signs of anything actually happening but just the passage
of time ...is this really a church Jesus asked for?

I feel a massive difference in my spirit between watching a livestreamed church service, and being there in person with my brothers and sisters. There are innate connections and areas of our brain that are activated only by being physically present with other human beings. Not only that, but all your senses are used more personally; things look, sound, and feel authentic and alive in person, as opposed to looking at a computer screen. I hated the isolation that C_vid brought among churches for such a long time. You can't shake a hand, hug someone, or look into another person's eyes over a webcam. Livestreamed services are better than nothing, but certainly not ideal.

 

[TheLastGeek]

I love the church. I grew up in the church. Some of my life's greatest memories and experiences
came in the church. I want to go to church everyday if possible. The problem is, we don't have
church services/meetings/gatherings/bible studies/fellowship/events every single day or multiple
times a week even. We often only have Sunday service for 1 hour and then you go home and
somehow need to survive the next 6 days until you be at church again.

The new church I attend, I have had this problem since day one. It's not enough. I don't want
to be selfish because other people probably don't want more and Sunday services is enough for them.
Not for me. I even question why people come to church if all you are going to do is have worship for
1 hour with no people interaction or so little of it. You could just stay at home and live stream it or
watch the service later on videos/youtube in the comfort of your own home and at your own time.

Why wake up, spend time to dress up, do your hair, look all nice, then commute all the way to church,
and then only to say hi and bye to each other and go home.

So then, why would you go home and live stream or watch your own church services? You would be free
to choose from thousands of other worship services, world famous preachers/sermons, praise bands, etc.
Why would you even want to live stream or replay and watch your own services? It's because that's your church!
You are a member of that church so you feel like you know those people personally and it's "your team" so-to-speak.
But if we barely even etch the surface getting to know each other, spending time together, then what is the point of
physically going? The point of physically being in a church is to be together, worshipping together in body, fellowship,
talking to each other, praying for each other, breaking bread together, and other things that we "should" be doing
(bible study, prayer, small group, fellowship, outreach/missions, events, even social events). If we don't even spend
the time to get to know our own church members, why even go?

It just feels like touch and go or sunday christians..... are we actually doing ministry together or are we just maintenance
(keeping the status quo). If there is no growth, no progression, no signs of anything actually happening but just the passage
of time ...is this really a church Jesus asked for?

I feel sorry for people who spend an hour getting fancied up, then just sit through the service and run back out the door. They're missing out on so much. Churches have ministries, and they all need helping hands. If your church is lacking in ministry opportunities, ask why, or volunteer to start one! There should be classes, Bible studies, and activities happening outside of the Sunday morning service, too.