Why haven't you left the church? - And why I haven't.

[Saint Steven]

There was a time when I was rather troubled by Christians I met online that weren't attending a church.
I had been raised in the church, and had attended most of my life. Except for a few years when I was a young adult.

So, why a Christian wouldn't attend church was a mystery to me.
Weren't we admonished to not NEGLECT the assembling of ourselves together as SOME were in the HABIT of doing?

I remember one cold Sunday morning when my car wouldn't start. I actually borrowed a car to get to my family to church.
To me, a Christian without a church was like a fish without a lake.

So, I encouraged my online friends to find a church. I think it would have been easier to get them to a dentist after years of neglect.
In pressing them on the issue I learned a few things. They had reasons. Not necessarily GOOD reasons, but reasons.

Some had suffered abuse, which is a good reason to leave, I guess. I had suffered abuse as well, but I stayed. How come?
Anyway, with the help of God and some Christian support, I have remained at church.

I no longer judge those who don't attend. As I discovered, they have their reasons. And I have my reasons to stay.
The worship, preaching, fellowship, and ministry opportunities are good for me. I attend with my wife who also grew up in the church.

So, why haven't you left the church? Or, why have you stayed?

Those who don't attend are invited weigh in as well. Why have you left, or never joined, the church?
I think there are tons of reasons NOT to attend. So, I won't try to talk you into it. Unless you want me too.

If you don't attend, what do you do about; worship, preaching, fellowship, and ministry opportunities?

 

[Jesus is YHWH]

This is a great topic of discussion. One thing I do know is on this side of Glory there will never be a perfect assembly of believers. There is no perfect church and the moment you enter a " perfect church" it becomes not perfect .

The church I attend has its positives and its negatives but the positives far outweigh the unimportant things I may see needs to be changed. We all have out likes and dislikes with personalities, styles, music preferences, time spent on worship, the message, fellowship etc...... As I say different strokes for different folks.

Personally I get the most from our church outside of Sunday services. Sundays are much more of a monologue, being taught by the pastor/teacher to the congregation. I much prefer a dialogue and get that in our small group meeting in the home with mostly mixed couples. I also get to be a part of the Thursday morning mens discipleship group that has about 20 people that meet at 5am. From that meeting came a group of 4 that meets on Saturday mornings from 6am - 9am at my house with as young married seminary student, the pastor of small groups/discipleship and another who is an elder. They all asked if they could meet with me and of course I said yes. So there are many different ways we can have fellowship outside of the Sunday morning gatherings. And my wife is very happy that I'm back involved with mens ministry as that has always been my passion. Happy wife happy life.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

There was a time when I was rather troubled by Christians I met online that weren't attending a church.
I had been raised in the church, and had attended most of my life. Except for a few years when I was a young adult.

So, why a Christian wouldn't attend church was a mystery to me.
Weren't we admonished to not NEGLECT the assembling of ourselves together as SOME were in the HABIT of doing?

I remember one cold Sunday morning when my car wouldn't start. I actually borrowed a car to get to my family to church.
To me, a Christian without a church was like a fish without a lake.

So, I encouraged my online friends to find a church. I think it would have been easier to get them to a dentist after years of neglect.
In pressing them on the issue I learned a few things. They had reasons. Not necessarily GOOD reasons, but reasons.

Some had suffered abuse, which is a good reason to leave, I guess. I had suffered abuse as well, but I stayed. How come?
Anyway, with the help of God and some Christian support, I have remained at church.

I no longer judge those who don't attend. As I discovered, they have their reasons. And I have my reasons to stay.
The worship, preaching, fellowship, and ministry opportunities are good for me. I attend with my wife who also grew up in the church.

So, why haven't you left the church? Or, why have you stayed?

Those who don't attend are invited weigh in as well. Why have you left, or never joined, the church?
I think there are tons of reasons NOT to attend. So, I won't try to talk you into it. Unless you want me too.

If you don't attend, what do you do about; worship, preaching, fellowship, and ministry opportunities?

Good post ! I haven't been a member of a congregation since the 80's. I began researching a few years ago but have come to the conclusion that I have criteria that may not be obtainable. I am hoping God will lead me into an appropriate congregation one day.
As far as how I do about my faith in all is forms? Walking in His Spirit daily and sharing the fruits.

Blessings.

 

[Tigger45]

Yeah I’ve never met a perfect home church nor a lone wolf Christian. Usually the issues a person is having in others is exactly what the Holy Spirit wants to use to transform issues within ourselves.

 

[Jesus is YHWH]

Yeah I’ve never met a perfect home church nor a lone wolf Christian. Usually the issues a person is having in others is exactly what the Holy Spirit wants to use to transform issues within ourselves.

The gatherings together fulfill many things such as fellowship, relationships, encouragement, teaching, discipleship, accountability, building one another up, using the gifts God has equipped you with to build up the body etc.....

 

[Tigger45]

E

The gatherings together fulfill many things such as fellowship, relationships, encouragement, teaching, discipleship, accountability, building one another up, using the gifts God has equipped you with to build up the body etc.....

Exactly, overwhelmingly Christianity is expressed communally in scripture and historically.

 

[Blade]

Times not going.. lazy no more no less. Today we passed like 4 Churches and then I remember how some talk about how more and more are not going to Church. Well two were just like one block apart from Grace to what have you you and WOW praise GOD they were packed!

I would never condemn anyone that didn't go.. Christ does not. I would just ask them to ask Him if there is a place He would like you to go to. Praise GOD

 

[Gregory Thompson]

There was a time when I was rather troubled by Christians I met online that weren't attending a church.
I had been raised in the church, and had attended most of my life. Except for a few years when I was a young adult.

So, why a Christian wouldn't attend church was a mystery to me.
Weren't we admonished to not NEGLECT the assembling of ourselves together as SOME were in the HABIT of doing?

I remember one cold Sunday morning when my car wouldn't start. I actually borrowed a car to get to my family to church.
To me, a Christian without a church was like a fish without a lake.

So, I encouraged my online friends to find a church. I think it would have been easier to get them to a dentist after years of neglect.
In pressing them on the issue I learned a few things. They had reasons. Not necessarily GOOD reasons, but reasons.

Some had suffered abuse, which is a good reason to leave, I guess. I had suffered abuse as well, but I stayed. How come?
Anyway, with the help of God and some Christian support, I have remained at church.

I no longer judge those who don't attend. As I discovered, they have their reasons. And I have my reasons to stay.
The worship, preaching, fellowship, and ministry opportunities are good for me. I attend with my wife who also grew up in the church.

So, why haven't you left the church? Or, why have you stayed?

Those who don't attend are invited weigh in as well. Why have you left, or never joined, the church?
I think there are tons of reasons NOT to attend. So, I won't try to talk you into it. Unless you want me too.

If you don't attend, what do you do about; worship, preaching, fellowship, and ministry opportunities?

A church is like an aquarium, I'm not a gold fish.

Plenty of ministry opportunities outside the building .. for some reason being attached to a building reduces ministry outside of official activities.

I enjoyed going to a church when I was able, but currently, I am not able due to reasons said previously.

 

[Saint Steven]

A church is like an aquarium, I'm not a gold fish.

Oh... now you are just being koi. - LOL

Plenty of ministry opportunities outside the building .. for some reason being attached to a building reduces ministry outside of official activities.

Good point. Being in a building can be VERY insular.

I enjoyed going to a church when I was able, but currently, I am not able due to reasons said previously.

Makes sense.

 

[Paidiske]

Why haven't I left? (Note: I wasn't raised in church and came to it as a young adult).

Bottom line, community. We are more together than the sum of our parts, and I think we're meant to be. So as much as that is, at times, costly, difficult, or hurtful... I keep showing up.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

There was a time when I was rather troubled by Christians I met online that weren't attending a church.
I had been raised in the church, and had attended most of my life. Except for a few years when I was a young adult.

So, why a Christian wouldn't attend church was a mystery to me.
Weren't we admonished to not NEGLECT the assembling of ourselves together as SOME were in the HABIT of doing?

I remember one cold Sunday morning when my car wouldn't start. I actually borrowed a car to get to my family to church.
To me, a Christian without a church was like a fish without a lake.

So, I encouraged my online friends to find a church. I think it would have been easier to get them to a dentist after years of neglect.
In pressing them on the issue I learned a few things. They had reasons. Not necessarily GOOD reasons, but reasons.

Some had suffered abuse, which is a good reason to leave, I guess. I had suffered abuse as well, but I stayed. How come?
Anyway, with the help of God and some Christian support, I have remained at church.

I no longer judge those who don't attend. As I discovered, they have their reasons. And I have my reasons to stay.
The worship, preaching, fellowship, and ministry opportunities are good for me. I attend with my wife who also grew up in the church.

So, why haven't you left the church? Or, why have you stayed?

Those who don't attend are invited weigh in as well. Why have you left, or never joined, the church?
I think there are tons of reasons NOT to attend. So, I won't try to talk you into it. Unless you want me too.

If you don't attend, what do you do about; worship, preaching, fellowship, and ministry opportunities?

I would actually 'be' in church right now, but being that Covid hit these last few years and discrupted things and my wife and son don't want to go, I feel a little hesitant to go by myself.

What's more, I'm not sure how long some folks at churches in my area will be willing to put up me ... 'cuz other than for a few minimum theological essentials, I'm not signing on the dogmatic dotted line in exacting accord with ANY ONE denominational outlook.

 

[Jonaitis]

I haven't left, because it is not appropriate for a Christian to be without a body to be a part of. Many tend to treat it like some social gathering, when it is designed for the spiritual benefit of God's people. To be without church discipline, participation of the sacraments, encouragement of the fellowship, etc, is like neglecting prayer or reading the bible.

 

[Saint Steven]

I haven't left, because it is not appropriate for a Christian to be without a body to be a part of.

Does that mean that you can't see any reason why a believer would leave the church, or never attend at all?

 

[Jonaitis]

Does that mean that you can't see any reason why a believer would leave the church, or never attend at all?

Any reason for a believer to stop attending church must have special circumstances, like if you lived in a place where there are no churches at all, or all the churches in your area taught a heretical gospel. There is really no excuse, even if you have to compromise a few of your doctrinal beliefs to attend a church that still properly uses the means of grace.

 

[Saint Steven]

There is really no excuse, even if you have to compromise a few of your doctrinal beliefs to attend a church that still properly uses the means of grace.

That's an interesting term, which I had not heard before. "... the means of grace."

 

[Jonaitis]

That's an interesting term, which I had not heard before. "... the means of grace."

It is a term we refer to those public and private instruments/means through which God communicates the benefits of Christ to us (scripture, prayer, sacraments, etc). When we attend church, we are participating in those particular and gracious communications that increases our faith. Those who don't attend church tend to focus only on the private means, neglecting the benefit of the public, when they are both necessary for the spiritual growth of the Christian.

 

[Genenco]

Any reason for a believer to stop attending church must have special circumstances, like if you lived in a place where there are no churches at all, or all the churches in your area taught a heretical gospel. There is really no excuse, even if you have to compromise a few of your doctrinal beliefs to attend a church that still properly uses the means of grace.

So. If they're doing a couple weeks here or there celebrating certain holidays which you don't agree with, you're saying they're still ok to join/participate with?

 

[Jonaitis]

So. If they're doing a couple weeks here or there celebrating certain holidays which you don't agree with, you're saying they're still ok to join/participate with?

Like, their services aren't consistent?

 

[Genenco]

Like, their services aren't consistent?

No, just certain holidays is all. Regular services and normal bible study is accepted.

 

[Jonaitis]

No, just certain holidays is all. Regular services and normal bible study is accepted.

If they have regular services, then there should be nothing wrong. If they just have holiday services, then I would question it.