Why Should I Go To Church?

[laconicstudent]

These little "rules" remind me of the Pharisees.

I'm sorry, you can take it up with God the Son and complain to Him if you think His rules are too petty to bother obeying.


19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Matthew 29.19

 

[jpcedotal]

Just be careful with pride and the belief that you can't learn something from another human being....especially a Biblical truth.

Our life here on earth is all about relationships...first with God, then with others.

 

[Jpark]

Never mind.

 

[Melethiel]

Is church really about how we feel? I don't always (or usually) have a warm fuzzy feeling after going to church - but I'm not going there to get told I'm a great person and be entertained.

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

I agree, a baptism by the Jehovah's Witnesses doesn't follow the Trinitarian formula commanded by Christ.

It really doesn't matter what 'we' think about it. None of the Apostolic Churches would accept it.

A non-christian cannot baptise someone into the Christian Church.

Forgive me...

 

[laconicstudent]

It really doesn't matter what 'we' think about it. None of the Apostolic Churches would accept it.

A non-christian cannot baptise someone into the Christian Church.

Forgive me...

Good point.

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

Lisa,

Do you know the parable of the Good Samaritan?

Do you know the 'given' (from the Apostolic Churches) theological teachings about the meanings of the things in that parable?

The 'Inn' that the Good Samaritan takes the man to, represents the Church. The Inn keeper represents the clergy of the Church.

When we are spiritually wounded and hurt (as you may be now) is when we need the Apostolic Church, with it's ability to lay her hands upon us the most. Pouring wine and oil into our wounds and careing for us.

Find clergy of an Apostolic Church that you can trust and attent the Liturgy. I suggest you go there for quite and peace and learn to let your heart be still.

Forgive me...

 

[New_Wineskin]

What's the point of it? My church is in my home, my backyard, my car, my mother's house, my daughter's house, my church is wherever I am because the kingdom of god is inside me and god is literally everywhere.

The gospel of Thomas recorded Jesus words as "Where there are two or one, I am with him." Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there."

I've never found church to be a place of inspiration, rather the opposite. I"m inspired by the beauty of nature, not the opulence of a man made building.

I"ve always found church to be nothing more then a social function, a political arena, a fashion show, and a place of showy displays.

I see a multi million dollar building, and then a homeless man sleeping in a cardboard box across the street. I see people spending millions of dollars to support this building, while many of the people there are hungry and in need of help. I see preachers living in mansions and driving BMW's while I'm struggling to pay my mortgage every month. I see social clicks, snobby people, unwelcoming to strangers when I go to church. I see alot of talk and not alot of practical doing, it's like a big production without substance.

Recently, my mom found one tiny neighborhood church that is very downscale, humble, modest, so I might check it out, (even tho I vowed to never attend church again) but the big ones make me sick. But, I dont' really even see the point of going.

So..........what's the point? Please explain it to me since I seem to be the oddball around here.

You are correct . Indeed , you cannot "go to Church" . If you are a Christian , you *are* the Church . And , these clubs calling themselves "churches" are not - they exclude all Christians who do not agree with them - a real church would not do so .

There is no "should" "go to church" .

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

Exactly! Exactly!

1 Timothy 3:15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

God is in us and with us.

It is not a requirement to attend church. Personally, I find church boring since the sermons are prepared and written down rather than dictated by the Holy Spirit. All we ever hear is the same old thing. It's never anything new, just written code. I never feel lively. I always feel lethargic.

And this is quite interesting. I think I might have a look at Gospel of Thomas. It is true. God exists everywhere in everything. He exists in our mind, soul, body, spirit, every vein of our body.

Wow! There is another christian out there that thinks like me! Thank you!

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

You are correct . Indeed , you cannot "go to Church" . If you are a Christian , you *are* the Church . And , these clubs calling themselves "churches" are not - they exclude all Christians who do not agree with them - a real church would not do so .

There is no "should" "go to church" .

And another! You are right, I am the church, I don't go to church. A beautiful point!

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

Haha, I would have quoted just the bits I agreed with but you're totally right. It's all a joke - nothing like the book of acts describes!

But I have three reasons why I go, and why I believe we should all attend:

1) In one of the epistles it says something along the lines of "let us not give up
meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing..."

2) I heard this story once of an unspoken sermon. I'll summarize it for you: A guy
had given up going to weekly services and the pastor noticed his absence. One
day the pastor goes to visit him. He makes the pastor a coffee and they sit in
the lounge in front of the fire. Without saying anything, the pastor gets up and
pulls a coal out of the fire and leaves it on the hearth then sits down and drinks his
coffee as they both watch as the coal dies and the flame goes out. The
pastor finishes his coffee, gets up and puts the coal back in the fire where it
instantly bursts into flame again, and he leaves. The guy was back at the
services that Sunday.
This story is a good example of what can happen to limbs that remove themselves
from the body of Christ, I thought...

3) On a fully personal conviction, I really dislike what the Church has become. With
some of your examples and lots more I could write a list a mile long about the
faults. And where does change happen? In me first. We have to overcome the
virus that has infected the body of Christ, not by running away but by shining the
light and walking the walk we are called to. It can be hard and sometimes i lose
hope, but it's what we are called to do. One by one, we can bring the church
back to it's glorious self, and removing ourselves from the body only weakens it
and does far more harm than good.

I hope you can get something of truth out of what I have been shown, and pray you will not grow weary of the calling with which you have called.

I appreciate your post, atleast you were kind, thank you.

 

[laconicstudent]

The Church is a community, one cannot be part of Church by themselves, or constitute the totality of it alone.

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

So let's recap, shall we? So, I don't love Jesus, and my baptism isn't good enough. I have a big ego and I"m prideful. My choice of death services aren't good enough either (whatever that means). Churches are to judge, and it was pointed out that it might be a good idea that I don't go. I have disregarded Jesus and his rules. Did I miss anything? I want to make sure that I got everything.

This is exactly what I"ve always found in the churches. Half nice people and half, well, lets just call them people that I wouldn't want to associate with at all.

That's why I don't go. Why on earth would anyone want to subject themselves to this kind of treatment?

 

[tadoflamb]

.....but, I like going to mass.

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

In closing.... I would like to know how and why you got out of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Most people who are once deceived by this cult remain deceived. I believe that some of your feelings about organized church may be held over from feeling betrayed or deceived by the JWs.

blessings
tal

Yes, most people do stay. When I got my first computer I started doing alot of online research about the watchtower organization, and found some stuff that I didn't like, which got me to thinking about other teachings, practices of the JW's and I eventually left. It's a long story, but that's the short version.

 

[laconicstudent]

So let's recap, shall we?

Alright, if you like.

So, I don't love Jesus,

No one has said that, but I can't understand why you called his commandment a "little rule" that reminded you of the Pharisees.

and my baptism isn't good enough.

That is correct.

I have a big ego and I"m prideful.

I don't believe anyone has directly said that, either.

My choice of death services aren't good enough either (whatever that means).

Yes, a number of people have objected to your cavalier attitude towards your body on theological grounds.

Churches are to judge,

Yes.

and it was pointed out that it might be a good idea that I don't go.

Hmmmm, most will disagree there.

I have disregarded Jesus and his rules.

By your own words in post #39

Did I miss anything? I want to make sure that I got everything.

You missed the point that you can't serve yourself the Sacraments.

This is exactly what I"ve always found in the churches. Half nice people and half, well, lets just call them people that I wouldn't want to associate with at all.

People who disagree with you, you mean?

That's why I don't go. Why on earth would anyone want to subject themselves to this kind of treatment?

Because Scripture orders you to? Even if that means you have to "subject" yourself to the company of people that disagree with you?



Hebrews 10.25

Not forsaking our assembly, as some are accustomed; but comforting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

No one has said that, but I can't understand why you called his commandment a "little rule" that reminded you of the Pharisees.

I don't believe anyone has directly said that, either.

You need to go back and read the thread again because you obviously missed alot of posts.

 

[laconicstudent]

You need to go back and read the thread again because you obviously missed alot of posts.

What I saw is the words of God ordaining baptism by the Trinitarian formula, and you saying it was a "little rule" that reminded you of the Pharisees.

Was there anything you wanted to add on to that? Because skimming back through the thread I don't see any responses by anyone to my last post on that, #41, so I'm at a loss as to what you think I missed in that regard.

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

What I saw is the words of God ordaining baptism by the Trinitarian formula, and you saying it was a "little rule" that reminded you of the Pharisees.

Was there anything you wanted to add on to that? Because skimming back through the thread I don't see any responses by anyone to my last post on that, #41, so I'm at a loss as to what you think I missed in that regard.

We are not on the same page, but that doesn't surprise me. If you want to know what I was referring to, read post # 24, 32,35, 36, for starters. There were others, but I'm too tired to look for them anymore. It makes my head hurt.

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

What I saw is the words of God ordaining baptism by the Trinitarian formula, and you saying it was a "little rule" that reminded you of the Pharisees.

Was there anything you wanted to add on to that? Because skimming back through the thread I don't see any responses by anyone to my last post on that, #41, so I'm at a loss as to what you think I missed in that regard.

Baptism is baptism. It's between a person and God. It's a symbolic gesture of dedicating yourself to god and washing yourself clean. Period, end of story.