Why Should I Go To Church?

[Lisa*Lisa]

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.

 

[nephilimiyr]

I consider myself a member of a non-denominational church but I don't always go every Sunday. In fact I have missed the last 3 Sundays. I'm not much of a church goer but I do love the fellowship and know that it is important.

I must admitt though I am becoming a bit, I don't know, disillussioned? I think perturbed is the more correct word, with the teaching. Don't get me wrong though, I love the people and they are wonderful and humble, the congregation size is about 30, but I'm starting to distance myself from the teaching.

I'm an Ex-Catholic and went to mass a month ago, enjoyed myself and after 30 years of never attending was pleasantly surprised with some of the positive changes since that time but I know I can never go back to being Catholic.

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

I consider myself a member of a non-denominational church but I don't always go every Sunday. In fact I have missed the last 3 Sundays. I'm not much of a church goer but I do love the fellowship and know that it is important.

I must admitt though I am becoming a bit, I don't know, disillussioned? I think perturbed is the more correct word, with the teaching. Don't get me wrong though, I love the people and they are wonderful and humble, the congregation size is about 30, but I'm starting to distance myself from the teaching.

I'm an Ex-Catholic and went to mass a month ago, enjoyed myself and after 30 years of never attending was pleasantly surprised with some of the positive changes since that time but I know I can never go back to being Catholic.

That's also a problem that I have. I'm not a fundamental christian, so I have a problem with just about all teachings of the churches around here, they are all fundamental christians. So what am I supposed to do? Just sit there and listen even tho I don't believe alot of what is being said? That to me, wouldn't work out very well.

 

[For_Crying_Out_Loud]

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.

 

[Scottish Knight]

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.

Churches always have problems because they are made up of redeemed sinners with all their faults and failings and personality clashes. However I do think it is important to participate in church. Christianity is not just a personal religion but also a communal one. It is a place where your faith is built up and strengthened through fellowship, the preaching of the word and the administration of the sacraments. It is also a place to openly and publicly praise God with other worshipers. I believe that Christ is present in a special way in His churches. You seem to have a lot of complaints against your church. Perhaps your church is in need of people like you to point out its faults and work to make it more like what it is supposed to be. Its not just what you get out of it but also what you bring to the fellowship.

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

My mother and I visited a pentecostal church a few years ago, there is one on every corner around here. When they turned down and lights and started falling on the floor babbling, it was time to leave. My mom walks with a cane, and she was walking slow on the way in, but she was sprinting for the door on the way out. Know what I mean?

 

[For_Crying_Out_Loud]

That's also a problem that I have. I'm not a fundamental christian, so I have a problem with just about all teachings of the churches around here, they are all fundamental christians. So what am I supposed to do? Just sit there and listen even tho I don't believe alot of what is being said? That to me, wouldn't work out very well.

What do you mean "not a fundamental christian"?

Do you believe Jesus died to redeem you, etc? Coz that's the fundamentals, everything else is just details and denominations pretty much...

 

[For_Crying_Out_Loud]

Its not just what you get out of it but also what you bring to the fellowship.

Amen!

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

I hear about fellowship, but what if a person doesn't want it? My aunt and my cousins all go to this "fantastic church". My cousin told me a few years back a homeless man walked in and sat down during the sunday service. He had some body odor and his clothes were dirty. They walked over to him and asked him to leave because he smelled bad and people were looking at him.

No kidding. My cousin was ashamed, but she didn't say anything, and they all still attend that church.

I would have followed the homeless man out and offered to buy him lunch and a new outfit. Instead, he was booted out and humiliated. I find things like this totally hypocritical and I can't deal with it. It actually damages my faith, not builds it up.

 

[For_Crying_Out_Loud]

I hear about fellowship, but what if a person doesn't want it? My aunt and my cousins all go to this "fantastic church". My cousin told me a few years back a homeless man walked in and sat down during the sunday service. He had some body odor and his clothes were dirty. They walked over to him and asked him to leave because he smelled bad and people were looking at him.

No kidding. My cousin was ashamed, but she didn't say anything, and they all still attend that church.

I would have followed the homeless man out and offered to buy him lunch and a new outfit. Instead, he was booted out and humiliated. I find things like this totally hypocritical and I can't deal with it. It actually damages my faith, not builds it up.

That's why you're needed there so much more if that sort of thing is happening. That's plain toilet behavior and it needs to be cleaned up...

 

[Scottish Knight]

That's why you're needed there so much more if that sort of thing is happening. That's plain toilet behavior and it needs to be cleaned up...

Totally agreed. Make a difference. As one of my university lecturers told my class "Be the grit in the oyster"

 

[Fireinfolding]

I hear about fellowship, but what if a person doesn't want it? My aunt and my cousins all go to this "fantastic church". My cousin told me a few years back a homeless man walked in and sat down during the sunday service. He had some body odor and his clothes were dirty. They walked over to him and asked him to leave because he smelled bad and people were looking at him.

No kidding. My cousin was ashamed, but she didn't say anything, and they all still attend that church.

I would have followed the homeless man out and offered to buy him lunch and a new outfit. Instead, he was booted out and humiliated. I find things like this totally hypocritical and I can't deal with it. It actually damages my faith, not builds it up.

Hey, over 20 years ago (as posted this before) I left the church myself, I had only gone to church the first three months of my walk in Christ since then I been over 20 years out not attending "formally" (seated on a pew and listening to a lecture). The pastor didnt like that I wore jeans and tees but I had just got out of the army, broke, living at home and I didnt have anything to wear but what I normally felt comfortable with (which is why I often declined wedding invitations and never had a formal wedding myself actually ) anyhoo last straw was a sermon directed at me concerning wearing my sunday best (but I had on my best lol).

Nevertheless I have never stopped seeking the Lord and I have learned far more from letting him teach me then letting others teach me, though I have been knitted together with others like me who the Lord is their obsession yet they too dont attend any formal type altar, I prefer it that way, there was never any real fellowship with the person I was seated next too save bumping knees with them..if that counts?

I do prefer the "let two or three" speak and the others judge I get more out of fellowship like that because of participation of the body of Christ, it just seems like theres a lack of that in someway out there.

 

[For_Crying_Out_Loud]

Hey, over 20 years ago (as posted this before) I left the church myself, I had only gone to church the first three months of my walk in Christ since then I been over 20 years out not attending "formally" (seated on a pew and listening to a lecture). The pastor didnt like that I wore jeans and tees but I had just got out of the army, broke, living at home and I didnt have anything to wear but what I normally felt comfortable with (which is why I often declined wedding invitations and never had a formal wedding myself actually ) anyhoo last straw was a sermon directed at me concerning wearing my sunday best (but I had on my best lol).

Nevertheless I have never stopped seeking the Lord and I have learned far more from letting him teach me then letting others teach me, though I have been knitted together with others like me who the Lord is their obsession yet they too dont attend any formal type altar, I prefer it that way, there was never any real fellowship with the person I was seated next too save bumping knees with them..if that counts?

I do prefer the "let two or three" speak and the others judge I get more out of fellowship like that because of participation of the body of Christ, it just seems like theres a lack of that in someway out there.

Come on guys, we're missing you in there!

I know all the stuff about Abraham, Jacob, John the Baptist, etc all finding God "out in the wilderness", but heck, there are a lot of good people in church with a lot of bad habits from never meeting "real" people.

You know how often I feel like a wierdo for trying to talk to people I don't know? That's our family, and when we get to heaven we have no choice to but to co-exist in the same building so why not start down here?

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

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.

Christianity is all about community. Even the fact that there is a 'Holy Trinity' speaks to that fact.

God wants us to pray together.

Only the christian community can baptise you.

Only the christian community can offer you communion.

Only the christian community can offer you a christian burial.

Only the christian community can teach you the 'given' meaning of the scriptures that you read.

I offer these as non-debatable.

May I offer also that you should seek out a community that practices 'The Divine Liturgy' of Christ and the Apostles and avoid the social function, political arena, fashion show, and places of showy displays.

Forgive me...

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

Christianity is all about community. Even the fact that there is a 'Holy Trinity' speaks to that fact.

God wants us to pray together.

Only the christian community can baptise you.

Only the christian community can offer you communion.

Only the christian community can offer you a christian burial.

Only the christian community can teach you the 'given' meaning of the scriptures that you read.

I offer these as non-debatable.

May I offer also that you should seek out a community that practices 'The Divine Liturgy' of Christ and the Apostles and avoid the social function, political arena, fashion show, and places of showy displays.

Forgive me...

I've already been baptized, and I couldn't care less what happens to my body once I"m dead. They can feed it to the birds for all I care, which is actually better for the environment anyway.

So please explain how only the christian community can teach me the "given" meaning of the scriptures? I can't read and discern for myself with the brain that god gave me? Letting others teach me led me straight into a christian cult for 7 long years. That's the danger of letting others teach you. I'll never make that mistake again.

 

[Melethiel]

I share your sickened feeling toward most of American "Christianity" today - that's why I left the megachurch scene long ago and started attending a Lutheran church. Sure, it's not perfect - because the church is composed of sinners. However, the epistles say "do not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing." The church is where you hear the Word proclaimed, hear the proclamation of forgiveness of sins, and receive the Sacraments, God's means of grace. It is about worshiping God with the entire Body of Christ - you alone do not make up that body. As our liturgy says, "we now join with all the Angels and Archangels and sing their glorious song..." And even if you personally don't feel you are getting much out of it - maybe your presence there is encouraging somebody else who needs it. That is why, much as I get fed up with my church at times, I continue to attend.

 

[nephilimiyr]

I've already been baptized, and I couldn't care less what happens to my body once I"m dead. They can feed it to the birds for all I care, which is actually better for the environment anyway.

So please explain how only the christian community can teach me the "given" meaning of the scriptures? I can't read and discern for myself with the brain that god gave me? Letting others teach me led me straight into a christian cult for 7 long years. That's the danger of letting others teach you. I'll never make that mistake again.

Yep, there's fundamentalists and then there's traditionalists, and from everything you've said in this thread so far told me that they both will be recruiting you to their church. That's the danger about being a newbie in this forum because as soon as you ask the questions that you have and portrary the disillusionment that you have they all see you as fair game. Whether you like it or not, you've got a target on you now.

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

I've already been baptized, and I couldn't care less what happens to my body once I"m dead. They can feed it to the birds for all I care, which is actually better for the environment anyway.

So please explain how only the christian community can teach me the "given" meaning of the scriptures? I can't read and discern for myself with the brain that god gave me? Letting others teach me led me straight into a christian cult for 7 long years. That's the danger of letting others teach you. I'll never make that mistake again.

Dear Lisa,

Has your baptism been completed? Were you baptised by the community of Christians or this cult that you spoke of?

You would need to find a Priest that you trust is truely of the community of the Apostles. This can be difficult... but not impossible.

I belong to the community of Christians called The Church of Antioch. There are more truely Apostolic Churches than just Rome. There are good Priests out there.

As for the 'given' meaning of scripture... 'We' can glean many meanings from the writings of scriptures, however very specific meanings were 'given' to us by the Apostles and those are preserved from within the communities that it was given to...

'Ordination' (The laying on of hands) is another thing that only the Christian community give.

Forgive me...

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

Dear Lisa,

Has your baptism been completed? Were you baptised by the community of Christians or this cult that you spoke of?

You would need to find a Priest that you trust is truely of the community of the Apostles. This can be difficult... but not impossible.

I belong to the community of Christians called The Church of Antioch. There are more truely Apostolic Churches than just Rome. There are good Priests out there.

As for the 'given' meaning of scripture... 'We' can glean many meanings from the writings of scriptures, however very specific meanings were 'given' to us by the Apostles and those are preserved from withing the communities that it was given to...

'Ordination' (The laying on of hands) is another thing that only the Christian community give.

Forgive me...

I was baptized when I became one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I don't think it matters exactly who baptizes you as it's a symbolic display of your faith. It's between you and God, not the person doing the dunking.

 

[Lisa*Lisa]

Yep, there's fundamentalists and then there's traditionalists, and from everything you've said in this thread so far told me that they both will be recruiting you to their church. That's the danger about being a newbie in this forum because as soon as you ask the questions that you have and portrary the disillusionment that you have they all see you as fair game. Whether you like it or not, you've got a target on you now.

Hmmm.....doesn't much matter because in all honesty, I don't see myself going to any church anyway.