Church Attendance

[~candice~]

Well I don't keep a roster or a mental list of the services I have been to. Rather, I ask myself "am I forsaking the assembly of the saints?". If the answer to that is no, I am doing OK . I think the passage is not really telling us to religiously go to church every wednesday and twice on sunday (or whenever your church gathers) but more that we should be actively involved with our local congregation, and that we should not forsake being a part of that community. I go to sunday services once every two weeks maximum, but I go every thursday and am actively involved and fellowship with my bretheren frequenly. I guess for me, God has highlighted that it's not about the rules "thou art mustest goeth to church each and every opportunity" but about the spirit "who is your community? who do you hang out with?".

My church seems to value sunday attendance more than thursday attendance, but I don't. I feel like the thursday casual bible study makes me feel more involved and active in the group than the sunday does.

[canuckamuck]

Church attendance is wonderful and important but hopefully, soon, Christianity will be more about what happens outside the church than inside.

[CAP73]

Well I don't keep a roster or a mental list of the services I have been to. Rather, I ask myself "am I forsaking the assembly of the saints?". If the answer to that is no, I am doing OK . I think the passage is not really telling us to religiously go to church every wednesday and twice on sunday (or whenever your church gathers) but more that we should be actively involved with our local congregation, and that we should not forsake being a part of that community. I go to sunday services once every two weeks maximum, but I go every thursday and am actively involved and fellowship with my bretheren frequenly. I guess for me, God has highlighted that it's not about the rules "thou art mustest goeth to church each and every opportunity" but about the spirit "who is your community? who do you hang out with?".

My church seems to value sunday attendance more than thursday attendance, but I don't. I feel like the thursday casual bible study makes me feel more involved and active in the group than the sunday does.

I enjoy our Wednesday and Sunday night service more than I do Sunday morning. It's more informal and we discuss, rather than just getting talked to.

[kittylover0991]

Church attendance is wonderful and important but hopefully, soon, Christianity will be more about what happens outside the church than inside.

I can't say I agree or disagree with that statement... I think the two are so vitally important. What breath of a church is important to what accomplishes out in the community. The church members having their own personal walks with the Lord, and then coming together to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth, be under good solid Bible preaching, encouraging and edifying one another, lifting one another up in prayer, encouraging and rebuking in love... all of that. Sometimes asking the hard questions and saying the hard things. As we grow in the Lord through reading and prayer, yeilding to the Holy Spirit moment by moment, and as we sit under the preaching and allow God to work in our hearts and lives, He perfects that love in us for others.

A little bit of a rabbit trail, but I found this in my reading a little while back and I'm so fascinated with it. Eph 4:32 shows that we should love and forgive others because Christ loves us. If you look in 1 John, however, the Bible says that God is love. We love God because He first loved us. Then, He perfects His love IS US... Christ perfects His love in us and thus we love others... we love others because we love God... we love God because God loves us. Just incredible! Wow!

As we get to know God and get a clearer picture of who He is (though we will never fully grasp who He is until glory), we love Him and we start to love the things that He loves because He changes our desires. I agree with you in that I am sick of the focus being only about what's going inside of a church building. What's going on with the church members... As CHRISTIANS, our focus should be Christ and Christ's focus is on souls and winning the lost...

On the other hand, Christ also took care of the brethren... He taught them and rebuked them. He helped to direct them to the Father. Our church families and what goes on inside the church needs to be strong, and it's a huge blessing to be able to look to other believers for love and guidance and encouragement. With that, we should be in unity with a common goal- reaching the lost. They are equally important and we should never separate the two because God places a great emphasis in the Bible as to what goes on in churches. Just look to the epistles!

[kittylover0991]

Well I don't keep a roster or a mental list of the services I have been to. Rather, I ask myself "am I forsaking the assembly of the saints?". If the answer to that is no, I am doing OK . I think the passage is not really telling us to religiously go to church every wednesday and twice on sunday (or whenever your church gathers) but more that we should be actively involved with our local congregation, and that we should not forsake being a part of that community. I go to sunday services once every two weeks maximum, but I go every thursday and am actively involved and fellowship with my bretheren frequenly. I guess for me, God has highlighted that it's not about the rules "thou art mustest goeth to church each and every opportunity" but about the spirit "who is your community? who do you hang out with?".

My church seems to value sunday attendance more than thursday attendance, but I don't. I feel like the thursday casual bible study makes me feel more involved and active in the group than the sunday does.

I see what you're saying and going off of the phrase"... not really telling us to religious go to church every wednesday and twice on sunday..."

I think A LOT of the problems in Christianity today, which I'm sure were still prevalent even Bible days, is that all too often we focus on being "religious" instead of focusing on what pleases the Lord. Day by day, moment by moment, we should be walking with the Lord, listening to Him, trying to get to know Him better and walking with Him. It's not about going to church three times a week, putting money in the offering plate, wearing the suit and tie or nice sunday dress. All too often it is taught perceived that this is what it is all about, but it's not. That is like eating the all of the icing off the birthday cake but leaving the cake. It leaves you empty, with your stomach feeling sick.

That emptiness is what comes when we are merely putting on the look of the new without Christ changing us from the inside out. Speaking from ten years of experience of putting on this role... When Christ truly makes a difference, however, from the inside out, then those things are still prevalent on the outside. They are, however, not merely a list of doing 1, 2, and 3. They are desires and convictions that the Holy Spirit has worked in the life of the believer and it is IMPORTANT to be in church whenever possible... whenever those doors are open, as long as it is a good solid that truly preaches God's Word as God meant for it be preached.

Now I must say, that is an interesting view about it being about your community and I'm not entirely sure about that. My gut says to take the verse for what it says, and that assembling is literally the assembling, not so much just who you hang out with, but a step beyond. However, I'm not sure and I'm going to have to ponder. Interesting!!

[~candice~]

Well I don't keep a roster or a mental list of the services I have been to. Rather, I ask myself "am I forsaking the assembly of the saints?". If the answer to that is no, I am doing OK . I think the passage is not really telling us to religiously go to church every wednesday and twice on sunday (or whenever your church gathers) but more that we should be actively involved with our local congregation, and that we should not forsake being a part of that community. I go to sunday services once every two weeks maximum, but I go every thursday and am actively involved and fellowship with my bretheren frequenly. I guess for me, God has highlighted that it's not about the rules "thou art mustest goeth to church each and every opportunity" but about the spirit "who is your community? who do you hang out with?".

My church seems to value sunday attendance more than thursday attendance, but I don't. I feel like the thursday casual bible study makes me feel more involved and active in the group than the sunday does.

I see what you're saying and going off of the phrase"... not really telling us to religious go to church every wednesday and twice on sunday..."

I think A LOT of the problems in Christianity today, which I'm sure were still prevalent even Bible days, is that all too often we focus on being "religious" instead of focusing on what pleases the Lord. Day by day, moment by moment, we should be walking with the Lord, listening to Him, trying to get to know Him better and walking with Him. It's not about going to church three times a week, putting money in the offering plate, wearing the suit and tie or nice sunday dress. All too often it is taught perceived that this is what it is all about, but it's not. That is like eating the all of the icing off the birthday cake but leaving the cake. It leaves you empty, with your stomach feeling sick.

That emptiness is what comes when we are merely putting on the look of the new without Christ changing us from the inside out. Speaking from ten years of experience of putting on this role... When Christ truly makes a difference, however, from the inside out, then those things are still prevalent on the outside. They are, however, not merely a list of doing 1, 2, and 3. They are desires and convictions that the Holy Spirit has worked in the life of the believer and it is IMPORTANT to be in church whenever possible... whenever those doors are open, as long as it is a good solid that truly preaches God's Word as God meant for it be preached.

Now I must say, that is an interesting view about it being about your community and I'm not entirely sure about that. My gut says to take the verse for what it says, and that assembling is literally the assembling, not so much just who you hang out with, but a step beyond. However, I'm not sure and I'm going to have to ponder. Interesting!!

Yes I agree with your sentiments. I should clarify that part of being a member of my church community means assembling together as one big group for services too! I just don't think the bible had in mind to mark your name on the attendance list in that passage. It's more than that, as you said . People can attend an assembly without ever being a part of the community of believers, and that misses the point, in my opinion.

[kittylover0991]

Well I don't keep a roster or a mental list of the services I have been to. Rather, I ask myself "am I forsaking the assembly of the saints?". If the answer to that is no, I am doing OK . I think the passage is not really telling us to religiously go to church every wednesday and twice on sunday (or whenever your church gathers) but more that we should be actively involved with our local congregation, and that we should not forsake being a part of that community. I go to sunday services once every two weeks maximum, but I go every thursday and am actively involved and fellowship with my bretheren frequenly. I guess for me, God has highlighted that it's not about the rules "thou art mustest goeth to church each and every opportunity" but about the spirit "who is your community? who do you hang out with?".

My church seems to value sunday attendance more than thursday attendance, but I don't. I feel like the thursday casual bible study makes me feel more involved and active in the group than the sunday does.

I see what you're saying and going off of the phrase"... not really telling us to religious go to church every wednesday and twice on sunday..."

I think A LOT of the problems in Christianity today, which I'm sure were still prevalent even Bible days, is that all too often we focus on being "religious" instead of focusing on what pleases the Lord. Day by day, moment by moment, we should be walking with the Lord, listening to Him, trying to get to know Him better and walking with Him. It's not about going to church three times a week, putting money in the offering plate, wearing the suit and tie or nice sunday dress. All too often it is taught perceived that this is what it is all about, but it's not. That is like eating the all of the icing off the birthday cake but leaving the cake. It leaves you empty, with your stomach feeling sick.

That emptiness is what comes when we are merely putting on the look of the new without Christ changing us from the inside out. Speaking from ten years of experience of putting on this role... When Christ truly makes a difference, however, from the inside out, then those things are still prevalent on the outside. They are, however, not merely a list of doing 1, 2, and 3. They are desires and convictions that the Holy Spirit has worked in the life of the believer and it is IMPORTANT to be in church whenever possible... whenever those doors are open, as long as it is a good solid that truly preaches God's Word as God meant for it be preached.

Now I must say, that is an interesting view about it being about your community and I'm not entirely sure about that. My gut says to take the verse for what it says, and that assembling is literally the assembling, not so much just who you hang out with, but a step beyond. However, I'm not sure and I'm going to have to ponder. Interesting!!

Yes I agree with your sentiments. I should clarify that part of being a member of my church community means assembling together as one big group for services too! I just don't think the bible had in mind to mark your name on the attendance list in that passage. It's more than that, as you said . People can attend an assembly without ever being a part of the community of believers, and that misses the point, in my opinion.

Amen. So, with that as the foundation, I'm left with the question... why is Sunday held in higher regards than a Wednesday night (or Thursday night) service?

[~candice~]

Amen. So, with that as the foundation, I'm left with the question... why is Sunday held in higher regards than a Wednesday night (or Thursday night) service?

I think people are wrong when they place a higher value on Sunday. Maybe the people who value Sunday higher than Wednesday are of the "mark my name off the role" mentality? Or perhaps they think its important for the entire church to get together every week and thus everyone must attend on a Sunday? I can't think of any other reason.

[OneLight]

Romans 14:5

One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.

[Guest lovinghim4ever]

I don't think it is right to feel pressured about how often you attend church. Do what you need to do, God knows your heart. If you feel it is rebellious to not be in church on Wednesday night or Sunday morning, than make sure you go. But don't start being concerned about who else isn't there (I am not saying that you are by the way)

Remember we are called to witness to the lost, the church is simply where we recharge.

I go to church almost every time, but when I miss I don't give it a second thought.

Amen!

Sorry if I repeat anyone's response . . . I haven't read every post, but here's what I think . . .

Forsake means to renounce or turn away from entirely.

So, to me, forsaking the assembling of yourselves together would mean that you NEVER attend church.

It means you NEVER think about church, and you have absolutely NO desire to attend.

I do not attend Wednesday night service, but that doesn't mean I am renouncing or turning away from church entirely.

I do not always attend Sunday morning service, but that doesn't mean I am renouncing or turning away from church entirely.

It just means I haven't attended a service, and I don't believe God will strike me down for it.