Can participation in a local church be contrary to th Christian faith?

[Guest Jesse]

Churches have become a stumbling block to the flock.

They are pools of water not going anywhere,gone stagnant.

 

Matthew 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Matthew 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made,

                                         ***ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves***.

jesse.

[OneLight]

I will be honest and say that I have grown more through the communications I have had on this board than I ever did from a local body. I am not against the local body, for they do server their purpose. The problem I have is that one either believe as they do, questioning nothing about their doctrine, or they treat you like an outsider, not a brother. Here, we all are all different and hold different beliefs, yet we treat each other like brothers and sisters, not afraid to be held accountable or hold others accountable.

If I could find a local body that operates like Worthy operates, I would become a member in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, they all hold their denominational doctrinal beliefs as their guideline to anyone becoming a member. To me, it seems they hold their doctrine above His, believing that they are correct in their ways. You see, if I am in the body of Christ, and rejected by a local body, who am I to believe and follow?

Unlike most here, I have not found a local body that allows one to be a member while still growing in Him. You have to sign a piece of paper stating that you agree with what they teach, or you cannot become a member. So I am faced with questioning if they are in line with scripture by doing so? To me, if Christ accepts me, that should be enough. Why others feel they have to force their personal doctrine is beyond me.

One thing I do know is that we all need to have an accountability partner. For me, they are people on this site. I personally ask the Servants to hold me accountable for everything I do, but unfortunately, this has limits to what goes on with Worthy. I find myself alone when it comes to having someone I can have a coffee with and discuss personal issues. I would love to have a brother in my community that would be there for me, and me for him. I am at fault here, since I remain separated from the local bodies that require a signature to be part of.

If a person can find a church that they are led to, by all means, go there. If there is a local body that operates in the Love of Christ, become part of it. It is a lonely place to be when you feel like the angels do when they look at humans, desiring to be what they are not, to experience Christ as we do. I so would love to have a home body as some of you have.

[other one]

Well, I do have a home of loving people who accept people with different views on things, and it is good...   but I really agre that I have learned much more from this place....   one can't have as a diverse set of local people as are here....

 

Even from the non believers that come here, one learns how to express what one believes and that's a very good thing and the most important thing I see here is that it forces me to "know" why I believe what I believe and I think that gets us ready for the Tribulation.     

[Willa]

The fact remains that God's dwelling is a house of living stones fit together. We are the body of Christ that He uses here on earth. We corporately are the temple of God.

I have also been let down in the past when in serious need. After the birth of our second child my doctor ordered me to bed rest for 10 days. My mother had died one month earlier and post partum blues hit me like a ton of bricks. Of the dozen people who had OFFERED to come help, none came. They all said they had caught a cold. Hubby was not allowed time off either. Since I had a hyperactive 3 year old destroying the house, I could not stay in bed. ò

God has taught me to not rely on people, even people in the church. I can rely on Him. He enabled me to be up without serious consequences. He gave me strength during a very dark time of grief and depression. I felt like Jesus going to the cross--betrayed and alone. Perhaps it was meant for me to share in these sufferings of Christ. But Jesus was even forsaken of God. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. That is one thing we will never have to suffer. For nothing can separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.

[Persuaded]

We absolutely are called to fellowship- Acts 2:42 and other places.

 

But I think this passage in 2 Tim 3 suggests that we should deliberately leave a failing or flawed church:

 

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 

Paul is writing about teachers within the church, those "having the form of godliness". If your church is infected with such teachers, get out rather than try to fix the sinking ship.

 

The church has always been its own worst enemy- Acts 20:29:

 

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

[Marilyn C]

Hi Kwikphilly,

 

So sorry for what happened to you re: those you thought were caring - didn`t. Probably good that the truth came out. Now, as you said you can move on to where the Lord would have you in this next season. All the best & glad to hear you can move around now.

 

Hi Willamina,

 

That is so true about us being living stones. I think too long we have relied on `the public meeting run by an organisation` instead of connecting with a few & functioning in our local area - encouraging, helping, listening, giving ......you know what I mean. Working this way has matured me more than pew warming.

 

Hi Persuaded,

 

I think God is enlarging our concept of `church,` & not just the format that man has made. I personally believe we the Body of Christ need to function under the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives, helping others, mentoring them. As they grow then they are the ones to nurture their circle of influence. I believe if you work with a few over time then they will do the same.

 

The `form of godliness,` you highlighted, I believe happens when people are not connected with each other in meaningful ways encouraging, praying, interested in that other person`s life & what is happening through them to their contacts. Superficial public meetings will never grow deep relationships, just that `form of godliness.`

[Guest]

I did not read this thread, I am only responding to the OP question in a general sense, ignorant of what any have said before me.

 

Going to a local church, (in this case church meaning a local gathering of people who claim to be Christians operating as a church, with or without a building), can certainly be counterproductive to ones faith and to one's walk in Christ.

 

In some cases, that can be a place to learn erroneous if not heretical doctrine, and a place to learn by example, all manners of of misbehaviors, and error. One only needs to read Paul's letters to the Corinthian church, so see many ways that a body can go wrong, and there were genuine believers there. 

 

Nothing guarantees that you will be exposed to sound doctrine and Godly practices, by attending "a church".

 

On the other hand, the Bible knows nothing of churchless Christians, the idea is oxy-moronic. We are to seek and practice, gathering together, and are to have a genuine love of the brethren. If we find ourselves in the presence of those claiming to be believers, and these people are not exposing and practicing sound doctrine,  that is an opportunity for two things.

 

The first is to make efforts to help them see and correct there own errors. The second is to flee the place before you yourself become corrupted by them.

 

Both of these assume one fact, that you are knowledgeable enough about scripture to be able to correct and to know what to flee and why. If in your judgement, leaving that body is the best path, then seeking a better, more scripturally sound in doctrine and practice, group of people is your option.

 

Not being involved with God's people, is not an option the Bible provides to believers. Being with our brothers and sisters, for our own learning and encouragement, and the opportunity to help others, is a Biblical mandate. While that might not necessarily mean a building with pews and stained glass windows, it does mean regularly getting together with the people of God, for the purpose of buillding each other up, helping in various ways, corporate worship, prayer, and teaching and learning from each other.