Is church attendance required or even essential?

[Pete66]

Curious. Sam admits that he may be part or all of the problem, admits that he understands he's being judgmental, yet Shiloh feels the need to press him on that point?!?

 

I no longer attend a church on any regular basis. I have had former church mates tell me I am sinning and cannot be a "real" Christian if I do not belong to a local body of believers. 

Needless to say I do not agree with this. 
What is the view of this forum? 

 

"Church" is interpreted by folks in a couple of different ways. One - a building where congregants attend per whatever schedule/activities takes place there.  Two - a gathering of Jesus followers, making a gathering on the street corner as much a 'church' gathering as meeting in a formal site/building.

 

The first has its place. It is a common meeting ground where the body of believers can do what it does (which hopefully is fully connected to the sharing of the gospel and the growing of disciples). The second, IMO, is the more relevant, in that the important factor is to be gathering with other believers, regardless of physical location, and that that gathering is intended to follow the biblical model found in Acts 2:

 

42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 

44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 

45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. 

46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

 

In both places you will find this harsh reality - failing humanity. However, taking the biblical model upon ourselves in heart and action, we can be part of the molding process - others molding you and you molding others. This is played out very well in the model presented in the above passage.

 

In the midst of a body of believers infected by failure, it is healthy to remember such passages as these:

 

"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:13)

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil. 1:6

 

Be careful that the rationale for not attending church is, as you've been accused of in this thread, merely a pretext for whatever self-serving agenda may be at work.  As the genuineness of God's grace and wisdom works in you, you may just find a way to be involved with a body of believers that thus far have proven themselves unworthy of your presence and involvement.

 

Of course, the decision is yours.  You must come to terms with this knowing that, ultimately, you and you alone answer to God.  I pray your heart is genuine in this matter and that it will be God who is honoured and glorified by the outcome.

Edited January 26, 2015 by Pete66

[missmuffet]

Judas:

Which of Jesus' churches authority should I accept?

The Baptist authority?

The Calvary Chapel authority?

The Methodist, The Popes? Church of Christ? Church of God? Assembly of God? Vineyard?

 

Good website for information on choosing a Church.

 

http://www.gotquestions.org/looking-church.html

[Marilyn C]

I no longer attend a church on any regular basis. I have had former church mates tell me I am sinning and cannot be a "real" Christian if I do not belong to a local body of believers.

Needless to say I do not agree with this.

What is the view of this forum?

Hi Sam,

 

When you say `church,`it sounds like a formal, public meeting run by an organisation. That became the norm for the last few centuries till many people think it actually is the church, the Body of Christ. However if we read God`s word it is just not like that. Not to say we can`t have those public meetings, but there are also other ways to gather together. It sounds like those `former church mates` are trying to make you feel guilty as if you are not supporting the club.

 

We are in a day of great change & many, many, many people are finding other ways of gathering as the Body of Christ. It is interesting to note that those who are finding other ways to gather accept those who still want the organisation to run their meetings, while many of the latter find it very confronting to those who do not go to their public meetings. It then shows that it is a matter of control & they will give you all the reasons they think you are wrong.

 

Personally, my husband & I have found we are more accountable to the honest relationships we have & rely more on the Holy Spirit as we move amongst people to have that word of encouragement, wisdom etc that is needed in everyday lives. We are more involved in people`s lives & thus they can see our walk with the Lord, trust is built on real care & concern for the other, whereas we found the public meetings took too much time, energy, & money to sustain it. It became more important than relating in a deep way to others.  

 

Keep seeking the Lord & others in your journey with Him, & do not buckle to control. Marilyn. 

[missmuffet]

I can relate to Sam and how he feels about his former church.  I quit going to my last church because the preaching didn't appeal to me and the church body didn't either.  The entire thing just left me cold so I never went back.  It happens.  I still love and follow the Lord regardless.

The same thing happened to me Morning.The Church became huge.I felt lost.It was more of a social affair that going to Worship my Lord and Savior.I have a daily "relationship" with Jesus Christ and He knows my heart.I was also seeing women very inappropriately dressed which I did not think was my idea of a person who cared what Jesus thought.

[Guest shiloh357]

So far, I haven't seen anyone offer up a reason to stop going to church altogether.   I mean, not all churches are the same.  If your former church wasn't to your liking, why not find that is, instead of just not going at all?

[missmuffet]

So far, I haven't seen anyone offer up a reason to stop going to church altogether.   I mean, not all churches are the same.  If your former church wasn't to your liking, why not find that is, instead of just not going at all?

I would but so far the Churches I have attended all look like this "world".

[Guest shiloh357]

Yeah, I get that, but you are never going to find a church that is everything you want it to be.   I have attended churches that had girls and boys who dressed in  a way that I didn't like and maybe the style of worship music wasn't to my liking, but I wasn't there because everything had to be what I wanted.   I was there because the theology was sound and people were friendly and stuff. They supported missionaries and did a lot of outreach.  They were not perfect and the church had its share of problems, but if I wait for a church that meets my criteria perfectly, I am waiting on what will never come.   That's not a good reason to forsake church altogether.   There is so much we can do in church for the Kingdom that we can't do on our own.

[Riverwalker]

I think the chances of going adrift spiritually are much greater when one is not plugged into a church fellowship.  There is a natural state of accountability when you are with your brothers and sisters each week, and the beauty of corporate worship does not happen in the church of the individual.  Doctrinal issues are also placed in a precarious position when you are the sole arbiter of scriptural interpretation and moral issues.

 

And yet with some of the teaching that effuses from some of the pulpits these days, one wonders

[hmbld]

I keep thinking about when I first came to this website.  I had no idea how it worked, but immediately I found one person had added me as a friend.  Imagine, someone felt I was worthy to call me his friend!  He couldn't possibly know me, what i am like, the struggles I have.  He didn't wait to get to know me, he simply added me.  Just a website, but it meant something to me.  Now, I don't remember ever having a conversation with him, but I am always reading the scripture he posts.  I've gotta say I love that man!  Here's the thing, I realize I don't treat people like that.  I keep my wall up.  I love going to church, but its going to take a lot of growing to open myself up, and accept that I won't always like how people in church treat me.  I think I want people in church to be perfect, and some seem to put that expectation on me.  Until we finally go home, we are meant to grow our relationship with Jesus, and I don't think that can be done without learning to love each other, whether we find that perfect church or not.  Maybe we are missing the point by trying to find the perfect church where we feel we fit in.  Maybe the difficult church is actually what we need to learn more.  

[Guest shiloh357]

I have known so many Christians who don't go to church and they are no happier because they don't go than they were before.  I have known some who got away from church and got involved with fringe groups and now think that you can't be saved unless you refer to God as Yahweh or call Jesus, "Yahushua."  I know some who are just caught up in wacky, conspiracy like theology because they have no one to question their beliefs, they have no one to disciple them.   They meet with other believers, but they are just as caught up in questionable doctrine and the groups are polarized around their hatred of the mainstream church.