Do You Go To Church?

[exrockstar]

I've gone a few times in the last several years. I share a lot of views with the op has expressed. Most of what goes on at "church" is just peer pressure and guilt trip. Sorry, but that is just the way it is.

Several years ago I had a good job and was going to church 4 and 5 times a week. Upon wondering where all my money was going, I discovered that by the time you counted offering, buying Bible commentary, and travel expenses, I was spending over half my income at church or traveling to church, then wondering why I had so little money to spend to pay off bills or buy things I wanted. The fact is, I was the pastors' slave.

lol...so your solution was to quit going to church in order to stop giving your money to the Lord? Brilliant!

What some of you are calling "peer pressure" or "guilt" for not attending church...is actually accountability. Every member of a church is a vitally important part of the body...and yes...its important to others that you are there. How would you feel if your knee took a day off from serving your body? A church body wants to be able to count on its members, it NEEDS its members to be actively involved...even when you are not gathered together under the same roof. In the same way you expect ALL of your body parts to function when you wake up in the morning...The body of Christ should be able to function as well.

If you can't be bothered to attend a weekly service to praise, learn, and be part of the body...then chances are you aren't much good for the body during the week either.

ha ha Blind giuves an example of what he stays away from then Axe responds and displays the example.

I'm going to take a screenshop of this.

priceless.... ... 3xR0c|<stAr

[Carol R]

I go to church on sunday mornings and I attend a Bible study on Sunday nights. I don't think it matters how many times you go to church, but I just really enjoy it because I just feel so accepted at my church! So church is a really nice chance to fellowship with other believers!

I agree I remember before I was a christian if I was in church for any reason I would be looking at my watch thinking is it not time to go yet. My feelings all changed once I became a christian I feel at home in church, love to be in fellowship with others of a like mind. Enjoy the praise and worship and prayer times. I do think that you have to be careful not to get bogged down thinking that you have to be at every meeting that is going on. Pray and ask God where he wants you to be and when. Then you will have peace if you are being obedient to God.

Carol R

[firehill]

I've gone a few times in the last several years. I share a lot of views with the op has expressed. Most of what goes on at "church" is just peer pressure and guilt trip. Sorry, but that is just the way it is.

Several years ago I had a good job and was going to church 4 and 5 times a week. Upon wondering where all my money was going, I discovered that by the time you counted offering, buying Bible commentary, and travel expenses, I was spending over half my income at church or traveling to church, then wondering why I had so little money to spend to pay off bills or buy things I wanted. The fact is, I was the pastors' slave.

lol...so your solution was to quit going to church in order to stop giving your money to the Lord? Brilliant!

What some of you are calling "peer pressure" or "guilt" for not attending church...is actually accountability. Every member of a church is a vitally important part of the body...and yes...its important to others that you are there. How would you feel if your knee took a day off from serving your body? A church body wants to be able to count on its members, it NEEDS its members to be actively involved...even when you are not gathered together under the same roof. In the same way you expect ALL of your body parts to function when you wake up in the morning...The body of Christ should be able to function as well.

If you can't be bothered to attend a weekly service to praise, learn, and be part of the body...then chances are you aren't much good for the body during the week either.

ha ha Blind giuves an example of what he stays away from then Axe responds and displays the example.

I'm going to take a screenshop of this.

priceless.... ... 3xR0c|<stAr

exrockstar I was just noticing the same thing!

[exrockstar]

i do go to church every sunday.

however, i wasnt like this before.

i noticed that churches (not many) that I went to before were at baby levels and I

got burned out of them real fast. some one recommended a church that was more

advanced. I went to one and it's like i jumped back on track.

but what i look for is something someone else is not seeking.

[OopsMartin]

I've gone a few times in the last several years. I share a lot of views with the op has expressed. Most of what goes on at "church" is just peer pressure and guilt trip. Sorry, but that is just the way it is.

Several years ago I had a good job and was going to church 4 and 5 times a week. Upon wondering where all my money was going, I discovered that by the time you counted offering, buying Bible commentary, and travel expenses, I was spending over half my income at church or traveling to church, then wondering why I had so little money to spend to pay off bills or buy things I wanted. The fact is, I was the pastors' slave.

I know exactly what you mean, "Blind". The answer is to step back, make sure that you are IN a daily relationship with God first and foremost, and then go where you sense God wants you to be.

I go fairly regularly on Sunday mornings and one midweek gathering. But if I sense that God wants me to do something else then I do it. God first. Brethren second. I've had wonderful things happen by being sensitive to God's presence and directions.

[Guest man]

I don't attend...don't really see a need for it.

Tried it a couple times...found it to be a distraction.

With that being said....bring on the rebukes.

[RustyAngeL]

No I don't. I use to go all the time. But we were down to one car and sometimes I husband would want the car on Sundays. Now hes' sick and I don't want to leave him for that long. However when he get's back on his feet I want to start back.

[Guest LadyC]

if the church you go to seems like nothing more than peer pressure and guilt trips, you're in the wrong church!

i used to feel that way about almost every church i've ever attended... until the one i am now a member of. and i have to say, it's the first church i've ever been officially a member of. (not counting the ones where my membership was by the default of my parents...)

i really never thought i'd find a church like this one... full of love and warmth, without judgement, guilt trips, peer pressure, any of that garbage. but yet it's one in which everyone is welcomed on their own merit, not just some building where people show up and never get to know the first name of the person they're sitting next to.

[Guest Biblicist]

If your relationships with God's people are lacking. . . possibly your relationship with the Lord is lacking.

[Floatingaxe]

Just a question. I know this may spread like wildfire, I pray that we allow the Spirit to direct the answers.

1. How do you go to something that we are? Meaning how do you go to church when we are the Church?

Sheesh.

You must know that the english language is full of words that have dual or more applications.