should you go to church?

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MickinEngland

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Dec 15, 2006
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(haanne;30910)
the pastor said " I do not believe some one can not go to church and be a christian"
Ha ha ha..
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I don't go to church myself because I haven't yet found one round here that shapes up, and until I do I'm quite happy to go it alone, as do many others.In fact we're NOT alone of course, unless people think God is only found in churches.And there's the internet which allows us to speak to others around the whole world, so in that sense the world itself is our church..
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Some churches (ministers and congregations) are just plain BAD, so why on should we force ourselves to go as "our duty" if we feel uncomfortable among them?There are plenty of Bible verses telling us to stay away, for example-"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm" (Proverbs 13:20)"Bad company corrupts good character" (1 Cor 15:33)Plus sayings not found in the Bible such as-"If you hang around with losers,you become a loser" (Donald Trump)
 

Super Kal

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Nov 27, 2007
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I recently started going back to church, and now I don't really know how I survived earlier in life when I didn't go.
 

Shan Missions

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The meaning of Church * It is translated "assembly" in the ordinary classical sense (Acts 19:32,39,41). * It denotes the whole body of the redeemed, all those whom the Father has given to Christ, the invisible catholic church (Ephesians 5:23,25,27,29; Hebrews 12:23). * A few Christians associated together in observing the ordinances of the gospel are an ecclesia (Romans 16:5; Colossians 4:15). * All the Christians in a particular city, whether they assembled together in one place or in several places for religious worship, were an ecclesia. Thus all the disciples in Antioch, forming several congregations, were one church (Acts 13:1); so also we read of the "church of God at Corinth" (1 Corinthians 1:2), "the church at Jerusalem" (Acts 8:1), "the church of Ephesus" (Revelation 2:1), etc. * The whole body of professing Christians throughout the world (1 Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 1:13; Matthew 16:18) are the church of Christ.
 

MickinEngland

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Dec 15, 2006
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(Super Kal;31322)
I recently started going back to church, and now I don't really know how I survived earlier in life when I didn't go.
I wish I could find such a good uplifting church myself, but in the meantime I'm quite happy to go it alone.Let's not forget that Jesus is uplifting whether we go to church or not..
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He said -"I'm with you always to the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20)
 

Dunamite

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Nov 15, 2007
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When Jesus ascended into Heaven he did not leave us as orphans. He left us with his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts and something else. He has also given us koinonia or community. This is a body of believers who support, comfort and encourage one another.The church is one expression of this, but not the only one. You can meet informally in small groups. You do not have to go to a specific church or to belong to a name branded group. However, you should not practice your faith in isolation. this can be dangerous and it is not what God wants.We are told repeated throughout the NT to love one another and to obey God. This is an imperative. It is not a choice. It is the essence of what makes us Christian. In 1 John 2 - 3, John talks about what authentic Christians are like. We live out what Jesus taught us and put it into action. We cannot keep what we have to ourselves. He repeatedly mentions the fact that we are to love and meet each other's needs. These are actions. You cannot be active by yourself. You need others to share your love with.I understand why some people avoid church. They can be unfriendly places for authentic Christians. We see hypocrisy and judgmentalism or lack of acceptance. However, not all churches are the same and none is perfect. We will always see flaws.I go to a church, but I also belong to a small group for Bible study. There is a level of intimacy, transparency and trust that develops that is special. This cannot be duplicated in a large group. We do all of the things that we do in church. We sing, pray and study the word. The tone is different though. We share equally and openly. We do not hold back, thinking that others will judge us. We know that what is said in the group stays in the group. Of the two experiences, I prefer the small group setting. The reason is that it allows me to grow more and to interact with other believers on a level that is way beyond what happens in church. I also like church. I close my eyes when I sing. I close out everything, except me and God. My worship in an offering to God. I don't care that nobody else raises their hands or what they think of me. At first, I was uncomfortable, but now it is just something that I do. I know that others do it as well. We are few, but it is a start.I was brought up to avoid open displays of faith. We sat politely in the pews, listening. When I raise my arms I am trying to participate and it isn't about being seen as pious. It is about being involved. It must make some people uncomfortable, but now we have gone to two services and I attend the contemporary one. The music is more upbeat and there is more diversity in the way that we worship.Some churches are all about conformity. I refuse to conform. I would rather change churches than to short change God.Blessings,Dunamite
 

Super Kal

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Nov 27, 2007
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(MickinEngland;31330)
I wish I could find such a good uplifting church myself, but in the meantime I'm quite happy to go it alone.Let's not forget that Jesus is uplifting whether we go to church or not..
wink.gif
He said -"I'm with you always to the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20)
I can understand that... I started going back in october of 07, and having just recently moved to San Antonio, I asked God to help me find the church that He wanted me to go to, and sure enough, He answered my prayer request in the most unexpected way.
 

Thunder1

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Dec 12, 2007
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(Super Kal;31353)
I can understand that... I started going back in october of 07, and having just recently moved to San Antonio, I asked God to help me find the church that He wanted me to go to, and sure enough, He answered my prayer request in the most unexpected way.
I'm really happy for you, Super Kal ! Our God is awesome !God Bless!Thunder1
 

Shan Missions

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Nov 18, 2007
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Let us assume that church is the assembly of believers, so called Christians, to worship God and observe ordinances of the church together.Different people has different motive of going to church.I think if the church goer has got what he wants to get at the church, he must keep on going to the church. But if the church goer does not get what he wants he must find a church that can meet his need. We may have different need.I think all Christians must go to the church to have fellowship with other christians and worship God together joyfully.Please find the church that meets your need.
 
Jan 15, 2008
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(Dunamite;31332)
When Jesus ascended into Heaven he did not leave us as orphans. He left us with his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts and something else. He has also given us koinonia or community. This is a body of believers who support, comfort and encourage one another.The church is one expression of this, but not the only one. You can meet informally in small groups. You do not have to go to a specific church or to belong to a name branded group. However, you should not practice your faith in isolation. this can be dangerous and it is not what God wants.We are told repeated throughout the NT to love one another and to obey God. This is an imperative. It is not a choice. It is the essence of what makes us Christian. In 1 John 2 - 3, John talks about what authentic Christians are like. We live out what Jesus taught us and put it into action. We cannot keep what we have to ourselves. He repeatedly mentions the fact that we are to love and meet each other's needs. These are actions. You cannot be active by yourself. You need others to share your love with.I understand why some people avoid church. They can be unfriendly places for authentic Christians. We see hypocrisy and judgmentalism or lack of acceptance. However, not all churches are the same and none is perfect. We will always see flaws.I go to a church, but I also belong to a small group for Bible study. There is a level of intimacy, transparency and trust that develops that is special. This cannot be duplicated in a large group. We do all of the things that we do in church. We sing, pray and study the word. The tone is different though. We share equally and openly. We do not hold back, thinking that others will judge us. We know that what is said in the group stays in the group. Of the two experiences, I prefer the small group setting. The reason is that it allows me to grow more and to interact with other believers on a level that is way beyond what happens in church. I also like church. I close my eyes when I sing. I close out everything, except me and God. My worship in an offering to God. I don't care that nobody else raises their hands or what they think of me. At first, I was uncomfortable, but now it is just something that I do. I know that others do it as well. We are few, but it is a start.I was brought up to avoid open displays of faith. We sat politely in the pews, listening. When I raise my arms I am trying to participate and it isn't about being seen as pious. It is about being involved. It must make some people uncomfortable, but now we have gone to two services and I attend the contemporary one. The music is more upbeat and there is more diversity in the way that we worship.Some churches are all about conformity. I refuse to conform. I would rather change churches than to short change God.Blessings,Dunamite
Wow, truly great there Dunamite, thanks. Thank you all as well for sharing here. I really love these discussions as so many of you paint such beautiful pictures, examples, and share such great scripture, etc, each retaining and giving off their own individual shades of color. Reminds me of a description I heard from a minister awhile back describing God's church. I heard him describe God's family (the church) as one of those beautiful and multi-colored stain glass windows you often see in a church; each segment representing a different church and shinning forth its own unique color of God's awesome Spirit.I pretty much had everything that I wanted to say taken out of my mouth thus far, but I am not one known in brevity so here I go. If you have other things to do then by all means, please. This is here if you want it as I have the time for the time being. I guess to be clear since there was only some discord on whether or not you have to go to church I would say that obviously you don't HAVE to, but that you should try to find one. You shouldn't think yourself okay without one, however, obviously there are extenuating circumstances and God understands that. Others have listed the scripture and the reasons as to why we should find ourselves in church so I won't go there.That said I was raised Roman Catholic and was basically told that you have to go to church or you wont make it to heaven. I agree with that 120% to the umpteenth power, and even then a little more. But thats only because I know the Church to be the Body of believers in Christ! PBBSSSTT!!! You kinda need that, its rather important concerning salvation and what not.Yes, churches and church are also these other things mentioned; our body being the temple, us gathering in His name for worship, etc. I have rather come to know the church as a dynamic concerning the relationship with God and His people, or even just individuals or smaller groups of that body. I believe The Church, however, to be the collective Body of saints in Christ.But it is definitely not the sporting flagship of a specific cult where in you have to sit your little heinie down on a pew everyday to be found acceptable in the Eyes of God. The God I know is so much bigger than that and doesn't make vain the sacrifice of His only Son just to demand we sit our britches down in church everyday for salvation.We are to come together to give glory to the most High God because of the salvation He already paid the price for, not to earn it. I give the glory to Christ and not my ability to rise to the march of placing my physical body within a certain hand made building during pre-specified allocations of time and day. This is man's ways and represents an institution more than a Holy Temple of God.There is a candle in some of these churches that I have been told lites with and in the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit. I've seen this candle, for years I've seen this candle, every Sunday miraculously lit. If Christ was there and manifest in the Holy Spirit as a flame He sure wouldn't need a wax candle or a wick, let alone an alter boy to lite it for Him.The same is said for his church, the building is for convenience form the elements etc as is any building where you might meet to worship God. But for the Holy Spirit I did feel Him in these churches because I went there with the mindset and heart to seek Him. But I never heard the word in them. I've been to many Catholic churches and never heard the word, or felt God exalted and lifted up. This is my experience obviously and not that of everyone though I will say I have met a few there in whom the Holy Spirit was working.I came across a church in Arizona. If I remember it was called Lord of Life or Word of Life, Ron Woodworth was the pastor. It was nondenominational and the most amazing church I had ever been to. It was so filled with the Holy Spirit, not a high roller type, but filled with all gifts: tongues, prophecy, interpretation of tongues, healing, exhortation and on and on. People shared everything there too it was really amazing. I remember once this old, and I mean old lady came hobbling up to my wife and I and slipped something into my front shirt pocket. She said, "don't look now but when you get home thats for you, God told me that you needed it more than I."My wife and I were hurting at the time and I mean bad, really bad financially and we were not sure what to do. I got home to find a hundred dollar bill in my pocket. Sure a hundred dollars is not a huge sum of money, but is sure is a blessing when you have nothing. God always provided for us when going there to this church and it was always enough to trust in His Spirit. Oh man I am getting excited just talking about it. This church was amazing and SO IN THE WORD! It was amazing because God was really there and GOD IS AMAZING. I feel so sorry for all these dead churches that deny the Holy Spirit, many even in doctrine, and all these lambs being led to the slaughter.We eventually had to move away from there and I was sad to have to say goodbye. I am a pretty strong individual, work out, operated a couple of landscaping companies in my day and currently at that time, worked bob cats, trenchers, played basketball, rod dirt bikes, tried to avoid the occasional scuffle but that didn't always happen. However in that church on every Sunday I would be in TEARS and I mean in tears of joy and gratitude to be there in the LOVING PRESENCE of an AWESOME and POWERFUL GOD. My wife would constantly ask me whats wrong and I could never quite explain it to here, I guess it's just what happens to me when I meet the Lord, I cry.There were a few other churches in Arizona that we tried before we found that one, and I must say that there were some other good ones out there. One we found working in great power of prophesy. There was a couple there that would lay hands on you and prophesy consoling you not only on things from your past, but future things to come and even revelation concerning one's gifts. It was very edifying because it filled you with an incredible hope being reassured in things that only God knew and testifying in the Spirit to those truths.Wow, I'm really all over the place here, but in the end I want to ask for your prayers in finding a good church where I live now. I live in Vancouver, WA state, USA. I have yet to find any thing that compares to what I left behind. I will keep in prayer the others that are searching for a family so to speak, please pray for me if I should come to mind.Your brother in Christ,Mark
 

MickinEngland

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Dec 15, 2006
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In fact informal 'home groups' that meet up in each others homes are like little churches and can be just as good if not better, there's a cosiness and relaxed intimacy about a dozen people in somebody's room discussing Bible passages by candlelight over cups of tea..
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In fact that's how it all began -"To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philemon 1:2)
 

His By Grace

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Dec 28, 2007
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Hey, Guys! You've got a great discussion going on! I've enjoyed reading your thoughts! Time really flies on this site! There are so many Christian topics to read about and so many things one could get involved in, but then we wouldn't have time to go to church (LOL)! I appreciate the honesty that you all come to the table with. Some find it a prideful thing to talk about all of the "church" works they do, as if this can take the place of their relationship with Christ. On the other hand, I hear people say the don't need church to worship the Lord. I do think we need our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us bare our burdens. Whether it be a small home church or large/small organized church, I guess it doesn't matter. I will point out the scripture in Luke 4: 16, that says, "So He (Jesus) came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, and stood up to read." He always went to church on the Sabbath, as we see He did lots of healing there. He went to encourage, save, and restore those who would believe in Him. I think instead of us thinking about what we can get out of the church, maybe we can think about what we can do for others that are there. The church is a place of healing for the sick. If we are a strong Christian, we can help someone who needs us by attending and hearing the needs. I travel and sing in many churches, so I know that there are some "dead" ones (I hate to say that! Maybe they just appear to be.), but there are so many needs! Jesus said it is the sick who need a physician and so many are sick today.We need to bind up their wounds and love on them. We are also commanded to tithe or we will be cursed with a curse (Malachi 3:8-10; Matthew 23:23). We are responsible for our part, not what the church does with what we give. I always try to think about the Lord and what He said in the narrative with the sheep and the goats. Whatever we do to/for someone else, it's like we are doing it unto Him. I do get discouraged at how the church can be run like a business and there have been times when I thought that we were more concerned with performance rather than holiness and purity. But I have to remember how many times I have lacked integrity. I also try to remember good things, like how many people signed up and brought food for many nights and sent cards when my dad died. They came and sat at the hospital through long days and nights when I was there so I wouldn't be alone. My pastor is very faithful to counsel with me when I need it. He has witnessed to unsaved people I couldn't reach. There are definitely a lot of positives to belonging to a church family. It did take a while to find this special place where I feel free to worship and I feel I have grown more here than any other place. Keep searching. The Lord honors the faithful that don't give up!