Why Should I Go to Church?

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You said The reason we should all go to church is so that we can find guidance, truth, and better understanding so that we can fullfill our potential for what is set out for us to do.
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That is very true, but there is also more to it than just that. :)

In the same way that God ordained marriage to teach us how to love and care for one another, He also ordained the church.

Marriage is a reflection of our relationship with God. He gave it specific structure, freedoms, restrictions, blessings, guidance. Marriage is more than One man and One woman, it is One man, One woman, and One God. A two legged stool will not stand on its own.
Marriage reveals to us the need for Gods strength.
Marriage teaches us how to love, how to be patient, understanding, how to be giving even when we do not want to give.

The church is very much like marriage. (It is afterall the bride of Christ.)
God could have used other ways to strengthen, to enrich, and to share the gospel, but the fact is He ordained His church for this purpose.

Ok I'll not kick this down. Where does the Holy Spirit come in? He lives inside each believer to be counsellor teacher etc. That being the case. Why go to church.
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Denadii, I say this with the utmost respect and love for you.
Please understand that I do not mean to offend you, but it isn't just about YOU.

We must be about the work of our Lord, and that is aspiring to reach and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

God has established His church for that purpose.

So you see, your support of the church, your efforts, your encouragement, will reach others who are not as confident and secure as you are.

I guess what I am saying is that just maybe, it isn't as important for you to go to church, as it is important for the sake of others that you go to church. :)
 
Matthew 18
What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

Why isn't God worried about the 99?
Because they remain by His side through His Holy Spirit and through faith.

Notice, His concern is for that one sheep that has gone astray.

That is the work we are to be about.
And that is the reason for the church.
That is why we should support the church.
 
I personally find that fellowship with others that I get at church helps me to grow spiritually.
I love the worship time when we sing our praises to God. I think God always intended on His children to come together in fellowship but that is just my opinion.
As far as not trusting Christians well....we are humans.
Like they say "Church isn't a house of saints is a hospital for sinners."
 
Den,

CShultz, has hit the nail on the head. We need to get out of the thinking that the church needs to serve us. "What will I get out of church?",

We are saved by Jesus for a purpose and that purpose is to save other people.

We as christians need to ask "how can we serve the church today?"

The church was established by Jesus Christ, therefore it is important.

We as christians are not only accountable to God but we are accountable to our fellow men as well. For this very reason God raises up elders, pastors, preachers, prophets etc. We need to function together. By not being active in your gifitings within a church you are depriving your fellow christians and therefore the church which in turn will not be effective in its mission.

Each Christian has been given particular gifts, and they need to use these gifts within the church to make the body of Christ effective.

We cannot stand alone, how can a body be effective if it is missing feet and eyes.

You have been hurt by previous churches, that is understandable, but please look at the bigger picture. Jesus has called you out for a reason.
He called all of us for a reason.

Pray for God to lead you to the church where He wants you.

You felt hurt that nobody recognised you week after week at the same church. How was the sermon, how was the worship? How effective is that church in its calling? Maybe God wants you there to help change the way people are greeted (just a thought). Maybe they failed on one point, but maybe the other points are brilliant.

Some churches are excellent in the way they treat newcomers, others are excellent in training leaders, other are excellent in evangelism. Even the early churches had problems, without those problems we would not have half of the NT.

Good News is that Jesus is building the Church, He does this by placing people He has chosen into the various churches so they can bring glory and honour to Him.

Pray about it, ask Jesus to lead you to His church. Maybe it will be a church that only has a few members, maybe it will be a church with thousands of members.

You are needed within the church!

Look how you have contributed here on this forum, you are needed in the church!

God bless
 
Kevin said:
Den,

CShultz, has hit the nail on the head. We need to get out of the thinking that the church needs to serve us. "What will I get out of church?",

We are saved by Jesus for a purpose and that purpose is to save other people.

We as christians need to ask "how can we serve the church today?"

The church was established by Jesus Christ, therefore it is important.

We as christians are not only accountable to God but we are accountable to our fellow men as well. For this very reason God raises up elders, pastors, preachers, prophets etc. We need to function together. By not being active in your gifitings within a church you are depriving your fellow christians and therefore the church which in turn will not be effective in its mission.

Each Christian has been given particular gifts, and they need to use these gifts within the church to make the body of Christ effective.

We cannot stand alone, how can a body be effective if it is missing feet and eyes.

You have been hurt by previous churches, that is understandable, but please look at the bigger picture. Jesus has called you out for a reason.
He called all of us for a reason.

Pray for God to lead you to the church where He wants you.

You felt hurt that nobody recognised you week after week at the same church. How was the sermon, how was the worship? How effective is that church in its calling? Maybe God wants you there to help change the way people are greeted (just a thought). Maybe they failed on one point, but maybe the other points are brilliant.

Some churches are excellent in the way they treat newcomers, others are excellent in training leaders, other are excellent in evangelism. Even the early churches had problems, without those problems we would not have half of the NT.

Good News is that Jesus is building the Church, He does this by placing people He has chosen into the various churches so they can bring glory and honour to Him.

Pray about it, ask Jesus to lead you to His church. Maybe it will be a church that only has a few members, maybe it will be a church with thousands of members.

You are needed within the church!

Look how you have contributed here on this forum, you are needed in the church!

God bless
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We as christians need to ask "how can we serve the church today?"



Hmm Let me see... I can pray for others.. That a ministry of the church. I can give to the poor I share the Word... I can minister to the sick. I can do many things for the church.. without ever setting foot into a church building. Why? I'm part of the church.


The church was established by Jesus Christ, therefore it is important.

How many buildings did Jesus erect? I always thought the church was His Body. The people not an organization.


We as christians are not only accountable to God but we are accountable to our fellow men as well. For this very reason God raises up elders, pastors, preachers, prophets etc.


Paul was an elder so were some of the other early church folks. How many of them worked out of one building? One organization? First Baptist Church of Jerusalem? NOT! grin. The building was the streets and highways and whereever people were. Not an edifice of stone.


We need to function together. By not being active in your gifitings within a church you are depriving your fellow christians and therefore the church which in turn will not be effective in its mission.

I minister all the time..I minister healing wherever its needed. I teach. I share the Word. I 'tithe' (I use the word 'tithe' here loosely) Sometimes the ten percent the Word says and sometimes I can do more. Why? Its strong in my to live by the law of love.
Matthew 22:37-40




Well I could go on but let me rephrase the question I originally asked. Since I never left the church. The only way I could leave the church would be to renounce Jesus. That would be a mistake!! :)


"Why should I go into a church building, or an church organization?"
 
the church building can,t save you,Christ can.i like having churches they show people there is another way.some go,some don,t i don,t think it,s under law.
 
Denadii Cho said:
"Why should I go into a church building, or an church organization?"
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Whether or not you ever enter a Church building again is up to you.
I won’t judge you one way or the other.

With most, if not all, questions, we should be able to go directly to God for an answer. God can answer us in many different ways, but when we get an answer, we need to go to the Scriptures to back the answer up. Every answer from God is in the Scriptures.

Whatever answer you receive from God, make sure it lines up with Scripture.

God bless
Dean
 
Who am I said:
Whether or not you ever enter a Church building again is up to you.
I won’t judge you one way or the other.

With most, if not all, questions, we should be able to go directly to God for an answer. God can answer us in many different ways, but when we get an answer, we need to go to the Scriptures to back the answer up. Every answer from God is in the Scriptures.

Whatever answer you receive from God, make sure it lines up with Scripture.

God bless
Dean
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I agree with that! I've seen so many Pastors Deacons and Elders in organized churches power tripping. This alone shuts down the moving of the Spirit. The church assembly becomes dead in the water so to speak.

On the other hand I've seen so many Christians placing the pastor of their church on a pedestal. Almost making a diety of him by their attitudes.

Neither of the above is right. The first is wrong because it robs God and the people. It robs God of any chance to minister to His people. And it robs God of any glory, praise and everything else.
It robs the people of any chance to praise God in unison. It robs the people of any chance for growth and real fellowship.

The second is somewhat more sinister. For example Here is a young minister. Fresh into a new ministry for him. Suddenly he's on a pedestal. and his head grows fat. Its hard to be humble when you're treated like something special. Well, he is special, but I mean more special than the others around him. He is not more special but he is looked at as being super normal. He's a celebrity. Pastor Whatsisname. Oh wow!!

See what I mean? How does this young minister handle it. Most of them come to expect to be treated that way. Then what happens? He fits the first example. Power tripping.

Pastors are no different from anyone else. Somebody has to be leader of a group but that only because someone has to voice the decisions of the group. Submit yourself to those in authority over you but let it be a man who is subject to God. Not all pastors are, because or the above.


The above problem with organized churches in not all the fault of the pastors. I often feel sorry for pastors because of the way folks treat them like celebrities

Is this right?
 
Denadii Cho said:
The above problem with organized churches in not all the fault of the pastors. I often feel sorry for pastors because of the way folks treat them like celebrities

Is this right?
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You are right.

But I was referring to the question… Should I go to Church?

You can go directly to God with that question to get an answer for yourself.
If the answer you receive is… “No, you don’t have to go to Church”
I’m just curious about what Scripture would back that answer up.
I don’t know of any, but I could be wrong.
 
To go to church or not to Go.

CSchultz

Denadii, I say this with the utmost respect and love for you.
Please understand that I do not mean to offend you, but it isn't just about YOU.
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Wisdom is the principle thing........... great response.


Who am I

I’m just curious about what Scripture would back that answer up.
I don’t know of any, but I could be wrong.
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There are none.

Even Peter who walked away and separated himself from His brothers in Christ because he did not agree with them, and would not eat with them (In Fear) was corrected by Paul. (Gal 2)

Fear, Judgment, and hanging on to past hurts is a door to the enemy.


Jesus Is Lord
 
I have not been to church for almost twenty five years. Why? We were kicked out. The people did not like what I believe. I wasn't even talking about it.
Were we hurt? Yes. Did we forgive them? Yes? Are we bitter toward them? Not so I can tell.
So what's the problem? I no longer trust Christians. I find non believers are generally more trustworthy? Why? Because at least you know what you are dealing with. You know that they will cheat you if they can and will justify it someway or another, so you make allowances. Christians on the other hand are not that way. They act very righteous but then do it to you and make it seem like it's Gods will. Thats religion and not of God.
So this leaves the question....

Why should I go to church?
God has been faithful and is teaching us all along. I have no interest in going to a church and being outsiders again. We have gone to churches that have greeted us week after week after week at both morning and evening services asking each time. "Is this your first time here?" I'm not interested in dead religiosity, Mike. If I go to a church it should be one that is alive.
On one trip I took to Ft Worth a while back I had to wait overnight for a load, it was Wednesday and in looking at my maps I found I was only about five miles from Eagle Mountain church. So I unhooked my trailer and we went to church. We were ignored by all but the man in the parking lot who drove people to the church so they wouldn't have to walk so far. Even the best churches are lacking.

What do you think?
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sorry,but I did not read the other replies,but I have a few points to make if you will excuse my age :X

First,I think that there is no perfect church,because church is the body of christ,and it's made up of sinners.we may have repented,and baptized or not,many still fail to walk in the new nature that we're given.We still sin against G-d and others.

Secondly,I'll quote a few verses on the importance of church..

Ephesians 1:23 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 Hebrews 10:25

Followers of Christ forms a family,and only by meeting together do we bond.Just like our earthly family,there are times we get on each other's nerves,get angry,and stuffs like that.what's needed is a forgiving heart,and learning how to move on..Forgiveness that comes not just from the lips,but from the heart.It's when we can look back at the incident and thank G-d for using that to shape us,and when we no longer cringe at that memory,that we know we've truly forgiven the person.The church exists in part to equip G-d's people to do His work by encouraging them in their faith,and spurring them on to do more and go further. It is in church that I learnt to work with others in unity and practice reconciliation that's only possible through the Spirit..
 
I find it astonishing that this debate is still going on.

YOU CANT GO TO CHURCH WE ARE THE CHURCH.

Could I humbly suggest that before any more posts are made regarding this topic that each contributor read Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola or my book Truth or Tradition, avaiable at

We have a site showcase for your website
 
evotell said:
I find it astonishing that this debate is still going on.

YOU CANT GO TO CHURCH WE ARE THE CHURCH.

Could I humbly suggest that before any more posts are made regarding this topic that each contributor read Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola or my book Truth or Tradition, avaiable at freechristianbook.ca
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I believe that most people are under the impression that when someone uses the term… “Go to Church” they are meaning… “Go to A Church” as in Church Building.
I also believe that most, if not all, know who and what “The Church” is.
 
Church is like a family, at least from my perspective it helps alot. But if things arent working out for you, i'm sure God can be given the glory anyway.
 
evotell said:
I find it astonishing that this debate is still going on.

YOU CANT GO TO CHURCH WE ARE THE CHURCH.

Could I humbly suggest that before any more posts are made regarding this topic that each contributor read Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola or my book Truth or Tradition, avaiable at

We have a site showcase for your website
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum .
We have an area for newbies to be welcomed and for them to tell a litltle of themselves and get acquainted.

http://www.christianforumsite.com/new-members-welcome-area-21/
 
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