Understanding your Beliefs of Attending Church

[bobinfaith]

Hello everyone;

I'm posting this topic in love and respect where each individual stands in their personal walk with God and His Church.

Hazel and I will celebrate one year on October 7th at Biblical Truth Forum. We love our brothers and sisters here and thank you all for your love, fellowship and prayers for one another.

My wife has only posted once but is more of a reader at BTF, and she will discuss our topics between her and me. We are aware of one area and that's a member's individual choice whether they attend Church or another form of intimate worship.

In our community and online there are Christians who don't attend Church for many reasons. They may have an experience of personal pain, burnout, and frustration from attending Church, personality issues with other people in attendance, the autonomy or governance of the Church, the Pastor doesn't preach with solid Biblical knowledge, the praise and worship style of music, the style or order of Church service is outdated, there are all kinds of reasons not to attend Church.

As a result, the alternative to attending Church could be daily fellowship on a Christian forum, watching a worship service on the internet, or sitting in the backyard or forest, overlooking the view.

I get it. I also keep in mind the respect I have for the individual and their reasons why they won't attend Church. I'm referring to the people, not the building.

When Jesus spoke of the Church, He declared to His servant in Matthew 16:18, 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. - NASB

Meaning, Jesus was calling believers toward active, loving community with others. Peter revealed the true identity of Christ in Matthew 16:16, Christ revealed Peter and his role, as well as the role of each of us who follow our Lord and Savior.

I personally continue to ask Jesus, am I where He wants me to be? I'm also encouraging all of us to have that prayer time with Jesus, please seek where He wants each us to be in our relationship and fellowship with others.

Is it a Church that you are currently attending or may attend one day, is it your current online Christian forum or, other form of gathering, worship and hearing the Word of God?

God bless you and thank you for your love and prayers.

Bob and Hazel

 

[David]

I appreciate the loving way you raised this. I agree that Christians need encouragement, prayer, and fellowship centered on Christ and His Word. At the same time, I do not believe Scripture makes attending a church building the measure of whether someone is walking with God.

I used to attend church Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. Yet I do not believe I was any closer to the Lord simply because I was in a building three times each week. Often I left discouraged rather than encouraged. It seemed that God’s Word was not taken seriously, and conversation after services was usually about everything but Scripture. The only time some people approached me was when they needed someone to babysit the children, clean the building, or handle some other tasks, I did do those things for a very long time.

I have visited many churches and different denominations. When I lived in Tennessee, I attended and enjoyed church there. Since moving to Indiana, however, I have not found a church where the preaching is truly centered on the Bible and where the people seem concerned with serving Christ rather than maintaining a building, collecting money, or serving themselves. It is discouraging to see little concern for helping those in need or supporting missionaries, while there is so much concern for other things. I do know if someone can find a church to attend near them, it would be a blessing for sure.

The Bible says that the first believers “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). That is what I desire: believers who take the apostles’ doctrine seriously, pray biblically, encourage one another, and seek to obey Christ. Hebrews 10:24–25 calls us to consider one another, provoke one another unto love and good works, and encourage one another. It does not say that a building or an attendance record makes a person spiritual.

My wife and I now watch the live service of a faithful church in North Carolina that we knew when we lived there. We discuss the teaching together and search the Scriptures. I also enjoy talking with Christian friends on message boards and speaking with people about the Bible when I am out and about and the opportunity arises. Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another.” That can happen wherever believers are sincerely opening God’s Word together.


I have prayed and continue to ask the Lord to show us a faithful local gathering where His Word is truly taught and lived out. God can change that at any time. But I do not believe there is any value in attending somewhere simply to say I attended, while leaving depressed because Christ, His Word, prayer, evangelism, and genuine care for others are being neglected.

That reflects where my wife and I are now: seeking the Word together, encouraging one another, and remaining open to wherever the Lord leads.

Going to a church building does not automatically create fellowship any more than standing in a garage makes someone a car mechanic. A person can sit in a service every week and never hear sound teaching, never discuss God’s Word, never pray with other believers, and never be encouraged toward love and good works. On the other hand, believers who sincerely open the Scriptures together, pray for one another, speak of Christ, and encourage obedience to Him are doing the very things Scripture calls fellowship.

 

[bobinfaith]

I do not believe Scripture makes attending a church building the measure of whether someone is walking with God. I used to attend church Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. Yet I do not believe I was any closer to the Lord simply because I was in a building three times each week. Often I left discouraged rather than encouraged.

The Bible says that the first believers “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). That is what I desire: believers who take the apostles’ doctrine seriously, pray biblically, encourage one another, and seek to obey Christ. Hebrews 10:24–25 calls us to consider one another, provoke one another unto love and good works, and encourage one another. It does not say that a building or an attendance record makes a person spiritual.

My wife and I now watch the live service of a faithful church in North Carolina that we knew when we lived there. We discuss the teaching together and search the Scriptures. I also enjoy talking with Christian friends on message boards and speaking with people about the Bible when I am out and about and the opportunity arises. Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another.” That can happen wherever believers are sincerely opening God’s Word together.

That reflects where my wife and I are now: seeking the Word together, encouraging one another, and remaining open to wherever the Lord leads.

Hello David;

Christian church buildings did not exist during the earthly life of Jesus so when He taught about His Church being the assembly gathering of people, He wasn't referring to a building or a tally of who attended.

I pose this topic because this does cross the minds of Christians who struggle whether to attend worship with other believers in a traditional sense. I agree that entering a brick and mortar doesn't mean a believer automatically becomes spiritual.

You and your wife give an awesome testimony of your desire to worship with "believers who take the apostles’ doctrine seriously, pray biblically, encourage one another, and seek to obey Christ."

This is an encouragement to others in the world wide public who seek the meaning of Christ's definition of Church.

There is a group of other believers who gather every week in their backyard to fellowship, enjoy a barbeque, share a time with their praises and struggles, refer to Scripture, and pray, pray and pray. This group has all the faith that Jesus is present amongst them. They continue this today and the truth is, individuals have grown in their faith with the support of one another. That is a Biblical example of Church.

Are there other's thoughts?

God bless everyone.

Bob

 

[David]

I agree with the main point you are making. What matters is not the address where believers meet, but what is actually taking place when they gather. The example you gave of believers meeting in a backyard, opening Scripture, praying together, encouraging one another, and sharing their burdens contains several of the very elements we see in Acts 2:42:

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

That verse keeps bringing me back to the same question: What did God actually intend Christian fellowship to be?

If people gather in a beautiful building every week but rarely speak about Christ, barely know one another, never bear one another’s burdens, and the Word of God is treated lightly, then the building itself does not make that gathering spiritually healthy. On the other hand, if believers gather in a home or backyard, open the Bible, pray together, encourage one another, help one another through trials, and seek to obey what God has said, we should not dismiss that simply because there is no pulpit, steeple, or sign out front.

Hebrews 10:24-25 is important here because it tells us why believers assemble: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together... but exhorting one another.”

Notice how much of that passage concerns “one another.” Biblical fellowship is not supposed to be reduced to sitting in a room and listening. We are supposed to know one another well enough to encourage one another, pray for one another, bear one another’s burdens, and stir one another toward love and obedience.

I would never tell someone who has found a faithful local church not to attend. If Christ is being preached faithfully, Scripture governs the fellowship, believers genuinely care for one another, prayer matters, and the gospel is being lived out, that is a tremendous blessing. But I also would not tell a Christian that simply sitting in a church building every Sunday automatically fulfills what God requires. Scripture describes something deeper than attendance.

Maybe that is the question worth asking ourselves: Are we merely attending something called church, or are we actually living as the body of Christ toward one another?

That question applies whether believers meet under a steeple, in a living room, in a backyard, or anywhere else.

 

[bobinfaith]

Good morning, David;

I feel we're in accord, sharing our convictions and other areas of attending Church. At the same time we're encouraging our brothers and sisters to continue worshiping at a Truth and faith filled Church. We would never tell someone not to attend.

Hopefully, if Hazel and I visit your town we'd love to have a time to worship the Lord with you and your wife.

God bless you, brother.

Bob

 

[HeldByGrace]

As I reflect on this and wrestle with church attendance myself I’ve come to the realisation that belonging to an online community is great, but… it’s so easy to hide. With BTF being such a public forum burdens aren’t shared, and it’s easy to just not log in . Where meeting with others regularly, whether in a church building or backyard, people will notice when you go quiet or go missing for a few weeks, be able to check on you and offer encouragement or even practical help.
At one of our previous churches I found the teaching weak, but looked at the people and what the church did for missionaries and the community as a whole and wanted to be a part of it.

 

[bobinfaith]

As I reflect on this and wrestle with church attendance myself I’ve come to the realisation that belonging to an online community is great, but… it’s so easy to hide. With BTF being such a public forum burdens aren’t shared, and it’s easy to just not log in . Where meeting with others regularly, whether in a church building or backyard, people will notice when you go quiet or go missing for a few weeks, be able to check on you and offer encouragement or even practical help.
At one of our previous churches I found the teaching weak, but looked at the people and what the church did for missionaries and the community as a whole and wanted to be a part of it.

Hello HeldByGrace;

Thank you for sharing some good points. There were those years when we were new members of our Church and didn't attend for a couple of weeks. We received voicemails from members and our Pastor. It felt nice to check in knowing we were missed and prayed for.

I preached this morning on the generation gaps going back to the New and Old Testaments. There were errors because the "gaps" omitted Biblical teaching of the generations. The older generations did not teach Deuteronomy 6 to their children. They didn't understand the challenges for their children's times, economic instability, the impact of COVID, unattainable family goals, a divided political landscape, leaving Christ's teaching out of the rearing with unanswered questions, examples of faith and gathering.

I have to be honest. The impression of the traditional large sanctuary has led many adults who prefer smaller churches that meet in living rooms, backyards, around the kitchen table or a Christian forum. Many younger Christians are also finding new venues to meet for worship aside from the building or mountain.

Acts 2:46, 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, - RSV

A group of Christians that I know meet outdoors in open air praising the Lord in song, sharing testimonies, prayer and God's Word. This blesses the children and teens in attendance with they hope they will carry on (future generation) of gathering in the future.

John 4:21-24, 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” - RSV

God bless you, HeldByGrace and your entire family.

Bob

 

[WhitneyBrat]

I am very lucky to have a church I love almost close enough to throw a tennis ball at, but I understand a lot of people don't have that option. I am grateful that I do.

 

[bobinfaith]

I am very lucky to have a church I love almost close enough to throw a tennis ball at, but I understand a lot of people don't have that option. I am grateful that I do.
View attachment 656

So that was you! I still have that knot on my head!

It must have been the sermon. lol!

That is a nice Church. It looks like a historical site.

Bob

 

[WhitneyBrat]

So that was you! I still have that knot on my head!

It must have been the sermon. lol!

That is a nice Church. It looks like a historical site.

Bob

It's Christ Episcopal Church, founded by people breaking away from the Cotton Mathers style theocracy in Massachusetts in 1802. It's been our family church since shortly after that. We have some very old stained glass from France, and a historic graveyard you can tour.

 

[David]

As I reflect on this and wrestle with church attendance myself I’ve come to the realisation that belonging to an online community is great, but… it’s so easy to hide. With BTF being such a public forum burdens aren’t shared, and it’s easy to just not log in . Where meeting with others regularly, whether in a church building or backyard, people will notice when you go quiet or go missing for a few weeks, be able to check on you and offer encouragement or even practical help.
At one of our previous churches I found the teaching weak, but looked at the people and what the church did for missionaries and the community as a whole and wanted to be a part of it.

I think you have brought up something very important, and honestly it is something worth thinking seriously about. One of the weaknesses of an online forum is exactly what you said. It can be very easy to hide. Someone can be struggling, stop posting for a while, and unless real relationships have developed, people may not even know anything is wrong.

That makes me think about all the “one another” passages in Scripture. “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Hebrews 10:24 says, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” There is a closeness in those verses that is much easier when believers actually know one another personally.

If you have, or can find, a church where the Word of God is faithfully taught and believers really do care for one another, notice when someone is missing, help when there is a need, support missionaries, and serve others, that has to be a tremendous blessing. I certainly would never promote BTF, or any online forum, as a replacement for that kind of biblical fellowship.

At the same time, I do think online fellowship has a real place. Some believers cannot get out easily. Others may live where they simply cannot find a God-fearing church that is faithful to Scripture. And even for those who are part of a good local fellowship, there is something valuable about being able to talk with believers from other places whom we would probably never meet otherwise.

That is one of the things I appreciate about BTF. We have people from different parts of the world who can open the Bible together, ask questions, encourage one another, and sometimes help one another see things we may not have considered before.

So I do not see it as either local fellowship or online fellowship. When possible, face-to-face fellowship with faithful believers is a great blessing. Online fellowship can also be a blessing alongside it, especially when it keeps us connected with other believers and centered on the Word of God. It would be nice for people who have a good Church to invite some people from their Church to visit with us here; we would be glad to have them.

Your point about the church you attended is important too. Even though you found the teaching weak, you saw people caring for missionaries and serving the community, and that made you want to be involved. Those things certainly matter. At the same time, sound doctrine matters too. Acts 2:42 says, “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

A healthy gathering should not force us to choose between truth and love. Scripture calls us to both.

You have added something valuable to this discussion. Thanks.

 

[HeldByGrace]

Acts 2:46, 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, - RSV

I read Acts 1-3 with my kids this morning, and was moved again by what the early church looked like. So beautiful.

 

[Yesua888]

My Favourites:

26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.