The church is a local body of believers. Where they meet isn't important but that they meet is.Y'all talk as if church is a building located at specific place .
CHURCH ATTENDANCE AT A MAXIMUM FOR EASTER
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Jesus founded His Church, so He thought it was important, and He promised that whenever two or more gathered together, in His Name, He'd be present among them.
Yet there are so many on this thread that don't want to gather in Jesus' Name, to be with Him, and don't think Jesus' Church is important in their Christian lives.
So, I revert to my original post, why are so many not interested in worshipping God in the Church He founded? If they have no time, better things to do, or are just not interested, then where are their priorities.?
BTW, 'Acts of the Apostles' and early 'Church History' makes it clear that 'Church Worship' was an integral part of Christian life.
Y'all talk as if church is a building located at specific place .
You ask if I think that the Church is just a building, located at a specific place.
In fact, the Church is not really a building, but the Body of Christ meeting in specific places. You can see Churches being established throughout the book, "Acts of the Apostles'. As just one example:
Paul’s missionary journeys helped spread the gospel throughout much of the ancient world. Over the course of his ministry, the Apostle Paul traveled more than 10,000 miles and established at least 14 churches.
But for sure, the Church established by Jesus Christ meets to worship on a regular basis, and Jesus is with them when they do.
Jesus' Church is not just an abstract idea of an invisible Church, never was. It's a real visible Church, where Christians gather and worship. But, unfortunately, many see it as an abstract idea today. They offer lip service and say, 'Since I'm a Christian, then I'm a member of the Church Christ founded.
That's surely not the picture as seen in the book 'Acts of the Apostles'.
Yup. Which is something I said. We should fellowship with the saints. But that doesn't necessarily mean a church building with a man who stands in the front and preaches. We can have fellowship and edification when, say, the men get together to have a bbq or the ladies meet together and can peaches or learn how to make cheese (yes, these are experiences I've had. lol).
Those are great things to do but our fellowship is to be in the Lord. The Apostle Paul did say for I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
As difficult as it may be, believers should be a part of a local body of believers who meet regularly and worship.
Everyday is an act of worship if we give our lives to Him.
Jesus said to Peter if you love me, feed my sheep, feed my lambs. He didnt say, Peter, sing me a song. Or Peter, go sit in a pew and listen to sermon.
When we feed each other that is worship. When we pray its worship and we can do that anywhere. When we meet with fellow christians it doesnt have to be at church once a week. we can meet anytime during the week anywhere, with one, two or more people, several times doesnt have to be at least ten people to be heard by God.
I think traditional church services defintiely do have their place and great for new believers to have structure in their lives, esp with things like Sunday school and all the other things that happen in church buildings, but its not the be all and end all of a Christians life. Most of the prayer happens in homes, or where we work, or on the way to somewhere.
everytime we have a meal. we can give thanks for example. we can sing anywhere, it doesnt have to be on a stage with a mike and sound system. If we get too caught up with church only being a few hours on a sunday morning we miss being church all the other days of then week when we are actively living our lives and reaching out to others.
Its good to have big gatherings for time to time dont get me wrong, but sometimes theres just 'too much hui and not enough do-ey' for many people. the ceremony of assembly and church protocol eclipses everything else. And as with all meetings you know that the MORE people that attend them the longer and longer they take. Id rather go to ten short meetings with ten different people over a week than one big hour long meeting with hundreds of people. I still feel part of Christs body doing that then maybe a useless extra part thats not needed since theres so many others all around with a job and function if you know what I mean. In other words maybe my function is to circulate round the entire body as a member.
and as everyone has diverse gifts and not all have them at the same time I am sure I get to see more of them used than just at one fixed and set location.
Jesus said to Peter if you love me, feed my sheep, feed my lambs. He didnt say, Peter, sing me a song. Or Peter, go sit in a pew and listen to sermon.
When we feed each other that is worship. When we pray its worship and we can do that anywhere. When we meet with fellow christians it doesnt have to be at church once a week. we can meet anytime during the week anywhere, with one, two or more people, several times doesnt have to be at least ten people to be heard by God.
I think traditional church services defintiely do have their place and great for new believers to have structure in their lives, esp with things like Sunday school and all the other things that happen in church buildings, but its not the be all and end all of a Christians life. Most of the prayer happens in homes, or where we work, or on the way to somewhere.
everytime we have a meal. we can give thanks for example. we can sing anywhere, it doesnt have to be on a stage with a mike and sound system. If we get too caught up with church only being a few hours on a sunday morning we miss being church all the other days of then week when we are actively living our lives and reaching out to others.
Its good to have big gatherings for time to time dont get me wrong, but sometimes theres just 'too much hui and not enough do-ey' for many people. the ceremony of assembly and church protocol eclipses everything else. And as with all meetings you know that the MORE people that attend them the longer and longer they take. Id rather go to ten short meetings with ten different people over a week than one big hour long meeting with hundreds of people. I still feel part of Christs body doing that then maybe a useless extra part thats not needed since theres so many others all around with a job and function if you know what I mean. In other words maybe my function is to circulate round the entire body as a member.
and as everyone has diverse gifts and not all have them at the same time I am sure I get to see more of them used than just at one fixed and set location.
One thing I'll say, from personal experience, about the drop in Church attendance in the country, it affects the next generation the most. The fastest growing religious belief among the young in the country is, 'None at All'!
From my own experience, in my large extended family (children/grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins), many of the youth have fallen away from Christianity, even if their parents took them to church on a regular basis.
But the really sad point is, for those who weren't attending church on a regular basis with their children, NONE of their children have any faith whatsoever. All of them have fallen away from Christ, every single one. All of these young ones are materialistic creatures of the world with no interest in Jesus at all!
Regular Church attendance is a big help for youngsters in teaching them the faith.
From my own experience, in my large extended family (children/grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins), many of the youth have fallen away from Christianity, even if their parents took them to church on a regular basis.
But the really sad point is, for those who weren't attending church on a regular basis with their children, NONE of their children have any faith whatsoever. All of them have fallen away from Christ, every single one. All of these young ones are materialistic creatures of the world with no interest in Jesus at all!
Regular Church attendance is a big help for youngsters in teaching them the faith.
But...as we live and work we ARE in the Lord. Conversation of him, about him, songs of worship as we work...they all come naturally with no need for a worship team on stage to lead us. I mean, that's what I imagine Heaven will be like. A group of people who love Yahweh, living and worshiping Him in every moment as we walk the streets of gold or eat from the tree of life and explore the new world He created; not sitting in a pew listening to a sermon for eternity. I guess I'm struggling with the idea that worshiping Jesus has to be a structured thing.
A friend of mine's father used to come to our home church (we have a home church on Fridays and go to a traditional church on Sundays) and while the rest of us were chatting, sharing our week and how Yahweh had blessed us, etc he'd jokingly say "Time to put on our church face!" when we'd all sit and "get serious" about reading the Word and singing. Got to where we realized we were kinda putting God in a church box. Worship shouldn't be a "face" that we put on, as traditional church teaches us but daily living in each moment for Christ.
Because they are already worshiping Him with their every thought, word, and deed, and in doing so have received His direction to serve Him in other ways?
I don't disagree with what you are saying. I'm merely pointing out that regular attendance in worship with a local body of believers is a part of what God expects from His people. The idea that this can somehow be neglected and somehow be exonerated by performing other religious activities is simply wrong.
Right. And that regular attendance in worship doesn't have to take place in a traditional church building.
I think we're on the same page here.
in the original house churches the children experienced God with their parents in the body of believers.
well no actually what happened in the old days was most schools were run by christians and the Bible was actually taught everyday as part of the curriculum, and how to behave and act towards others, and prayers.
You will learn far more in school five days a week than half an hour a week on Sunday in a sunday school program.
The other thing was businesses run by Christians would have prayer business meetings as part of their work routine.
You will learn far more in school five days a week than half an hour a week on Sunday in a sunday school program.
The other thing was businesses run by Christians would have prayer business meetings as part of their work routine.
Church was not separated from where you live.
if someone had extra rooms or a gathering space, that was used as an assembly area. Large homes often had speparate chapels especially built and set aside for prayer and worship. But you can just mark an empty closet as your prayer room.
I think suburbanites miss out on church when its just a place that they can only access by car...if they have one. How are you expected to attend regualrly if you have no way of getting there?
Easy for the pastors family they just live in a manse right next door. Not so easy for everyone else.
if someone had extra rooms or a gathering space, that was used as an assembly area. Large homes often had speparate chapels especially built and set aside for prayer and worship. But you can just mark an empty closet as your prayer room.
I think suburbanites miss out on church when its just a place that they can only access by car...if they have one. How are you expected to attend regualrly if you have no way of getting there?
Easy for the pastors family they just live in a manse right next door. Not so easy for everyone else.
It could be what you have suggested, it could also be that a believer does not have an assembly nearby that they could be regularly part of. Or perhaps a past bad experience has caused that person to back off for a season, it could be any number of reasons. But there is definitely a great blessing in meeting regularly with other believers, to be blessed and to be a blessing to others. One body, many parts. And the oft quoted scripture:
not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:25)
I'm not suggesting that there aren't times when regular worship and fellowship in a local body isn't interrupted. Life is seldom ideal. But what I'm hearing in some cases are excuses from those who have no intention of doing so regardless of opportunity.It could be what you have suggested, it could also be that a believer does not have an assembly nearby that they could be regularly part of. Or perhaps a past bad experience has caused that person to back off for a season, it could be any number of reasons. But there is definitely a great blessing in meeting regularly with other believers, to be blessed and to be a blessing to others. One body, many parts. And the oft quoted scripture:
not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:25)
Since I've been saved, I've attended 4 churches. The church I attend currently I have attended for 23 years. The church was started as a church in someone's home. So I know the lengths God will go to for His people when they honor Him. I also live an hour away from the church. But I would travel further and longer to attend a fellowship of believers who truly worship God in spirit and truth and be ministered to by a preacher who can not only fill my head with truth but feed also my soul.
God still has men preaching the truth and shepherding His flock. It may take some doing to find them, but the effort will be rewarded.
Hello Cameron! That is indeed difficult to understand then. When someone finds the Kingdom of God they're all in:
Matthew 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it"
Psalm 84 also shows the desire of the believer to be in God's House:
Psalm 84:10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
God Bless You