Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I didn't vote, because I feel this is one of those "yes and no" situations...where I can see validity to both yes and no answers. You don't need to go to church in order to be a Christian...
However.....going to a local church brings opportunities for friendship, fellowship, and learning/growing in Christ, that likely won't happen if you stay at home. Or, at least not as much, if you stay at home.
Alternative: home churches. There is the recent boom in "home" churches, where believers meet in homes to worship God. I think this is perfectly fine and ok, and a very good way to avoid the expense of upkeep on a traditional church building...especially for small groups of believers that simply can't afford the expense of a church building. Prime examples are found in the NT...
Living in a country with one of the lowest church attendance rates in the Western World, one would think I would say "Yes", but say "No".
It is not necessary to be in a church on a sunday to worship.
This was once a "mortal sin" in the catholic church not to attend church on sunday, but has since been down-graded to a lower sin or to not one at all. I do not believe it to be a sin at all.
I try to attend once every month or to, or if and when the situation presents itself.
New age movements and fundamentalist churches are rare in this country, so I cannot speak for them.
Is it necessary "For What???"......It is not necessary for your Salvation....BUT.....How are your going to do your part??..... find a Bible based church that "Teaches the Truth".....There is no perfect "Church" but BEWARE of FALSE DOCTRINES and FALSE TEACHERS.....as a Christian you are meant to be a part of the Body of Christ.......Church is not only about what you get out of it but what you might do for others........GET INVOLVED......there is much work to be done for the Kingdom of God........
Is it necessary "For What???"......It is not necessary for your Salvation....BUT.....How are your going to do your part??..... find a Bible based church that "Teaches the Truth".....There is no perfect "Church" but BEWARE of FALSE DOCTRINES and FALSE TEACHERS.....as a Christian you are meant to be a part of the Body of Christ.......Church is not only about what you get out of it but what you might do for others........GET INVOLVED......there is much work to be done for the Kingdom of God........
Amen....
Matt. 9:36-38
36. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
37. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
38. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
It is important to go to church and fellowship with others, give your testimony and lift the name of jesus. every day god takes time to see about his children, when will you stop and give him what belongs to him, some praise and worship. if you think over your life, you should realize that god had done something in your life that should send you to the church doors. with a smile in your heart
A church won't save you; being baptized in water won't save you; only a real blood-bought born again experience will lead to eternal life.
Notwithstanding, it would be good if you can find an uncompromising church to attend that teaches the real truth about this born again experience that Jesus offers.
It is important to go to church and fellowship with others, give your testimony and lift the name of jesus. every day god takes time to see about his children, when will you stop and give him what belongs to him, some praise and worship. if you think over your life, you should realize that god had done something in your life that should send you to the church doors. with a smile in your heart
Is church something we go to? or something we are?
A Service is usually so rehearsed and repetitive.
Doe's it edify, or is it something that has been said over and over?
Fellowship! Amen.... any where any time....
A living breathing testimony of example! Amen..... Let our lights so shine....
Helping others! Amen..... Charity suffereth long and is kind....
Sitting and listening to another bible college cloned person serve a watered down micro Christianity!
The "Church" of Jesus Christ is NOT a place...
...OF BRICK...WOOD...ALUMINIUM...OR PLASTER...where a child of God goes to listen to false teachers lead the children of God to their destruction...to know everything BUT God's Word. This is what the Lord says:
" 'Do people fall down and not get up?
...Or take the wrong road and then just keep going?
So why does this people go backward,
...and just keep on going - backward!
They stubbornly hold on to their illusions,
...refuse to change direction.
I listen carefully
...but heard not so much a whisper.
No one expressed one word of regret.
....Not a single "I'm sorry" did I hear.
They just kept at it blindly and stupidly
...banging their heads against a brick wall.
Cranes know when it's time
...to move south for the winter.
And Robins, Warblers, and Bluebirds
...know when it's time to come back again.
But My people? My people know nothing,
...not the first thing of God and His laws.
" 'How can you say, "We are wise because we have the Word of the Lord," ...when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies?
These wise teachers will fall
...into the trap of their own foolishness,
for they have rejected the Word of the Lord.
...Are they so wise after all?...
..."Then the people will say,
...'Why should we wait here to die?
'Come, let's go to the fortified towns and die there.
...For the Lord our God has decreed our destruction
and has given us a cup of poison to drink
...because we sinned against the Lord.
We hoped for peace, but no peace came.
...We hoped for a time of healing, but found only
terror.'...I, the Lord, have spoken!"
Jeremiah 8:1-17.
THE CHURCH IS...
...A "CALLING OUT!"..."Gather together and come...! (Isaiah 45:20). "FROM OUT OF!" the midst of unbelievers..."FROM AMONG!" the midst unbelievers..."CALLED!"...
THE CHURCH IS...
...THE BRIDE OF CHRIST!!...IT IS THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST WITHIN YOU!!...
THE CHURCH IS...
...THE "LIKE-MINDED," THE "ONENESS" IN CHRIST!!...the "CHURCH!" of the "FIRSTBORN!"...
AND WHAT DOES HIS CHURCH DO?
...THEY, "ASSEMBLE" TOGETHER!
....<*>....~*~A Call To Listen To God~*~....<*>..... Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for THOSE WHO ARE NOT HOLY WILL NOT SEE THE LORD. Look after each other so that no one fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Make sure that at no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. You know that afterward, when he wanted his father's blessing, HE WAS REJECTED. IT WAS TOO LATE FOR REPENTANCE, EVEN THOUGH HE BEGGED WITH BITTER TEARS. You have not come to a physical mountain, to a "PLACE" of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. They staggered back under God's command: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death." Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, "I am terrified and trembling.' " No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the livimg God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. ******YOU HAVE COME TO THE ASSEMBLY OF GOD'S FIRSTBORN CHILDREN, WHOSE NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN!****** YOU HAVE COME TO GOD HIMSELF, WHO IS THE JUDGE OVER ALL THINGS. YOU HAVE COME TO THE SPIRITS OF THE RIGHTEOUS ONES IN HEAVEN WHO HAVE NOW BEEN MADE PERFECT. YOU HAVE COME TO JESUS, THE ONE WHO MEDIATES THE NEW COVENANT BETWEEN GOD AND PEOPLE, AND TO THE SPRINKLED BLOOD, WHICH SPEAKS OF FORGIVENESS INSTEAD OF CRYING OUT FOR VENGEANCE LIKE THE BLOOD OF ABEL. Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai His voice shook the earth, but now He makes another promise: "Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also. This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remaian. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy FEAR and AWE. For our God is a DEVOURING FIRE! Hebrews 12:14-28.
THE CHURCH IS...
...the "CHURCH!" of the "UPRIGHT"...
"Praise the Lord!
I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the .....congregation.
The works of the Lord are great,
Studied by all who have pleasure in them.
His work is honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever.
He had made His wonderful works to be
......remembered;
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will ever be mindful of His covenant.
He has declared to His people the power of His
......works.
In giving them the heritage of the nations.
The works of His hands are faithful and just;
All His precepts are sure.
They stand fast forever and ever,
And are done in truth and uprightness.
He has sent redemption to His people;
He has commanded His covenant forever:
Holy and awesome is His name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His ......commandments.
His praise endures forever."
Psalm111:1-10.
HARKEN UNTO THE WORD OF THE LIVING GOD!...SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU! KNOW OUR FATHER'S HEART!"..."Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we afirm. for God can be trusted to keep His promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our ASSEMBLING together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near!" (Hebrews 10:23-25).
Please pray for understanding...
Assemble. 622 to gather for any purpose; hence to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.): assemble, bring, consume, destroy, fetch, gather (in, together, up again) get (him). lose, put all together, receive, recover, rereward, surely, take (away, into, up) utterly, withdraw.
Assemble. 6908 to grasp, i.e. collect:-assemble (salves), gather (bring) (together, selves together, up), heap, resort, surely, take up.
Assembly. 3831 a mass meeting, i.e. (fig.) universal companionship:-general assembly.
Church. 1537 a prim. prep. denoting origin (the point whence motion or action proceeds), from, out (of place, time or cause; lit. or fig.; direct or remote);-after, among, Xare, at, betwixt (-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), doe (-th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, +heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, +very highly, in, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, through, X unto, X vehemently. with (-out). Often used in composition. with the same general import; often of completion.
Guys the point is quiet simple. You become a christian, immediatly you become a member of His church. You become a christian, you must go to church. You belong to His church. You can do nothing on your own. You must share, recieve and give with other fellow christians. This is what we are called to. This is how we fulfill His calling on our lives.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
