4 Reasons for Church Membership
- Thread starter Chad
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10 More Reasons For Church Membership
Firstly, thank you Chad, for all the amazing work you do on this website sharing the truth and love of Jesus. I am a new member here and I must say you've impressed me. You are clearly a driving force behind this wonderful website.
Second, I thought I would share some additional reasons to go to church that I put together recently, if you don't mind Chad, in hopes to bless, inform, help or encourage someone.
10 Reasons To Go To Church
fellowship, encouragement, strength, growth, worship, application, service, warfare, restoration, healing, power, obedience
1) FELLOWSHIP. "God wants you to have fellowship with other believers, and you will be weakened spiritually if you don't have active contact with His people." ~Billy Graham
Stormie Omartian, in her outstanding book Finding Peace For Your Heart, talks about the importance of spending time with other believers (both inside and outside the church): "'Fellowship has to do with a mutuality in all parts of your life,' pastor Jack taught us. 'You bear one another's burdens and fulfill the law of Christ. You pray for one another, you love one another, you help one another when there is material need, you week with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. It's growing in an association with people who are moving in the same pathway you are and sharing with each other in your times of victory or need or your times of trial and triumph. It's growing in relationship.' Fellowship is instrumental in shaping us. The Bible says that we become like those we spend time with and good friends sharpen one another just as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17)."~Stormie Omartian, Finding Peace For Your Heart
You also fellowship with Christ: "Jesus Christ is the Head and Lawgiver of His churches, and as such He is in attendance every time the church assembles. He walks in the midst of His churches. He has deposited His glory in His church according to Ephesians 3:21 which states: 'Unto him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus through all ages, world without end. Amen.' If Christ's glory and presence is found in His churches then should we not make every effort to be faithful to assemble in His name and enjoy His blessed fellowship? Matthew 18:20 declares: 'For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." ~Tim Ross
2) ENCOURAGEMENT. "You need spiritual encouragement and help, and one of the most important ways you can receive these is through fellowship with God's people in a church where Christ is taught and lived." ~Billy Graham
3) STRENGTH. You meet with other Christians so that they can use their spiritual gifts to strengthen you. (We were all given spiritual gifts to minister to and help other people). "Paul explains that each part of the body exists to meet the needs of the other body parts. In the same way, God intends each of us to meet the needs of other believers, using our strengths to help in their areas of weakness. 1 Corinthians 12:21 expresses it this way: 'The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you.' Neither can a Christian claim to be self-sufficient today." ~Dr. John Bechtle
4) GROWTH. As Billy Graham says, God wants you to grow and become strong in your faith, so you can resist temptation and become more like Jesus. In church, you learn from the Bible as it is taught. And you also learn from other believers who can help and encourage you.:
"...once we come to Christ, we become part of a family—the family of God. Think of it: You are no longer just an individual, but you are now part of a group—a spiritual 'family' that includes every person on earth who truly believes in Jesus Christ. Everyone who believes in Christ is now your spiritual brother or sister! This family of believers is what the Bible calls the Church, the body of Christ: 'Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it' (1 Corinthians 12:27).
"Why is it important to be part of a local fellowship of believers? Let me ask you a question: What does God want to do in your life? The answer is this: He wants to make you more like Jesus. But this won't happen if you are isolated from other Christians. You need them—and they need you. The Bible says, 'Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds' (Hebrews 10:24).
"It's possible to be a Christian without going to church—but you will be missing out on an important part of what God wants to do in your life. Just as we need a balanced diet to be strong physically, so we need a balanced 'diet' to be strong spiritually—and part of that 'diet' is the Church.
"Let me explain. What you have done by accepting Christ into your life is very important—in fact, it's the most important decision you will ever make. But becoming a Christian is only the beginning—the beginning of a whole new life with Christ. Now God wants you to grow and become strong in your faith, so you can resist temptation and become more like Jesus.
"One of the ways we grow spiritually is through our fellowship and worship with other believers—in other words, through a church where Christ is honored. Not only do we learn from the Bible as it is taught, but we also learn from other believers who can help and encourage us. The Bible says, 'Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another' (Hebrews 10:25)....
When you attend church, you are hearing God's word preached which causes you to grow as a Christian as well as nourishes and strengthens your faith. "There will be little or no growth in the Christian life if a person fails to recieve a steady diet of Scriptural preaching. 1 Peter 2:2-3 declares: 'As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.'" ~Tim Ross "Not only is Christian growth a result of hearing the Word, your faith will also be nourished and strengthened through hearing God's Word. Romans 10:17 states: 'So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.' The best place for any person, whether lost or saved, is to be consistently in attendance upon the preaching of God's Word." ~Tim Ross
You will grow closer to Christ. "Go because you know you need to grow closer to Christ, and one way this happens is through our fellowship with other believers. The Bible says, 'Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation' (1 Peter 2:2)." ~Billy Graham
5) WORSHIP. You are engaging in public worship. In addition to reviving your spirit and encouraging your heart, worship brings pleasure to God. And remember, "worship is not for your benefit....We worship for God's benefit. When we worship, our goal is to bring pleasure to God, not ourselves."~Rick Warren " "In worship, we are expressing our love and gratitude to God for who he is and what He has done in our lives. When we engage in public worship we are manifesting to other believers as well as the lost world at large that our Lord is worthy of our highest praise and dedication." ~Tim Ross of Landmark Independent Baptist Church The Bible says to "sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:19-20)
6) APPLICATION. You then apply and practice God's truth in your daily life. "As God's people come to hear the Word of the Lord, and be fed and nourished by it, they are to go forth applying and practicing the truth in their daily lives. If you do not faithfully attend church to hear God's message on a consistent basis it is highly unlikely that you will practice the principles of Christianity in your daily life. Hearing and doing God's Word are intricately linked together." ~Tim Ross
7) WARFARE. By not going to church, you become like a sheep separated from its flock you are more vulnerable and open to attack from the prowling lion, the enemy of your soul, the Devil. (more coming soon...)
8) RESTORATION, HEALING AND POWER. It is in the body of a church that you find restoration and healing--and certain visitations of God's power happen only in the midst of such gatherings of believers. Stormie Omartian, in her outstanding book Finding Peace For Your Heart, talks about this subject: "....First and most basic of all, it is very important that you find a church home and spend time with that body of believers in church. I have not seen the kind of restoration and healing I'm talking about in this book happen without it. ...Once you accept Jesus, you have eternal life whether you ever go to church or not, but I'm talking about living in the fullness of all God has for you. I'm talking about expelling the pain from deep within and living in love, peace and joy. Certain visitations of God's power happen only in the midst of such gatherings of believers. Make it a point to be a part of that."
9) SERVICE. In a gathering of believers, you can obey the New Testament's "one another" commands: We are to comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18), build up one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), confess our sins ot one another (James 5:16), pray for one another (James 5:16), and many more.
10) OBEDIENCE. It is an act of obedience. Hebrews 10:25 declares: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is" or in the Message version "not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching."
You are following the example of Christ. "During the earthly life of Jesus Christ, He faithfully attended the synagogue, which was the place of public worship for the Jews. They would gather to read the law, and have one of the teachers expound the truths of the Old Testament. Luke 4:16 states: 'And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as His custom was, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.'" ~Tim Ross "1 John 2:6 declares: "He that saith he abideth in him ought to himself also so to walk, even as he walked." ~Tim Ross
FINDING A CHURCH
What To Look For
As Billy Graham and Stormie Omartian (in her book Finding Peace For Your Heart) explain, there are certain things to look for in a church.
Ask God to lead you to a church in your town...
With a pastor who...
--Preaches the Bible and offers good solid teaching from it
--Is submitted to other pastoral leadership
--Can talk about the Holy Spirit's working in power in the believer's life
With a body of believers who..
--Show the love of God. Find a church where you sense the love of God there and you recieve it in abundance from the people. "Some churches make an outgoing display of love, yet others who are more reserved may be just as genuine. If you pick up feelings of pride, competition, selfishness, self-righteousness, or coldness, determine whether that is the overall atmosphere or an isolated case. Remember than in any church you could find someone to exemplify these traits. Ask yourself if you generally feel love and acceptance there."~Stormie
--Praise and worship the Lord
--Help you grow in your relationship to Christ (more than just make you feel comfortable). "Remember: God's goal for you isn't just that you will 'enjoy' church, but that you will be challenged to grow in your faith and become more like Christ. Let the Bible's command become your goal as you seek a new church: 'But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ' (2 Peter 3:18)."~Billy Graham
That believes...
--The Bible is the Word of God
--In being born again
--In being baptized
That provides...
--Other opportunities to grow spiritually (such as small group Bible studies)
--Ways to serve Christ in some way—the choir, community outreach, etc.
"God can't work as powerfully in a church that limits Him and doesn't practice certain basic steps of obedience."~Stormie
Find The Church For You
"...I certainly understand if you have been hurt or burned by a church," says Stormie. But keep in mind: "No two churches are alike. Each has its own personality. Some are great, some good, some not quite what you'd hoped they'd be. Somewhere there is a right church for you, and you need to ask God to help you find it.
"...Continue to look until you've found a solid church you can call home. If you are in a church where you're miserable, then get out. It's hard to receive God's love and life from a church you detest. This is not licence to "church hop" whenever the pressure to grow is on, but don't fall for the "Now we gotcha!" trap either. Leave any church that tries to control your every breath.
"Ask God to lead you to the right place. When you find it, make a commitment to stay and watch yourself grow. Go as often as you can. If once a week feels like a major commitment, start there. If once a week is easy, then go to midweek services also."
Do They Come From God?
A final thought. 1 John 4 warns: “don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world.”
There are several ways the Bible says that you can tell if a person comes from/belongs to/has a relationship with/knows/loves God (or has nothing to do with Him) and whether it is the Spirit of Truth or the spirit of deception speaking. If they...
1) Confess openly their faith in Jesus, the Son of God. “Here's how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ—the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh-and-blood person—comes from God and belongs to God. And everyone who refuses to confess faith in Jesus has nothing in common with God. This is the spirit of antichrist that you heard was coming. Well, here it is, sooner than we thought!”
2) Listen to you. “These people belong to the Christ-denying world. They talk the world's language and the world eats it up. But we come from God and belong to God. Anyone who knows God understands us and listens. The person who has nothing to do with God will, of course, not listen to us. This is another test for telling the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of deception.”
3) Love. “Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can't know him if you don't love.” “If anyone boasts, ‘I love God,’ and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.” (1 John 4:20-21)
Remember actions speak louder than words: “They say they know God, but their actions speak louder than their words.” (verse)
And remember, “you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world” (verse)!
God bless you!
Amy
Firstly, thank you Chad, for all the amazing work you do on this website sharing the truth and love of Jesus. I am a new member here and I must say you've impressed me. You are clearly a driving force behind this wonderful website.
Second, I thought I would share some additional reasons to go to church that I put together recently, if you don't mind Chad, in hopes to bless, inform, help or encourage someone.
10 Reasons To Go To Church
fellowship, encouragement, strength, growth, worship, application, service, warfare, restoration, healing, power, obedience
1) FELLOWSHIP. "God wants you to have fellowship with other believers, and you will be weakened spiritually if you don't have active contact with His people." ~Billy Graham
Stormie Omartian, in her outstanding book Finding Peace For Your Heart, talks about the importance of spending time with other believers (both inside and outside the church): "'Fellowship has to do with a mutuality in all parts of your life,' pastor Jack taught us. 'You bear one another's burdens and fulfill the law of Christ. You pray for one another, you love one another, you help one another when there is material need, you week with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. It's growing in an association with people who are moving in the same pathway you are and sharing with each other in your times of victory or need or your times of trial and triumph. It's growing in relationship.' Fellowship is instrumental in shaping us. The Bible says that we become like those we spend time with and good friends sharpen one another just as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17)."~Stormie Omartian, Finding Peace For Your Heart
You also fellowship with Christ: "Jesus Christ is the Head and Lawgiver of His churches, and as such He is in attendance every time the church assembles. He walks in the midst of His churches. He has deposited His glory in His church according to Ephesians 3:21 which states: 'Unto him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus through all ages, world without end. Amen.' If Christ's glory and presence is found in His churches then should we not make every effort to be faithful to assemble in His name and enjoy His blessed fellowship? Matthew 18:20 declares: 'For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." ~Tim Ross
2) ENCOURAGEMENT. "You need spiritual encouragement and help, and one of the most important ways you can receive these is through fellowship with God's people in a church where Christ is taught and lived." ~Billy Graham
3) STRENGTH. You meet with other Christians so that they can use their spiritual gifts to strengthen you. (We were all given spiritual gifts to minister to and help other people). "Paul explains that each part of the body exists to meet the needs of the other body parts. In the same way, God intends each of us to meet the needs of other believers, using our strengths to help in their areas of weakness. 1 Corinthians 12:21 expresses it this way: 'The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you.' Neither can a Christian claim to be self-sufficient today." ~Dr. John Bechtle
4) GROWTH. As Billy Graham says, God wants you to grow and become strong in your faith, so you can resist temptation and become more like Jesus. In church, you learn from the Bible as it is taught. And you also learn from other believers who can help and encourage you.:
"...once we come to Christ, we become part of a family—the family of God. Think of it: You are no longer just an individual, but you are now part of a group—a spiritual 'family' that includes every person on earth who truly believes in Jesus Christ. Everyone who believes in Christ is now your spiritual brother or sister! This family of believers is what the Bible calls the Church, the body of Christ: 'Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it' (1 Corinthians 12:27).
"Why is it important to be part of a local fellowship of believers? Let me ask you a question: What does God want to do in your life? The answer is this: He wants to make you more like Jesus. But this won't happen if you are isolated from other Christians. You need them—and they need you. The Bible says, 'Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds' (Hebrews 10:24).
"It's possible to be a Christian without going to church—but you will be missing out on an important part of what God wants to do in your life. Just as we need a balanced diet to be strong physically, so we need a balanced 'diet' to be strong spiritually—and part of that 'diet' is the Church.
"Let me explain. What you have done by accepting Christ into your life is very important—in fact, it's the most important decision you will ever make. But becoming a Christian is only the beginning—the beginning of a whole new life with Christ. Now God wants you to grow and become strong in your faith, so you can resist temptation and become more like Jesus.
"One of the ways we grow spiritually is through our fellowship and worship with other believers—in other words, through a church where Christ is honored. Not only do we learn from the Bible as it is taught, but we also learn from other believers who can help and encourage us. The Bible says, 'Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another' (Hebrews 10:25)....
When you attend church, you are hearing God's word preached which causes you to grow as a Christian as well as nourishes and strengthens your faith. "There will be little or no growth in the Christian life if a person fails to recieve a steady diet of Scriptural preaching. 1 Peter 2:2-3 declares: 'As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.'" ~Tim Ross "Not only is Christian growth a result of hearing the Word, your faith will also be nourished and strengthened through hearing God's Word. Romans 10:17 states: 'So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.' The best place for any person, whether lost or saved, is to be consistently in attendance upon the preaching of God's Word." ~Tim Ross
You will grow closer to Christ. "Go because you know you need to grow closer to Christ, and one way this happens is through our fellowship with other believers. The Bible says, 'Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation' (1 Peter 2:2)." ~Billy Graham
5) WORSHIP. You are engaging in public worship. In addition to reviving your spirit and encouraging your heart, worship brings pleasure to God. And remember, "worship is not for your benefit....We worship for God's benefit. When we worship, our goal is to bring pleasure to God, not ourselves."~Rick Warren " "In worship, we are expressing our love and gratitude to God for who he is and what He has done in our lives. When we engage in public worship we are manifesting to other believers as well as the lost world at large that our Lord is worthy of our highest praise and dedication." ~Tim Ross of Landmark Independent Baptist Church The Bible says to "sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:19-20)
6) APPLICATION. You then apply and practice God's truth in your daily life. "As God's people come to hear the Word of the Lord, and be fed and nourished by it, they are to go forth applying and practicing the truth in their daily lives. If you do not faithfully attend church to hear God's message on a consistent basis it is highly unlikely that you will practice the principles of Christianity in your daily life. Hearing and doing God's Word are intricately linked together." ~Tim Ross
7) WARFARE. By not going to church, you become like a sheep separated from its flock you are more vulnerable and open to attack from the prowling lion, the enemy of your soul, the Devil. (more coming soon...)
8) RESTORATION, HEALING AND POWER. It is in the body of a church that you find restoration and healing--and certain visitations of God's power happen only in the midst of such gatherings of believers. Stormie Omartian, in her outstanding book Finding Peace For Your Heart, talks about this subject: "....First and most basic of all, it is very important that you find a church home and spend time with that body of believers in church. I have not seen the kind of restoration and healing I'm talking about in this book happen without it. ...Once you accept Jesus, you have eternal life whether you ever go to church or not, but I'm talking about living in the fullness of all God has for you. I'm talking about expelling the pain from deep within and living in love, peace and joy. Certain visitations of God's power happen only in the midst of such gatherings of believers. Make it a point to be a part of that."
9) SERVICE. In a gathering of believers, you can obey the New Testament's "one another" commands: We are to comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18), build up one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), confess our sins ot one another (James 5:16), pray for one another (James 5:16), and many more.
10) OBEDIENCE. It is an act of obedience. Hebrews 10:25 declares: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is" or in the Message version "not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching."
You are following the example of Christ. "During the earthly life of Jesus Christ, He faithfully attended the synagogue, which was the place of public worship for the Jews. They would gather to read the law, and have one of the teachers expound the truths of the Old Testament. Luke 4:16 states: 'And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as His custom was, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.'" ~Tim Ross "1 John 2:6 declares: "He that saith he abideth in him ought to himself also so to walk, even as he walked." ~Tim Ross
FINDING A CHURCH
What To Look For
As Billy Graham and Stormie Omartian (in her book Finding Peace For Your Heart) explain, there are certain things to look for in a church.
Ask God to lead you to a church in your town...
With a pastor who...
--Preaches the Bible and offers good solid teaching from it
--Is submitted to other pastoral leadership
--Can talk about the Holy Spirit's working in power in the believer's life
With a body of believers who..
--Show the love of God. Find a church where you sense the love of God there and you recieve it in abundance from the people. "Some churches make an outgoing display of love, yet others who are more reserved may be just as genuine. If you pick up feelings of pride, competition, selfishness, self-righteousness, or coldness, determine whether that is the overall atmosphere or an isolated case. Remember than in any church you could find someone to exemplify these traits. Ask yourself if you generally feel love and acceptance there."~Stormie
--Praise and worship the Lord
--Help you grow in your relationship to Christ (more than just make you feel comfortable). "Remember: God's goal for you isn't just that you will 'enjoy' church, but that you will be challenged to grow in your faith and become more like Christ. Let the Bible's command become your goal as you seek a new church: 'But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ' (2 Peter 3:18)."~Billy Graham
That believes...
--The Bible is the Word of God
--In being born again
--In being baptized
That provides...
--Other opportunities to grow spiritually (such as small group Bible studies)
--Ways to serve Christ in some way—the choir, community outreach, etc.
"God can't work as powerfully in a church that limits Him and doesn't practice certain basic steps of obedience."~Stormie
Find The Church For You
"...I certainly understand if you have been hurt or burned by a church," says Stormie. But keep in mind: "No two churches are alike. Each has its own personality. Some are great, some good, some not quite what you'd hoped they'd be. Somewhere there is a right church for you, and you need to ask God to help you find it.
"...Continue to look until you've found a solid church you can call home. If you are in a church where you're miserable, then get out. It's hard to receive God's love and life from a church you detest. This is not licence to "church hop" whenever the pressure to grow is on, but don't fall for the "Now we gotcha!" trap either. Leave any church that tries to control your every breath.
"Ask God to lead you to the right place. When you find it, make a commitment to stay and watch yourself grow. Go as often as you can. If once a week feels like a major commitment, start there. If once a week is easy, then go to midweek services also."
Do They Come From God?
A final thought. 1 John 4 warns: “don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world.”
There are several ways the Bible says that you can tell if a person comes from/belongs to/has a relationship with/knows/loves God (or has nothing to do with Him) and whether it is the Spirit of Truth or the spirit of deception speaking. If they...
1) Confess openly their faith in Jesus, the Son of God. “Here's how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ—the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh-and-blood person—comes from God and belongs to God. And everyone who refuses to confess faith in Jesus has nothing in common with God. This is the spirit of antichrist that you heard was coming. Well, here it is, sooner than we thought!”
2) Listen to you. “These people belong to the Christ-denying world. They talk the world's language and the world eats it up. But we come from God and belong to God. Anyone who knows God understands us and listens. The person who has nothing to do with God will, of course, not listen to us. This is another test for telling the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of deception.”
3) Love. “Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can't know him if you don't love.” “If anyone boasts, ‘I love God,’ and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.” (1 John 4:20-21)
Remember actions speak louder than words: “They say they know God, but their actions speak louder than their words.” (verse)
And remember, “you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world” (verse)!
God bless you!
Amy
JWayne
Member
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2008
- Messages
- 99
Chad you hit the nail on the head! TY brother!! Oopps, so did knowingjesus...TY sister!!
What really amazes me are the reasons people come up with for not going to church, and yes I have been there, so I know many, but I can tell you they are not reasons, they are simply excuses.
What really amazes me are the reasons people come up with for not going to church, and yes I have been there, so I know many, but I can tell you they are not reasons, they are simply excuses.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2004
- Messages
- 17,078
In agreement with you. Although sometimes they may have valid reasons not to go to gather with the church body inside the building, the Bible instructs us to gather together, edify, teach, correct, worship together. Too many people mock the church like some kind of stereotype or such.
I personally hate the false church organizations, those exist clearly but there are sure many Holy Spirit driven local church bodies around the worldwide. That too is obvious. In a 3rd world country, say for example Gospel for Asia (GFA) has little buildings for believers to gather together and also to bring in lost souls to reach out to them. Its a building, with the church inside (we are the body of Christ).
Genuine believers who gather together as a church/body of Christ is how it should be and instructed in the Word. Can you imagine if GOD never told us in the Bible to gather together and worship together and edify, teach each other together? What a complete opposite kind of lifestyle we'd live!
JWayne
Member
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2008
- Messages
- 99
I would like to clarify that I am not talking about a building. I am talking about coming together with ohter Christians (where two or more gather). Each of us is an intregal piece of the body, and that is why it is important to come together.
I agree 100% that some are not capable of coming to a church building and for that reason, those of us who can, should go and gather with them in their homes. We are working on a program at our church where we will have Sunday School classes with our shut ins, so they too will be able to come to gether with the church (fellow Christians)
I highlighted the heart of your sentence, and I agree totally, but it is sad to how so many refuse to see God's word as it is! For so many it is merely a matter of self convience
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Coconut
Member
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- Feb 17, 2005
- Messages
- 4,663
amen Chad ~ they say no man is an wilderness...(unless God puts him in one, which has been known to happen) ...and spiritually speaking this expression definitely applies!
I`m starting to like this thread :character:
Perhaps we can agree the church that Christ is building cannot be joined, we must be born into it...and if I am born of the Spirit, I am already part of something bigger than myself...[the Vine] and the growing...and the fruits ...and the relationships with other brothers and sisters...is a natural result of that ....(who can say where that will take us)
Joh 3:6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Joh 3:7 Don't be astonished that I said to you, 'All of you must be born from above.'
Joh 3:8 The wind blows where it wants to. You hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. That's the way it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
nEw.CrEaTiOn
Member
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2009
- Messages
- 79
This is so true. Thanks for posting this. I loved both chad's statement and knowingjesus. We are the body. What good is a hand not connected to an arm eh? lol. Very good reasons
