Why do i not attend church?

[lentz]

I was Pastor of a General Baptist Church in the early 80s. So i am aware of how denominations work. I left General Baptist because they would turn away ministers if they divorced sometime in their life. Twisting husband of one wife. I disagree with all denominations and cannot find one seeking truth,but just pushing their own beliefs.
I care nothing for listening to a sermon in church. I feel bible study is the way to fellowship. Others doctrines do not impress me at all.

 

[lentz]

I was Pastor of a General Baptist Church in the early 80s. So i am aware of how denominations work. I left General Baptist because they would turn away ministers if they divorced sometime in their life. Twisting husband of one wife. I disagree with all denominations and cannot find one seeking truth,but just pushing teir own beliefs.
I care nothing for listening to a sermon in church. I feel bible study is the way to fellowship. Others doctrines do not impress me at all.

I must expound....
Members of doctrinal institutions are so childish and get their wee feelings hurt every single day.
Plus the doctrines are foolish.
One wants closed communion another open.
Some eternal security of the believer some not. Some only worship on Saturday. Some think if a divorced person remarries they are living in aduktry. Some believe to be baptized you must be dunk,others sprinkle,some no matter how many times you were baptized,you must be baptized by their church. Some think if your not baptized your not saved. Some believe tongues is still a gift. Others know better. Some heal ,handle snakes andwhat all.
In conclusion,i dont attend church because their is no one like minded in any denominations.

 

[Oseas]

I must expound....
Members of doctrinal institutions are so childish and get their wee feelings hurt every single day.
Plus the doctrines are foolish.
One wants closed communion another open.
Some eternal security of the believer some not. Some only worship on Saturday. Some think if a divorced person remarries they are living in aduktry. Some believe to be baptized you must be dunk,others sprinkle,some no matter how many times you were baptized,you must be baptized by their church. Some think if your not baptized your not saved. Some believe tongues is still a gift. Others know better. Some heal ,handle snakes andwhat all.
In conclusion,i dont attend church because their is no one like minded in any denominations.

2 Peter 3: 11-12 (Peter wrote two thousand years ago - in the fourth Day, as JESUS revealed it be in John 5:17)

11 Seeing then that ALL THESE THINGS shall be DISSOLVED, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the Day of GOD,... (that is the seventh and last Day, or seventh and last millennium)

Yes, ALL things will be DISSOLVED


Isaiah 33:10 and 13-14
10 Now will I rise, saith the Lord; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.

13 Hear, ye that are far off(the Gentile peoples/nations), what I have done; and, ye that are near(the Jewish people/ Israel), acknowledge my might.

14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?


GOD is a devouring fire. Yeah, GOD is a consuming fire. The Word is GOD, self-executing, understand? Meditate on this.

 

[Jonathan_Gale]

I was Pastor of a General Baptist Church in the early 80s. So i am aware of how denominations work. I left General Baptist because they would turn away ministers if they divorced sometime in their life. Twisting husband of one wife. I disagree with all denominations and cannot find one seeking truth,but just pushing teir own beliefs.
I care nothing for listening to a sermon in church. I feel bible study is the way to fellowship. Others doctrines do not impress me at all.

IMO today’s onslaught of LGBTQ propaganda is a litmus test for any Christian. It’s NOT an identity, but a cultish practice traced back to Ancient Greece, and further back to the Canaanites. If a pastor condones or affirms this, then stop attending his church, get out of there.

 

[Godbehonored]

I was Pastor of a General Baptist Church in the early 80s. So i am aware of how denominations work. I left General Baptist because they would turn away ministers if they divorced sometime in their life. Twisting husband of one wife. I disagree with all denominations and cannot find one seeking truth,but just pushing teir own beliefs.
I care nothing for listening to a sermon in church. I feel bible study is the way to fellowship. Others doctrines do not impress me at all.

Denominations are the modern version of Pharisees, Sadducees and different schools of theology in Jesus' time. They were all in error as Jesus exposed.

What has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun.

 

[vhusley]

Brother, you need THE church. WE need the church! You need to be part of a body….THE body….of believers. And you need a man of God….a shepherd….in your life.
Both of these things are
Biblical.
You are never going to find an individual church or denomination where everyone is “getting it right” all the time. That didn’t even happen in the early days of the church. Why do you think Paul had to write all those letters?
But we are told to “not forsake our own assembling together…” (Hebrews 10:25)

No church is perfect. But there IS a BODY of true believers out there interspersed among them….and some are holding on to crucial pieces of spiritual truth that believers need. THE church is the BODY. It is the BRIDE of
Christ.
One man operating alone goes against the whole concept of being a part of the Body. Doesn’t it?

The “Bible Study only” approach is not bad….it’s certainly better than nothing….but it does not fully align with God’s plan for us as THE Church. We are supposed to be operating in the Gifts of the Spirit to edify (build up) the church. Aren’t we?

What of Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:11? What about 1 Corinthians 12:28? Are we to simply write these off?
Maybe you should go back and read Paul’s teachings in 1 Corinthians 12 and pray/meditate on it and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate it.
Jesus created the church. He established church order. Paul elaborated and helped to keep that order aligned in the early churches.
The organized church has always had its place and always will until endtimes prophesy is fulfilled. We can’t just disregard that…..or we shouldn’t.

Be blessed my friend.

 

[Andyindauk]

I must expound....
Members of doctrinal institutions are so childish and get their wee feelings hurt every single day.
Plus the doctrines are foolish.
One wants closed communion another open.
Some eternal security of the believer some not. Some only worship on Saturday. Some think if a divorced person remarries they are living in aduktry. Some believe to be baptized you must be dunk,others sprinkle,some no matter how many times you were baptized,you must be baptized by their church. Some think if your not baptized your not saved. Some believe tongues is still a gift. Others know better. Some heal ,handle snakes andwhat all.
In conclusion,i dont attend church because their is no one like minded in any denominations.

Hi Lentz,

In the New Testament there are letters to 8 different churches that we call epistles and John wrote letters to another 6 churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. These were churches mostly planted by apostles.

Are you saying 1,900 years later that this was a failed exercise and should be abandoned?

Going back to the letters to the 7 churches, some of which are pretty disparaging, but in none of them does John advise them to close down.

Jesus tells us we should love one another as He has loved us. How can we do that if we never meet each other? Ephesians 5:25-26 Paul tells husbands to love their wife as He loves the church. If Jesus loves the church, why can't you?

How can you celebrate communion on your own, well maybe if there's no opportunity to come together, but it's not ideal. The last supper was a shared meal and Paul's advice in Corinthians is based on communion being a shared event.
No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 1 Corinthians 11:19‭-20.

IMO the church is a gift from God, given to us so that we can support, encourage, pray for and love each other. Hebrews 10: 20-21.

We're called to work together in a church, Romans 12:4-5.

What you're saying is you want a church that 100% agrees with your beliefs and interpretation of the Bible. You want to find a church that's liberal on divorce and remarriage and yet strict on homosexuality.

If we all thought as you do, there'd be no church. Is that what God wants?

Can I urge to rethink your stance and look for a church that you feel comfortable in and where there's differences, learn to love and respect?

The church is as much about giving than receiving. So a crucial question to ask before joining a church is, what I bring to this church?

May God lead and bless you in this.

 

[B-A-C]

Heb 10:24; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
Heb 10:25; not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

I wonder about the maturity of some people.

I don't want children, they are too expensive, too much trouble.
I don't want pets, they are too needy.
I don't want to get married, they are too demanding.
I don't want to go to church, people aren't exactly like me.

Maybe God didn't create the church to make us happy, maybe it was to make us holy.
Getting our hands dirty, our feelings hurt sometimes, ... having to make an effort to get along with people... sometimes it's not easy...
relationships are messy, but maybe God planned it that way.

Matt 24:10; "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.
Matt 24:12; "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.

John 13:34; "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
John 13:35; "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
John 15:12; "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
John 15:17; "This I command you, that you love one another.

I have to wonder about the sincerity and truth of someone, who says I love my neighbors, but I don't want to have anything to do with them.

Rom 12:10; Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
Rom 12:16; Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

1Cor 12:25; so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
Gal 6:2; Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
Eph 4:2; with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
Php 2:3; Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
Eph 4:32; Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Jas 4:11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it.
Jas 5:9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.
Jas 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
1Pet 1:22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,

1Jn 4:12; No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.
1Jn_4:20; If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

===========================

1Cor 12:18; But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
1Cor 12:19; If they were all one member, where would the body be?
1Cor 12:20; But now there are many members, but one body.
1Cor 12:21; And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
1Cor 12:22; On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;
1Cor 12:23; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,
1Cor 12:24; whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,
1Cor 12:25; so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
1Cor 12:26; And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
1Cor 12:27; Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.

 

[B-A-C]

Gen 2:18; Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."

In this context, it's about marriage, but still... God doesn't want us to be isolated.

Ecc 4:9; Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
Ecc 4:10; For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
Ecc 4:11; Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
Ecc 4:12; And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

 

[lentz]

Hi Lentz,

In the New Testament there are letters to 8 different churches that we call epistles and John wrote letters to another 6 churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. These were churches mostly planted by apostles.

Are you saying 1,900 years later that this was a failed exercise and should be abandoned?

Going back to the letters to the 7 churches, some of which are pretty disparaging, but in none of them does John advise them to close down.

Jesus tells us we should love one another as He has loved us. How can we do that if we never meet each other? Ephesians 5:25-26 Paul tells husbands to love their wife as He loves the church. If Jesus loves the church, why can't you?

How can you celebrate communion on your own, well maybe if there's no opportunity to come together, but it's not ideal. The last supper was a shared meal and Paul's advice in Corinthians is based on communion being a shared event.
No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 1 Corinthians 11:19‭-20.

IMO the church is a gift from God, given to us so that we can support, encourage, pray for and love each other. Hebrews 10: 20-21.

We're called to work together in a church, Romans 12:4-5.

What you're saying is you want a church that 100% agrees with your beliefs and interpretation of the Bible. You want to find a church that's liberal on divorce and remarriage and yet strict on homosexuality.

If we all thought as you do, there'd be no church. Is that what God wants?

Can I urge to rethink your stance and look for a church that you feel comfortable in and where there's differences, learn to love and respect?

The church is as much about giving than receiving. So a crucial question to ask before joining a church is, what I bring to this church?

May God lead and bless you in this.

I believe you mean well and that you are sincere in your statement.
I only wish to point out that the neighborhood church is not what it once was. I remember the days on a Sunday morning walking down the sidewalk and hear the church nells and chimes.. People pulling together as one in harmony and fellowship.
Today it has all changed. I dont know how or where,maybe the charismatic movement killed it,i dont know. But the churches are not the same anymore. Churches have become dividend by politics. Church meetings today are more of a political rally to elect a candidate to public office than to save a sinner from hell.
I could go on but i will leave it there.
But yes! A church must agree with me or whats the sense in attending?

 

[StewardoftheMystery]

Amos 3:3
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

Amos 3:3
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Bro, did you ever look at the word there though?

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? H3259

It shows this here

1. to fix, appoint, assemble, meet, set, betroth
   1. (Qal) to appoint, assign, designate
   2. (Niphal)
      1. to meet
      2. to meet by appointment
      3. to gather, assemble by appointment
   3. (Hiphil) to cause to meet
   4. (Hophal) to be set, be placed before, be fixed
      
      

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

Bro, did you ever look at the word there though?

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? H3259

It shows this here

1. to fix, appoint, assemble, meet, set, betroth
   1. (Qal) to appoint, assign, designate
   2. (Niphal)
      1. to meet
      2. to meet by appointment
      3. to gather, assemble by appointment
   3. (Hiphil) to cause to meet
   4. (Hophal) to be set, be placed before, be fixed
      

I couldn't write beneathe it for some reason, one of those quirky copy paste jobs. But wouldn't that definition in its place end up changing the passage to resemble more like,

Can two walk together, except they be assembled? Or except they meet?

Am catching that incorrectly?

 

[StewardoftheMystery]

Bro, did you ever look at the word there though?

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? H3259

It shows this here

1. to fix, appoint, assemble, meet, set, betroth
   1. (Qal) to appoint, assign, designate
   2. (Niphal)
      1. to meet
      2. to meet by appointment
      3. to gather, assemble by appointment
   3. (Hiphil) to cause to meet
   4. (Hophal) to be set, be placed before, be fixed
      

Interesting.

 

[lentz]

I couldn't write beneathe it for some reason, one of those quirky copy paste jobs. But wouldn't that definition in its place end up changing the passage to resemble more like,

Can two walk together, except they be assembled? Or except they meet?

Am catching that incorrectly?

Well brother,you cracked this old mans eye a little.
That you said,takes my mind to Paul,"forsake not the assembling of yourselves together."
Now i have to rethink my stance on assemblies(churches). Shame on you.
And God bless

 

[Twistie]

Brother, you need THE church. WE need the church! You need to be part of a body….THE body….of believers. And you need a man of God….a shepherd….in your life.
Both of these things are
Biblical.
You are never going to find an individual church or denomination where everyone is “getting it right” all the time. That didn’t even happen in the early days of the church. Why do you think Paul had to write all those letters?
But we are told to “not forsake our own assembling together…” (Hebrews 10:25)

No church is perfect. But there IS a BODY of true believers out there interspersed among them….and some are holding on to crucial pieces of spiritual truth that believers need. THE church is the BODY. It is the BRIDE of
Christ.
One man operating alone goes against the whole concept of being a part of the Body. Doesn’t it?

The “Bible Study only” approach is not bad….it’s certainly better than nothing….but it does not fully align with God’s plan for us as THE Church. We are supposed to be operating in the Gifts of the Spirit to edify (build up) the church. Aren’t we?

What of Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:11? What about 1 Corinthians 12:28? Are we to simply write these off?
Maybe you should go back and read Paul’s teachings in 1 Corinthians 12 and pray/meditate on it and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate it.
Jesus created the church. He established church order. Paul elaborated and helped to keep that order aligned in the early churches.
The organized church has always had its place and always will until endtimes prophesy is fulfilled. We can’t just disregard that…..or we shouldn’t.

Be blessed my friend.

The church is not the building it's the people why does one need to go to a building YH does not ask His children to do so n YH does not tell His children to collect money for speaking the Word
Sad fact is most the temples that so many call churches lead the blind into sin in every meeting they have n sad fact is those who lead n those who follow would see this if they would put their Faith in YH n not in man

So many willing to spoon feed n so few Truly Seei YH for their answers n those who seek man r those who r usually led by the blind

The Christian Temples are some cold hearted places I've experienced many from non denominational to all the others except for the seventh day ones haven't had a chance to visit one yet

But with that said ponder this

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

N remember

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.


I hope where Eva u reside u have a True Church n not just one make out of stone n clay but as for where I reside

They r not of YH those are very minimal n I personally haven't encountered one in ova 30 yrs

Twistie

 

[StewardoftheMystery]

I couldn't write beneathe it for some reason, one of those quirky copy paste jobs. But wouldn't that definition in its place end up changing the passage to resemble more like,

Can two walk together, except they be assembled? Or except they meet?

Am catching that incorrectly?

I like how it shows betrothed, like in marriage.

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

Well brother,you cracked this old mans eye a little.
That you said,takes my mind to Paul,"forsake not the assembling of yourselves together."
Now i have to rethink my stance on assemblies(churches). Shame on you.
And God bless

I stand corrected on it as well actually. I read it and was like, "crap on me, its not what I first thought"

(God bless as well, and I am a Sister in Christ, but no worries I do that all the time myself)

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

I like how it shows betrothed, like in marriage.

Or even "cause to meet" there also.

 

[StewardoftheMystery]

Or even "cause to meet" there also.

What I found interesting in the word “meet” as being “ betrothed” was what God said about Adam not being alone.

Notice the word “meet”

Genesis 2:18
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

Genesis 2:20
And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

But when I looked at the Strongs meaning of the word meet in the above it combines both the word help with meet, and shows it as help meet , with the definition meaning help.

But that makes no sense to me that the word meet there would be the same word or definition as help. That would be like God saying “I will make an help help for him”

That makes no sense. I always thought that word meet there might mean fit or suited. Like God saying “ I will make an help fit for him” or perhaps “I will make a help suited for him”

I just never really looked into that word meet.