If you claim to be a Christian, what keeps you from gathering with a local church?

[breakingcontact]

I'm a regular church goer, but that being said...due to some life circumstances, I THINK I have a better understanding of what keeps folks from gathering with believers like we are commanded to do.

 

[MrSmitty]

I haven't found THE church for me, I was raised up in the church of Christ, so, I'm pretty messed up anyway. My wife and I went to a holiness church for a while, but that was like a cult....
I believe in God, and Jesus died for my sins. My wife and I are not actively looking, but hope to find a church for us some day....

 

[BigRed]

I'm a regular church goer, but that being said...due to some life circumstances, I THINK I have a better understanding of what keeps folks from gathering with believers like we are commanded to do.

Commanded by whom?

 

[Cameramonkey]

Oblig: If you are in Indy, we'd love to have you. Laid back, come as you are, no pressure.

(just introduce yourself to the stunningly attractive guy in the multimedia booth)

Home

www.wnumc.com

 

[breakingcontact]

Hebrews 10...Paul...God

 

[breakingcontact]

Commanded by whom?

Hebrews 10...Paul...God

 

[breakingcontact]

Oblig: If you are in Indy, we'd love to have you. Laid back, come as you are, no pressure.

(just introduce yourself to the stunningly attractive guy in the multimedia booth)

Home

www.wnumc.com

UMC? We talking about y'all in another thread.

 

[Cameramonkey]

UMC? We talking about y'all in another thread.

Dont remind me...


Our bishop and his woke racist underlings make me want to go all Matthew 21:12 on them.

 

[BigRed]

Hebrews 10...Paul...God

No command.

 

[breakingcontact]

This Saturday I only got 2 of the 5 things I wanted to do, done. Yet tomorrow morning I'll slow down enough to gather with the church.

I'm trying to do more than that and attend Bible study and catch up with brothers throughout the week.

This isn't a criticism thread but I'm explaining how I understand why so many aren't associated with the local body.

Another factor...folks working Sunday mornings.

I think churches need to do better in inviting folks in who don't live cookie cutter perfect lives in a variety of ways.

 

[DadSmith]

No command.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

 

[BigRed]

Jesus said to him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

This is the first and the great commandment.

And the second is like unto this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

I see two.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Jesus said to him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

This is the first and the great commandment.

And the second is like unto this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

I see two.

And He also said, All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Perhaps you could say the instructions given are a law rather than commandment in the biblical sence. And a law commands us to do or not do something. BC didn't say it was a commandment, he said he was commanded to.

But I disagree with them that it has to be done in a building called a church. Didn't Jesus also say "Wherever two or three are gathered in my name I am there".

 

[Expat]

I believe in the communion of the Saints, so I go to Church to commune with them.

I disagree with a lot of my denominations recent beliefs But luckily I am not there to worship the denomination, the church, or the pastor.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

What keeps Christians from attending church regularly? I’m sure there are as many reasons as their are people not attending. But I’ll tell you why I didn’t attend for a long time: I put myself before worshipping and serving our Lord and Savior. For many years, it was simply easier to sleep in on Sunday mornings—especially those days where we’d been working a bunch of weekends in a row.

Other factors: My parents quit going to church when I was about 12 years old. I don’t know why. They never told my brother and me. So, I just got out of the habit of going and learned to like my extra free day on the weekends.

When I met my wife, her dad had converted to catholism. Her mom did not. So he would go to mass regularly but his wife and kids were left to their own devices. She too was a believer but got out of the habit of going when she was a younger kid too. When we met, neither one of us simply had any real notion about going. We believed, kinda. We’d say grace before the holiday meals and every once in awhile, etc. But we had made an idol out of free weekend time.

There were other excuses we used to justify our decision. But I’ll just leave it there.

 

[Ngdonut]

Didn't Jesus also say "Wherever two or three are gathered in my name I am there".

He did… when talking about CHURCH discipline. But if you don’t believe in church then you can’t believe that verse hahaha

Now of course church is not a building but rather a group of true followers of Christ. Followers of Christ are encouraged to meet regularly and it’s also important to remember that almost the entire New Testament was written to churches in different regions.

My question to true followers of a Christ is why would you not want to gather regularly with other true followers of Christ? If you are eternally focused, meeting with others who are too should be pretty rewarding.

 

[femurphy77]

Oblig: If you are in Indy, we'd love to have you. Laid back, come as you are, no pressure.

(just introduce yourself to the stunningly attractive guy in the multimedia booth)

Home

www.wnumc.com

I can attest to this, he is HOT!

 

[Ziggidy]

I moved to Indy 4 years ago because my son, who is a pastor, moved to indy 5 years ago. I was finally able to move close to my family - Indy brought us together! Our church is one of the most diverse churches I have ever been to. We're a constantly growing church, covid certainly made an impact; some are just now slowly returning.

We are a full gospel church that preaches Jesus.

Life Church Eagle Creek
5901 Lafayette Rd
Indy
Service is at 10am
Our food pantry is 4th Saturday from 11 - 1
This last Friday we had our first of this year outside movie night
More activities to follow.

Everyone invited - Stop being an orphan and come by!

BTW, Free Kona Ice after service today!

Life Church | Eagle Creek Campus

Life Church Eagle Creek Campus - 5901 Lafayette Road, Indianapolis, In 46254sunday Service 10am

lifechurchin.com

 

[Leo]

Dave Morrow wrote a book years ago. It was "why men hate going to church".

The 1st century church was lead by men of conviction, who were willing and often did die standing for their faith. In America we started letting the church be feminized. The whole program is wrapped around women and children. The leadership became feminized and often the men still in the lime light are what I call girly men. The teaching became watered down. Certainly women of wisdom have a place leading younger women and children.

Women are not supposed to lead men. Men are supposed to lead. Not only spiritual areas but ancillary details also. I watched a normally sound church put a woman in charge of the bi annual outdoor work detail. She went straight to the "I am the boss" attitude and effectively shut down the all volunteer workforce. Now they have to hire the work to be done.

The goal of a church gathering is to worship and know GOD and enjoy HIM forever. The duties of a church is also to teach doctrine, (and learn to apply it) reproof and correction, and instruction for righteousness. In my experience a Chaplains meeting in a prison or a Celebrate Recovery bible study looks more like the 1st century church than today's mainline denominations.

The regular meeting is supposed to be a place to get charged up and instructed to lead your family and others in your circle of influence through the rest of the week. It is not to full fill an attendance requirement. If it is done right, the regular meeting is something for a real, God honoring man to look forward to attending.

 

[rob63]

I used to attend regularly, was very active in Bible study, serving in groups, and helping others.

Then some things happened that brought on significant challenges in my life, and I discovered that there was no one in the church there for me. Figured if I was on my own anyway, why bother?