Question: "Why is church attendance important?"

[sabrina5140]

Answer: The Bible tells us that we need to attend church so we can worship God with other believers and be taught His Word for our spiritual growth (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:25). Church is the place where believers can love one another (1 John 4:12), encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13), “spur” one another (Hebrews 10:24), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), honor one another (Romans 12:10), and be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32).

When a person trusts Jesus Christ for salvation, he or she is made a member of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). For a church body to function properly, all of its "body parts" need to be present (1 Corinthians 12:14-20). Likewise, a believer will never reach full spiritual maturity without the assistance and encouragement of other believers (1 Corinthians 12:21-26). For these reasons, church attendance, participation, and fellowship should be regular aspects of a believer's life. Weekly church attendance is not required for believers, but someone who has trusted Christ should have a desire to worship God, be taught His Word, and fellowship with other believers.

[catlover]

Answer: The Bible tells us that we need to attend church so we can worship God with other believers and be taught His Word for our spiritual growth (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:25). Church is the place where believers can love one another (1 John 4:12), encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13), “spur” one another (Hebrews 10:24), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), honor one another (Romans 12:10), and be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32).

When a person trusts Jesus Christ for salvation, he or she is made a member of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). For a church body to function properly, all of its "body parts" need to be present (1 Corinthians 12:14-20). Likewise, a believer will never reach full spiritual maturity without the assistance and encouragement of other believers (1 Corinthians 12:21-26). For these reasons, church attendance, participation, and fellowship should be regular aspects of a believer's life. Weekly church attendance is not required for believers, but someone who has trusted Christ should have a desire to worship God, be taught His Word, and fellowship with other believers.


I don't attend church on a regular basis anymore. The reason? There are those who insist on attending church while they are extremely sick and have no problems spreading germs to their fellow church goer.

Last year and there year before around Christmas I was sick. This year no...the reason? I have not been at church for a good six months.

[jsimms615]

I don't attend church on a regular basis anymore. The reason? There are those who insist on attending church while they are extremely sick and have no problems spreading germs to their fellow church goer.

Last year and there year before around Christmas I was sick. This year no...the reason? I have not been at church for a good six months.
Well, that's true. There are a lot of sick people at churches. There's also a lot of sick people at beauty parlors, department stores, post offices, doctor offices, banks and every other public place I can think of, but you probably still go to all those anyway.

[catlover]

Well, that's true. There are a lot of sick people at churches. There's also a lot of sick people at beauty parlors, department stores, post offices, doctor offices, banks and every other public place I can think of, but you probably still go to all those anyway.

People in department stores, hair salons and other public places don't run up and hug and or shake hands with me. Sick people who insist on going to church seem to enjoy sharing their germs.

[Rick Otto]

^_^
"someone who has trusted Christ should have a desire to worship God, be taught His Word, and fellowship with other believers."

ThAt much I can agree with.:cool:

[SecretOfFatima]

It's Heaven on earth (http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/revelation/revelation4.htm#v8).

[Rick Otto]

We must be talking about something else.

[catlover]

We must be talking about something else.

Yeah....

[OceanFloor]

Putting germs aside...
Church attendance is something that I've struggled with as well. And, currently am again. A pastor (not from my church) recently told me that we are all the church, what we attend is simply the gathering. Where two or more are together in the name of God, He is there.

I watch Joel Osteen sometimes, and have read his book "Your Better Life Now" (or something like that). He mentioned a problem with church gatherings is the people that gather to talk about each other and gossip, rather than talk about God and scripture. That seems to be what is running as a rampant plague at my current church. Our church has polarized between the "us and them", people don't discuss God - only their own agendas and how to get others "on board" with them. I can't see how this is healthy - and it makes me not want to attend.

I think attending a healthy gathering, as I have experienced at other churches (typically non-denominational, faith/bible based churches) is really awesome. Getting around others that love God and want to rejoice in Him is really, really awesome. There's nothing like it.

However, simply going to church to feel like you're doing the right thing is completely the opposite. I am struggling with what to do now, as we moved to a small town and there are not a lot of options......I simply pray that God steers me where He wants me, 'cuz ultimately it's in His will that we all go, right?

Best of luck to you - I hope you can find a good God connection!

:)

[Frame1520]

Putting germs aside...
Church attendance is something that I've struggled with as well. And, currently am again. A pastor (not from my church) recently told me that we are all the church, what we attend is simply the gathering. Where two or more are together in the name of God, He is there.

I watch Joel Osteen sometimes, and have read his book "Your Better Life Now" (or something like that). He mentioned a problem with church gatherings is the people that gather to talk about each other and gossip, rather than talk about God and scripture. That seems to be what is running as a rampant plague at my current church. Our church has polarized between the "us and them", people don't discuss God - only their own agendas and how to get others "on board" with them. I can't see how this is healthy - and it makes me not want to attend.

I think attending a healthy gathering, as I have experienced at other churches (typically non-denominational, faith/bible based churches) is really awesome. Getting around others that love God and want to rejoice in Him is really, really awesome. There's nothing like it.

However, simply going to church to feel like you're doing the right thing is completely the opposite. I am struggling with what to do now, as we moved to a small town and there are not a lot of options......I simply pray that God steers me where He wants me, 'cuz ultimately it's in His will that we all go, right?

Best of luck to you - I hope you can find a good God connection!

:)

Sounds like you have the right idea! Its true that people are crazy...sometimes seems church people are the craziest...I read some of the stuff people post on these forums and wonder if I am actually on a Christian forum! But I digress.

As the first poster said, and others have chimed in, WE are the church. Those of us in Christ are the physical church. The building we meet in on the first day of the week is just that. Fellowship, hearing the Word, studying the Word, and reaching out to the lost. Indeed, these seem like the things that we feel more passionately about when we attend regularly with other Christians.

Have you ever been away from your brothers and sisters in Christ for a while, and around secular friends who don't believe more often? I don't know about you, but I notice that I certainly become more like those I am around. That is what meeting on sunday is about. Edification, thru the word; fellowship with fellow believers; and rememberence of Christ (which should be daily, I might add).

I did read a post about someone who stays away from church so as not to get sick. Thats understandable, yet germs are everywhere. I f you have to shop, work, or anything outside your home, you come in contact with germs. I do consider others though, as I have stayed home when very sick just so I didn't have to come in contact with some of our very old, more feeble members. I don'twant to give grandma a cold that turns to pnuemonia and kills her, just so I can say "I went to church even though I was sick!" So, I agree with you from that perspective!

Anyway, this long, boring post is over. :wave: