Why Do We Go To Church

[Mike]

I posted much of this in another thread, but it was a bit off topic, and I'm really interested in getting other perspectives. I believe the answer to this question, depending on what your answer is, can be the reason some people are dissatisfied with their church.

Why do we go to church?

To be fed?
To support one another in our fellowship?
To be reinvigorated in our walk?
To bring others to the message of the Gospel?

These are great outcomes, but not the one main reason. Isn't the most important reason we go to church is to "glorify God" and to "honor Him"? When I hear people complain about the music or anything about church, my first thought is "It isn't for you. It's for Him." We gather together as a community to form church when we attend, and it's brings joy to the Lord when we do. When someone doesn't feel like they got anything out of a service, I'm wondering what they were looking to get out of it. When we come together as a community of believers to honor Him, it brings joy to Him. We're all there to express how much we love Him and love each other. When I'm at church, I try to get in that mindset and fight the urge to criticize this or that.

Take our need to be inspired by particular styles of music. Too many people want the music to be for them, and then it becomes something about them. They're concerned if they don't feel lifted by the music, when they should be lifting up His name. My church has several different services with different styles to offer different experiences to people. It then becomes focused on us personally, when our focus should be vertical. There are many places a community of believers can reach out to people and meet them on their terms. I don't think a church service is the place.

If we focused on this main reason for going to church, we wouldn't let all the petty things get in the way of honoring Him. :biglol :biglol :biglol

Does anyone disagree?

 

[VertigoAge]

I believe that it is possible for a person to worship God and live a fully Christian life without going to what most of us know to be a "church". For example, people that live in extremely remote areas may have to worship in a house with one or just a few families.

For the rest of us who have a more typical experience, I see attending church as just one aspect of worship (which also includes family, service, ministry, bible study, etc.). Unfortunately for many (including me earlier in life), a Sunday church service or mass is the only time in a busy life for worship. For them, Church is kind of like something to check off your weekly calendar.

For me, what makes church different from the other aspects of Christian living is 1) the Eucharist, and 2) the dedicated time for hymns, group praise, and profession/affirmation of our faith as a community.

 

[Mike]

I believe that it is possible for a person to worship God and live a fully Christian life without going to what most of us know to be a "church". For example, people that live in extremely remote areas may have to worship in a house with one or just a few families.

If proximity is an issue, obviously gathering in a community of believers is hindered. But if we think we can live without coming together, consider this.

Hebrews 10:25 "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

I was talking about the main reason we should be sitting in church in the first place, which should be to honor God and praise Him. If we don't come together, we don't get the other benefits I mentioned as well as not following the verse from Hebrews.

 

[Nick]

Completely agree, mjjcb.

We go to church to honour and glorify God, to build each other up and to be fed with pure spiritual milk. And we should not give up meeting together. I think church is a crucial part of the Christian life, and the Bible thinks this also, hence the verse you quoted.

And it's about the following people in this order:
1. God
2. Other brothers and sisters
3. Us

 

[Timf]

Why Do We Go To Church

The answer to this is very broad and also requires some historical perspectives.

1. Tradition. We were raised in a church and we continue that cultural legacy.
2. Only option. We are drawn to Christ and this is how Christians congregate.

A slightly different question might be, "Why should we go to church?" In answer to this we might find more noble motives such as;

1. To receive instruction.
2. To worship God in song.
3. To expose our children to the Gospel.

Once a person starts asking these sort of questions, it can lead to some very interesting observations. For example often the word "preach" in the Bible is not the same sort of "preaching" we hear in church. In the Bible the word means to herald or proclaim as in an announcement. This has more to do with evangelism than Christian instruction.

The two reasons most churches are like a large lecture hall is because most pastors receive their instruction in seminary classrooms and because the vestige of priesthood still requires a center act and an audience.

The idea of church as a place to worship God is intrinsically flawed. Our lives should be dedicated to the worship of God not just to a "holy place". The half hour sermon may have something of value that we can learn from, but our lives should be filled with learning and not waiting for a crumb of instruction once a week.

If our own Christian lives are so devoid of Christ that our children have to rely on a weekly class to learn the Gospel, we have failed them more than can be imagined.

The Bible describes the exhortation of each other. Yet church is often so structured and scripted that very little interaction is allowed. In a way, the exhortation and encouragement of each other is hindered rather than fostered by many church organizational systems.

Ephesians tell us that the purpose of church leadership is the development of us for the work of the ministry. This is accomplished as we grow into the full measure of Christ. If we are not becoming like Christ, then our church, our church leadership, and we ourselves are failing in our Christian life.

Our churches will not change. They are like the Pharisees. They have the social momentum of generations. If we truly seek to be like Jesus, we may have to operate outside the church system to find those who can help us become like our Savior.

Our churches are organizational collectives. As such they are easily drawn after the collective systems of the world. We can see this as people turn a church into a place where they can be made to feel good. We may find that our desire for truth and to be like our Savior is incompatible with church systems. As a result, we may have to let churches and their supporters carry them after the world and leave us free to draw closer to Jesus.

 

[Adullam]

Why Do We Go To Church

The answer to this is very broad and also requires some historical perspectives.

1. Tradition. We were raised in a church and we continue that cultural legacy.
2. Only option. We are drawn to Christ and this is how Christians congregate.

A slightly different question might be, "Why should we go to church?" In answer to this we might find more noble motives such as;

1. To receive instruction.
2. To worship God in song.
3. To expose our children to the Gospel.

Once a person starts asking these sort of questions, it can lead to some very interesting observations. For example often the word "preach" in the Bible is not the same sort of "preaching" we hear in church. In the Bible the word means to herald or proclaim as in an announcement. This has more to do with evangelism than Christian instruction.

The two reasons most churches are like a large lecture hall is because most pastors receive their instruction in seminary classrooms and because the vestige of priesthood still requires a center act and an audience.

The idea of church as a place to worship God is intrinsically flawed. Our lives should be dedicated to the worship of God not just to a "holy place". The half hour sermon may have something of value that we can learn from, but our lives should be filled with learning and not waiting for a crumb of instruction once a week.

If our own Christian lives are so devoid of Christ that our children have to rely on a weekly class to learn the Gospel, we have failed them more than can be imagined.

The Bible describes the exhortation of each other. Yet church is often so structured and scripted that very little interaction is allowed. In a way, the exhortation and encouragement of each other is hindered rather than fostered by many church organizational systems.

Ephesians tell us that the purpose of church leadership is the development of us for the work of the ministry. This is accomplished as we grow into the full measure of Christ. If we are not becoming like Christ, then our church, our church leadership, and we ourselves are failing in our Christian life.

Our churches will not change. They are like the Pharisees. They have the social momentum of generations. If we truly seek to be like Jesus, we may have to operate outside the church system to find those who can help us become like our Savior.

Our churches are organizational collectives. As such they are easily drawn after the collective systems of the world. We can see this as people turn a church into a place where they can be made to feel good. We may find that our desire for truth and to be like our Savior is incompatible with church systems. As a result, we may have to let churches and their supporters carry them after the world and leave us free to draw closer to Jesus.

:amen

 

[shad]

A dont attend organized church because they compromise too much with the majority and popularity. They are washing down Jesus' teachings and commandments in their practices.

 

[samuel]

Why Do We Go To Church

The answer to this is very broad and also requires some historical perspectives.

1. Tradition. We were raised in a church and we continue that cultural legacy.
2. Only option. We are drawn to Christ and this is how Christians congregate.

A slightly different question might be, "Why should we go to church?" In answer to this we might find more noble motives such as;

1. To receive instruction.
2. To worship God in song.
3. To expose our children to the Gospel.

Once a person starts asking these sort of questions, it can lead to some very interesting observations. For example often the word "preach" in the Bible is not the same sort of "preaching" we hear in church. In the Bible the word means to herald or proclaim as in an announcement. This has more to do with evangelism than Christian instruction.

The two reasons most churches are like a large lecture hall is because most pastors receive their instruction in seminary classrooms and because the vestige of priesthood still requires a center act and an audience.

The idea of church as a place to worship God is intrinsically flawed. Our lives should be dedicated to the worship of God not just to a "holy place". The half hour sermon may have something of value that we can learn from, but our lives should be filled with learning and not waiting for a crumb of instruction once a week.

If our own Christian lives are so devoid of Christ that our children have to rely on a weekly class to learn the Gospel, we have failed them more than can be imagined.

The Bible describes the exhortation of each other. Yet church is often so structured and scripted that very little interaction is allowed. In a way, the exhortation and encouragement of each other is hindered rather than fostered by many church organizational systems.

Ephesians tell us that the purpose of church leadership is the development of us for the work of the ministry. This is accomplished as we grow into the full measure of Christ. If we are not becoming like Christ, then our church, our church leadership, and we ourselves are failing in our Christian life.

Our churches will not change. They are like the Pharisees. They have the social momentum of generations. If we truly seek to be like Jesus, we may have to operate outside the church system to find those who can help us become like our Savior.

Our churches are organizational collectives. As such they are easily drawn after the collective systems of the world. We can see this as people turn a church into a place where they can be made to feel good. We may find that our desire for truth and to be like our Savior is incompatible with church systems. As a result, we may have to let churches and their supporters carry them after the world and leave us free to draw closer to Jesus.Timf
Christian Forum Regular

A Second :amen :yes

 

[Mike]

Why Do We Go To Church

The answer to this is very broad and also requires some historical perspectives.

1. Tradition. We were raised in a church and we continue that cultural legacy.
2. Only option. We are drawn to Christ and this is how Christians congregate.

A slightly different question might be, "Why should we go to church?" In answer to this we might find more noble motives such as;

1. To receive instruction.
2. To worship God in song.
3. To expose our children to the Gospel.

Well, regardless of how you phrase the question, you understand my meaning. Consider Acts 2:

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

The infancy of the church and the reasons they met.

The idea of church as a place to worship God is intrinsically flawed. Our lives should be dedicated to the worship of God not just to a "holy place". The half hour sermon may have something of value that we can learn from, but our lives should be filled with learning and not waiting for a crumb of instruction once a week.

I'm not going to quote the rest of your post, as this seems to capture your response. Tim, I completely agree that church shouldn't be the place we go to worship. Worship can be misconstrued to mean a certain style of music or prayer. But "worship" should be a way of life; how you live every day. But I don't think that negates the reason we should come together as a community of believers. When we are focused on what we receive, it is not an outward response to His love. I'm thinking Acts 2 speaks to this.

And the Hebrews verse I shared should be a warning not to abandon our "churches", and I'm using the term in a loose way to include gatherings of people drawn together in the Lord.

You bring up some great points, and I appreciate your perspective!