How important is "church"?

[RandyWayne]

On another thread asking what we will be doing New Years eve, I said we'll be at a funeral. A couple that my wife grew up with, taught Sunday school, and never had a bad thing to say, were going to church LAST Sunday when they crashed at an intersection. The weather was horrible, but cursed be ye all if CHURCH is canceled! They were on their way when they were hit by another car. She died within the hour and he was seriously hurt but well enough to go home after 5 days -in time to plan his wifes funeral.
This has just made me furious the more I think about it because the folks at this church do not seem to feel one SHRED of guilt. No doubt the service will be filled with "The Lord called her home!" platitudes and no "maybe we should have canceled service" regrets.
All the other stories and debates I have been engaged in over the years have come flooding back. On other board there was a young wife having marital problems with an unsaved husband: She complained that he was only home 8-9 days a month (he was a truck driver) and 4-5 of those days were always Sundays to which SHE was never home because of church. She was steadfast in her belief that her "church family" was more important than her real family.
I'm also thinking of other discussions where family life was always pushed aside for continues church services -hell or high water.

Is holding a church service ahead of family (or even God) idolatry? How many other things, when placed ahead of the cross or loving your neighbor, also idolatry? I will let personal contemplation answer that question.

Sorry brother for you pain and loss, wish I could give you some comfort....I have sat through two services when people were having seizures and they just kept right on with church like nothing was happening, another time a person looked to be having a heart attack, but church went right on....it does seem odd to me too...I don't know what to say other than I am sorry for your pain....I am not going to church right now....this is just one of the reasons...its a strange thing to me that people who profess prayer for everything didn't stop to pray for those in distress...

[Thad]

It's the peoples' choice to come or not to come STS
no one held a gun to their heads

this is were personal responsibility comes into play.
I hate it when people blame the church for everything.

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by Thad

It's the peoples' choice to come or not to come STS
no one held a gun to their heads

this is were personal responsibility comes into play.
I hate it when people blame the church for everything.

I guess I agree here. If folks are pushovers then it would be church or something else that would run their lives... Amway puts pressure on you to come to meetings too.

Just Say NO!

Here is my feeling on this.

I typed out a long paragraph and it sounded so "I am going to do this my way" that I started over,

Here is my thoughts.

Dh and I choose to go to church because it lifts us up spiritually to be in the sanctuary with other Christians.It builds our faith to hear praise reposrts, it fills us with joy to hear songs from the choir and our special singers, And when messages are brought and interpreted the power of God is magnified in my heart. I am uplifted and spiritually fed when I hear God's annointed preacher bring a message from the pulpit.

I take g-baby to church and he goes to Sunday School,but not to childrens church. I take him with me when we have morning service. How is he going to learn how to behave if I do not have him with me?

My church does not demand this of me, I choose to gather with them.

My church cancelled services this past wed> due to Christmas on Tuesday, dh and I found a church that was having services and we went.

Today it is raining and believe it or not we have been have thunderstorms but unless it is pouring so bad we can not see, dh and I and baby will be going to church. If my church cancels we will go somewhere else. We love being in church.

Everyone is different, we all feel strongly about some things and less strongly about other things. I feel strongly about being in church and not just my home church, and not just pentacostal churches. I go to all types of churches for revivals and singings and special speakers and I have spoken at different churches.

I was not a mean athiest, but I would gravitate toward others that felt like me. Now I am a Christian and I find myself pulled to be in the company of those that worship and love and praise the same God that I do.

Sorry for being long winded.

[Aquila]

Some of the most precious experiences of worship and prayer I've ever had with our family were in our living room. Often the depth of love and freedom felt is so great "church" as we know it feels like a shallow show that tries to cater to all through generalities. I'm more for house churching because the more and more I experience church the more and more I'm convinced we have errored. We don't "go to church". That defines church as a building. It's building worship and potentially idolatrous. We can put meeting in a building so far ahead of everything else our families suffer. First and foremost we have to understand that the "church" is a people and where two or more are gathered in the name of Jesus, there he is in the midst of them. I'll go as far as to say, it doesn't matter if you're in church three or four days out of the week. If you don't have a family time devoted to prayer and reading the Bible, you've missed the boat. It's not about going to church -- it's about being the church.

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Thad

It's the peoples' choice to come or not to come STS
no one held a gun to their heads

this is were personal responsibility comes into play.
I hate it when people blame the church for everything.

Thad, Once again I halt between two opinions:

1. We have been conditioned through the years [those of us raised in Apostolic churches/organizations] that church comes first. Many do this in the name of God but it is not God first, it is church first. This in not scriptural and church leadership are to be blamed.

• In all fairness, Pastor does what he thinks is best for the church and has a bias because his life is the church; whereas our families and jobs are our lives, and church itself, a third or fourth on the list.
• For all the prior conditioning I find it ironic that at the times I think should be the most 'spiritual' like the birth fo Christ and the New Year we can rarely find a church open, and those that are are eating and drinking and not doing spiritual things.

2. Personal Accountability does come into play here; and many people are ostracisized for their standing in their own conviction when it is against a scheduled service or a church activity. Those who live by their own convictions are often not accepted as 'submissive' to church leadership and denied accessability to church leadership's response in counseling , hospital visitation, and conducting of weddings and funerals.

• When did Pastor's get too busy to go pray for people who are having surgery, in the hospital, or at home on their deathbed?
• Who do Pastor's think they are who say they will not counsel those who do not pay their tithes? Are they not making themselves HIRELINGS after all?

So, I do think personal accountability is essential, but I also think that the Bible bears out that leadership are accountable for what they do or don't do, teach or don't teach.

Charles Stanley had an excellent sermon this morning: one thing he said that stood out in my mind. He said, "Jesus takes full responsibility for the consequences of our obedience, and we must take full responsibility for our disobedience." [He was talking about obedience to God and not man, BTW].

Blessings, Rhoni

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

On another thread asking what we will be doing New Years eve, I said we'll be at a funeral. A couple that my wife grew up with, taught Sunday school, and never had a bad thing to say, were going to church LAST Sunday when they crashed at an intersection. The weather was horrible, but cursed be ye all if CHURCH is canceled! They were on their way when they were hit by another car. She died within the hour and he was seriously hurt but well enough to go home after 5 days -in time to plan his wifes funeral.
This has just made me furious the more I think about me because the folks at this church do not seem to feel one SHRED of guilt. No doubt the service will be filled with "The Lord called her home!" platitudes and no "maybe we should have canceled service" regrets.
All the other stories and debates I have been engaged in over the years have come flooding back. On other board there was a young wife having marital problems with an unsaved husband: She complained that he was only home 8-9 days a month (he was a truck driver) and 4-5 of those days were always Sundays to which SHE was never home because of church. She was steadfast in her belief that her "church family" was more important than her real family.
I'm also thinking of other discussions where family life was always pushed aside for continues church services -hell or high water.

Is holding a church service ahead of family (or even God) idolatry? How many other things, when placed ahead of the cross or loving your neighbor, also idolatry? I will let personal contemplation answer that question.

Randy Wayne,

I too am sorry for your loss, and today things would be taught different in regard to women who have unsaved husbands, but this was not the case years ago.

She died being as true to God and obedient as she could be and God will honor her for this. I also believe that God knows and also plans when our time on earth is finished.

Give your hurt to God and let him comfort you.

Blessings, Rhoni

[Raven]

Something for us all to think about! Nothing wrong in questioning a situation RW.

Raven

[scotty]

All are great post here, the emphasis should be on the church being the people. Some church gatherings are just a social function and some (like mine) are just tremendous moves of God. I don't think either way is right or wrong. If you are following the Spirit of God then go where ever it may lead you.