How important is "church"?

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by 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.

Great post! And great thoughts from everyone else!

This whole issue has really burned me my whole life -equating true Christianity with the all-important church service and how often you go. I see the extremes as being nothing less than idolatry, which is putting the church service, and the desire to be "seen" there whenever the doors are open (all to be a good "witness" don't ya know!) as the real "religion" in many peoples lives.

[jrLA]

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 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.

Very sorry for your loss. This is a tragic situation.

I must say however, having pastored I can give my take on this subject.

Scripture does tell us to 'forsake not the assembling of yourselves together..', in dealing with that it is important that people understand the importance of being in church. I was raised and believe as well as preach that you should be in church if you are at all able (not sick unto death or dead, working, etc.). Now, God does give us common since to know when we are to stay off of the roads and such. But, it has been stated that many who have had church canceled, find somewhere else to go even if the service was canceled for weather reasons.

I will say that if something happens in a service (someon gets sick, heart attack, etc.) The church should stop and pray, but then as much as possible try to proceed. (Have an usher help the person out, call 911, etc.) But, there are other folks in that service that may need something from God. What if that is their last chance to recieve something. While we need to be balanced and understanding, we also need to have church!

[scotty]

Originally Posted by jrLA

Very sorry for your loss. This is a tragic situation.

I must say however, having pastored I can give my take on this subject.

Scripture does tell us to 'forsake not the assembling of yourselves together..', in dealing with that it is important that people understand the importance of being in church. I was raised and believe as well as preach that you should be in church if you are at all able (not sick unto death or dead, working, etc.). Now, God does give us common since to know when we are to stay off of the roads and such. But, it has been stated that many who have had church canceled, find somewhere else to go even if the service was canceled for weather reasons.

I will say that if something happens in a service (someon gets sick, heart attack, etc.) The church should stop and pray, but then as much as possible try to proceed. (Have an usher help the person out, call 911, etc.) But, there are other folks in that service that may need something from God. What if that is their last chance to recieve something. While we need to be balanced and understanding, we also need to have church!

Another good post, Bless you!!

[Neck]

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 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.

Well, I enjoy it.

[simplyme]

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.

So true, but many find it so convenient to blame someone/something [church attendance] else for lack of discernment as to priorities., not saying that church is NOT a priority but sometimes its ok to HAVE TO miss.

Feb. will make 3 years since I started going to church. I seldom miss services not because of the church or membership ar how it would look but because of me. I do have worship time at home alone and with dh and simple prayer time with grandbaby.

I have never missed church because family was here, they know I go to church, if they come at that time they have to go with me.

Once our car would not start-I called someone to come and get us.

Psalm 122
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the LORD."

It is important to me, I get renewed and refreshed. And I rejoice when it is time for me to go to the House of the Lord.

It is still raining here, my church has canceled services because of the deaths in our church and visitation time tonight. But I will be in church somewhere. Just something I enjoy doing.

I used to go to bars every chance I got now I go to church every chance I get. God is good.

I am also sorry for your loss, it is such a horrible time of year for this to happen.

We used to live in the Northeast where it was very bad weather quite often. When I still lived at home, every time it snowed, even just a little bit, we had a lady who would call and want to know if church was cancelled. My Dad's response was ususally, unless it was really bad, we will be there if anyone else comes we will have church. Her next response would always be, if you were me would you go? My Dad was always very careful what he said because he did not want to live with it on his mind if she crashed and he had told her to come. One day he got so frustrated with her and repeating the same scenario over and over again, he said, Sister, if I were you I would do what you would do. At times like this he would always leave it to the individual as to whether they ought to get out or not. He knew that there were single Moms with kids and the elderly who do not get around easily. So, when it snowed we had church with whoever came, and God blessed the efforts of those who did. But we had one elderly lady who told my Dad that when she was not in church she had church at home. She judged the time and when she figured we were singing she would be singing. When she figured preaching was going on she was reading her Bible. Oh, for more saints like her! The problem is that many of the people who want church to be can celled have no plan to have church on their own. Some do, but many do not. Like another poster said, they go out to eat, or whatever they want to do.

Originally Posted by MrsBOOMM

I am also sorry for your loss, it is such a horrible time of year for this to happen.

We used to live in the Northeast where it was very bad weather quite often. When I still lived at home, every time it snowed, even just a little bit, we had a lady who would call and want to know if church was cancelled. My Dad's response was ususally, unless it was really bad, we will be there if anyone else comes we will have church. Her next response would always be, if you were me would you go? My Dad was always very careful what he said because he did not want to live with it on his mind if she crashed and he had told her to come. One day he got so frustrated with her and repeating the same scenario over and over again, he said, Sister, if I were you I would do what you would do. At times like this he would always leave it to the individual as to whether they ought to get out or not. He knew that there were single Moms with kids and the elderly who do not get around easily. So, when it snowed we had church with whoever came, and God blessed the efforts of those who did. But we had one elderly lady who told my Dad that when she was not in church she had church at home. She judged the time and when she figured we were singing she would be singing. When she figured preaching was going on she was reading her Bible. Oh, for more saints like her! The problem is that many of the people who want church to be can celled have no plan to have church on their own. Some do, but many do not. Like another poster said, they go out to eat, or whatever they want to do.

Amen Sis....your father was wise....there are times for some people that its just nearly impossible, and then there are those who will use any excuse to skip out...when we were in church we were there when ever the doors were open, it was very rare for us to not attend. I am not sorry for the time we put in there, it is in my heart that things could have been different, but life has a way of taking us in directions we never planned, God has a way of surprising us.

[Pragmatist]

My pastor has always told us to use our own judgment in terms of the weather. He rarely cancels service but understands if we choose to stay home due to icy roads.

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Pragmatist

My pastor has always told us to use our own judgment in terms of the weather. He rarely cancels service but understands if we choose to stay home due to icy roads.

That is exactly my practice.

If it is particularly bad I have called elderly saints and told them NOT to try and come.

I don't want them breaking a hip on an icy step.

I do teach that it is important to be in church, however, and when people start looking for reasons to skip out, it is generally a bad sign for their spiritual condition.