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!

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

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!

sorry but I am confused by both of your statements...maybe you didn't understand what I was saying.....Thad you are a split personality perhaps...you were the support of my thread perviously about my church...now I am church bashing....no don't think so...

[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

[Harmony]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

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

Thank you for posting this. I am thinking about the feelings and shame I would go through if I needed to stay away from a church service. This was not "Self" imposed, We were taught that unless you had two broken leggs you were not to miss church. Of course this was said in jest, but they really did mean it. My pastor preached that you could miss the service that could determine your salvation!! He impressed upon us that Church was of the highest importance, above a sick child, above fatigue, above close relatives that you only see once in a few years...it is sad. My moms unsaved daughter and her husband would come into town from out of state once a year, for a weekend, and my parents both went to church on Sunday, both services.

Originally Posted by Harmony

Thank you for posting this. I am thinking about the feelings and shame I would go through if I needed to stay away from a church service. This was not "Self" imposed, We were taught that unless you had two broken leggs you were not to miss church. Of course this was said in jest, but they really did mean it. My pastor preached that you could miss the service that could determine your salvation!! He impressed upon us that Church was of the highest importance, above a sick child, above fatigue, above close relatives that you only see once in a few years...it is sad. My moms unsaved daughter and her husband would come into town from out of state once a year, for a weekend, and my parents both went to church on Sunday, both services.

In all things we need balance....putting people before church is NOT putting people before God...it is doing God's work when we fellowship and minister to others...

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.

What are you talking about???

[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.