Reasons Not to Go To Church

[tyndale1946]

Thanks for the response brother Glen, but I just have to ask, first, would you condemn someone for laying out sick?

And secondly, are you saying, in light of the scope of the OP...there is no legitimate reason for missing Church?


God bless.

There are always legitimate reasons for missing church and you, I and others on here have to answer to no one but ourselves and God... Do I condemn anyone from missing church?... NO!.. I'm not their judge!... I feel the Christian thing to do is check up on a brother or sister if they are not there... Isn't that what we are suppose to do?

Thanks for the response brother Glen, but I just have to ask, first, would you condemn someone for laying out sick?

And secondly, are you saying, in light of the scope of the OP...there is no legitimate reason for missing Church?


God bless.

There are always legitimate reasons for missing church and you, I and others on here have to answer to no one but ourselves and God... Do I condemn anyone from missing church?... NO!.. I'm not their judge!... I feel the Christian thing to do is check up on a brother or sister if they are not there... Isn't that what we are suppose to do?.. Matthew 25 38-46... I agree that we are suppose to do this for everyone but are not more compelled to do this especially to the household of God?... Brother Glen

 

[JamesL]

I've had severs spells when I didn't "attend". Some longer, some shorter. And the reasons varied:

1) I was worn out from the fakery of a Charismatic church. Fake tongues, fake preacher, fake faith....

2) I was worn out from the general consensus that we were at (or in) "God's House" and that we came there to "meet" God. Shaking my head at people who would say "we are the temple of the Holy Spirit" and not get that Temple = House

3) I was bored with a dry "attendance" which I have come to refer to as spiritual grocery shopping. Imagine you go to the grocery store every Saturday morning. The first time, you don't know anyone. After a month or so, you notice there's someone else who's always there at the same time. So you mention it to them, and have a cordial exchange. Then you start to wave every time you see them there. After a little while you're on a first name basis. You eventually know where they work, kids' names, what sports team they like. But you don't know them. The only thing you have in common is that you both do your grocery shopping at the same place and time. You get a few things you need, then away you go til next week.


One time, I was absent two weeks in a row. A lady saw me and asked if I was ok. Been missing me, worried a little. Why hadn't I been there, she asked. My joking reply offended her - "I was just exercising my Christian liberty."

I don't say that anymore lol

 

[InTheLight]

The only two reasons are ill health and inclement weather.

 

[JamesL]

The only two reasons are ill health and inclement weather.

What if your house catches on fire on Sunday morning? When i was at FBC Buckner, a little old lady's apartment caught on fire during the service - right across the street from where we were

 

[JamesL]

The only two reasons are ill health and inclement weather.

My son was born on Sunday, April 30, 2006. His mom and I woke up and started getting ready to go-to-meetin' when she told me we needed to go to the hospital instead. He was born 3 hours later

 

[InTheLight]

My son was born on Sunday, April 30, 2006. His mom and I woke up and started getting ready to go-to-meetin' when she told me we needed to go to the hospital instead. He was born 3 hours later

That's a good reason.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Darrell C]

The only two reasons are ill health and inclement weather.

These are legitimate reasons.

Our fellowship will close in inclement weather (snow, ice, hurricane, et cetera).

Haven't see anyone mention mental defect. This could be considered ill health, I suppose, but how about someone that has struggled with emotional and psychiatric issues?


God bless.

 

[Darrell C]

I've had severs spells when I didn't "attend". Some longer, some shorter. And the reasons varied:

1) I was worn out from the fakery of a Charismatic church. Fake tongues, fake preacher, fake faith....

2) I was worn out from the general consensus that we were at (or in) "God's House" and that we came there to "meet" God. Shaking my head at people who would say "we are the temple of the Holy Spirit" and not get that Temple = House

3) I was bored with a dry "attendance" which I have come to refer to as spiritual grocery shopping. Imagine you go to the grocery store every Saturday morning. The first time, you don't know anyone. After a month or so, you notice there's someone else who's always there at the same time. So you mention it to them, and have a cordial exchange. Then you start to wave every time you see them there. After a little while you're on a first name basis. You eventually know where they work, kids' names, what sports team they like. But you don't know them. The only thing you have in common is that you both do your grocery shopping at the same place and time. You get a few things you need, then away you go til next week.


One time, I was absent two weeks in a row. A lady saw me and asked if I was ok. Been missing me, worried a little. Why hadn't I been there, she asked. My joking reply offended her - "I was just exercising my Christian liberty."

I don't say that anymore lol

I have had a number of occasions where I have become unenthusiastic about where I attend. A couple of times, I felt justified in leaving those fellowships. And at least once, I know I was. But there have been times when I can look back and see that it was pride that caused me to leave. They were not justified.

So here is a question: is Church-Hopping something that should happen?


God bless.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Yea....anyone live in the North East?

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I have had a number of occasions where I have become unenthusiastic about where I attend. A couple of times, I felt justified in leaving those fellowships. And at least once, I know I was. But there have been times when I can look back and see that it was pride that caused me to leave. They were not justified.

So here is a question: is Church-Hopping something that should happen?


God bless.

Explain Church Hopping.

 

[Darrell C]

Explain Church Hopping.

Something I am guilty of in my younger years: hopping from church to church trying to find that perfect church.

You know...the one where they agree with everything you believe?

Once, in an attempt to do something different, instead of joining a fellowship I liked best out of the ones I visited, I decided to try the one I liked least.

I don't recommend that to anyone, lol.

God bless.

 

[pwarbi]

In the UK it seems that church hopping is quite popular also and it seams that quite a few people like a change of scenery every now and again, was how one person desrcribed it.

I just said if all you go for is to look at the scenery, then you might also want to look at why you go to church in the first place.

 

[HankD]

I agree with the concept that the church building itself has a "holy" status about it.
That is - it is a "set apart" as a designated place where the children of God assemble together for what the Book of Hebrews calls the acceptable "sacrifices" of praise, fellowship, etc...:

Hebrews 13
15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
16 But to do good and to communicate (koinonia) forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

But not in the sense of the degree the church of Rome assigns to the building itself.

I remember as a boy in the RCC at children's mass my cousins and I being severely chastised by the nuns for being too playful (we talked out loud instead of whispering or being totally silent) in "God's sanctuary".

Last thing:
There is one thing that has kept me out of certain local churches and caused me to choose another (doctrinal issues having been researched/resolved) when we have moved to a different locale.

It is this strange need some preachers-teachers have to lay a continuous guilt trip upon the congregation. A need for a response OK, an occasional guilt trip OK, but not continually and especially a public demonstration individually or collectively.

I remember one pastor coming down off the pulpit; walking down and publicly chastising a member for sleeping while he was preaching.

If folks fall asleep in the Sunday School class I lead, I take that as my issue not theirs.


HankD

 

[corndogggy]

Okay, anyone else have any thoughts on legitimate reasons for not going to Church?

One time a man was asked why he didn't go to church.

His response? "There's a tree in my front yard."

When the confused questioner asked him to clarify, he responded, "well it's as good of an excuse as any".

 

[corndogggy]

The question in view is, now that you have expressed an honest view of your own feelings, do I have a right to criticize you for those feelings

No, you don't get to criticize people who have social anxiety.

 

[corndogggy]

We just don't know what a person has gone through which has made it difficult for them to interact on the local level.

Why are you stuck on the idea that people with social anxiety has "went through" something, as if they are damaged goods?

Do you think that everyone who is scared of snakes has been bitten? I mean, normal people should just be able to pick one up right? Those that are uncomfortable around snakes must have had a real bad experience with them. Wonder what happened in their past to make them that way. Maybe I should criticize them for feeling that way.

 

[tyndale1946]

Why are you stuck on the idea that people with social anxiety has "went through" something, as if they are damaged goods?

Do you think that everyone who is scared of snakes has been bitten? I mean, normal people should just be able to pick one up right? Those that are uncomfortable around snakes must have had a real bad experience with them. Wonder what happened in their past to make them that way. Maybe I should criticize them for feeling that way.

I know I don't like snakes... I believe I inherited that fear from my distant daddy... What was his name again?... Oh yeah!... Adam!... Brother Glen

 

[heisrisen]

That's something a person needs to pray about. I think people should go to church, but if they can't find one they shouldn't. I have horrible social anxiety. I'm very anti social and that's just my personality. But when I'm at church I feel a lot better. How we feel has a lot to do with who we surround ourselves with.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Ive pretty much quit looking recently....the condition of churches in general is quite a mess. My brother who was a Pastor who moved back into the area & he quite agrees. we meet every Saturday to compare notes & plan for Sunday .....but I don't see anything of any quality on the immediate horizon. At this point God will have to intervene because I am frankly frustrated at the condition of these places.

 

[Darrell C]

I agree with the concept that the church building itself has a "holy" status about it.
That is - it is a "set apart" as a designated place where the children of God assemble together for what the Book of Hebrews calls the acceptable "sacrifices" of praise, fellowship, etc...:

Hebrews 13
15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
16 But to do good and to communicate (koinonia) forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

But not in the sense of the degree the church of Rome assigns to the building itself.

I remember as a boy in the RCC at children's mass my cousins and I being severely chastised by the nuns for being too playful (we talked out loud instead of whispering or being totally silent) in "God's sanctuary".

Last thing:
There is one thing that has kept me out of certain local churches and caused me to choose another (doctrinal issues having been researched/resolved) when we have moved to a different locale.

It is this strange need some preachers-teachers have to lay a continuous guilt trip upon the congregation. A need for a response OK, an occasional guilt trip OK, but not continually and especially a public demonstration individually or collectively.

I remember one pastor coming down off the pulpit; walking down and publicly chastising a member for sleeping while he was preaching.

If folks fall asleep in the Sunday School class I lead, I take that as my issue not theirs.


HankD

Once I was at a revival meeting and this fellow was preaching a sermon entitled "Rocking Jesus."

The premise was stoning, rather than a musical connotation, and during the message he too walked into the congregation and stuck this rock in people's faces asking "Do you want to rock Jesus?"

He did this to this little old lady and I was a little angered by it.

Just a stupid message, lol.


God bless.