Sunday Is A Great Day To Stay At Home And Read Your Bible

[Etagloc]

So someone (who shall remain anonymous) tried to get me to repent of believing that I don't need a "church family" to go to on Sundays. This was my response:

Why should I repent of something if it's not a sin? Where does the Bible say I have to go to church on Sunday? I don't believe at all that the Bible commands us to go to church, I think preachers like to make us think that because it's convenient for them. If we are stranded on a desert island are we no longer Christians? No, even if we are stranded on a desert island we can still be saved.

Jesus called the pharisees hypocrites. If I was to follow His example, I'd probably be in my local churches calling preachers hypocrites and maybe chasing prosperity preachers out of the churches.

When I try going to church, I feel disgusted. Maybe you go to a really great church but I haven't been to a decent church since I was very young. I don't really care about church. I don't think there's anything in the Bible that says "be dependent on a church"- no! We should be reading our Bibles and praying and repenting and we shoukd be independent. I am tired of communism. You see, communism denounces the status quo. You think "yeah, right on!". You're sick of the status quo yourself. And then what solution does communism propose? The centralization of power. This is why I hate communism. And to try to make people dependent on some church group is a sort of spiritual communism. It represents the centralization of power: This has done so much harm to Christianity! Christians are and have been a countercultural force since our religion's inceptiom. And so are we to adhere to a centralized power structure? No, I think that's insane. We are inherently a resistance. And we should be a decentralized resistance. A hydra with a thousand heads that can never be beheaded. Think of guerillas in autonomous cells. The fact is we should be more like guerillas than a conventional army. We should each be reading and atudying our Bibles independently. We should be self-sufficient and self-reliant. We should be so independent that if every church on our earth became corrupt, that it wouldn't make a difference to us because we wouldn't need pastors. Do you need pastors? Do you need a church? Brother, if I am not disciplined enough to seriously read and study the Bible on my own then that is a fault in my self-discipline. That doesn't mean I should succumb to the cenralization of power and become dependent on some pastor. The fact is, I feel closer to God studying the Bible on my own than going to any of these lifeless churches.

 

[Etagloc]

Now maybe you think I'm a heretic but I'm advocating indepedence and I think whoever preaches dependence on a church is the heretic.

But I'd like to summon no less a militant Christian than the Jesus-Is-Savior.com guy and bring in his take:

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Believer's Corner/dangers_of_church.htm

 

[Etagloc]

"It has come to the point in America where people are having to leave church to find God and truth".

 

[Lurker]

Well said. You don't need a middle man.

 

[Lisa]

Perhaps they were thinking of Hebrews 10:25?
Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

 

[Etagloc]

Perhaps they were thinking of Hebrews 10:25?
Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Jesus Himself will disown some of the people who call themselves Christians. We should trust God and not men.

Christianity in itself is perfect. The main problem with Christianity today is Christians.

 

[Etagloc]

Just because a person calls themself a Christian doesn't mean I identify with them. I love Jesus and I love the Bible but I'm no big fan of "Christians" myself. Anyone can call themselves a "Christian". But calling yourself a Christian is one thing and following the Bible is another thing. I could go to a strip club and snort cocaine and go to church the next morning. I even heard of a woman who says she's a "Christian stripper". So you even have "Christian strippers" apparently. I've never been a strip club in my life but I'm just saying.

 

[Daciple]

So I know I was one who encouraged you to go to a Church this Sunday, however that isnt the response I received from you, I wonder what it means when multiple people (unless its just me and you didnt actually send this in PM but are only doing so publicly) are trying to encourage you to go to Church?

 

[Lisa]

Jesus Himself will disown some of the people who call themselves Christians. We should trust God and not men.

Christianity in itself is perfect. The main problem with Christianity today is Christians.

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.
2 Timothy 3:16

 

[Etagloc]

So I know I was one who encouraged you to go to a Church this Sunday, however that isnt the response I received from you, I wonder what it means when multiple people (unless its just me and you didnt actually send this in PM but are only doing so publicly) are trying to encourage you to go to Church?

No, this was in response to you. I typed it but I didn't send it. I meant to send you a PM saying I'd replied to you here.

 

[JoChris]

Jesus Himself will disown some of the people who call themselves Christians. We should trust God and not men.

Christianity in itself is perfect. The main problem with Christianity today is Christians.

If you're only looking for a church with no sinners, then you'll have to leave when you open the door. You'll be there.

Look I know how challenging it is to find good churches in the USA, if the churches as described and analysed on http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/ are the "successful" ones in the USA.

It doesn't mean you shouldn't try to find one. If you are truly unfortunate enough to have NO churches in your area - and you and God both know if that is true for you or not - then we are blessed to have online ministries/ sermons these days.

You also have to think from another perspective- if you are mature enough to be able to defend your faith online - then you should be seeking to help other brothers-and-sisters in Christ grow in this area if at all possible.
Church isn't all about what YOU get.

 

[Etagloc]

If you're only looking for a church with no sinners, then you'll have to leave when you open the door. You'll be there.

Look I know how challenging it is to find good churches in the USA, if the churches as described and analysed on http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/ are the "successful" ones in the USA.

It doesn't mean you shouldn't try to find one. If you are truly unfortunate enough to have NO churches in your area - and you and God both know if that is true for you or not - then we are blessed to have online ministries/ sermons these days.

You also have to think from another perspective- if you are mature enough to be able to defend your faith online - then you should be seeking to help other brothers-and-sisters in Christ grow in this area if at all possible.
Church isn't all about what YOU get.

Lol I'm pretty sure no one here cares what I think lol. Unless I just absolutely don't mention Jesus. I've already tried looking for churches out here. It was horrible. Also I already listen to sermons over the internet so if that counts as church then I'm already in church.

No, I don't think it's selfishness. And the fact is I need God and I need the Bible. And I'm not getting those things when I try to go to the churches out here. I don't talk about my struggles but that doesn't mean they're not there. And I need to search the scriptures and to study them. It's not selfishness that I don't try to save the spiritual souls of the people here. The people here don't care what I have to say. That's not my fault. They're already invested in the paths they've chosen and they're not interested in what I say. They're not interested when I mention Jesus. And if I mention the NWO now they really think I've lost it.

So I need to study and read my Bible for myself and I already listen to sermons over the internet. And I still tell people what I think and they think I'm nuts. And I need God and the Bible. I can barely keep myself from drowning much less save everyone else. People don't care what I think. All I have control over me is me. That's not selfishness, that's just accepting reality. And I still tell people what I think and people know I'm a "nut". So it's not like I don't tell people what I think. Trust me, I would love to "wake people up" and all that. It's not my fault people reject knowledge.

 

[Etagloc]

Trust me, I would love to go to a church. But I feel nauseous when I go to church and I feel painfully and miserably alone when I go to church. I feel more alone than when I'm actually alone. My faith is not a social event for me. If I was the last Christian on earth I would still practice my faith. I love in an area that's hostile to Christianity. I'd be much more popular if I wasn't a Christian. But I don't care about being popular. I refuse to make decisions based on popularity because I don't care if I'm popular or not. You can't buy me off with money or popularity. As David Stewart says, "The average pastor has been caught up into the apostate new evangelical movement, i.e., the wishy-washy, compromising, weak-kneed, milquetoast, head-in-the-sand, bible-corrupting, cotton-candy religion of our time.".

I'm sorry, I'm not gonna sit in there in some wishy-washy, milquetoast, head-in-the-sand, cotton candy church. I feel nauseous and I don't feel connected to God at all. I feel disgusted and I feel God is disgusted. When I go into church, I want to LEARN something. I want the pastor to SAY something. I was so disgusted when I came in and it was a RAP CONCERT. I was so disgusted when I came in and it was a ROCK CONCERT. I was so disgusted when I came in and watched the pastor say "JESUS WANTS YOU TO BE RICH!". I was so disgusted when I came in and it turned out it was a cult and the people wanted me to move in with them. I don't care about "WELL UHH... YOU KNOW WE GOTTA MAKE IT APPEALING FOR THE KIDS". GOD does not have to conform to WHAT THE KIDS WANT. The kids should be conforming to God!

The fact is I WANT TO BE CLOSE TO GOD. I WANT TO BE PLEASING UNTO THE LORD. And when I sit at home and study my Bible and pray, I feel more than I've ever felt at church since I was very young. I DON'T WANT A COMPROMISING CHURCH. I CAN'T SETTLE FOR A CHURCH THAT MAKES ME NAUSEOUS.

I'm not saying "I WANT TO STAY AT HOME AND WATCH RATED-R MOVIES ON SUNDAY". I'm saying I would rather stay at home and read my Bible and study it for myself than go to some crooked pastor on Sunday. I've tried different churches out here. In my experience, I'm better off worshiping at home. None of these churches have made me feel closer to God... or much of anything besides nausea. Now if I knew of a church where it wasn't like what David Stewart described, believe me, I would love to go to a church like that. I want a good church. But in the meantime, I need God and I need to do what it takes for me to get closer to God and if that means worshiping at home then that's what I need to do. I NEED GOD. Just because I argue with some people on the internet doesn't mean I'm at a point where I don't need to go.

And the fact is how many people are just like me? I didn't make this thread purely for myself and this isn't about me, regardless of how people want to paint it.

The fact is we face a crisis within Christianity. These churches today have no backbone and no substance. We don't NEED cotton-candy churches. Going to churches like that is not going to bring us closer to God. For those who say they do go to a good church- are they really going to a good church or just compromising for a cotton candy church? Is it really bringing them closer to God or is it just a social event? I don't know.

But I know there's many like me. I'm talking about a large social phenomena than just myself.

The fact is, the churches these days are awful. Maybe there's exceptions. But there are many in this same boat. As David Stewart said in that article

"It has come to the point in America where people are having to leave church to find God and truth". If you are that lucky person who has found one where they haven't sold out, that's wonderful. But for the rest of us, we need to be mentally prepared to seek God independently, reading our Bibles for ourselves. As we creep closer to the end times, it's just gonna get worse and worse. We cannot rely on churches as crutches. They're not going to be reliable.

 

[Etagloc]

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.
2 Timothy 3:16

I wasn't criticizing scripture.

 

[Etagloc]

If you're only looking for a church with no sinners

That's not it at all. That totally misses what I'm saying.

Look people, it's not my fault the churches are crooked. That is not my responsibility. I am disgusted that it seems that people are trying to make it out to be a personal flaw of mine that I have eyes to see that these churches are corrupt.

 

[Etagloc]

The Bible even says not to trust men. Y'all act like I'm a heretic because I actually follow that.

 

[floss]

Can this thread be closed? Or better yet, deleted.

pm VC to close it if you'd like

I love church, its a different experiences when you're inside the Father's house. I can read the Bible and listen to online sermon but its just not enough spiritually. Perhap my church is awesome. Fellowshipping is necessary for me personally.

 

[JoChris]

I am sympathetic towards your position Etagloc.
I live in a small regional area and if I was not blessed with a bible-believing church close by I would not attend any others. I will not go to a false church of any variety.

Us Christians just don't want you to give up hope in looking for a proper church. They are rare but there are still some out there.

 

[Etagloc]

pm VC to close it if you'd like

I love church, its a different experiences when you're inside the Father's house. I can read the Bible and listen to online sermon but its just not enough spiritually. Perhap my church is awesome. Fellowshipping is necessary for me personally.

On second thought, I'd like this thread to stay open. This thread is about discussing an issue that I think is pretty interesting.

 

[Etagloc]

Well said. You don't need a middle man.

Thank you. This is something that I heard an older Christian man say when I was very young. His wife was a Catholic and he said he didn't agree with her dependency on the Catholic church and that what was the phrase he used. I agree with that. Church can be a supplement and I think for people who are more extroverted (I'm introverted) it can be helpful. Also, if the Church is good it might help you become closer to God. But I haven't really been to any churches in a long time that helped me feel closer to God so lately I've been on a more independent route.