Why do the lost attend church?

What scripture do you get this from?

 

This is the great misconception that the church has today. The church was never meant to be a place to win the lost. It was a place to feed the sheep. The lost are to be won outside the church by the sheep. We are to go and tell, not invite them in to hear.
This is why the church has had too change from its calling of feeding to a practice of making the church serviice palatable for the unsaved. Otherwise no one would show up being that iit is so full of thhe lost. :tear:

 

I repectfully disagree. Sometimes the lost come to church without being reached out to, sometimes the lost are already in church (but don't know that they ARE lost).

love,

Sopranette

 

All right, here's my opinion.

I believe that man was created with a built-in desire to worship. If we refuse to worship the God of the Bible, we will find some substitute "god" to worship: money, jobs, status, possessions, power, etc.

But, I believe that lost people can find themselves in church out of that desire to worship, even though they really don't understand the God the we worship at church.

We can say it's the "show" that get's them there, or it's friends, or it's to boost someone's appearance or status in a community, or whatever. But, I'm more inclined to believe that God will draw the lost to that place where He is worshipped and Jesus is lifted up.

 

Our doors are open to the Lost. As the Lord said, let him that is athirst come, whosoever will, let them come.

I still say the "Light" lighteth every man that cometh into the world. So man, can't say, well I didn't know!

BBob

 

I think that the reason the lost attend church is because the light of the churches is gone out. The clear message of the gospel has been diluted and no one can answer the man who asks 'what must I do to be saved?' If an unsaved man can sit in a church week after week thinking he is saved, the problem is behind the pulpit.

 

Can anyone show where the churches in the days of the Apostles did not have some "lost" among the saved to hear the word?

 

That I believe cannot be successfully shown by anyone.

 

You tell them, "Here is what the Bible says about having a relationship with God. Your life does not give evidence of it."

Someone who is not saved by faith in Christ.

That is not the biblical definitino of lost, and it is why a lot of churches are confused.

They are outsiders, according to Scripture, (Eph 2) ... strangers to the promise.

The church meeting is not for reaching out to the lost, per se. It is for the edifying of believers and the building of them up. Unsaved people in the church service is incidental to the church service.

Here again, not directed directly at sopranette, we are seeing a great disaster with respect to ecclesiology. It is no wonder the church is in such bad shape. WE don't know what it is or what it is for.

 

I agree that the lost may end up in church for many reasons. But that is not the purpose of the church services. We come together to worship God together, to learn about Him together, as an opportunity for the body to gather together, etc. If a lost person comes, then great. But the focus during this time is on God, not on lost people. We should be reaching out to the lost in many ways, but not with our corporate worship.

jimc06

 

1. Thank you, but sadly this has been lost upon us.

2. "If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?" 1 Cor 14:23 (ESV, emphasis mine)

3. The command is still to go (Matt. 28:18-20).

4. Thank you, PastorLarry.

 

I did not say that they did not come. I said that the church was not intended for evangelizing them. The church was intended for the saints to be fed. The people are to go out and tell the lost, not invite them into so as too hear. This is why the church is so limp today. The saints are not being taught.

 

This doesn't exclude inviting the lost to your church. "Going" first must happen in your city / community.

 

Not at all, but we must not reverse the command to Go. Acts is a great example of how the early believers understood to command to go, beginning in Jerusalem.

 

I think the meaning of church has been lost...

Look at the thread title....

We do not attend church... We are church.

Worship services are so the church can worship.
If the Lost attend, they will either not understand, or God will draw them into the church (get saved)

I agree with Christianyouth.. if most of a church is lost, and they can sit there week after week, and nothing happens, then the pulpit has been compromised.

I had an old preacher tell me one time.... "Son, Preach the Word.... You will either preach them in, or preach them out... but the Word always moves people."

 

That is a fine suggestion. Now to get preachers to follow it.

 

Of course we are the church, but here I think we are talking about the building, where we meet to worship. The building is located in a community, and when people realize they are in need of a saviour, and no one has come around, then they know what the church is for, so that is where they head to, to hear the word. I strongly believe there is a place in the church meeting place, for the lost to assemble with the saved to hear the word of God. If no one ever comes to tell you about Jesus, just the fact the church meeting house is in your community, draws the lost who are convicted.
I don't think it would be the same at our meetings, if there were not the unsaved there that may, after hearing the word, move out on the promises of God, and join the fold.
Last Sunday, I opened the services by reading a prayer list, speaking to the Congregation about the glories of Heaven and if we are not saved, we need to confess the Lord before the whole world. I started to give away for another preacher to come, and someone came out of the back and gave his hand with tears, saying the Lord had forgiven him, and he wanted a home with us. We usually announce "open door" at the end of service, but the door is always open, and he said he couldn't stand it any longer, and had to tell the church. It made for a wonderful day, I baptized him at 5:00 that evening.

BBob,

 

to the op: potluck and trying to earn their way to heaven

 

Despite all that is said, if I was lost, I would not waste my time, money, or effort to go to church and participate in various ministries. Ten percent + will buy lots of entertainment, Sunday mornings are good for sleeping in after a party to get ready for the 11 am NFL game, and really, the company at church is either quite boring or hypocritical.

This is how a lost person would think. Why go to church to listen to something that sounds insane, and in which you do not believe, or be around people which have nothing in common with you?

For those who attend church in a perpetual lost state, it seems to me these are the most miserable of all people. It seems the atmosphere would encourage coming to Jesus or leaving. This lingering for year after year for social reasons is beyond my understanding, but then again, thanks to Jesus, I am saved.