Featured Church Membership: Do I Stay or Do I Go Now?

Is there anything in scripture saying you must be a member of any church.....I dont see it.

 

If there is no concept of membership then why would Paul admonish the Corinthian church to remove an incestuous man from the fellowship? One cannot remove that which is not first apart of something.

 

Ambiguous....where does it say I must be a member.

 

No....it is not!

...unfortunately, I am stuck here due to financial limitations! Plus, my HMO, which I have been with for 40 years, makes it hard to, at my age, to go out and make a change in doctors and medical systems, especially with the uncertainy that Obamacare poses, and my numerous health issues!


Secondly, it costs money and energy to move. Both of which I lack! My retirement income is taxed to the max, and physically, my disabilites make a move a difficult task master!

Believe me, if I had the money and ability, this state would be history.

Of course, you will more than likely have a response [I've unfortunately gotten to know you all too well], but like they say, don't judge me unless you have stood in my sandals for a day or two! :smilewinkgrin:

 

It doesn't say that you must be a member but if you are going to teach, lead, participate in the ministry then there are expectations whether you want to see them in the Bible or not.

 

You are not required to be a member of a local church, but as a member of the Body of Christ, you would want to memeber in local church, in order to best put your gifts/talents/fiannces etc to use!

I look at it this way... Attending a church faithfully is like dating a wonder christian lady for awhile, its good, but to get all of the Fridge benefits, need to marry her!

Same way,in order to get all benefits Lord intends for you, should become an active member!

 

I have hit the "Like" button!

 

Perhaps your reason for going to church & mine are different......I go in obedience. I dont like to go & dont want to go. Its freaking boring frankly but I do it to honor Christ. I learn far more reading scriptures & listening to excellent sermons on line then I do by going to a dead & dreary church.... so I dont see a Wonder Woman, rather a Ball in Chain. Frankly I view it as a pain in the neck obligation.....one that Id be happy to do without. Marry that....you must be kidding.

 

Truthfully, this explains a whole lot of what you say on here.

Now I can understand why you say and write what you do.

 

Wow! Considered finding another church?

 

The main reason to attend a local church is to have corporate worship/praise of the Lord that redeemed us, and to hear hopefully solid teaching/preaching!

Also to have fellowship with other saints...

Attending church should be something looking forward to, not as something that just 'has to be done to keep on Lords good side!"

 

EWF what are you doing to make a difference? You appear to be looking for things to criticize. It not about what other are not doing for you. Perhaps you need to focus on what God can do through you to make a difference. If you are in a dead church then you most likely are a part of the problem.

 

Yea in an ideal world..... but I cant help but see it as a boring & lifeless experience & thats all its ever been to me. And your going to find that most men view it that way & thats why they are dieing.....for lack of masculinity. Look at the Pot Luck Thread. I view sitting down in a church cellar as nothing short of robbery to my own family time....so much so that I dont participate. But women see it as a time to bond to church members......well what about bonding with my wife & kids....shouldnt I bond with them.....isnt time spent with them important? I dont want strangers overhearing intimate conversation with my wife & Kids!

Sermons......BORING BORING BORING.....nothing to see here folks, except me either wondering off mentally or falling asleep sitting up...LOL.

Come on, havent you seen a couple with there kids & the wife sits there lifeless, the husband is playing with his cell phone or squirming (in pain lookin at his watch) & the kiddies are all over the place. That was me a few years ago, now to stop the pain I just get up & go to the bathroom & wonder or fall asleep. Im sorry if that sounds cruel but Id rather sit through a root canal.

When I stayed home & made breakfast for the family & then put a roast in the crockpot, the wife & I & my son (if there) would tale out the book & have quiet prayer followed by reading a scripture & followed by a bible study. We got far more out of it than that church agony & we bonded far more than sitting & squirming amongst fellow agonized participants (who probably didnt want to be there either).

Like I said, I go there out of obligation & obedience.....until you can change the dynamic (rather lack of dynamic) in the Church, that is the way I will continue to view it. Sorry for the negativity, but I believe it to be warranted & should be discussed more openly w/o attack.

 

EW&F, what has come over you? You have gotten increasingly combative over the last year here. Now this. If what you have stated is the case then you need a serious attitude adjustment.

Being in church is not to be taken lightly. And it is not a chore --something unpleasant to put up with. Where is Christ in your contempt for the gathering of the saints?

Some folks (like myself now) do not have the luxury of attending a church regularly. For me it is a major financial and logistics problem to meet with fellow believers -- but I will be doing it as often as I can despite it all. You know I could probably enjoy what you apparently despise.

If someone regularly eats well they don't appreciate others who are normally in a state of hunger. You in the West have so many blessings that you take for granted.

Seriously EW&F. I wish I could be more sympathetic but you need to be soundly admonished for your attitude. It's obvious that no church member will do you the honor.

 

I cant help my feelings so what can you do.....banish me from this forum. Be my guest. Im just being honest. Do your worst.

 

They were dead long before I ever arrived. But I have sat with the pastor & made suggestions that would exercise the Great Commission......he indicated he would work to make that a reality, to await his call......but nothing ever happens. I offered to be a facilitator at a Unemployment Forum that he thought important.....Im still waiting. The mans content with a summer VBS & a movie for kids occasionally......thats it. So I have tried & failed to draw anything out of this church. Ive even gone so far as to integrate with a Russian Baptist Church that holds services in the same building but there is little if no effort to blend them.....thus Im resigned to my earlier statement....they are dead & its not for my lack of trying to revive them.

 

First of all, I would not have seen your quote if EWF had not posted it. However, there is no way you are not going to be called to account for your demeaning, shameful, and outright false posts.

The first falsehood is that you cannot attend church regularly. If you do not attend church regularly, it is because you choose not to attend church regularly.

The second falsehood you convey is that EWF despises worship. Nothing has come over him. His heart yearns for dynamic, meaningful, powerful interaction with the Lord. That means he is sick and tired of people, congregations going through the motion of worship with dreary faces. He is tired of patronizing sermons that get no reaction. It is people like you that encourage creeds, chants, and responsive readings that encourages such dead worship.

Don't you dare admonish EWFs attitude. It is right on. You have not posted one honest post in years, so you have no moral authority to call out anyone.

As far as we people in the West, and our material blessings, yes God has blessed us. But we also used our brains to create wealth for all, and do not dumb people down like those in your part of the world to create perpetual poverty.

You sir, are a disgrace.

 

And now you have become the enlightened one. Good for you. :smilewinkgrin:

 

Thank you SN.....your getting it.

Last night I sat for 4 hours through a Russian Evangelical Service, just full of joyful celebration. These people have been persecuted by the former USSR for their having the unmitigated gall to actually want to worship. The Pastor was put in prison & his life was threatened for preaching the gospel. So in contrast to that I see American Churches as being nothing like then today, in passion, in brotherhood, in intensity.

I can give you more but like Ive said, somewhere along the lines we have become lazy & routine. I dont see any love in it anymore, its just a social gathering place......& that is what I despise, despite my attempts to not do so.

And if Rippon & Dude & many of you dont think that I do not know what starvation, & poverty & sickness is.....well you dont know me at all.