When Christianity was small, it needed very little organization. As it grew, however, more organization was needed simply to accommodate the larger numbers of people as they outgrew the homes where they were meeting.
Organization itself is not evil, meeting in homes is not evil, as some have implied. Chaos or death is the problem�not organization itself. Nor is structure the problem. Organizational structure itself is not the problem, nor are buildings, steeples, or church pews real problems. The problem comes when structures, buildings, and legal paperwork are identified as the Church and thus replace the congregation (people) as the Bride of Christ. When that problem occurs, you know that structure has usurped authority over spirit. This has occurred because those in authority themselves have usurped authority over Jesus Christ. And so, when it is claimed that the organization is the Church and that no one can be a member of the Church without being a member of a particular denomination-this is evidence that the True Church has been usurped by an imitation church.
I don't hold that opinion either...I admit, I didn't go to church last Sunday. My (non-Christian) brother was visiting for a short time, and I wanted to spend some time with him :D. Although (Hebrews 10:24-25):
"...let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another � and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
The bible says that there's more to church than that. Like teaching. And barbeques (kinda)! Still, in God's strength I try to learn how to do the meeting thing, the listening thing, the encouragement thing and stuff better and better, despite the baby steps I need to take at times.
I think Christianity is still a bit saturated with the religious ceremony and ritual from our dark ages experience, but I think gathering together with believers is important. I think it's supposed to be more like a family reunion than what we consider a "church service". During the early church era, it was like a big family living together and sharing everything, I'm not sure that there was even a set weekly worship day like we have now, but it's still good to fellowship with the brethren/sisters. Satan wants you to be separate, the more cohesive and organized that christian faith is, the more influence it has on the world.
I know someone who first went to church because of beautiful girls there! Lol. True, some people go to church for the wrong reasons. But I think it's important to fellowship with other believers, for God himself is for relationship and fellowship too.
I have to say I don't believe dogmatic church attendance all the time (and twice on Sunday) indicates anything regarding your faith.
I can honestly say, it was those in church leadership that actually ruined my marriage. They constantly belittled my wife for not wanting to be more than mom and told her that her wanting to be a stay at home mom was a result of my abusing her. So she left home and went to live her own life as the church encouraged.
Faithfully attending the wrong church can be worse than not attending at all. While I don't regularly attend, I do believe in gathering together with other believers... but they have to be the right believers. Iron sharpens iron and bad company corrupts good morals.
I would be careful of any church, even traditional ones, that believe and teach that their way is the only way; that their translation is the only one that counts... etc. etc.
Far to many people have never read the Bible but believe that because they have gone to church for 20 years that they know what it says. I think many many people would be shocked and surprised at what it really says on a lot of things.
I believe in what the Bible teaches, not what I'm told to believe by the church. The only way to know if your church is teaching what the Bible really says is to sit down and read it, then pay attention during church.
Keep in mind, the Bible was not written by scalars for scalars, it was written by Gods elite ( the profits ) for lay people. There are no hidden meanings or coded messages in any given passage. Remember, God thinks of us as children and sheep...( and we often live up to that )... Do you teach a small child out of college text books? neither does God teach us beyond our ability to understand. Find a translation that uses a level of English (or your native language) that is easy for you to read... then read it. Then see if the church you are attending teaches what the Bible says or what they want you to think it says.
You don't need to go the church to be a Christian, but you should want to spend time with other believers. I'm reminded of an old story of a young man visiting his pastor's house to say how he didn't feel he needed to go to church to be a Christian. As the pastor listened, he took a burning coal from the fire and set it on the hearth. When the young man had finished speaking, the pastor told him to look at the coal and what had happened to it since it was separated from the fire.
For those without the experience of open coal fires, the coal initially carried on burning but without the heat from the fire, began to cool and eventually went out altogether. I'm not big on the notion of "submitting to the church's authority" (after all, what is the "church" but a body of believers each lifted from sin?), but we are called to be accountable to one another, to build each other up in the faith and to teach and fellowship with each other - how can this be done if a Christian isolates themself?
In short, you meet with other believers because it benefits you in encouragement and teaching, keeping wayward thoughts and beliefs in check, and it benefits them in the same way too. Jesus chose not to do His ministry all by Himself, and that's probably the best reason of all why you shouldn't either.
As much as its important to be in fellowship with other believers we are not supposed to judge others by the way they attend church.The first church is our hearts.What is your relationship with your God?Whether you are in church or not?You can stay at home for good reasons,but how is your heart?You can go to church as a routine,are you benefiting from your attendance?Or do you just attend for the sake?What is your motive?God looks at our hearts.
One cannot be a lesser christian just coz he/she doesn't attend church.
But its good,if you have a church you can attend and be blessed when you sing and dance for the Lord with others and when you hear the word of God.
