Is church attendance biblically mandated? Not really looking for personal opinion as much as scriptural proof. Thanks.
Church attendance
- Thread starter Corbinscam
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What if you're seeking study and fellowship but not a formal church?
The context of Hebrews 10:25 seems to be more saying not to go to alone. Not necessarily go thou thee quickly to thy church, imo.
Hi Corbinscam,
If you mean by church as a building and an organized meeting place, no.
If you mean fellowshipping with believers wherever, yes. We are to have fellowship with believers on a regular basis.
Hebrews 10:23-25
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 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.
There was no such thing as an organized church building. The church is the people and they were not to forsake coming together with other Christians because we need each other. There was no such thing as a building like the churches we have today. People met in homes, Lydia and some of the other women met at a beach to pray and others met at Solomon's colonnade which was in the temple courts.
Yes and I am thankful that we have churches now and we don't have to meet in people's homes. You ever been to a group bible study at somebody's home? In my experience it is usually much more awkward than if we meet at a church, and much fewer people will attend.
So anyway, Corbinscam, about the OP: We are to follow the examples in the Bible, even if it never says "Thou shalt regularly attend church." What did Paul do? He held meetings in people's houses when he had to, sure, but when he could he convened at the local church.
So anyway, Corbinscam, about the OP: We are to follow the examples in the Bible, even if it never says "Thou shalt regularly attend church." What did Paul do? He held meetings in people's houses when he had to, sure, but when he could he convened at the local church.
N
NoNameMcgee
Guest
yup
kinda answered your own question
desert did a good job too....
a modern "church" isnt mandatory
B
BeyondET
Guest
It seems to me that there are many people who are simply trying to "scripturally" get out of attending any kind of church.
Many scriptural references show that "the believers" met every first day of the week... many times it was in private homes, and other times it was in the temple courtyard, IIRC.
I wonder if the "anti-church" people were honest with themselves, would they be able to say they meet with other believers every week, or even every other week? In other words, on a regular basis, instead of attending a "church" ?
Perhaps a true self-examination is in order... to get to the bottom of why they don't want to attend "church"....
Honestly, I think sometimes we expend more energy trying to get OUT of doing something God wants us to do, than we would expend in simply DOING it...
Many scriptural references show that "the believers" met every first day of the week... many times it was in private homes, and other times it was in the temple courtyard, IIRC.
I wonder if the "anti-church" people were honest with themselves, would they be able to say they meet with other believers every week, or even every other week? In other words, on a regular basis, instead of attending a "church" ?
Perhaps a true self-examination is in order... to get to the bottom of why they don't want to attend "church"....
Honestly, I think sometimes we expend more energy trying to get OUT of doing something God wants us to do, than we would expend in simply DOING it...
B
BeyondET
Guest
I've read a verse that's similar to what you said.
Hebrews 10
25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Paul provides instructions regarding the leadership of the church. What was his point if nobody was going to attend? In my opinion ... Well, I guess you're not interested in that.
B
BeyondET
Guest
I agree, and probably a few more places can be of a place for fellowship, I think that's the key (fellowship) surely no one can do it alone that probably could be coined selfship lol. Is attending church mandatory surely not though highly encouraged in the bible indeed.
Only 16? Pretty good command of the English Language for a 16 year old.
Now, as to the question.......Not forsaking the assembly of others IS speaking of Congregational Worship.......try reading through the Epistles and see where the Christians were assembling together to worship. In the early stages, they had their "Church" in one of the homes of the Congregation, but, as time progressed, and they were able, they had free standing Churches. Now, is it LIFE OR DEATH MANDATORY? No. However, we are suppose to be in "fellowship" with one another. Kinda hard to do when one is going it alone.
Bible Studies only do so much. There is far more to be achieved in a Congregational fellowship.
16 huh?
hmmmmm
Now, as to the question.......Not forsaking the assembly of others IS speaking of Congregational Worship.......try reading through the Epistles and see where the Christians were assembling together to worship. In the early stages, they had their "Church" in one of the homes of the Congregation, but, as time progressed, and they were able, they had free standing Churches. Now, is it LIFE OR DEATH MANDATORY? No. However, we are suppose to be in "fellowship" with one another. Kinda hard to do when one is going it alone.
Bible Studies only do so much. There is far more to be achieved in a Congregational fellowship.
16 huh?
hmmmmm
Here's what Saul (Paul) did after he was prayers for to restore his sight, Acts 20:17-22 "So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;19 and taking food, he was strengthened.
For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him,25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket."
Paul went to were people were assembled to worship the Lord and study His word. Once they planned to kill him he would leave town or if he was kicked out of the synagogue. Paul would teach in the synagogues and evangelize in the marketplace Acts 17:17 "So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there."
The reality is that what we call Church is nothing like what was happening in the book of Acts. It was a full day of fellowship, teaching, Paul talked so long that someone died, be raised from the dead, brake bread, eat and talk all night until day break. Acts 20:7-12 "On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered.9 And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.10 But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.”11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.12 And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted."
So the two hours we might spend at a building is nothing.
I'm not against person opinion or intending to be offensive in looking for biblical validation....I just know what most personal opinion is. If a person has been hurt by or in a church they think skipping it fine. If they haven't then church attendance is a must and you are a heathern if you assume you can skip.
I do believe fellowship in a structured church is biblical but I also think that sometimes in seasons of life it isn't as necessary.
But I care more about what God desires that what I think.