Are christian those people who go to the Church?
By alpha7
@alpha7 (1910)
France
July 29, 2008 12:18pm CST
Are Christians those people who attend Church regularly,or are they the ones we refer to as Church goers,What are the benefits of attending a Church when you don't even have problems anyway.
I am asking this question because i want to know exactly what it means and i want someone else to share with me their experience.
3 people like this
9 responses
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
29 Jul 08
Alpha7,
The truth is the churches of today are leading a lot of good people off out into left field where they can never get back on their own. The only thing important to any Christian is their personal relationship with God All Mighty and His Son Jesus. If you have a good personal relationship with God through the Holy Spirit then your church is where you are at the moment. The Anointing of the Holy Spirit goes with you no matter where that may be.
True Christian teaching is done through examples and not words from a pull pit. Words are not enough to get the job done. We can only live our lives according to God's plan for us with His personal one on one teaching. Man makes mistakes, the Holy Spirit doesn't. Look at any ministry. If the continuation and the effectiveness of it depends on money then you can be sure God didn't build it. Anything God truly builds will survive anything thrown at it.
I don't mean to offend anyone but I will say this. We are all, including myself, a lot less than what we should be in God's eyes. Most Christians don't want to admit that. Don't let that upset you. Just seek Gods help and through His Personal teaching he will help you improve.
Art
2 people like this
@capirani (2732)
• United States
31 Jul 08
Out of curiosity, I am wondering two things about your post. 1. How do you expect full time pastors and church staff to support themselves and their families without being paid? 2. What do you base your beliefs about this on?
The Bible itself, which is God's Word, says that He ordered that the Levite Priests who were in charge of the temple and tabernacles, to be supported by the tithes and offerings of the rest of the people. And the New Testament says that the worker is worthy of the hire, which is to say that they deserved to be paid their fair share for the work they do. Now, if that is not of God, can you explain why it is in His Word?
Yes, Paul worked to support himself as a tent maker. But he also accepted the gifts freely given to him by the people who helped support him and his work.
If a pastor or any church staff has to work full time at another job so they can support themselves, then they are not free to do the work God called them to do. It is most definitely our job as Christians to support our pastors and church staff. God called them to the work and us to be the support system.
However, I will agree that many churches might not be the best stewards with how they use their funds, and maybe some pastors get paid a little too much. I do take issue with rich pastors who have very poor congretations who need help. As long as they are contributing back to their congregation, what they do with their money is between them and God and only He can judge how the church or the pastors use their money. But if a church is mishandling funds, the congregation needs to check into it and find out if it is unethical, and do something about it. But definitely, pastors and church staff do need to be paid for their services. And it is definitely ordained of God for that to happen.
1 person likes this
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
30 Jul 08
I believe people get the wrong idea about church. The post below by Jami sums it up pretty good. I am different about money in churches than most people. I do not believe anyone including the Pastor or who ever should be paid. Any money collected should go to keep the house of God open and help the needy that attend it and others in the neighborhood. We should pay our 10% and that doesn't mean just money we receive it means any gain we receive no matter what it is.
There are a lot of good people in the churches that are doing the best they can with what they have to work with. I honestly believe God will give these people credit and not shut them out. The problem is we just don't have enough to work with. A lot of God's real truth isn't being taught in the churches for the simple reason it makes the teachers look like they are less than what they should be. We should all admit that we are all less than what we should be and unite and work together to fix that problem. The name over the door of a church doesn't matter at all. It's what is in the hearts of the people that use that door that matters.
Art
1 person likes this
@inutme (372)
• Philippines
29 Jul 08
I think the simplest way to define it would be: All church-goers are Christians (or other religious sects) but not all Christians (or other religious sects) are church-goers.
I'm a church-goer but not necessarily a religious one. Wierd? I go to church because it makes me feel better after, just to visit the house of God and hear mass once a week. Oops, I might be reprimanded by religious mylotters here, but everyone is entitled to their opinion right?
So yeah for me that's the benefit of going to church..
@inutme (372)
• Philippines
31 Jul 08
I was thinking mostly on the technical term of being a Christian. In reality, anyone born with Christian parents is a Christian, but not necessarily a practicing one.
Or I may be wrong. Maybe Christians are the religious people alone. Others, although christened as Christians may not be really called Christians coz they are not religious and following the teachings of Christ. Is this it?
@petiksmode (2983)
• Philippines
1 Aug 08
beign born with a christian parents doesnt mean you are also a christian...i mean it is not hereditary...beign christian is a decision to make for aperson to accpet Christ in his/her life as Lord and Savior...
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
5 Aug 08
To be a true Christian, you have to attend Church. Paul speaks of not being like others who abandon the gathering of themselves together. So you can be a nominal Christian and not attend church, but there is another thing. You can be a hypocrite or a pretend Christian and attend Church. The thing is regularity. A hypocrite will only attend church when he or she feels like it. If the sermon gets a little too hot to handle or cuts too deep, he or she will not go. Also that person will attend a church that suits him. I attend church regularly because I want to hear the word of God, no matter how I listen to the sermon and it convinces me of my wrong doing.
But if you do not attend church, you get your own ideas and remember the pagans and the others who believe and do not believe also look up in the sky and see the stars and not all of them are convinced of God's hand in the creation of these things.
2 people like this
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
5 Aug 08
PS:
The kids are the key to changing this world. You change the kids you change the world, it's that simple. Most adults reject God's real truth but kids won't. If we are going to ever have any "True Believers" walking this earth again then it looks like we are going to have to grow then from scratch. There is only one problem with this. The parents are going to have to be walking in the right direction before they can lead their children in the right direction.
I know a lot of people don't believe in the Anointing and a personal communication system with God but that's the only thing that will ever start to correct the mistakes we have made.
2 people like this
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
29 Jul 08
To be a Christian, you have to believe and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You have to repent of your sin. Beyond that, there are not any real requirements. Many people don't go to church and they usually give the excuse that there are so many hypocrits there.
Everyone has problems, alpha7. Everyone sins. Everyone has to acknowledge those sins and ask forgiveness.
But church is supposed to be to worship God corporately and to encourage one another. Paul says in Hebrews 10:25, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Being a Christian alone is hard. It's so easy to start being and doing what the world around us is doing, or believing as the world around us is believing...if we're not being regularly fed - by sermons, by Bible study, and by our fellow Christians too.
2 people like this
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
3 Aug 08
Thank you for giving me the "best response."
1 person likes this
@paisleylass (440)
• United States
1 Aug 08
To be a Christian you have to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Many are baptised when they are babies but at one point in your life you have to accept this baptism. Not all Christians are church goers, they feel they want to follow Jesus on their own. Not all Church goers ar truly Christian. They go to church but do not believe in their heart. I hope this helps.
2 people like this
Who exactly are the Church goers if i may ask?
@petiksmode (2983)
• Philippines
1 Aug 08
church goers are basicall everyone who attends or go to church regardless of spiritual conditions..
1 person likes this
Thank you.
@michelled (326)
• United States
31 Jul 08
wow some intreasting responses here . a christian is some one who belives
in god plane and simple. The benefits to attending church , well simple
its a time to spirtially conect with god. to worship him in his house.
not everyone that goes to church is saved , it is by the grace of god
we are saved, but even jesus christ himself went into the temple to
worship god.
2 people like this
@petiksmode (2983)
• Philippines
30 Jul 08
church goers doesnt mean you are a christian...christian are the people who accepted Christ in their lives as their Lord and savior..
going to church dont mean you have a problem, i see it my date with my Lord, to celebrate with other christian rejoicing and praising our God and singing songs for Him with other christians..
@corngrass (727)
• Malaysia
1 Aug 08
Hi there,
For me, i'm a Christian but im not a church goers. I do go to church for an activity held on every Saturday afternoon, but it is not a church services.
I think what it's important is not did you go church or not. It's your thinking which is important. If one go church every Sunday service and since young but his heart is not with the Lord, what is the meaning for it?
1 person likes this
@jaminnj (21)
• United States
30 Jul 08
Going to church - means you got up got dressed and went to church - Being a Christian means that you believe Jesus Christ has paid the price for your sins and that because of your faith that it is truth you will be given eternal life in heaven. I am a Christian and I do go to church. I don't go to church because I have problems and expect to find the answers there. I go to church because I want to remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy. Because I want to fellowship with other likeminded believers. Because I want to feed my soul - give my offering - praise the Lord - Pray in His house etc. I sing in choir, lead Praise and Worship, teach Sunday school and serve however asked. It is about honoring God, serving God, encouraging others, teaching children, giving money so that others can hear of God's love etc. Sunday is my day of rest so we spend time as a family after church - no chores, homework, etc. We end the day with a candlelight dinner together as a family and plan our week after dinner.
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