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kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible4 months ago

I am a christian and have been all my life.
Sometimes I don't feel like going to church so I stay at home.
Is this wrong?

 
 
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tags:  church, religion, god, christian, up to you
 
1. myLot reputation of 96/100. abhi_destar (423)   ranked 1,075 out of 1,842 in the bible   4 months ago

Religion is something which comes from your heart. It's not something which is bound by rules and regulations. If you believe in God and pray to Him at your home itself, you have no need to go to the church as a formality. After all what is church, but a place for worship? If you pray to God from your heart, He will listen to your prayers regardless of the place from where you are praying to Him.


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

So I shouldn't feel guilty about not going as God is everywhere.

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2. myLot reputation of 99/100. lazeebee (1937)   4 months ago

Do you feel it is wrong not to go to church on Sunday? That's the question we have to ask ourselves.
God is supposed to be everywhere, so I feel I can worship Him anywhere. Why do I go to church then? For fellowship? Or listen to sermons? I am sometimes so disheartened by the church members, that I'd rather talk to God alone, without the crowd in a church. Anyway, this is only my opinion. Right or wrong, it's up to you.


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

I go for the sermons but I do feel I get distracted by the people who mess around alot.

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3. myLot reputation of 100/100. arkaf61 (4633)   4 months ago

Not necessarily. It depends on how you feel about it mostly. It's how you feel about your religion and how you choose to worship, more than if you go to services all the time or not.
How your religion shapes who you are and how you act as a person and according to your beliefs. You can pray or talk to God without being in Church. You can be a good Christian and not go to church each time.
By the same token many people might go each and every time and not live their lives as good people, good Christians.


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

So even those who go to church they may not be good christians?


myLot reputation of 100/100. arkaf61 (4633)  4 months ago

It happens more often than what we would like it to happen. This doesn't mean that all people that go to church are not good Christians, just that you can be a good Christian and not to go church each time, and that some people might go to church all the time and not be good Christians - some times not even good people.
It's never good to generalize things.Religions is something that hopefully helps people to be better people, guides them and gives them the strength to live their lives in a positive path, be thoughtful of others, etc. Going to Church can certainly be a way to get closer to God, but it doesn't mean that just going for the sake of going, or for the others to see that we go will make us a better person. The same way that not going each time will immediately turn us into someone awful that will be facing eternal punishment. I'm sure God will be looking more closely at how e lead our lives than how many times we missed church.
Think about it, I'm sure you have seen people in Church that are not even paying attention, or are disrupting others that are trying to pay attention. They're there, but.... just in body and nothing of what is said there is coming with them. HOw is that any better than not going?
Personally I like to go to Church when there is no one else there. I go in and I feel close to God and nobody disturbs this closeness.
In any case I'm not saying don't ever go to church, but if there are times you don't go, it should be ok too. Your relationship with God is what's important and who you are as a person.


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

So as long as I stay a christian and act like one then God won't mind me not going to church all the time.

Thanks for the help it has encouraged me alot:)


myLot reputation of 100/100. arkaf61 (4633)  4 months ago

You're welcome. I am glad that my answers helped you to think about the issues in an unclouded manner.

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4. myLot reputation of 98/100. peavey (2078)   ranked 5 out of 1,842 in the bible   4 months ago

Feeling guilty when you don't go to church is getting caught up in legalism... as if what you do will make you a "better" Christian. Nothing you can do or not do can make you more saved than you are if you know Jesus.

Of course, we need to try to do the right things because God says we should, but going to church isn't necessarily always the "right" thing at the time.


myLot reputation of 80/100. tigertang (1485)   ranked 1,666 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

If you read the Gospels you will find that Jesus spends allot of time showing the powers that be in his day how silly their attachment to their legalities were. It's like he actually demonstrated that it was more godly to cure people than to let them remain sick on the Sabeth because it was against the law for people to do work on the Sabeth.

So, I think there's a lesson in here for all of us. We have to find God through our hearts, which in turn will guide our actions. If you are a real Christian, your faith in Christ will be with you and in your heart - and I seriously don't think Christ is personally going to come down and damn you just because you skip a Church service once in a while.

I mean, what is more important? You attend every Church service and do everything that the pastor tells you to do. Or you miss a few Church services but you have so much love for Christ that you actually live your life correctly and make it a point to go help those who are less fortunate than yourself - which is what Jesus does allot of in the bible.


myLot reputation of 98/100. peavey (2078)   ranked 5 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

Amen! happy


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

Very true, but other around me condem me for not going and say that when I die I will have to account for my sin in front of God which makes me feel even more upset about not going.


myLot reputation of 98/100. peavey (2078)   ranked 5 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

Others may think they can judge you, but they cannot. Just because they call it a sin doesn't make it so; only God can do that. Don't listen to them. Take the time and pray, ready your Bible and listen to God. People who condemn others for things like that are just like the Pharisees that Jesus spoke against many times.


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

Still it isn't very nice to be told that I will go to hell for not going.

I suppose people can be too religious and forget about the important things that God wanted us to do.


myLot reputation of 98/100. peavey (2078)   ranked 5 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

No, it isn't very nice. But they are the ones with the problem. Maybe you should pray for them.


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

Yes I think I will pray for them

Thanks for the help.

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5. marmeanders (9)   4 months ago

Well... the Bible teaches that we are not to forsake gathering together with other believers; throughout the Bible, we are instructed on how to live "in community". Others can build us up and we can have the same effect on them. "Church" is not just for worship... as others have said, that can be done anywhere. All of life is to be an act of worship for the true believer!

While it is true that we will one day answer for all the ways we failed to honor God while we walked this earth, we will not be sent to hell for not always attending church. Why not look for ways to be of help in your local church and in that way fulfill your purpose. We are to use our lives encouraging other believers and being encouraged by them. We are to pray together, to take communion together, and so on.


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

So God will ask why we didn't go but we will still go to heaven.

I should be more active for God.
I always feel stupid when I take part in church activities. Like when my family went out on a walk with the church and handing out leaflets it just made me feel embarassed.


marmeanders (9)  4 months ago

Handing out leaflets to interested persons shouldn't embarrass you if you love God and wish others to know about him. Were you worried your friends would see you and think poorly of you? Perhaps you weren't ready for that kind of activity... it takes a strong, mature believer to have confidence to reach out to others.

It may be best for you to work on building your devotion to God first:

Read/study your Bible, meditate, pray with another Christian. Do work within the church: volunteer to work in the children's programs, do clean-up after a church supper, clean the Sunday School rooms, work in the church office, etc.

Take it one easy step at a time. God loves you and will guide you.


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

I will do them instead.
Perhaps I am just not confident enough.

Thanks for all your help.

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6. t1ln0b2 (24)   ranked 142 out of 1,842 in the bible   4 months ago

Yes its wrong to stay home from church.Yes its place of worship and we need to fellowship with others and you get strength from other believers in the church.There is verse in the bible that tell you about going to church and that verse is Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking assembling of ourselves together,as the matter of some is;but at exhorting one another:and so much more as ye see the day approching.


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

I do believe that people in church can give help and support and I will still go to church just sometimes I need to be alown with God rather in the company of others who are distracting.

So people have different views on this so I will study the Bible untill I have my answer.

Thanks for all the help.

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7. mikeburg (2)   4 months ago

Being a Christian is often not a matter of right vs wrong as we or others may perceive it, but rather are we doing what we understand God would have us do. While we are to spend time with other Christians for mutual support,encouragement and accountability, there are times when we need to get alone with God and recharge and refocus. Jesus often left both his disciples and the crowds and went either into the mountains or some deserted place to be alone. He did not let his disciples or the crowds determine his mission or the way it should be carried out, and when they tried to do so he simply got off by himself. We can't let well meaning (and sometimes not so well meaning) people determine for us what we should be about on any given day. Know where you stand in your relationship with Christ, rest in that, and give no consideration to the comments of others, except maybe to realize that their comments are more a commentary on them than you.


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

So in the end it is up to me to decide whether to go every Sunday and not anyone elses.

Thanks for you comment.

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8. gobiyuma (17)   4 months ago

Maybe you should consider switching to a different church? There is no point in going to church if you are not there because you want to be there, and to worship God. Another way that you might get more out of the service is to get more involved. For example, I sing in the church choir and I love it, I think it is really fun... it really makes me want to get up and go to church on sunday mornings, even after being up late on saturday night!:)


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

I can't seem to make myself go in the morning as I am soo tired and lazy but I do enjoy some sunday evenings.

I am settled into my current church and don't want to move. But I will try to be more active in the sunday meetings.

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9. myLot reputation of 95/100. doubleloveyou (668)   ranked 656 out of 1,842 in the bible   4 months ago

Let me first introduce myself. I have been a pastor of a church for the past 6 years. So let me guide you from that perspective.
My first suggestion would be to go to your pastor and talk to him about your question. Remember God has placed him over that body of believers and if you are a member of that body of believers you fall under his authority.
As far as your question "Do I have to go to church to be a Christian?" (I know that is not exactly your question, but it is close)
NO! You do not.
Now let me ask you another question. Have you ever played sports, or have you ever worked on a team? If you want to be a pro basketball player, let's say, do you 1) Stay at home and watch basketball all day. 2) Get out of your house and consume your self with the game. Do you 1) hang around with a bunch of golf pros or do you 2) rub shoulders with pro basketball players?
You see if you want to be great Christian it is best if you are around those you want to be like. The Word of God states "Do not forsake the assembling of each other together as some are in the habit of doing. Spur one another on toward love and good deeds, even more so as you see the day approaching."
Now from what you are saying, you just want to miss a service once in a while, not on a regular basis, right? Our salvation is not based on works. I know people who have gone to church all their lives, but never had faith i nthe name of Jesus for salvation. Without Jesus they will not go to heaven. Going to church does not make you a Christian any more than walking in to a garage makes you a car.
Here is my suggestion. On the services that you want to take off, do so but do not make a habit of it. I just started a discussion on "Church Services" Read it and see what you think. Also as someone has already said "get involved". Don't make it a legalistic tradition make it a time where you can serve others. Jesus said if you want to be great in the kingdom of heaven you must be a servant of all. Believe me when you start to serve your outlook will be completely different.

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10. myLot reputation of 81/100. wendyvv1 (333)   4 months ago

You are going to go through times like this. What I would do is pray and ask the Lord for strength to go. It is good to be fed. The devil will come along and try to do anything to get you not to go. He doesn't want you to be strong.


kayayee (11)   ranked 747 out of 1,842 in the bible  4 months ago

I know the devil just wants to ruin us but why?
What have we done to him?

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