S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Scripture is clear that Jesus died for the church (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25) and that the church is His body (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:23; 4:12; 5:30; Colossians 1:...

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July 01 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Bud Zack Supporter

Personally, I am not one who always wants to go to church. I really don't understand why, but it is true. The motivational factor that helps is that it is not an obligation, but an opportunity. 

A saved Christian will not lose their salvation if they never go back to Services. However, this is an opportunity to meet with God in an extraordinary way. To hear His Word, from a professional theologian, surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ, is a unique situation. The Word tells us that where "two or three are gathered in My Name, there will I be..." (Matt. 18:20) shows me that there is a difference when I am in fellowship with others, compared to being alone...

How much more presence can be attained, surrounded by a full house of other true believers?

April 03 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Derek Blake Supporter 45 Years a Christian, ex-aerospace engineer, now in Cornwall

Corporate worship is one of the most important events in the life of a fellowship. It is often the one thing that the whole church (the congregation) does together, with one mind. When we sing worship songs every single person is singing the very same words at the same time, they are (or should be) synchronized in their breathing and in their thoughts, as a true 'body' acting as one. Nothing else in the life of a church fellowship brings the people together like corporate worship, It is the mortar between the bricks of the body. It is no wonder that God promises that He will inhabit the praises of His people.

I was involved in Christian music, in one way or another, for around forty years, both leading worship and being a part of a worship band. Many years ago, we were invited to take a service in the parish church of Coniston, in the English Lakes, and we took the worship band that I was a part of, at that time playing drums. We had a terrific worship session and everyone in that church were worshiping their hearts out. When I played drums I often played with my eyes shut, we were playing/singing, 'Jesus We Enthrone You' and after singing it three times the church went into free worship. I opened my eyes to watch the 'leader' and he was into worshiping also, content to continue playing I glanced up toward the knave roof. What I saw astonished me, there in the high vaulted roof, a cloud was forming. I watched as the cloud grew in size and at some point I stopped playing in amazement. I didn't, then, know what it was, but assumed that it must be connected to the Spirit. It must have been noticed that the drums had stopped and one by one, other members of the band looked around, saw me looking up and looked there themselves, and they also stopped playing. Soon the whole church, bar a few stopped worshiping, and the cloud faded away.

Our vicar explained what had happened to everyone. He said it was the the shachah, a physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit. He said that it is found in the Bible as the pillar of cloud that guided Moses through the desert. It seems it is a rare but not unheard of occurrence that happens when people are truly deep in corporate worship. I have never seen/experienced this since, although I would love to see it once more. How much more important can anything be than to bring God physically into the presence of His people? God really does inhabit the worship and praises of His people.

July 22 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Matthew Miller Supporter

Has anyone ever the term used, "Familiarity breeds contempt"? My understanding attending Church is volitional made by our heart and desire to please God. Can we say being an attendee would bring someone to Christ, or strengthen a persons belief? Yes! In fact chances are a person who may not believe while attending will, one time or another accept Christ, and grow beyond what they never imagined.

Once people find the light, truth, and way, they must know that one building is not the only place the Holy Spirit is moving. To understand the difference between reformed doctrine and Jesus Christ, to gain knowledge of denominations, and what each minister to the congregation.

The importance to regularly attend Church service is to show our obedience, dedication, and our longing to worship the Lord our God and serve Him only. For protection against daily attacks, and to understand what SIN is.

April 04 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Matthews Supporter Retired Professional Singer, Conductor and Seeker

Corporate worship does not necessarily mean attending an organized church. If one is in a regular fellowship of believers in someone's home, that satisfies a biblical requirement for "church." In fact, that might be a much better avenue for learning about and furthering your relationship with Jesus Christ. There is no pastoral requirement (ordained clergy) as to who can serve and take communion in the Bible. That is a denominational requirement. The same can be said of baptism.

Problems exist in organized religion, too numerous to mention here; power struggles, hero worship, fiscal waste and embezzlement, pastoral abuses, the list goes on and on. 

The fact is, churches, as we know them today, never existed in Jesus' or Paul's time. I would probably be safe in saying that organized denominations and non-denominational churches do more for the argument against their existence than for them. As with most denominations, evil creeps in, eventually.

One is much better off seeking a small group mindset of like-minded people than in a larger congregation. Also, putting your tithe or offering where the group determines it is needed most carries a lot of biblical weight in helping those less fortunate instead of maintaining buildings, salaries and egos.

I am not saying that all churches are dens of iniquity. I am saying that corporate worship does not have to be a church with a title and buildings. Those entities did not exist in biblical times and they are not even considered in scripture.

October 16 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report