Is Churchgoing Necessary To Be A Good Christian?

I'm a theist because I believe in God.
I'm also a humanist. (Google it people-we all are)
Call me a Humanist believer.
I pray but do not do any other form of worship such as churchgoing.

I find that my God gives me strength, comfort and the motivation to go on- I feel these things without being in church.
I try to live my life being who I am trying to do right-I'm no angel but I have good intentions.
I am not judgemental and try to understand others.
These happen to be quite Christian values-therefore
If one is living a positive lifestyle with a relationship wth God, is church really necessary?

It is necessary*i'l b bk later, i've 2 run off nw, prolly kimba, TayoD or dearzi might gv a response b4 i get bk, i trust 'em*

Lunafish, I feel you. We hold the same views about churchgoing. Click here for more

IAH- YOU'RE FABULOUS I believe that I'm seeking God from the inside out NOT the outside in

Shalom

at a point in my life i hated church cos all the bad niggers and sistas were in church and i ask myself why.

can any body tell me y?

Please don't turn this into a "usage of the N-word" post. That's irrelevant right now.
I think that what our friend was saying was; she went to church and hated the hypocrites and criminals that frequented in the Church. Therefore she hated going.

Or; if she was asking why all the bad sistas and n-s were in chirch, the answer is guilt and desperation.

Going to church is important, not just necessary. That is why we have pastors presiding over, so as to lead xtians aright in the word of God. The bible also enjoins all believers 'not to forsake the assembly of one another'. U get spiritualy fed with the word u hear in church which is necessary for spiritual growth.
However, being a churchgoer begins to become just a religious activity when there is no real personal relationship with God.

What if the pastors engage in corrupt activity?
What if the congregation is full of hypocrites?
How can one tell God's people from the demonic wolves in sheeps clothing?

it's ya choice

That makes two of us,lunafish.I am also a theist because i have rejected churchgoing.Jesus never went to any church,afterall.

lunafish:

I'm a theist because I believe in God.
I'm also a humanist. (Google it people-we all are)
Call me a Humanist believer.
I pray but do not do any other form of worship such as churchgoing.

I find that my God gives me strength, comfort and the motivation to go on- I feel these things without being in church.
I try to live my life being who I am trying to do right-I'm no angel but I have good intentions.
I am not judgemental and try to understand others.
These happen to be quite Christian values-therefore
If one is living a positive lifestyle with a relationship wth God, is church really necessary?

Thank you my theist humanist brothers and sisters!!!

It's not where you are (physically) but where you're at (spiritually)

Peace and blessings to all.

Is churchgoing necessary to be a good Christian?

No it is not.

lunafish:

I'm a theist because I believe in God.
I'm also a humanist. (Google it people-we all are)
Call me a Humanist believer.
I pray but do not do any other form of worship such as churchgoing.

I find that my God gives me strength, comfort and the motivation to go on- I feel these things without being in church.
I try to live my life being who I am trying to do right-I'm no angel but I have good intentions.
I am not judgemental and try to understand others.
These happen to be quite Christian values-therefore
If one is living a positive lifestyle with a relationship wth God, is church really necessary?

However, your statement above does not necessarily identify you as a Christian.

God bless.

TV01:

Is churchgoing necessary to be a good Christian?

No it is not.

However, your statement above does not necessarily identify you as a Christian.

God bless.

I am a theist (someone who believes in God)
I pray
I adopt a lot of Chrirstian values and characteristics into my life
I have a relationship with God

How can I not be identified as a Christian?
Or does your spiritual superiority complex make you feel that I'm not?

@lunafish

I'm a theist because I believe in God.
I'm also a humanist. (Google it people-we all are)
Call me a Humanist believer.
I pray but do not do any other form of worship such as churchgoing.

I find that my God gives me strength, comfort and the motivation to go on- I feel these things without being in church.
I try to live my life being who I am trying to do right-I'm no angel but I have good intentions.
I am not judgemental and try to understand others.
These happen to be quite Christian values-therefore
If one is living a positive lifestyle with a relationship wth God, is church really necessary?

What is your definition of "good Christian". "Good Christian in Gods sight or by mans perspective?
All the Above is what the God calls W+O+R+K+S
You havent started with the F+A+I+T+H part!!
NOTE: Church-going is not FAITH, but it will help you build-up-your-FAITH!!

@debsy

at a point in my life i hated church because all the bad niggers and sistas were in church and i ask myself why. can any body tell me y?

Are the bad-nigga brothers and the sistas on the street less than those in Church? Its not everyone in University that really wants to study. Many are there for fun, play, or total confusion. But should they distract you from getting your own certificate. If they do, then you become like them. If you dont allow them to distract you, you become what they are not.

@dominobaby

However, being a churchgoer begins to become just a religious activity when there is no real personal relationship with God.

Before, this wasnt true. Now its the order of the day. Its all part of the Moral Decadence of this age. May God Help us!! Amen.

@lunafish

What if the pastors engage in corrupt activity?
What if the congregation is full of hypocrites?
How can one tell God's people from the demonic wolves in sheeps clothing?

The Bible will tell you how to spot them out in a crowd.

@Jagunlabi

That makes two of us,lunafish.I am also a theist because i have rejected churchgoing.Jesus never went to any church,afterall.

Which Jesus are you talking about?
You said on NL that you dont believe in Him.

The bible advises that christians should fellowship together. Fellowship was a very important aspect of the early church. Every christian sometime or the other sees the need to be a part of a truly christian fellowship. unfortunately, we have a lot of corrupt and manipulative "christians" nowadays. that's for another discussion though. But fellowship with other believers, rather than churchgoing, is a very important part of christianity. as a christian, u have responsibilities towards ur fellow christians, which can be fulfilled through fellowshipping with them. Thieves, murderers now go to church so churchgoing is just an activity and doesn't make one a christian.

What makes one a christian is having the mind of Christ in you, which is only possible when you make a conscious decision to surrender your life to Him. It is your relationship with Jesus that makes you a christian, not habits or activities (like reading the bible or praying).

@ Lunafish, @ Jagunlabi, @ IAH

being a christian really is not about the good works or to quote you "christian values" it is more about a relationship with God, and a relationship with God can be developed by truely handing over your life to christ and allowing him to birth a new you by his spirit, associating with fellow christians as well as by studying your bible, praying and listening out for God.

the bible makes us to understand that no one is an island, that's why God never placed all the ministerial gifts in one person's life. tell mii how are you going to grow in that other aspect in which you are not endowed if you don't mix up with other believers. the bible also says iron sharpens iron, remember the pharisees followed the law to the letter word but what did jesus say about them he said you're like your father the devil, tell mii weren't they doing what moses commanded them to do? yes they were but the motive behind is was more important, you don't have to go to church to please anyone but sincerely and i wouldn't say going to church is a criteria for being close to God it's just one of the ways by which you build a relationship with God. and like others have been pointing out to you it's a command in the bible "forsake not the assembly of other believers" (paraphrased)

some of the questions people dey ask dey make me wonder oo.
Na wa. Very soon people go dey ask if shitting is neccessary?
Must we eat to live? Must we drink water to have liquid in our body?
Must we open our eyes to know that we are awake in the morning??
Must we bath to be clean? Should humans be addressed by names, y not just call out "hey u, wey dey waka there"

Some of the thread questions get as e dey be o.

Hi Lunafish,

lunafish:

I am a theist (someone who believes in God)
I pray
I adopt a lot of Chrirstian values and characteristics into my life
I have a relationship with God

The basic essentials of Christianity (without writing a book  )
Repentance towards God, faith in Jesus Christ and rebirth by the Holy Spirit.

Think about it! Adopting Christian values is in a sense only something a non Christian can do?
(So for example an Indian boy adopting African values, remains an Indian. But an Indian boy cannot adopt Indian values, he is Indian. I hope I am making myself clear).

Christian (Christlike) characteristics don't come by adoption, they come by enduement.

For the relationship with God you mention to be the "God" of the Bible, please see my first point.

lunafish:

I am a theist (someone who believes in God)
How can I not be identified as a Christian?

Re  my point above, You haven't actually succeeded in identifying yourself as one.

lunafish:

Or does your spiritual superiority complex make you feel that I'm not?

No, my spiritual superiority complex (blast, is it that obvious?  ) is not what stops me from identifying you as a Christian. Your statements about yourself do that entirely on their own.

May the God & Father of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ bless you.

yes, you have to attend church. in the bible _{i cant remember the passage} it says that when you fellowship with the brethren you strengten your faith. so Yes, if you sincerely say that your a good christian you have to attend church.

IS GOING TO CHURCH NECESSARY?

Well let me ask,

IS GOING TO SCHOOL NECESSARY?

ldollier:

yes, you have to attend church. in the bible _{i can't remember the passage} it says that when you fellowship with the brethren you strengten your faith. so Yes, if you sincerely say that your a good christian you have to attend church.

A good christian should attend church so that he or she can fellowship with other christians for spiritual Growth.
A church is were you get to learn more about GOD. have relationship with Christ-like people and share your spiritual growth etc. (you sure can get all that on your own)

just like in school, you get to see classmates, ask questions on courses that confuses you and have a relationship with your fellow students.

SO WHY ASK?

I used to be very defensive over this issue. But with the things currently going on in churches today, I'd say NO, It is not a must. It is important, however, but it is not compulsory.

Good afternoon,

I suppose someday, people will come to the realisation that

"not forsaking our own assembling together" is not synonymous with "going to church"
Kind of like "going to church" is not synonymous with "being a Christian"

The "assembling" in the above verse is always married with "exhorting/encouraging"
Assembling is not an end in itself.

Deep relational type fellowship is the intent. I personally find that very rare in the "Institutionalised Church" that predominates in this day and age.

The kind of fellowship, where peoples burdens are shared, needs are met and growth fostered like in the book of Acts is virtually non existent.

Ask yourself, how many of the people in the church you attend really know your deep concerns? your pressing issues? and your infirmities and actually minister to you right there? (And likewise yourself to others?) In fact, most people go to great lengths to keep what really ails them well hidden, and put on a happy face along with their best outfits.

Only where that happens is there true fellowship and the whole point of assembling satisfied. Otherwise all you've done is gather a crowd.

How long before the simple truth of church not being "something you go" to but "something you are" truly hits home?

It's why people always trot out the assembling (in it's loosest sense) argument to support religious church attendance, and completely miss the fact that where two or three are gathered in His name, he is there.

Pray tell, if the Lord is truly in the midst of a gathering, what is missing? "and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ".

Assembling/Fellowship/Church is never mandated to a particular place or building. Infact, God hates physical temples (but that's another thread  )

A good Christian is church.

God bless

All the excuses given above why some people don't go to church are all LAME. It's just sheer spiritual laziness! When you stay at home on a Sunday, what do you do? Minister to yourself? Have you not heard of :"WHERE TWO OR MORE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER, THERE SHALL I BE". Forget about the building (Church) and fellowship with other christians on Sundays. Some claim that it's the going-on in the church that put them off. If you feel you are not getting spiritual fulfillment in one church, move on to another. Even the cultists, the worshippers of the devil, the idolators meet to do their thing. Do not justify your spiritual ineptitude! Merci beaucoup!

Em. . . Mr TV01,

Where in your Bible does it say that "A good Christian is church"? I don't find it so, and do save us the needless semantics.

Among the several things the Bible reveals as "Church", it is the Body of Christ, the House of God, and the Temple of God - and all these are in a collective sense: a collective community of believers in Christ. There's no single individual in the Bible addressed as "church", so you can't equate "a good Christian" with "church."

Individually, we belong to Christ; but whenever the Bible speaks of the latter term, it is often in the collective sense of believers being together: "when ye come together in the church. . . If therefore the whole church be come together into one place" (I Cor. 11:18 & 14:23).

AS FOR what i know,
you don't have to be a good christian to go to church, everyone you see in church, who told you they are all leaving by the WORD. only God knows who is serving him. my advise to those of us that believe in heaven is to try and live according to his will, so we will not be cast away

You must attend church as a good christian as stated in this scrpture
Heb 10:25
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Hi mlks_baby,

Sorry you think I'm being needlessly semantic? let me clarify.

Is a good Christian a Church? No, that's not what I am saying.
A good Christian is church waiting to happen. Once gathered with fellow believers to/or in worship and glorification church is happening.

So please educate me,
when does the "whole" become church? How many? What exactly constitutes a collective in your view?

If you yourself say "Church is the body of Christ"
How does it become something you go to? instead of something you are a part of?

As for being semantic, you took the last five words of my post and (to my mind anyway) pointlessly quibbled over them, ignoring the body of the post which clearly outlines my position. Ultimately leaving me non the wiser as to what your think of my position, or indeed what yours is.

Please, if you disagree with or misunderstand anything I post, please say so. And if you have an alternative viewpoint I'd love to hear it. Presumably that why we call it a discussion?

God bless

the answer is in Hewbrews 10:25

"do not forsake the gathering of the brethren as some of u do but encourage one another as the day is fast approaching"

so basically church attendance is vital to the spiritual growth of an individual, as they say, 2 heads r better dan 1. u cnt do it on ur own u need back up and support and help dat comes frm sharing wiv other believers and the priest or pastor.

Is it neccessary to shiitttt  

Hello TV01,

Let me share a few things with you that you don't easily see.

TV01:

Is a good Christian a Church? No, that's not what I am saying.

So what were you saying if you had to state earlier in bold fonts that "A good Christian is church"? See ~~

TV01:

A good Christian is church.

So. . .

TV01:

A good Christian is church waiting to happen. Once gathered with fellow believers to/or in worship and glorification church is happening.

Still running around in circles and making the same mistake. You've only added three words to your earlier cliché ('A good Christian is church' + 'waiting to happen'). Since a good Christian = church waiting to happen, why not rather say that "A good church waiting to happen gathers with fellow churches waiting to happen and to/or in worship and glorification church is happening"? Doesn't make sense, does it?

An individual is not "church", whether waiting to happen or not. Where in your Bible do you read about that idea - or you're reading your own human notion into the Bible?

TV01:

So please educate me,
when does the "whole" become church? How many? What exactly constitutes a collective in your view?

"For the body is not one member, but many." (I Cor. 12:14). Does that help? I'll oblige you some clarification:

The Church is a composite, never an individual. As earlier, I repeat: {"Among the several things the Bible reveals as "Church", it is the Body of Christ, the House of God, and the Temple of God - and all these are in a collective sense: a collective community of believers in Christ. There's no single individual in the Bible addressed as "church"}. Want Scriptures for that? See I Cor. 12:27 given below in several versions for effect -

"Now you are the body of Christ (collective sense), and every one of you the separate parts (individuals) of it." (1965 Bible in Basic English, BBE).

"Together you are the body of Christ. Each one of you is part of his body." (Contemporary English Version, CEV).

"Now you are the body of Christ (collective sense), and members individually." (English Majority Text Version, EMTV).

"Now you are the body of Christ (cs) and individually members of it". (English Standard Version, ESV).

"All of you are Christ's body, and each one is a part of it" (Good News Bible, GNB).

"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." (KJV).

"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." (NIV).

You get the hint: there's no individual Christian addressed in the collective or composite sense of "church" or "body of Christ" or "house of God". We are the Temple of God in both the collective/composite and individual senses (I Cor. 3:16 & 6:19). Nowhere will you find in Scripture where an individual is called 'church,' because that is meaningless, as in fact The Message (MSG) paraphrased version renders I Cor. 12:27 -

"You are Christ's body--that's who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your "part" mean anything."

Is this clear enough? If not, please kindly provide your own verses where the Bible teaches that "A good Christian is church," - where "the individual" is equal to "the composite" as regards church.

More to come.

As promised. . .

TV01:

If you yourself say "Church is the body of Christ"
How does it become something you go to? instead of something you are a part of?

Your troubles are easy to take care of by simply looking into scripture: Acts 4:23 - "And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them." You'll find several texts telling you to "go to" (essentially the same connotation as 'gather together'), and here, "went to"  is simply the past tense of "go to" - no arguments further there, no? It's not an issue of 'instead of', or 'either this or that' - rather, both ideas are implied and inclusive: you go to something you are a part of.

TV01:

As for being semantic, you took the last five words of my post and (to my mind anyway) pointlessly quibbled over them, ignoring the body of the post which clearly outlines my position. Ultimately leaving me non the wiser as to what your think of my position, or indeed what yours is.

I don't see the point of your complaint. I responded to what I thought caught my attention, so going through the more than 300 words of your post was not my interest; and if to your mind you're happier for me to pointlessly take them up, I'll do so quickly following this. Afterwards, you decide for yourself if I was 'quibbling' by pointing out your wrong notions where they do not appear in the Bible.

TV01:

Please, if you disagree with or misunderstand anything I post, please say so.

I've done that precisely, unless you missed it:

mlks_baby:

Where in your Bible does it say that "A good Christian is church"? I don't find it so, . . . There's no single individual in the Bible addressed as "church", so you can't equate "a good Christian" with "church."

TV01:

And if you have an alternative viewpoint I'd love to hear it. Presumably that why we call it a discussion?

Precisely so, and that's the point in my first rejoinder. Regarding your other complaints, since you'd be happier with my taking your points up, my replies will follow shortly.

So, here I address some of your complaints about the more than 300 words in your earlier post:

TV01:

"not forsaking our own assembling together" is not synonymous with "going to church"

In some sense they really are synonymous: "assembling together" is synonymous with "going to church." You're not 'assembling together' if you're not 'going to church'. See: "when ye come together in the church. . . If therefore the whole church be come together into one place" (I Cor. 11:18 & 14:23). What is wrong with calling a friend up and asking: "Are you coming to church this morning?" She would understand the question the same as if I had asked, "Are you going to church this morning?" (assuming that I wasn't doing so). Imagine what it would sound like to ask: "Are you assembling together this morning?"

TV01:

Kind of like "going to church" is not synonymous with "being a Christian"

Point there - no arguments about it.

TV01:

The kind of fellowship, where peoples burdens are shared, needs are met and growth fostered like in the book of Acts is virtually non existent.

Try not making assertions that are vacant of thought and reality. How do you know that on the face of the earth, what you have described above is "non existent" today? If those things are 'non existent' in your fellowship (if you have one at all), does that mean others are not enjoying more than what you described there - much more than you could ever realise?

TV01:

Ask yourself, how many of the people in the church you attend really know your deep concerns? your pressing issues? and your infirmities and actually minister to you right there? (And likewise yourself to others?) In fact, most people go to great lengths to keep what really ails them well hidden, and put on a happy face along with their best outfits.

First, there are many people who know me and have shown genuine interest about my deep concerns - questions I have as a growing believer, as well as issues about dating, career, hurts, relating with other people (believers and non-believers), and challenging me with creative ways of sharing my faith. They've abundantly and selflessly ministered to me and I've been inspired to do the same. Second, if you're describing what happens in your fellowship about people keeping their ailments well hidden with a happy face along with their best outfits, good luck to them; that's far from what happens in mine; and if it were the case, I'd get out and seek God where there's no such pretenses. My local church has problems of her own, but at least we don't keep them well hidden.

TV01:

Only where that happens is there true fellowship and the whole point of assembling satisfied. Otherwise all you've done is gather a crowd.

Okay, so you can at least see that is happening from what I explained above - not only in my local church, but I know several others who are in some measure enjoying far much more.

TV01:

How long before the simple truth of church not being "something you go" to but "something you are" truly hits home?

Well then, I've helped set it out more clearly in my previous reply, yes?

TV01:

It's why people always trot out the assembling (in it's loosest sense) argument to support religious church attendance, and completely miss the fact that where two or three are gathered in His name, he is there.

Again, I don't know how many people trot out what you're assuming they do, whether in it's loosest sense or otherwise. Happy if you do know some that trot it out, but I don't.

TV01:

Pray tell, if the Lord is truly in the midst of a gathering, what is missing? "and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ".

I haven't seen anyone argue to the contrary.

TV01:

Assembling/Fellowship/Church is never mandated to a particular place or building. Infact, God hates physical temples (but that's another thread    )

So, if Assembling/Fellowship/Church is never mandated to a particular place or building, what is wrong with fellowship being held in such places or buildings? And if God so "hates physical temples" then some fellows in Scripture would have got it all wrong according to TV01! And the names of offenders in your list would include the apostles and those whom they commended! Let's count them:

   # Act 2:46 - And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to
     house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. (see vs. 47 for God's reaction: "And the
     Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" - that shows how much God hated the church's
     religiousity of continuing daily in the physical temple of vs. 46, no?).

  # Acts 3 - Peter and John went to the temple at the hour of prayer (vs. 1). So, did God hate what these apostles
     did so much that He showed His detestation by healing the lame man (vs. 6-7), and as equally hated the
     response of the healed man who leaped for joy, praising God in the temple (vs. 8-9)?

  # Acts 5:12 - And what about the fact that they continued to do the very same thing you said God hates:
    they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch!

  # Act 5:42 - And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

  # There were churches meeting/gathering/coming together in houses, and they were greeted/commended:
     ~ ~ Rom. 16:5; I Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; and Phm. 1:2.

I don't see how making blank statements about God 'hating' this and that is helping your discussion when you're not paying close attention to what the Bible says. He didn't show any disgust or aversion for believers gathering/meeting/coming together in a place, house, or temple; we only read in Scripture that He doesn't live in temples made with hands (Acts 7:48), not at all that He hates them! There's a whole world of difference between not living somewhere and hating a place. As far as He did not say He hated temples, don't legislate for Him otherwise.

There - attended to your request to not "ignore the body of post" you made. It's up to you to be the wiser for it or not.

Bless you.