Go to Church? Says Who?

[David Koot]

Seventh-day Adventists engage in corporate worship at least once a week, definitely on the Sabbath. Other churches fellowship on Sundays. The Muslims gather for prayers on Friday.

Scripturally, why should believers attend a church? Why not worship at home, or out in nature, on a regular basis? Is church attendance merely a custom? Is there any Scriptural mandate? If there is, how far back does that mandate go? To the Fall? To the exodus? To the monarchy? To the exile? To the restoration? Or to some other starting point? And, if there is a Scriptural mandate, what is it?

Dave

[bevin]

First, you have to define your terminology.

If two Christian's meet in a building, is that "going to church"?

What if it is a just a set of rooms in a building?

What it the building is a house?

What if the room is usually used for sleeping?

What if they are husband and wife, and the room they meet in is their bedroom?

/Bevin

[Woody]

I thought "church" was a group of believers. And not a building.

[bevin]

How small a group?

How unified do their beliefs have to be?

/Bevin

[David Koot]

First, you have to define your terminology.

A valid point. For purposes of this thread, "church" is defined as corporate worship, which may take place in any location, building or even outdoors, but corporate, that is, where a group of believers gather for worship. We are addressing here, the frequent scenario where there is a church congregation in a community, and the question has to do with fellowshipping with that congregation for worship, as distinguished from individual believers or families worshiping in their own homes instead of with the congregation.

Dave

[bevin]

You didn't say how large the group has to be.

Is at least 2 required?

/Bevin

[Tom Wetmore]

Also, it might be helpful to define "worship". I assume "corporate worship" is meant as a coming together as a group for worship. What makes this gathering together different from any other group activity of the community of believers at other times? What activities make this different or special?

Tom

[David Koot]

Well, let's narrow it down some more. There is a Seventh-day Adventist church in town. While you have gone to an Adventist church in the past, and you are a member of the Adventist denomination, you decide that you do not need to attend the church on Sabbath morning, but to have your own worship at home instead. Getting back to the original post, is there any Scriptural mandate that would direct you to worship at church on Sabbath morning, instead of at home?

[Woody]

David ... That just makes it to easy. Perhaps we need to toughen it up some.

[David Koot]

Well, I am open either way. I thought the issue was interesting. Someone else, on another thread, brought up the question about whether or not the Bible directs church attendance, as opposed to worshipping at home. Thought the question deserved its own thread.

Dave

[Beryl]

Let me tell an old, old story as a illustration (and i will make it short!!)

The minister was visiting a parishioner who had not attended church for some time,and he had all the right "reasons" for his decision. As they were sitting in front of the fire the minister too the fire tongs, and lifted out a red hot coal, and placed it by itself. As the two silently watched the piece of coal that was all alone became dimmer and dimmer, and finally went out.

The parishioner sat silently, then simply said, "I will be back this week."

You see, alump of coal, by itself, will go out. It needs the warmth of others to stay alight and give of its warm. The same happens to us as individuals.

I can testify to that because for most of my early days our family lived in the "backblocks" of South Australia -- 40 miles from the nearest Adventist, and 60 miles from the nearest church. And those roads were NOT bitumen! The highlights were when once a month either we travelled the 40 miles to visit with our nearest Adventist family, or they visited with us. Then, once every 6 months we went to our nearest church (60 miles -- a 2-hour journey on those roads!). I appreciate the opportunity which I have now had for many years of worshipping each week with my "church family".

No, we don't always see eye to eye on some issues -- but they are "family" -- and I am part of that family. Never did I realise it more than earlier this year in a problem situation I felt the warmth and love of my church family! They are, indeed part of my life.

God bless,

Beryl

[LifeHiscost]

Seventh-day Adventists engage in corporate worship at least once a week, definitely on the Sabbath. Other churches fellowship on Sundays. The Muslims gather for prayers on Friday.

Scripturally, why should believers attend a church? Why not worship at home, or out in nature, on a regular basis? Is church attendance merely a custom? Is there any Scriptural mandate? If there is, how far back does that mandate go? To the Fall? To the exodus? To the monarchy? To the exile? To the restoration? Or to some other starting point? And, if there is a Scriptural mandate, what is it?

Dave

"...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." Hebrews 10:25 NASB

"There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His...For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way:... “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”" Heb 4:4,9,11 NKJV

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor...And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:9,12 ASV

"For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." Matthew 18:20 NASB

Blessings!!

[bevin]

Beryl's story is true - provided there is a fire and not a damp-rag in the fire place.

Hebrews 10 talks about "encouraging one another" - but what if the congregation is into "disparaging one another"?

Ecclesiastes assumes the two are pulling in the same direction - but one will make something while two argue about how to make it.

Yes - Christians should group together for strength and encouragement. Whether one finds those things in a specific congregation affects whether one should associate with it.

/Bevin

[David Koot]

Beryl's story was good, and on point as to the benefits of church attendance. Bevin has raised some important questions, which call for thoughtful response. Life has presented Scripture from the era of the early church. Is THAT as far back as church attendance goes? Is that the most ancient Scriptural mandate for attending church? What about earlier times? Did the Israelites worship in their homes, other than on the annual feasts (four each year were attended, as I recall)?

Dave

[bevin]

Well, there was this walking together in the cool of the evening in Eden...

/Bevin

[David Koot]

Good point. And, as I recall reading, Adam and Eve, after the Fall, continued to worship at the gate of the Garden. From whence the Akkadian word 'bab-ilu,' "Gate of God," the tower of Babel, later changed to 'balal' because the scribes rebelled at translating the word as such. So, is that the beginning of corporate worship?