can you Love and Worship  the Lord , and not go to church?
145660
You cannot love and worship the Lord and not go to church. God created the church to carry out His mission. Also the church is God's family in a small unit. There is no way a Christian can function properly apart from the church. Jesus is the head of the church. We are expected to be apart of it.\n\nChristianity is about relationships. Your relationship with God, your relationships with your brother and sisters in Chirst, and the outside world. We are referred to as His children. We belong to one another and are expected to serve one another. \n\nIf you are not part of a church you are not functioning the way God designed you to function. You have a spiritual gift that is to be used to minister to your brothers and sisters.\n\nHebrews 10:24-25 (NASB)\n\nAnd let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 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.\n \nYou have a responsibility to help your brothers and sisters grown in Christ. \n\nEphesians 4:11-16 (NASB)\n\nAnd He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for  the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which  belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no  longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. \n\nGod has given you a gift to be used to help your brothers and sisters grow. You need to around them so you can minister to them. There are no lone ranger Christians you are called to be apart of the body. You are called to be apart of a church.
1022946
churches have always been corrupted. It is probably best to worship God in your own way.
52058
Hi ! No there is no requirement to tie yourself to any church in particular to become a Christian. you have only to commit yourself to a relationship even if it's one on one with God and Christ as a statement of your belief. Truthfully no one has any more connection to God than you do right now if you are in search of Him. That is what He wants from us and affiliation with any organized church only broadens your personal contacts in this world regarding Him and your own relationship with Him. Just as in the rest of the world, you can be influenced by those around you and you must make choices regarding how you respond to those influences. Some influences are bad, and it is up to each of us to overcome the temptation to give in to bad influences. Now the only true answer to the conflict is communication with God, and a strong personal relationship with Him. And then you can learn how to hear what He says to your heart in your conversations with Him.  That said, try some churches out for your own opinion of them and find one in which you don't feel the phony-baloney going on, and then pray that God will speak to your heart to tell you where you should go. The benefit of a good church is only in fellowship and some experienced guidance to those things which you may not learn on your own.
725763
Don't take no for an answer!  It is your religious duty to take that dog to church.  If your church won't accept you, then you should start a church that worships your dog.
1132187
Isn't that Gods way of saying you can skip church today?
647368
Why don't you read the bible or go to a BSF (Bible Study Fellowship --official group that is non-denominational and just studies the Bible. Anyone is welcome.)\n\nWith no one yelling at you about what you should or should not do, you might find the voice of God, who has a very QUIET voice inside us, telling you where He is and how you should worship him.\n\nAsk yourself; if my church condones and hides the abuse of little boys and girls, is it the church that I can find peace in... or maybe is this church not the religion I seek?\n\nThere are other types of churches that may feed your spirit and soul. But you need to be quiet inside and find out.
675851
go to a different church every sunday
1179631
If you don't want to go, don't. Going to church doesn't make you a better person! It's how you live you life and the values and morals you have that make you who you are. I don't go to church either and have no doubt that I live a good life.
583983
Anyone who refuses to allow themselves to love someone because of their spiritual beliefs has some major issues.  DO you really think God would tell you that a person from a different church didn't deserve to be loved?  I've been on the "dumnped" end of that situation more than once, and I can tell you that it hurts pretty bad.  As long as you're honest with the person you love and respect their right to have their own beliefs, it shouldn't matter what those beliefs are.
875175
Tell your mom.....she may have some leftover contacts, or friends who will be glad to take you.\n\nHoney, you can believe in God---and have him believe in YOU-without church.\n\nI only feel His Presence when I am up to my elbows in the soil, planting things in the Earth!\n\nYou can worship Him in a lot of ways!
253291
I have to totally agree with this quote. I have a relative that thinks if you don't go to HIS church (whichever one it is at the time) then you aren't serving God. I believe exactly what the Bible says about having eternal life; and it DON'T say that only the Baptists, or Catholics, or Methodists, or Pentecostals..etc are going to receive this gift of eternal life. God is God and he isn't any of these RELIGIONS...my opinion
557968
Worship him! Not just in church, but in life. Live as he would, be gentle and kind to others, but mostly tell others of his goodness! :)
781926
I've been married 25 years and the way I got here was by respecting each other and that includes never putting demands in the conversation. We attend a non denominational church and I hear this dilema come up alot from former members of churchs that use guilt to keep their flock. I can't believe what I hear family, friends and even leaders in the church tell people should they decide to attend another church outside their faith.\nI do believe it is healthier for a relationship if you can worship together so I would suggest saying to your spouse that this is your choice but you would be willing to compromise.  I also wouldnt push my church on him though and expect all that guilt and pressure  to simply disappear, it won't.  If alternating isnt possible maybe  you can attend a service at a different time such as Saturday evening service with him and Sunday at your own church alone so your pleasing him and getting what you need in your life also.. Another idea is attending bible study classes or another growth class at your church during the week, keeping involved there and attend Sunday services with him but be honest and tell him your doing this. \nI can see this getting alot more complicated when children come into the picture so pray on it hard and seek council on it from your Pastor.\nFollow your heart because Jesus knows your heart and whatever you decide please don't give up worshiping him.
1185710
Good question. I agree with cantcu on what I call "Sunday Christians". Some are this way, but not most of the ones I've seen. My honest opinion is that your personal relationship with God is just that, personal. If you chose to not participate in organized worship, but worship on your own, that does not make you less of a Christian. I attend church 3 or 4 times a year, not on holidays, not because I don't like church, but because I prefer to worship in my own way. I feel that God will judge you by your deeds and actions, not whether your church attendance card is full.\n\nIf you lose your way, however, a good church will help you get back on track. I do recommend you go once in a while, though. If you don't like the way a certain church is, try another. Eventually you will find one that is a good fit for you.\n\nI believe that when God said "come to my house", he meant in a spiritual sense, not a literal one.
462375
no,,,no I dont go to church .... I dont feel like being criticized and judged... I dont wanna put on some happy f*cking face and pretend to be oh so joyful when the world is in bad shape.... I do believe in God though,,,, I believe in him more than I believe I believe any thing Else in this world ....
492567
When you love somebody, do you not enjoy talking about how wonderful they are and praising them to other people?  And isn't that a pleasure?  Now imagine if the object of your love were perfect, how much greater your pleasure in praising that object would be.  God invites you to praise and worship Him in order to make you happy- to enjoy Him and enjoy your relationship with Him.  It's not like He's a vain idiot who needs to fish for admiration and flattery all the time.  He doesn't need any of that.  He doesn't ask you to do it for His sake, but for your own.
523981
Absolutely. Anyone can belong to a fundamental new testament church. God's view is the same of us all - we're all flawed but he loves us more deeply than my words could ever say.