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Discussion Forum : General Topics : What's your motivation for going to church?

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TakeUptheCross
Member



Joined: 2016/8/10
Posts: 242
Germany

 What's your motivation for going to church?

I've been recently thinking about that... And first I want to say that I am not a defender of "not going to church" and it is not my aim to encourage anybody to remain home and not worship together with other true believers. I believe though there are exception to this rule ... but still they are rather the exception and not the rule.

So, keeping that in mind... Why do you go to church? What motivates you?

Is it God, His word? Fellowship? A preacher? To see or be seen by somebody? Out of habit? Out of religiosity?

I think even if not all of you are going answer, it is good to meditate on this. Because, I am sure, God does not want us to do the right things for all the wrong reasons. When Jesus said: "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 6:1) - I believe He was speaking of the motive, of the heart - for it is possible to be seen of others when you do something good, but that should not ever be your aim, even in your private thought!

Blessings,

 2017/10/25 13:26Profile
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re: What's your motivation for going to church?

I go for the small group bible study after the main service than for the service itself. I love to worship with other believers so that is my favorite part of the main service. I wish the main service was 75% worship and 25% preaching.


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Todd

 2017/10/25 15:31Profile
JFW
Member



Joined: 2011/10/21
Posts: 2009
Dothan, Alabama

 Re: What's your motivation for going to church?

To offer gifts of worship and praise, for what He has already done and is doing and will do, corporately with the body of Christ. Edifying and encouraging one another, thru our testimonies of Gods grace and faithfulness. Loving one another, fellowshiping with other believers and thereby strengthening the body. Praying as a group, interceding and doing battle. Taking that which has been given in private and utilizing it to support and uphold the body of believers locally. Also, at times, to accompany an unbeliever that I’ve invited that is interested in finding out more about Jesus. Also to surround/subject my children to a godly influence corporately. And of course to hear the word being preached whereby I can check my own alignment and correct any drifting or distraction that may have occurred.


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Fletcher

 2017/10/26 0:19Profile
davidkeel
Member



Joined: 2006/5/11
Posts: 519
West Sussex, England

 Re:

I liked the reasons Fletcher and the others have given. One reason I go to church is to prove to the backslidden, that the Lord called us not to forsake the meeting of ourselves together. In our small town there's many who once attended the churches but have fallen away from this Godly discipline. I haven't met anyone who has stopped going to church who blames the church for something but is also walking the narrow path of obedience and listening to what the Lord says to them about meeting together. I do agree the sermons can be long, as they are just a talk sometimes and not a message giving us guidance of how to follow after the Lord more fully. When I entered into a personal revival of repentance, the Lord led me out into the hills each night to pray and be with him. He revealed to me the state of the heart of the backslider and that he wouldn't open up and share his heart with them. But he didn't once tell me to forsake meeting together with believers. David.


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David Keel

 2017/10/26 5:17Profile
narrowpath
Member



Joined: 2005/1/9
Posts: 1522
Germany NRW

 Re: What's your motivation for going to church?

Church is not a place to go but a fellowship to be part of. We need to unlearn this pagan concept of a temple.

 2017/10/26 6:54Profile
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re:

Gee whiz NP.


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Todd

 2017/10/26 7:11Profile
TakeUptheCross
Member



Joined: 2016/8/10
Posts: 242
Germany

 Re:

Thank you all for the responses!

@narrowpath - Yes, I know, you are right. I just wonder sometimes, whether I am part of the local fellowship, I am in right now... because there are some differences in understanding and practice of certain doctrines which I also shared with the pastor etc. But... I don't know, I don't know where else to go... and I don't want to go through another heart break. One of my sisters was once with me in the services and her first question before the service to me was: "Do you want to stay here?" - "I hope to... Why?" was my answer. And then I asked her why did she ask in the first place - because I've changed many churches and she called that "church tourism". It's been partly very painful experience... but what else should I do?!

Therefore thinking on this subject brought me somehow to realisation - that what I do (going to church) must be for Christ. For, I do not see any other *right* motivation... (at least for me). And in doing that for Him, I believe others will be somehow blessed

 2017/10/26 14:00Profile
twayneb
Member



Joined: 2009/4/5
Posts: 2256
Joplin, Missouri

 Re:

I would not be quite so blunt, but narrowpath, you have a good point. I have noticed that, especially in America, church is a place or event that we go. Too often we pay church staff to create programs and ministries to meet what we perceive to be the spiritual needs of ourselves and our children. We then attend the event that was planned for us and draw out of it what we need and what we paid for. It really puts the church into a business model.

I think we need to realize that we as the body of Christ ARE the church. We might build a building to facilitate our getting together. We might meet in homes. But whenever we get together for any reason, the church has come together. Sat. evening, I will pitch horseshoes, eat soup or chili, and sit around a fire with the church. We will encourage one another, form deeper relationships, become a deeper part of one another's lives, and fulfill scripture that says to forsake not the gathering of yourselves together....

Sunday, we will meet again in our building and teach, preach, pray, sing, worship together.

But we must realize that we are the church. We are responsible for ministry to one another. We are responsible to contribute to the body of Christ as the Holy Spirit anoints and gifts us.


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Travis

 2017/10/26 15:09Profile
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re:

Everyone knows that but the OP was asking why we go to church. I think we should give a little grace w/o getting nit picky. The fact of the matter is that the great great majority of Christian folks go to church. The Bible expects us to go to church (gather together). You have to gather somewhere. And while playing dominoes with other believers could technically be called a church gathering, we all know what the OP meant.


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Todd

 2017/10/26 15:57Profile
Elibeth
Member



Joined: 2011/8/14
Posts: 1148


 Re: What's your motivation for going to church?

Esther,
We,..a small group of people, meet to be encouraged and to encourage each other in The Lord.

Sometimes we meet in my home, sometimes in others.
We call it coming together to break Bread.

Usually someone will bring up something that they have on their heart,..thoughts,....studied about the The Word.
Then, whoever has thoughts can share in that Bread,....we break it together.

Sometimes one or two brothers will play guitar, and we sing,...that comes out of the heart of someone.

We Usually bring a dish of food,and have it together.

Was it Jesus that said, 'where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there I will be in the midst' ?

🙏

--------------------

elizabeth

 2017/10/26 17:02Profile





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