"You don't have to go to church to be a Christian"

Attending the church plays an important role in shaping our Christian life. As provided in Hebrews 10:25, "Let us not give up meeting together, some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Reading the bible alone is, for me, a sacred devotion. It is the way of pondering the words of God. But the sole practice of reading the bible is not enough. Although you need not go to church to be a Christian, it is still a manifestation of your Christianity. We are mandated by God to worship Him together with our fellow believers. It is through fellowship that our church relationship is strengthened and our Christian belief is solidified. In fact, the church needs everyone to handcuff Satan and everyone should work together for the benefit of the church's ministry.

I disagree. God has given us 6 days for our own and a day of rest with God. In going to church we worship and praise the Living God. How can you become a Christian if you do not go to church as we are commanded to do so to fellowship with fellow believers. If we love God, it is our duty to be in church regularly to hear His message and meet our brethren in faith. And remember Christian means a follower of Christ.

If you want to grow spiritually you have to go to church. You also have to let others know of your conversion and that is best done in the church rather then walking in the night air alone or standing in front of the television station when the tv preacher says "Anyone listening to our program who wants to believe in Christ, raise your right hand ====we will send literature to guide you on our spiritual journey. For this week we are offering "====" for free." For instance, one can read the bible backwards and forwards and still not get an inkling except to know that one has to obey the Ten Commandments. And it is easier for someone who does not go to Church to think "well no one will see me go into the cinema and watch "Debbie does Dallas" or they might be unclear about certain things. It is easier to get off track when you are not surrounded by church members. And it is easier to be legalistic as well. One needs the words of the pastor in the pulpit and the other members of the church so each one will grow and not stagnate.

okay. i read this before i went to church and i didn't want to be late so i am responding now. here is my opinion being a person who was raised in church her whole life. got married and still went to church. raised the kids to go to church. then stopped going after married life became too much or a challenge (@ 8 years in). after all that here is what i have deduced...go to church. stay connected. it helps you remember the promises of God and it helps keep you focused on the lifestyle you are attempting to maintain. it is hard alone, which is why he said not to forsake the assembling ourselves together with other believers. His Word says not to ignore this easy principal to make sure we remain in the faith with assistance. When you are apart of any other team, wouldn't you attend their functions? I full well believe you don't have to go to church as I think going to church is an act of will and shows great strength and character. if one can run this race alone then by all means do so. the church needs good upstanding folks to remain in the body. the Lord needs a serious army of folk willing to reel (hold up the blood stained banner) the church in when we miss it as we are all humans trying to attain heaven. someone has to be the Christ-like example. so there is my $.02 :)

As a Christian, I think it is one of our obligations to go to mass every Sunday.ISnt that in the 12 commandments?And I think you get more in the mass rather than just reading the bible at home. You can also read it anytime or with friends like a bible study.But its still best that you attend the mass. Much more, the obligation of being a Christan not only stops in attending the mass. Its more of living the word of God. Not only in lip service. BUt mostly in what you do and how you treat your fellow brothers and sisters.

I would say Christian 'should' go to church, but then again I believe spend time alone with God each day is just as wonderful. On the other hand, like you said you can read bible, worship and spend quality time with God alone, but it's also a good idea to learn from other brothers and sisters in Christ. I myself has not been to church for a long while for personal reason, and never one day felt far away from God. I keep him in my heart and so I can always talk to him anywhere, anytime just the same. Hope this help.:)

Well, you really have a point there. It was certainly a loaded statement to say such. If going to church becomes a habit, then that is bad. Going to church does not necessarily mean that it proves something, but that it promotes something in us. The fellowship from among our brothers and sisters is so much different from anything else. And there are always many ways and reasons not to be in the church. The enemy would try to stop us at all cost. I already tried it. And it is really different when you are in the church, than you are on your own. Being there would ignite the fire that is in you. Just imagine yourself as one single stick that is being lighted to make warm. It would produce a lot and better warm when it would have another and many lighted stick around. I hope you get the analogy. Hehe.

It is the commandment of God attend the worship service. A true Christian attended church worship twice a day., In the old testament i mean in the bible people could go to the church everyday but now a day there is a set of standard to follow in our religion we are going to the church every Thursday and Sunday only.

The church talked about in the new testament was a group of believers that helped each other out, that shared with fellow members when they needed something, that talked to them, and comforted them. They met with each other in their houses, or out in a field. What is called a church today is a twist of the meaning. Its a business set up to make someone money. You go there, someone tells you what the bible says, while trying to sell you something, people say "We worship him." Saying we worship God, isn't worshipping God. Its all show n tell. People dress up, and recite things to prove they are believers to anyone that's looking. That is not a church. So yes you do not need to go to a so called church to be a Christian. But you should be with fellow believers, so you can guide each other along. This is a real church. You can meet anywhere. You can have church at anytime. Talking to a friend online, going out to eat, the park, etc.

I grew up going to church till I was seventeen or eighteen. Then once I had my kids I went back to the church and for the most part enjoyed it. Then I went away for a long time again. I have always prayed in my home and never felt I had to go to church every Sunday. I think that is something the church made up so they can get money from us. I think the church is run alot differently then the Lord wanted it to be. Such as, having bingo night in a church is crazy and I know goes again what the Lord wanted. So I will continue to pray to God twice a day morning and nighttime. I will continue to be a good kind and generous person till the day I die with no regret for not going to Sunday mass every week.

You can go to church all the time and still not be a "Christian." The "church" is supposed to be a place of sanctuary. It's the place to be to meet with others of like faith and be helped and uplifted, and, of course, to worship God. If that is where you are going, then it is a definite plus to go to church. If the place you are going to is a money-grubbing, disco tech, coffee shop, do what-ever-you-want-to and still go to heaven perpetrating place with a bunch of prejudiced snobs,then why waste your time? That's probably what people are trying to say. Lots of very sweet people don't go to church. And, have you noticed? Some of the meanest, most dishonest people are in control of the church?

I love going to church regularly because it relieves me to worship the Lord with other people.

I believe that wherever two or more people assemble to worship GOD; there God himself is present.

We go to church to do our obligation to God to worship. although we can praise and worship any where any time but the church is a place where we meet with fellow Christian to worship God together in one accord. We should not leave the House of worship. As a human being it is our primary duty to worship and thanks the Lord. We will give back all the glory to Him. We have 7 days in a week and God ask only 1 day for us to be in the church.

well i think technically, you don't really have to go to churches to become a Christian. it's about a belief so as long as you believe in God, you are a Christian. otherwise, you're either Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist. i've stop going to church for years i couldn't tell exactly when (but i'm sure it was pretty long ago). i sometimes pray and believe it or not i talk to Him like some normal acquaintance alone in my room. i don't read the Bible and i have no devotion i guess. it's because i had lost my belief in my religion (RC) since i was in grade school although i still believe in God. i'm planning to read the Bible from the old to the new testament but i haven't started yet. i don't pray too systematically because i have no knowledge of any religious prayers. in my prayers i just thank God, ask for help, apologize for my sins, seek guidance and pray for my family and other people especially those who are most needing. if i have time i would learn about Christianity more on my own because as of the moment i don't interventions from any religion. but of course the very few activities i practice pertaining to my faith are mostly based on Catholicism since i'm from a catholic family for instance abstinence, although not every friday, at most the whole holy week and of course the Bible. after all, i don't have a Quran or other versions of the Bible.

i fully agree with the statement that one need not go to church i order to be a christian.christian means follower of Christ and by not going to church we don't stop following Christ.my parents always criticize me for not going to church.i must say that being a good christian one has to go to the church every Sunday because it is an obligation.but that doesn't mean somebody says that you are not a christian.sometimes i am very angered to know that many people think that if they go to church god will favor them and i guess that not fair because they are going for themselves and not for god and not to pray for others.

The "Church" signifies fellowship of believers in Christ not really the building where we go to worship. From this, I agree what others said that you can worship God anywhere. I believe that, in order for your faith to grow more, you need to have fellowship with other believers. Like the life of Jesus with his 12 Apostles. Jesus taught how to worship God, where and when. The Apostles then passed this teachings through the Bible. They wrote what they learned so others may follow and their faith in God may enrich and grow deeply and unconditionally. So, may you be an Instrument of HIS words whether you are attending a mass or just having fellowship with your brethen. Happy mylotting.

Hi dnavarro, I agree to an extent. :) Church and other places of worship are possibly created with an object of taking the mind away from the mundane problems that prevent us from thinking about god within the confines of our homes. If we can pray to our gods with as much heart and devotion as we can at the church or temple, then going to Church regularly becomes unnecessary. In fact, I think doing something regularly like going to church kills the very purpose! This is because afterwards we can sit in that church or chapel, and think of how mean somebody had been to us, or how we would like to hurt the person, even when the priest is advising us to forgive. So I believe it is what you feel in your heart that is important, and not where you are. If you cant pray at home, by all means go to Church. But doing it regularly is not the right solution.

There is truth in the statement that you don't have to go to church to be a christian. You are first a Christian in your heart. The building has little to do with it. Going to church gives us the opportunity for fellowship with other Christians. Church gives us the foundation for worship. Be a Christian in spirit and everything else will follow.

Well iam not christian, But as you said you doonot have to go to church to be chritaisian is what applies with any reglion, We go church or temples basically to adopt the qualities of god and follow its foot prints .To take good thing in our lives .Even if we are going to temple or church but not following th path of god that it has no meaning to go church or temple.