If you claim to be a Christian, what keeps you from gathering with a local church?

[ditcherman]

I regularly use a "New Testament in 26 Translations" for Bible study.
It really helps give the different flavors & nuances of the original words in Hebrew in the O.T. & Greek in the N.T.
It is great for clarification in reading the English words used to communicate the original intent.
Not as detailed, I also like using the "Amplified Bible" for the same reason.

Some translations are truer to the exact words of Hebrew in the O.T. & Greek N.T.
Other translations can be simple paraphrases.
Each approach has its pros & cons.

I like the Holman, but your 26 translations sounds like an interesting way to study.

 

[Bigtanker]

The YouVersion Bible app has 67 of the translations/versions at a touch. It's free too.

 

[Robert Richardson]

You do not have to attend a church to believe in a higher power.
I have yet to find one I feel comfortable with, and I have tried.
It's the people.
We speak to the lord every day. My spouse believes deeply. We don't need any guidance in this.
Let's leave it at that OK.

Nailed it!!!!!!!

 

[breakingcontact]

I guess my point is that church attendance is talked about in the Bible and very much encouraged.

Think of it as going to the hospital where everyone is sick with some kinda thing...more than going to a place where you have to pretend that you are perfect and miss the point completely. We are all cracked in some kinda way, some hide theirs better than others. The point of the Bible is that Jesus came to save, the point of the 'church' is to gather together and learn/talk about it.

I'm sure you mean membership/participation not attendance.

The only reason I mention it is so folks understand that we understand that it isn't he act of going to church that gets us anywhere.

A changed heart wants to gather with fellow believers. (What that looks like, I'm surprisingly open to)

 

[JettaKnight]

I like the Holman, but your 26 translations sounds like an interesting way to study.

Iirc, the Holman is now the Christian Standard Version; I've heard good things, but don't own one yet.

EDIT: it's correctly called the Christian Standard Bible, CSB.

 

[Firehawk]

Our family is very involved in our church and some other churches from time to time. But we don’t expect everyone to be. Everyone is in a different place when it comes to life and faith. Some people just need to heal emotionally and spiritually. We want to serve our church and other people. But it took us a journey to get there. A healthy church with mature leadership will encourage others wherever they are in life or faith. If your church isn’t that way, you can find one that is. I can give some recommendations if anyone is actively looking.

One thing that saddens me is the amount of people (regular church attendees) that never went back after the shutdowns. I can only speculate as to why and I’m sure it’s wide variety of reasons.

 

[Ngdonut]

I’ve seen two posts here that show contempt for the direction their church has turned. That seems to be a good reason to not attend if you are not actively trying to push back on the bad choices of the leadership. How do you continue to attend if you have major misgivings of what is being taught?

Church leaders are held to a higher standard according to God and his word (thinking of some of Paul’s writings to Timothy). If the leaders of your church are not living and leading according to God’s word, then I think some discussions need to be had. I also think if you don’t agree with what is being taught, it could be a reason for you to leave that particular church, depending on how unbiblical it is.

In the end though, I don’t think that it’s an excuse to just stop gathering regular with other followers of Christ, though that might be the habit of some.

 

[ditcherman]

The YouVersion Bible app has 67 of the translations/versions at a touch. It's free too.

That’s what I use mostly, with the Holman. I just never got into the habit of switching back and forth but I guess I could.
I was an early adopter of using the app among people I know, and I get it’s not for everyone but I had a serious mindset change after a while of using the app, that I think could benefit many. My Bible is sitting in the corner of my desk, and it was always “my Bible”, and I hear that a lot. My mindset change was after using the app for a while it became “the Bible”. Subtle but significant difference. It’s not my Bible, it’s the word of the living God.

 

[ditcherman]

Iirc, the Holman is now the Christian Standard Version; I've heard good things, but don't own one yet.

It appears the CSV is a revision of the Holman, I was not aware.

HCSB vs CSB: What Makes The New CSB Translation Different? - Lifeway Women

Are you wondering what the difference is between the HCSB vs CSB? We'll give you the inside scoop about this newer translation and also compare it to its predecessor, the HCSB.

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[OkieGirl]

One thing that saddens me is the amount of people (regular church attendees) that never went back after the shutdowns. I can only speculate as to why and I’m sure it’s wide variety of reasons.

Pastor Tony Evans had an interesting insight into this...he told about a time he and his wife went to Niagara Falls. They stayed in a room that had a view of the falls and it was beautiful. They could see beyond the window exactly what they came there for.

When they ventured out of the room they left the hotel and went to one of the many lookout points and could hear the mighty roar of the falls and occasionally feel the spray of the water. When they decided to take the boat and go to the base of the falls...and were handed rain coats and flotation devices...they wanted the experience, that's what they had come there for and they were about to get wet and see it up close and personal.

Church can be a lot like that. You can watch it on-line through the glass but you miss the experience of being in the midst of it. You can go to it and hear the roar from a safe distance, it will be beautiful and you will know that you checked the box. But if you don't get in the boat, and press in...did you really experience what you sought out to do? Or were you just a tourist who might have felt the spray of the mist and thought it was really a beautiful place.

Get in the boat, press in...bring your raincoat...and expect to see/hear/experience what you came there for...

 

[Mark-DuCo]

What keeps me away now is seeing how money hungry the church is. I still consider myself a Catholic and talk to God regularly, but after finding out the church wanted to charge me over a grand to have my marriage annulled, they lost me. My marriage was ended through no fault of my own. I wanted to try to work it out after I discovered the infidelity, but it was not to be. I just don't understand the massive fee.

Also, one of the local churches needed the roof replaced. They held fundraisers and had several generous donations to pay for the roof. Once the diocese found out about the money they raised, they confiscated it and split it among all the churches. seems a bit unfair to me.

Now, seeing the bishops in their million dollar homes covered head to toe in thousands of dollars worth of gold and jewelry makes me wonder if the church has strayed from God's teachings just a bit.

 

[BugI02]

I would much rather spend my time alone in a desert than in the company of most people I've crossed paths with in this life.

We may be twin sons of different mothers

 

[Drewski]

What keeps me away now is seeing how money hungry the church is. I still consider myself a Catholic and talk to God regularly, but after finding out the church wanted to charge me over a grand to have my marriage annulled, they lost me. My marriage was ended through no fault of my own. I wanted to try to work it out after I discovered the infidelity, but it was not to be. I just don't understand the massive fee.

Also, one of the local churches needed the roof replaced. They held fundraisers and had several generous donations to pay for the roof. Once the diocese found out about the money they raised, they confiscated it and split it among all the churches. seems a bit unfair to me.

Now, seeing the bishops in their million dollar homes covered head to toe in thousands of dollars worth of gold and jewelry makes me wonder if the church has strayed from God's teachings just a bit.

Yep, I’ve learned that church is one place that you can find what you’re actually looking for.

Even a reason to not go.

 

[churchmouse]

What keeps me away now is seeing how money hungry the church is. I still consider myself a Catholic and talk to God regularly, but after finding out the church wanted to charge me over a grand to have my marriage annulled, they lost me. My marriage was ended through no fault of my own. I wanted to try to work it out after I discovered the infidelity, but it was not to be. I just don't understand the massive fee.

Also, one of the local churches needed the roof replaced. They held fundraisers and had several generous donations to pay for the roof. Once the diocese found out about the money they raised, they confiscated it and split it among all the churches. seems a bit unfair to me.

Now, seeing the bishops in their million dollar homes covered head to toe in thousands of dollars worth of gold and jewelry makes me wonder if the church has strayed from God's teachings just a bit.

The church lost us for a number of reasons. Money was one. Judgmental people was a huge factor. Then came all the father feel good touchy deeply crap and the deep state of denial so many maintained. That was it for us.

 

[DragonGunner]

This is from a book from a very long time ago in England. A man found and took home 6 yr. old orphan to his house for him and his wife to help. Her name was Anna, and she seemed to be a genius in many area. She would die at age of 8. The man was shocked by her vast knowledge, espically about her knowledge and relationship to Mister God. The book claims to be a true story.....I researched and seems their are some conflicts so no one knows for sure......but the page I post below is a very interesting read and take. Not endorsing it, just found it very enlightening of a 6 yr. old genius. Can't remember the book anymore, but copied a couple pages though.

 

[ditcherman]

This is from a book from a very long time ago in England. A man found and took home 6 yr. old orphan to his house for him and his wife to help. Her name was Anna, and she seemed to be a genius in many area. She would die at age of 8. The man was shocked by her vast knowledge, espically about her knowledge and relationship to Mister God. The book claims to be a true story.....I researched and seems their are some conflicts so no one knows for sure......but the page I post below is a very interesting read and take. Not endorsing it, just found it very enlightening of a 6 yr. old genius. Can't remember the book anymore, but copied a couple pages though. View attachment 199240

Cute story, but it’s just a story. We don’t even know where it’s from. If you’re inclined to believe like the supposed little genius, then you may latch on to the logic. It does make sense in some ways.
But then, there are many who believe that the word of God is a living thing, something that you can have faith in, that will prove itself to you, a known thing. But that takes some perseverance, some chasing down. Some experiences. It’s not about just reading and hypothesizing.
So the cute story that may make some sense goes against what many believe to be a known source of truth, what is one to believe?

 

[MCgrease08]

The other thing Anna's viewpoint seems to be missing is that we don't gather at a church solely to connect individually with God, but to connect with other people, to build systems of community and support, and to amplify each other's prayers.

 

[Ziggidy]

This is from a book from a very long time ago in England. A man found and took home 6 yr. old orphan to his house for him and his wife to help. Her name was Anna, and she seemed to be a genius in many area. She would die at age of 8. The man was shocked by her vast knowledge, espically about her knowledge and relationship to Mister God. The book claims to be a true story.....I researched and seems their are some conflicts so no one knows for sure......but the page I post below is a very interesting read and take. Not endorsing it, just found it very enlightening of a 6 yr. old genius. Can't remember the book anymore, but copied a couple pages though. View attachment 199240

Regardless if true or not, the person who wrote it has a perverted understanding of what the church is,who the church is and why we go to church. In other words,they were taught wrong.

We are so blessed in the USA. Bibles run freely, church on every corner, freedom to pretty much worship the way you want. In other countries people would literally die for have what we have;and yet, we make every possible excuse not to take full advantage.

Sometimes people from other countries talk about miracles and we scratch our heads and wonder-are they weird or what. I beleive the miracles we hear about and do not experience is because WE do not accept as we are told to. We're too relaxed when it comes to God. It's got to be on our terns rather than His terms. Their faith is seen and lived out. Ours, well.....it's got to be convenient for us.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Regardless if true or not, the person who wrote it has a perverted understanding of what the church is,who the church is and why we go to church. In other words,they were taught wrong.

We are so blessed in the USA. Bibles run freely, church on every corner, freedom to pretty much worship the way you want. In other countries people would literally die for have what we have;and yet, we make every possible excuse not to take full advantage.

Sometimes people from other countries talk about miracles and we scratch our heads and wonder-are they weird or what. I beleive the miracles we hear about and do not experience is because WE do not accept as we are told to. We're too relaxed when it comes to God. It's got to be on our terns rather than His terms. Their faith is seen and lived out. Ours, well.....it's got to be convenient for us.

Agreed. Years ago over the course of several years, I had REPEATED cases of God opening a door as another would close. No way they were all coincidences. It took me years to realize what had happened. I just kept chalking them up to dumb luck/coincidences. (like handing over all your customers to a 3rd party because the boss thought he had a better plan, losing your job 6 months later because his plan failed, and then within a week of that your customers start calling you because the 3rd party sucks. And within 2 months having almost all of your customers back without picking up the phone.)

 

[DragonGunner]

Its just a story...think some of you way over thought it. Did anyone read I Didn't endorse it, just found it interesting. ??? Don't think so. Could be some of you are the reason I don't attend anymore, just visit from time to time. If you want to know my thoughts on church you can scroll back several posts and find my story. Critique all you desire on that if you wish, doing so on this is ridiculous. And its from a child....didn't see anyone saying well at least she believed in God....guess thats not important.