What is the Purpose of Church Gatherings?

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What is the Purpose of Church Gatherings?

Post #1

Post by isaachunter »

1. I ask from an evangelical perspective, but other expressions and traditions are welcome to provide answers.

2. As for myself, I became a believer outside of any organized Church, but was subsequently (a year later) discipled at a missionary Baptist Church in Germany during a military enlistment (2 years). My faith, though, has never been founded on or sustained by any particular preacher, pastor, or teacher, nor was it elicited from any kind of evangelistic ministry. Since that 2 year period, I have not been formally involved or regularly attended (or was a member of) an organized Church. I have served at a few Churches for short periods of time, but always under some level of hostility or suspicion from the leadership, and I’ve started or participated in several formal and informal Bible Studies and/or House Churches (but to no avail). For the last 10+ years I have sought out no Church affiliation, membership, or participated in any gatherings.

3. As for myself, I am not disgruntled, I’m not avoiding “sound teaching,” I’m not a church hopper seeking the newest, best, or most popular, and I’m not avoiding submission to an eldership (in fact, I think part of me craves that kind of acceptance from the larger group).

4. I thrived in the church community the first 2 years of my faith while overseas. But, church attendance was only a small part of my faith. I would attend other meetings at other churches, bible studies, and prayer groups during the week, and would invite pastors of all denominations to my barracks for discussions.

5. By the time I returned to the US, I found no benefit to attending Sunday services on a regular basis. My spiritual disciplines had by then become daily, and I sought teaching from the growing catalog of tapes, and internet resources (local preachers simply could not compare).

6. Lately, though, I’ve been questioning if I should return to church gatherings or (as I’m finishing up my doctorate) if I should take on the role of pastor or teacher in an organized Church. As I explore this question, I wonder: is this really all there is?

7. As I perceive it, the purpose of Church meetings are these:
  • A means of teaching members (especially new converts)
  • A means of extracting money from members
  • A means of creating or perpetuating employment for professional clergy
  • A means of entertaining members
  • A means of entrancing members via emotional tactics
8. For the longest time, I’ve been a proponent of online and especially asynchronous Church participation. This predominately derives from a natural inclination within me toward an introverted disposition. I do not (necessarily) hate people, but I’m just not really that into keeping their company. I have no friends to speak of, no relationships (I really should have been a monk), though I am cordial and affable with my co-workers (i.e. I’m not an awkward weirdo - at least, I don't think so). But, I do much better at a distance, alone, in solitude, and have found through education that I thrive in online environments such as forums or interacting with email (rather than f2f in person or online such as zoom calls, etc). This approach to communication, though, has always been viewed by church leaders as illegitimate and does not constitute the “gathering of the assembly” (that is, until COVID).

9. But I’m still struggling to understand the point of it all. What is it that the Church Meeting does exactly? What is its purpose? What is its goal? What is its essential nature? Is it really just about teaching people? If so, this can be done (much more effectively) online. Is it about sharing our lives together as believers (this happens rarely in most f2f church meetings already). Is the meeting really just about protecting the clergy profession, in that sense the clergy class becoming no different than Demetrius and the other silversmithers (Acts 19:23–27)?

10. I’m thinking there is something greater, something more fundamental, more important to the Christian faith than just these programs, these organized shows on Sundays - beyond evangelistic fervor (I’m certainly no evangelist, nor do I have the call to be one). Is there nothing else? No deeper substance? No other revelation beyond the superficial minutia? What am I missing here? Am I simply deluded and shipwrecked? Possessor of a malformed faith? A heretic?

What really is the purpose of Church gatherings in the first place?

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Re: What is the Purpose of Church Gatherings?

Post #21

Post by JehovahsWitness »

isaachunter wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 3:04 pm What I'm suggesting is there is a whole distinct part of the body that evangelicalism refuses to acknowledge based upon their insistence that f2f meetings are the only means of genuine fellowship.
Then may I suggest you go and find someone that holds this view and have it out with them. I think I have made my position as one of Jehovah's Witnesses clear.



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Re: What is the Purpose of Church Gatherings?

Post #22

Post by JehovahsWitness »

isaachunter wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 3:04 pmThere are those in the body of Christ who have no need for physical closeness or physical confirmation and are, in fact, called to express Christian sacrificial love in much different ways.
As long as those "different ways" do not involve suggesting Christian fellowship, ideally following the model of Jesus (who favored being in the the physical presence of those he wished to teach and encourage) is useless, then I have no issue with it. I am not however in favor the misapplication of scripture as it seems you have done in attempting ( rather weakly) to link the value of real world Christian fellowship with marital status. The two points are not related (biblically there is no such thing as "a calling to solitude")

Christianity is not about doing what you like or prefer but about putting the needs of others before oneself. While God is understanding of those with social or psychological limitations or whose previous bad experiences make Christian gatherings difficult, it is unscriptural to elevate such limitations to the level ecclesiastical "calling".



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Re: What is the Purpose of Church Gatherings?

Post #23

Post by isaachunter »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 4:12 pm Christianity is not about doing what you like or prefer but about putting the needs of others before oneself. While God is understanding of those with social or psychological limitations or whose previous bad experiences make Christian gatherings difficult, it is unscriptural to elevate such limitations to the level ecclesiastical directive.
Correct. It is not about doing what we like or prefer. If I did what I wanted I would have remained a Buddhist. It is a much happier existence. But its reality is fundamentally a delusion.

The fact you keep returning to mental illness only proves my point. I've sought evaluation from mental health professionals in the past and they cleared me of any mental illness. So you can keep using it as a deflection or a shield, but it is simply not a valid argument.

Plus, it is not previous bad experience, but it is a preponderance of previous bad experiences. It is the typical experience I and others have had when approaching the majority of Evangelical Churches.

But, let's put all these issues aside. Let me take a different approach:

I've asked the original question and we have laid out our positions and argued for our convictions. Given all that we've discussed, what would be your advice to me, specifically, as one who feels called to the solitary life? What would you say (no need for references to support your position - we've already accomplished this) I should do?

1. Should I seek out a local f2f meeting despite my conviction that I am not called to participate in said activities? That I believe I fulfill the tasks of fellowship through alternate means? Should I attend, even though it is going against what I am convinced of and believe Scripture and Church History supports? Aka. Would you recommend I attend f2f meetings, in essence faking my complicity in participation, even though I am convinced it is (at least in my area) a step down from what can be achieved online?

2. Do I simply continue on my path without f2f meeting simply because I must be true to the conviction I believe God has placed on my life, regardless of the opinion of the people in the f2f meeting?

3. What would the local JW Kingdom Hall say if I began attending their meetings, stating I am a contemplative and solitary by call and election? Would I be accepted? Would I be outright rejected? (Full disclosure: I've never attended a meeting at the KH before, but JWs came to my house weekly for a year in the past and we discussed many of these topics at length).
JehovahsWitness wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 4:12 pm Then may I suggest you go and find someone that holds this view and have it out with them. I think I have made my position as one of Jehovah's Witnesses clear.
I definitely appreciate your responses to my original question and the dialogue so far. If at any point you decide the debate is concluded or wish not to continue in the discussion, please simply stop replying. When you reply I take it as tacit acknowledgment that you are willingly engaging in this debate further. We have both stated our case and it is now on record. If you desire to continue, please provide the advice I have requested above.

If not, go your way in peace. May God judge us both by his mercy.

IH

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Re: What is the Purpose of Church Gatherings?

Post #24

Post by JehovahsWitness »

I don't mean to be harsh but I have no interest in debating your life. You raised some interesting issues regarding Christian fellowship which I have done my best to give scriptural responses to. Please note: if I do not use your name or a suitable pronoun (you) it can be given I am not speaking of you personally. (As an aside unless I use "<--- quotation marks ---->" and attribute the words to another poster, I am not saying you or anyone else said the words in my posts).

I have nothing to say regarding your personal testimony except thanks for sharing. Please have a most excellent weekend,

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Re: What is the Purpose of Church Gatherings?

Post #25

Post by isaachunter »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 5:26 pm I don't mean to be harsh but I have no interest in debating your life. You raised some interesting issues regarding Christian fellowship which I have done my best to give scriptural responses to. Please note: if I do not use your name or a suitable pronoun (you) it can be given I am not speaking of you personally. (As an aside unless I use "<--- quotation marks ---->" and attribute the words to another poster, I am not saying you or anyone else said the words in my posts).

I have nothing to say regarding your personal testimony except thanks for sharing. Please have a most excellent weekend,

JW
It was an interesting discussion. I do appreciate your opinion and position. My attempt to use my own example was strictly in hopes of digging deeper into the core issues of the question by using a applicative approach as opposed to a more theological, doctrinal one. If you desire not to pursue that approach, I respect your decision. You also have a great weekend and all the best in future debates on the forum!

IH

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Re: What is the Purpose of Church Gatherings?

Post #26

Post by nobspeople »

isaachunter wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 3:23 pm
nobspeople wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 9:53 am [Replying to isaachunter in post #11]
Most humans are social and enjoy being around like minded people.
Additionally, when you're a minority, you enjoy people similar to you. This is something many, but not all, churches offer.
Seems to me it's more about being a human than a Christian or believer (though that's only a detriment when one type of person finds themselves in a room of people different from them in their beliefs).
Hey nobspeople. Thanks for tackling the question. I agree with you. I think it is, at least on some level, a socio/psychological issue driving the bus. I've seen congregations full of thousands upon thousands of people every Sunday, yet their doctrine and theology is really undecipherable and incoherent. They are there for other reasons other than the actual teachings of Christ.

The heart of the discussion, though, is that I am an example of one who does not enjoy being in the company of either types of people (likeminded or not). The popular adage applies: its not you, its me. There are many others like me and there have been countless solitaries throughout Church History. We can't all be insane. Well, I suppose we could. But, the question I pose is why the insistence on denying the call? The Catholic Church makes room at the table for contemplatives. Officially. Why not protestants (there are a few outliers but they really are more Catholic than Protestant)? There is a disconnect somewhere in the doctrine, operation, or mind of the evangelical leadership. There's also a motivation in question that is never really explained. They point to the F2F and say "you must" but never actually delineate why we must or what the benefit is we're missing out on. Almost immediately, evangelicals pull out Hebrews 10:25 or Proverbs 18:1 in hopes they can proof text their way out of the conversation, not realizing or recognizing that by following the contemplative call the solitary fulfills the (prooftext) interpretation of both verses, ending us back at the beginning of the discussion: why the insistence on physical Church Attendance?

In the end I don't think there will be an adequate answer. The evangelical Church has developed over the last several centuries into what it is today and they are pretty dug in that solitaries have no claim to Christian orthodoxy, which is a shame.

Thanks again for your comments.

IH
I am part autistic, especially when it comes to what I call crowds but most would consider 'a few people' so, in my own way, I'm 'right there with you' as they say.
I've seen many a church become nothing but a club. I was in a Mormon church once when the lady a few rows up came back to the row in front of us and badmouthed another person in the church. She continued even while the speaker was speaking. I found that in bad taste to say the least.
So while some go to church for God, I think many go for nothing more than a social gathering.
Surely there are other reasons - people are so very complex and, at the same time, simple. Humans are truly a strange lot.
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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Re: What is the Purpose of Church Gatherings?

Post #27

Post by Overcomer »

[Replying to isaachunter in post #10]

Thanks for the point by point response, Isaac. I shall reply in kind.

You wrote:
For myself, though, in my experience with f2f meetings, I didn't often see genuine, self-sacrificial love exhibited from the members.
Here's the thing about churches: There are all kinds of imperfect people in them, people who are all at different stages of their spiritual development. They are all works in progress. Some will have hearts on fire for the Lord and purposely be working with the Holy Spirit to grow and mature and become more Christ-like (the goal we should all have). Some will not. Some will be there for the social aspect. They are not born-again or Spirit-filled. And these things are true, not just of the members of the congregation, but its leaders, including the man or woman who stands in the pulpit and delivers a sermon every Sunday.

I think about Paul appealing to Synteche and Euodia to get along in the church at Philippi. And I think about his letters to the Corinthians addressing the problems people were having with their relationships in those churches. Wherever people gather, there are going to be differences of opinion, differences in personality, differences in their commitment to the Lord. The purpose of the church is not to provide a place for perfect followers of Christ. Its purpose is to provide a place where the imperfect followers of Christ can learn and grow together, helping each other.

Isaac wrote:
But, if a purpose of the local meeting is to help each other mature, why is the format typically of a singular individual preaching and teaching? It is most often a handful of individuals with the masses serving the seat of spectator. Rarely do the masses speak to each other, let alone build each other up.
But it shouldn't be that way. I have never belonged to a church that didn't have small groups and Bible studies. That is were you connect with others and build each other up.

A church should not consist of merely a pastor/minister as leader with everybody else merely pew potatoes. A church should operate like an orchestra. The pastor is the conductor who keeps everybody on track, performing together. But the violinist and the flutist and the percussionist, etc. all have equal importance in the congregation and each have an important role to play.

I really think that, for the mature Christian, it isn't a matter of looking for a church where they can be fed like baby sparrows with their mouths open, waiting for somebody to drop food in. Mature Christians should be prayerfully finding a church where they themselves can contribute so that, if there's something they don't like in a church, they can be part of the solution.

Isaac wrote:
I'm also curious about the idea that individualism is fraught with danger. I suppose if one were to isolate from the Church universal entirely, meaning no commentaries, no books, nothing but one's own faulty mind and a Bible, then there is great possibility of error.
I've seen it happen time and time again -- and they often end up on forums like this trying to promote a warped idea of who God is, what Christ did and what the Bible says.

I agree that the Internet is a wonderful source of material from really fine scholars and teachers who love the Lord and are following him rightly. I, too, have been blessed mightily by having access to all of it.

Isaac wrote:
If I'm to be 100% honest (and if this is, indeed, what you were referring to), these kinds of activities hold no sway over me at all. It never has. Not even as a new believer. I always wondered why we spent time on Sunday's singing dreadful songs with everyone out of tune, and always wondered when it would finally all end. Does this necessarily make me an inauthentic Christian? Does it in some way invalidate my conversion, my profession, or my call before God? I would argue how dangerous it is to subject oneself to a corporate worship that often incorporates pagan and secular elements in order to artificially stir the emotions for ulterior means.
It sounds like you have been to bad churches! I'm sorry to hear that. Not enjoying a service doesn't make you an inauthentic Christian. Some services are terrible -- bad preaching, bad music, etc. I have sat through some bad ones myself.

Different churches have different cultures. As you say, there are those where people raise their hands and jump and dance. There are others quiet in nature where stillness and reverence are what it's all about. If you don't like the culture in one church, try another one if possible.

Isaac wrote:
Believe me, I've tried. Many times. Rather, it happens for me, instead, in silence, amidst solitude, in sacred and solemn and deserted places. I seek isolation not in need to run from something or someones, but in attempt to grasp in firm grip that which had first taken hold of me. It is not something I've ever experienced in the assembly. How can it be wrong that solitude and isolation draw me closer to God?
I did not say that solitude and isolation were wrong. In fact, I ended my post by saying that they are an integral part of the Christian walk. It's important to spend time alone with the Lord in whatever setting is best -- whether it's beside a stream in the woods, in your car in a MacDonald's parking lot, or sitting in your living room. The location doesn't matter. Spending quiet time with Jesus, listening for his voice is all-important. So by all means, keep meeting him in those solitary and isolated places. Jesus himself withdrew to such spots to commune with the Lord.

Isaac wrote:
Are we sure we can conclude that the Holy Spirit is in the f2f meeting? Or, maybe a better question would be, how can we conclude the same Holy Spirit is not likewise just as much present on the holy hill, or hidden deep in the wild places? Can we say the place to worship is only found in the commonly accepted place? Is it the synagogue? Is it the modern church building? Is it the house church? Is it at the river? Is it on the mountain top? Wouldn't it be in all of these places? Cannot God meet us anywhere?
Again, I'm sorry if I didn't make myself clear in my post. I am NOT saying that you can't find the Holy Spirit on a mountain top or anywhere else for that matter. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, he's with you always and everywhere. I grew up on a farm and am an introvert. For me, the best place to go was to the woods at the back of the farm or the haymow in the barn -- two of my favourite places and yes, the Lord is in such places. So, yes, God can meet us anywhere.

And there are definitely churches where the Holy Spirit can't be found at all. So just because a building is designated as a place of worship, that doesn't mean that God is there moving or working. It isn't about a location. It's about the Holy Spirit and being where he is, working with others who also hear his voice. As an individual, in many cases, I cannot accomplish as much as I can with others -- like working with the church's soup kitchen, for example. While we can all serve as individuals, we can also serve corporately. Service should be part of our lives as followers of Christ.

Isaac wrote:
I'm starting to get the impression that you and I have had very different experiences in the modern Church, for I would argue the exact opposite.
I agree. It sounds like my church experiences have been far more positive. But I admit that I am not familiar with American churches. My experiences have all been here in Canada in denominations that don't even exist in the U.S.

Isaac wrote:
Could it not be more appropriate to state to each his call and election? Cannot one be called to minister to the saints, and another be called to pray, and another be called to reason and consider? One be called to the city center to evangelize while the other called to the wilderness to pray? If, say you are correct, and Christ and God are relational by nature and, thus, the body of Christ should, in turn, likewise be relational. Meaning, there is no place for the solitary within the body of Christ. Can you proffer an explanation for the solitary who is naturally inclined to isolation? Is it malformation? Is it heretical tendency? Is it rebellion? If so, should the solitary fight against everything within him, against the thrashing spirit, and present himself, regardless of his conviction, to the f2f meeting each week? Fake it?
Once again, I am not saying that there is no place for the solitary within the body of Christ. In fact, I am saying that there is. You are right about different callings. The one who is called to be an intercessory prayer warrior is going to be doing it in solitude much of the time, although not always. The one who has gifts re: hosting is going to open his or her home to a small group meeting.

So no, do not fight against the solitary. It's not an aberration. Nor is it heretical. You asked what the benefits of being part of a church are and I listed them, not to condemn you or to suggest that you HAVE to give up your solitary times with the Lord, but simply to give you valid reasons for joining a congregation.

Isaac wrote:
It's hard to imagine the modern Church's prohibition against solitaries when the majority of the great Christian thinkers over the centuries were hermits and wild men and anchorites. Strangely, before leaving the f2f Church, I had never once heard of these ancient men. No one wants to talk about them.
Does the modern Church prohibit solitaries? I have not seen that, but again, I'm not an American and I can't speak to what your churches do or do not promote.

As for churches not talking about the hermits and monastics, etc., churches here in Canada spend very little time talking about church history at all. So I don't think anybody here is leaving them out of the conversation because they think these people were wrong to live solitary lives. They are busy expounding the Word of God, helping people get closer to the Lord, showing them how Scripture is applicable to everyday life, etc. Talking about Benedict of Nursia living in a hole in the ground for three years to concentrate on the Lord doesn't come up in conversations like that.

Lastly, we all have different personalities, different needs, different responses to what goes on around us. There is no "one-size-fits-all" walk with the Lord. Everybody's is going to be different. You shouldn't be made to feel there is something wrong with your love of spending solitary time with the Lord. In fact, you should be commended for it. Some people haven't got a clue how to be alone and how to be silent and how to listen for God. Perhaps that could be your role in a church -- helping people to learn how to get closer to the Lord through solitude and aloneness -- especially during a pandemic when we are all isolated in one way or another.

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Re: What is the Purpose of Church Gatherings?

Post #28

Post by Overcomer »

There's one other thing that occurred to me. The world likes, appreciates, prizes and awards extroverts more than introverts. We introverts can be seen as unfriendly, stand-offish, inept and even arrogant because we are quiet and we don't readily interact with people with the same ease that extroverts do. I'm a journalist so I had to learn how to be an extrovert on the job even though it isn't who I am naturally and I couldn't keep it up all the time without draining myself totally.

Bottom line: There is a place for the introvert in the church just as there is a place for the introvert elsewhere in the world. And yes, it may be on a mountaintop, communing with God and engaging in intercessory prayer.

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Re: What is the Purpose of Church Gatherings?

Post #29

Post by 2timothy316 »

isaachunter wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 9:01 pm 1. I ask from an evangelical perspective, but other expressions and traditions are welcome to provide answers.

2. As for myself, I became a believer outside of any organized Church, but was subsequently (a year later) discipled at a missionary Baptist Church in Germany during a military enlistment (2 years). My faith, though, has never been founded on or sustained by any particular preacher, pastor, or teacher, nor was it elicited from any kind of evangelistic ministry. Since that 2 year period, I have not been formally involved or regularly attended (or was a member of) an organized Church. I have served at a few Churches for short periods of time, but always under some level of hostility or suspicion from the leadership, and I’ve started or participated in several formal and informal Bible Studies and/or House Churches (but to no avail). For the last 10+ years I have sought out no Church affiliation, membership, or participated in any gatherings.
This is much more common today. The Pew Research center has a poll showing that church attendance has been going down for years but those that say they have "no affiliation" has been going up. I'm sure there are a vast number of reasons but whatever the reason, the bottom line is churches are losing their appeal. https://www.pewforum.org/2019/10/17/in- ... apid-pace/

3. As for myself, I am not disgruntled, I’m not avoiding “sound teaching,” I’m not a church hopper seeking the newest, best, or most popular, and I’m not avoiding submission to an eldership (in fact, I think part of me craves that kind of acceptance from the larger group).
I have found that seeking acceptance from God first will then show a person the right group to seek. Many do this backwards, seeking a group that will show them to God. What they are shown is worship indeed, but is it worship to Almighty God? That is debatable.
4. I thrived in the church community the first 2 years of my faith while overseas. But, church attendance was only a small part of my faith. I would attend other meetings at other churches, bible studies, and prayer groups during the week, and would invite pastors of all denominations to my barracks for discussions.
What did you enjoy most about those different interactions and did you want to learn from them? Also, what do you think is the source of truth about God?
5. By the time I returned to the US, I found no benefit to attending Sunday services on a regular basis. My spiritual disciplines had by then become daily, and I sought teaching from the growing catalog of tapes, and internet resources (local preachers simply could not compare).
What was it that they couldn't compare to? What is a good congregation to you?
6. Lately, though, I’ve been questioning if I should return to church gatherings or (as I’m finishing up my doctorate) if I should take on the role of pastor or teacher in an organized Church. As I explore this question, I wonder: is this really all there is?
What do you find rewarding in worship (AKA service to) the Almighty?
7. As I perceive it, the purpose of Church meetings are these:
  • A means of teaching members (especially new converts)
  • A means of extracting money from members
  • A means of creating or perpetuating employment for professional clergy
  • A means of entertaining members
  • A means of entrancing members via emotional tactics
Is this the way you think God perceives it? How can we find out?
8. For the longest time, I’ve been a proponent of online and especially asynchronous Church participation. This predominately derives from a natural inclination within me toward an introverted disposition. I do not (necessarily) hate people, but I’m just not really that into keeping their company. I have no friends to speak of, no relationships (I really should have been a monk), though I am cordial and affable with my co-workers (i.e. I’m not an awkward weirdo - at least, I don't think so). But, I do much better at a distance, alone, in solitude, and have found through education that I thrive in online environments such as forums or interacting with email (rather than f2f in person or online such as zoom calls, etc). This approach to communication, though, has always been viewed by church leaders as illegitimate and does not constitute the “gathering of the assembly” (that is, until COVID).
This is understandable. I personally do not lean one way or the other but I used to be more of an introvert but I have worked on it and now I feel more balanced. I find it's the people I'm with that makes all the difference. I'm not a hugger. I expressed this to many in my congregation and they are satisfied with a hand shake from me. They don't question me, they have been patient. After several years there are now some that I do hug. Not because it's something I need, but something they need and I want to be there for them even in the smallest ways. I think patience with understanding is what you're looking for.
9. But I’m still struggling to understand the point of it all. What is it that the Church Meeting does exactly? What is its purpose? What is its goal? What is its essential nature? Is it really just about teaching people? If so, this can be done (much more effectively) online. Is it about sharing our lives together as believers (this happens rarely in most f2f church meetings already). Is the meeting really just about protecting the clergy profession, in that sense the clergy class becoming no different than Demetrius and the other silversmithers (Acts 19:23–27)?

10. I’m thinking there is something greater, something more fundamental, more important to the Christian faith than just these programs, these organized shows on Sundays - beyond evangelistic fervor (I’m certainly no evangelist, nor do I have the call to be one). Is there nothing else? No deeper substance? No other revelation beyond the superficial minutia? What am I missing here? Am I simply deluded and shipwrecked? Possessor of a malformed faith? A heretic?

What really is the purpose of Church gatherings in the first place?
A really great question! I will set some time aside to go into this deeper in a separate reply as it will not be a short reply. In the meantime, perhaps you'd enjoy meditating on the questions I've asked in this post.

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Re: What is the Purpose of Church Gatherings?

Post #30

Post by 2timothy316 »

isaachunter wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 9:01 pm What really is the purpose of Church gatherings in the first place?
Going all the way back to Genesis there were large family groups that traveled together. The parents teaching their sons and daughters about the past and what they knew of God. Then those sons teaching their children etc etc. So big groups sharing knowledge of God has been around since the beginning of mankind. We don't know all of the details of this time as the Bible didn't record how many groups served the true God or if the had a lot of interaction with each other. We have a little bit of an understanding in Genesis between Abraham and Lot. Their families had gotten too big to occupy the same area so they both decided to split up. However, there is the account of Abraham having a lot of concern for Lot when he heard that God was going to look into what was happening in Sodom and Gomorrah. So it seems there was still some communication between families that served God. (Gen chapters 12 and 18) So the purpose in Abraham's day a congregation was for many things. One was for safety for the family. Another was to make a living. Yet it was also a place to learn from from the older ones of the family.

Ritual and structure in worship was not galvanized until the Hebrews left Egypt. When the Hebrews left Egypt the Law convenient made as to how to worship God the way He wanted. One of these laws was the law to assemble together for the Sabbath. Then on certain times of the year there would be massive festivals for people to get together and build up each other spiritually. All of this ways of worship were to serve as reminds of things God has done for them in the past, the present and what will come in the future. There are many accounts of priest reading the law to people and explaining it to them. A time to express love for family and neighbor. A person was there to serve God first, yes. But also to serve their fellow man and their fellow man to serve them. This too is worshiping God.

When the Israelites didn't follow these laws they turned into despicable people. They began to resent all that God had done for them. They didn't care for the reminders of the future. There is even an account were some would sell their neighbor into slavery for a pair of shoes. The Bible even says that ones would rape those in their own family. (Ezekiel 16 and Amos 8:6)

What about the Christian congregation? What is it's purpose? Really, not much as changed since the patriarchs. The modern day congregation should be a place of service to God first and foremost. Education of who God is, what He expects, His likes and dislikes. All of these things must be taught. Included in that worship is service to others of the congregation and to the whole world. With many hands work can be done faster. It is also a place of safety. Of course there is no perfect place of safety but in the congregation of the True God there should be the best imperfect people in the world.

In a nutshell, the purpose of meeting together with others is:
Learning who God is.
To reach the goal of making sure you reach the goal of serving God correctly.
Help to strip off bad habits and put on good ones.
Loving, encouraging and serving their neighbor.
Being loved, encouraged and served by your neighbor.
Support to attain an everlasting life in the coming Kingdom of God.

Each one of the above points are brief but there is so much involved in accomplishing these things.

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