i think the scripture ( Ephesians 5:25-27)refers to the “saved” people as a whole and not to specific congegrations.

what do you think?

I think you are correct in that when Paul talks about the church he is talking about all followers of Jesus, which expresses itself in local communities of faith. The universal church is the bride of Christ, and we should remember that to speak ill of the church is to speak ill of God’s beloved. His response to the brokenness of the church is not to reject them but to die for them, to love them, and to work to bring them to holiness, and I think there is a lot to learn from His response.

To the question, “Why go to church?” I shall write. First, I must state something of what is expected of the Church. Secondly, I must state what the Church is perceived as. Last, I wish to state what we are to be and how that will be realized.

On September 16, 2001, the churches across the U.S. were crowded. American citizens, in great numbers, attended churches after the towers fell in NYC, looking for comfort, hope and an answer concerning that tragedy. The Church has, somehow, made the claim, she is an organization whose builder and maker is God. The leading ministers are to be those who interact with God and should be able to communicate those things of utmost importance concerning man and eternity to common men who must expend their time and effort supporting their families, businesses and, perhaps, church. It is expected men of God must be in the presence of God and are able to provide that which touches the soul, even to be, as it were, an intermediary between men and Christ.

Six months after September 11, fewer people attended church than ever before. The citizens of the U.S. went to what claims to be the House of God for an answer and found none. To them, the Church was found to be fraudulent. Her pastors and ministers, mere men, who knew little more of God than could be perceived from a book.

My children have introduced me to a number of their peers. In conversation with them, I have found that they consider the Church as a powerless, irrelevant organization, which is not an option for them. I explained the virtues of hearing the Word of God to a young man this week, as a discipline to produce faith. “That’s all Greek, to me, he said.” To another young man, I spoke of Jesus Christ, which, he knew absolutely nothing.

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up (De. 6. 7).

The previous generation has not taught the present generation. In some cases, unbelief goes back several generations. In the Works of Francis Schaeffer, Dr. Schaeffer explained disbelief progressively leading to despair, anarchy and chaos. There is, no doubt, a sense of despair among men today. People want answers and no longer believe those are in the Church.

We had our chance, on September 16th, 2001, to prove to men we had an answer from Heaven; an answer that cannot be manufactured, neither attained from universities, nor derived from books. The answer which comes only from the throne of Almighty God. Instead, we were more concerned, at that time, in feathering our own nests.

I recall considering certain secular men, whose concern was for achievement and gratification of the flesh, as being less wicked than I. Some years later, as I ministered as a musician in worship, I recognized myself as lukewarm, and the church, which professed to have “cornered the market” on praise and worship, was in the same precarious position.

I set my face to diligently seek God. He taught me to embrace repentance and brokenness; even being rejected by siblings in Christ, as He, Himself, often stands outside knocking (Re. 3. 20). We must seek God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (He. 11. 6).

The Church is the Bride of Christ. She is a building, made not with hands but by God, of living stones. Each person, being the temple of the Living God. Each person, being as Christ, Himself.

The message concerning the condition of the Church is not directed to those who have found the Church a non – issue, or to those Christians who find the present church services as something they can no longer endure, but it is to the pastors of the churches.

There is no shortcut around the prayer closet. Ministry must always come after and only in response to prayer.

Your servant in Christ,

Christopher Dart

so eric,
im guessing that you think going to a specific church (congregation) isnt explicitly stated in the bible all around love is what people are looking for.

I don’t think it was conceivable for the early Christians to consider being a follower of Jesus without being a part of a local church. After all, they weren’t all carrying around their own Bibles back then, didn’t have access to online sermons or books, and understood the importance of community much more than we do today. I don’t think there was a need to address this issue since I doubt anyone was attempting to follow Jesus without being a part of a community.

So, I certainly don’t think the BIble tells us that we need to be Presbyterian, Catholic, Congregationalist, Baptist, etc., but I think we are meant to live out our faith in some sort of Christian community.