Can Christians Not Go to Church? | Theocast Clips

Is Christianity at all individualistic? Why is the corporate gathering so important? Jon and Justin discuss what the Bible says about these questions and more in this clip from: "I Come to the Garden Alone?"

The title for today's episode comes from a 20th century hymn. That hymn is illustrative of the common mindset in the evangelical church--that the real stuff of the Christian life happens when we are alone. Is that what the New Testament teaches? How is it that we grow in the faith? How is it that we become mature in Christ? Jon and Justin consider these questions and discuss how the Christian life is inherently corporate, how devotion is church-shaped, and how the corporate realities of the gathered church drive our private lives.

Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin give some of their perspective on personal time of Bible reading and prayer. What are healthier ways to approach these things? How does the corporate life of the church help us devotional lives?

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[brianfreland]

God came back to my life a year and a half ago and I've had so many blessings. I got sober, got a better job, got my own place, lost a fiance but I have faith it was for thr best, and in this time I haven't been to a church once. I've been trying to find one that I connect with but from my experience of growing up in the church and with a mom who taught Bible studies at multiple schools, I saw how a lot of times churches are more corporate and profit building than a relationship with God. I'm not bashing anyone but I am very skeptical when it comes to congregations and I know as I'm growing in the lord I'm also scared to be lead the wrong way by bad intentions of a shady minister or ministry like I've seen in thr past. I just pray that God shows me where I need t9 be and who with and until then ill continue to make sure I have God here at home before I try to take that light out into the world.

[amac]

I have grown very frustrated with local churches. Very shallow, we often just sit around talking about non sense. No one wants to go deeper in their faith.

[BNSFGuy]

I’m the only Christian in my house and my family isn’t Christian. I don’t have the privilege of attending a church unfortunately. I use the internet to communicate with fellow believers in the meantime

[ksr]

I don't see how the elders can possibly watch over your souls when they talk to you for 1 minute on Sunday and sometimes all they say to you is, "hello" and they never talk to you or see you again till the next is not watching over anyone's souls.. I think there is something missing in American Christianity..

[AllenWorshiperofJesus]

Get alone with Jesus in prayer, pour out your heart in love for Him. Tell Him how great He is, that you love Him, that He's beautiful and perfect, that He's precious, etc. Worship, adore, love, and minister directly to Jesus Christ. Do this for years, every day. He will lead you into something Christian synagogues cannot give you. Get the thought of pleasing other humans off of your mind altogether, and He'll show you a higher path.

[arielleshannon]

I don’t know fam. Videos like these make me wish that I was close to a confessionally reformed church so badly! 😭 I live in a rural area where the selection is quite limited. I have been going back and forth between two different churches for the past couple years. Three months ago, I broke my leg severely. Since then, I have been basically bedridden. It was actually a blessing with a silver lining, because it forced me to stay away from the church for a while and allow my mind to recover.

Before I broke my leg, I was getting burnt out with too many social obligation volunteer activities and I didn’t even have time to read my Bible once per week. After breaking my leg and being forced inside more, my relationship with the LORD has become much more authentic! I truly do believe that God somehow caused me to break my leg because He knew that I needed a break from the church before I did. The ambulance ride to the hospital was one of the most relaxing days of my life. Looking back, I noticed that the church was actually causing me to backslide and stumble in many ways. Both the churches that I went to were very pietist, one was liberal and the other was conservative. This is just my experience and interpretation of events, I know that my experience is an odd one! I do plan on going to church again when I am fully recovered, but I will ease my way in more carefully and not commit to too many weekday activities.

[joannparker]

As a Christian, I've tried many churches. Over decades. I always end up leaving because they get IN THE WAY of me and my relationship with Christ. Too many cliques, riddled with judgment. I don't go to Church anymore. Although I do occasionally watch a Church now and then online because I get so much out of the sermon. My walk with Jesus is full of joy and promise. And it's greatly enhanced how I interact with others I don't know. I don't need nor want someone else telling me what they think I'm doing wrong, what they think I should do, etc...
The Bible is my handbook for life.

[daystarrises]

I do not understand when he said Christian faith has nothing to do with individualism. I guess he means that we share God's love. But that love comes to each of us individually and we rejoice it. The idea that church is an institutional establishment that we can drive to on Sunday morning is not in the scripture. The church is when Christ is in the mist of two or three who are sharing the gift of salvation which God has whispered in each of their hearts and minds. I would say you are very lucky to have a gathering of more than this amount of people in your life in a day and age where churches have become social clubs. Where Christian hymns have been taken over by popular music and sung underneath n electronic speaker system and one or two people use a microphone to sing the words to the congregation. Where the truth about salvation has been undermined with humanism and good works.
As pastors you two guys enjoy the cream of the crop of Christian life in that people come to you personally and individually in order to discuss Christ. You have the luxury of getting up there on Sunday morning and telling people what the Lord has put in your heart through your studies. What I am saying is you are defending a church which is not biblical in structure nor design. Now. I have to back up in time because I did have some beautiful church experiences at times. This was about forty years ago. There is nothing more beautiful to me as when a large number of people get together and sing praises to God in unity. If we can believe in that unit of people loving Christ then we all take communion together. Wow that is wonderful. But alas this church experience did not last and the preacher grew old and retired soon after I went there. In another church experience the singing was beautiful but they denied the power of Christ in the heart. So many wounds from the past.
Point is that the church begins with the individual who loves God and then they are hopefully given fellowship with others who also have been moved by God. I would love to have a church like the one you guys are fancifully describing but beware that true church is not found in the institution or in the doctrines but in the heart of the individuals wo love God through Christ.
I doubt if the people who made this video will even read my comment which is too bad.

[scottsinger]

A solid church membership is also a beautiful testimony!!

[jshankkk]

Fellowship is crucial, the American model of "church" is detrimental.

[Subdood]

This particular topic weighs heavily on me. I have struggled to find a place that isn’t pietistic, legalistic and / revivalistic in my area.

[tonyapalmo]

Amen Thank you for my church family ❤️ all over the world 🌎❤

[gutjcjn]

Can Christians not hear podcasts etc ?

[CornPop]

Ive went too church off and on my whole life and didnt really know much about the bible or have a relationship with jesus but when I started too study and reflect on my own and with explanatory videos helped me really understand and surrender too jesus and I felt the Holy ghost like a ton of bricks and became born again when I didnt even know what that word meant.. church is not necessary at all the holy ghost would let me know.

[sawsanmin]

All christians go to church. Very important, We go to church after we get to God's gifts. God bless to you and all.

[INTHEWILDERNESS-]

internet made traditional church obsolete. When you can go online with a camera as a pastor and reach people from every state or from different parts of the world, it's more effective. Traditional church worship is basically Hebrew temple worship. Jesus told us that each one of us is the temple of God. If I can get online a listen to a live broadcast and chat with other Christians and ask for prayer from multiple people, it's more effective. Not everyone is a super Christian extrovert. I have been to church my whole life, but I don't go to church anymore. I have been to every church in my town, and they don't fulfill my needs as a Christian. My needs are fulfilled online by pastors I never see in real life, and I get more understanding from them, especially if I can instantly take the slider back in time to hear what they just preached.

[jenna]

If you need a book and weekly meetings to know enough not to be a dick to yourself or other people, then maybe churches should start giving out "clean and saved" pins every year.

[trevino]

You are using the same word that means two different things, while making it seem it means the same thing. The church as the institutionalized system is one thing and the church as the body of Christ, is another thing. If being a loner Christian means tp be spiritually weak, then you would think that John the Baptist was spiritually dead and Paul to be spiritually weak prior to meeting the other Apostles. Spiritual growth is not based on fellowship but on the word of G-d and the Spirit. Fellowship is good for encouragement and building each other up but "building each other up" is not the equivalent of spiritual growth. Church membership is the lie being sold to many.

[SillyChickens]

I love the women’s Bible study group I attend and the services they have for children at the church I attend (since my son is autistic and will be attending their pre-school program). But the pastor always seems to be covering up shady things or making sermons to make himself/the church seem better or is doing all the right things. My husband refuses to go now bc of the weird things the pastor has said about money. Considering the church’s budget is $5.6 million and over half ($3.5) is going to pad the staff members pockets. The pastor recently had a sermon about giving all the money you have and not being attached to money but he doesn’t practice that at all considering they raised the budget to pay staff (and probably his own pocket — we suspect he makes nearly half a million/year). All of the staff have nice houses, several cars, what have you. It’s hard for me to connect to them when they live very extravagant lives compared to me and my husband who are struggling in this economy right now. The pastor talks about how we have to watch out for corrupt churches that prey on people… but what church is praying on people unless it’s a church that’s paying their staff over half of the church budget? His sermons are always motivational speeches and I don’t actually feel like I’m learning about the Bible. It seems like all of the sermons are so surface level, and like I said, to prove how he’s right or the church is the only church around town doing all the right things. It’s really made me consider if going to church is worth it even though I do want to go. I love watching sermons online but I also like the connecting to other women in the small Bible study group I am in. It’s all so confusing 😢

[dgh]

You are the church who God lives inside. We go to a meeting place called a church.