Posts Tagged ‘attendance’
Minimum Duty or Maximum Opportunity?
by Terry Wane Benton The question comes up from time to time about whether to meet with the saints only one time on Sunday, or whether to meet every time we can, like for week-long meetings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday nights? I look at the example of the early church meeting “daily in the temple…
Read MoreShould I give up going to church because I keep committing fornication?
Question: Hey, I’m a Christian and go to a Pentecostal church but I seem to always fall into a deep sin of fornication, I end up having sex with my girlfriend. Me and her, we know we’re not supposed to but end up doing it. We’ve tried many ways to minimize ways it could erupt,…
Read MoreThe Wiles of the Devil
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/The-Wiles-of-the-Devil.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 6:10-18 I. Satan is a real being A. Jesus warned Peter that Satan wanted him – Luke 22:31 1. Much like Satan wanted Job – Job 1:6-12 B. Peter warned us that Satan wants to devour us – I Peter 5:8-9 C. Thus, we have to know our enemy – II Corinthians…
Read MoreWhere does the Bible teach that not belonging to a congregation is a sin?
Question: Hello, I came across your question/answer page online. My question is, where does the Word of God teach that not belonging to a congregation is an unforgivable sin and one will go to hell for not belonging to a congregation? I’ve heard Church of Christ preachers speak as though one will go to hell…
Read MoreCan’t Christians meet on other days of the week?
Question: In regards to “Can I attend an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship instead of a church while at college?” My first question is on “One departure from the Lord’s church that you mention is that they have services on Tuesdays, but the church meets on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:1).”…
Read MoreDo virtual assemblies count?
Question: Hello, brother in Christ, I hope you are doing well. My question comes from Hebrew 10:25. Now I fully understand what assembling together means, but there seem to be those who say that assembling can be of anything and anywhere. So, does “virtual assembling” count as assembling as described in the Bible? For example: when the…
Read MoreRededication
by Doy Moyer There are only a handful of times in biblical Israel’s history in which there were reforms to bring the people back to the Lord. Among the kings of the north (Israel), there were no true revivals. Among the kings of the south (Judah), there were a few, but most notable were the…
Read MoreFeeling Wanted and Needed
by Terry Wane Benton We were very young (24) when we first started preaching full time or “living of the gospel” (I Corinthians 9:7-14). God providentially put us in the right place (Berney Points in Birmingham, AL) for this early training ground. We needed to feel wanted and needed in this first attempt, and the…
Read MoreWhat If It Became a Crime to Assemble?
by Terry Wane Benton In China, it is reported that if you do not renounce your faith in Jesus you will be tortured till you do. If that is so, I wonder how many of us would renounce Christ? In parts of Nigeria, you will be killed for believing in Jesus. In some states here,…
Read MoreU.S. Church Membership Declines to Under 50%
Source: Jeffrey M. Jones, “U.S. Church Membership Falls Below Majority for First Time,” Gallup News, 29 March 2021. “47% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque, down from 50% in 2018 and 70% in 1999.” “The decline in church membership is primarily a function of the increasing number of Americans who express no…
Read MoreHow can I go to church when I have a schizoaffective disorder?
Question: I found your website recently and have been uplifted by your responses to the questions under the mental health topic. So I decided to ask you one too. I have been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. I’ve had severe symptoms for over ten years, starting at the age of 40. At the time that I…
Read MoreWhen the Number Is Few
by Terry Wane Benton We often show a lack of faith when we compare a small church to a large church. Some want to hide in a large crowd and they fail to grow spiritually. Jonathan had the right quality of faith. Jonathan and his armorbearer attack the Philistines I Samuel 14:12-14″Then Jonathan said to…
Read MoreI stopped attending church because I committed sexual sins
Question: Please, I am a baptized Christian who is a member of a denomination. I am in need of your advice. I am 26 years of age. I have engaged in sinful sex with a cousin on several occasions, for which I felt ashamed after the acts. I stopped going for the Lord’s Supper and…
Read MoreI’ve been thinking about switching congregations but don’t know if it is a good idea
Question: Hey, I have a question. I’ve been thinking of switching congregations. My reasons for wanting to leave are: My wife mentioned to me, she isn’t learning there anymore. I haven’t been learning there for the past year in a half, but I do a lot of studying on my own. I also listen to lots…
Read MoreTwo Ways to Keep Members Faithful
by Bill Hall There are two ways to keep members of the church “faithful.” The first way is to be sure everyone is involved. Have a project for each member, and make sure that he feels important in his role. Praise him for the good job he is doing. Make him feel needed; make him…
Read MoreShould we change congregations?
Question: Hi, We are faithful members of a smaller congregation. We have less than ten youths and three of them are ours. Our oldest is now a teen and is having trouble navigating adolescence (none his age at our home congregation). We have fellowship with surrounding sound congregations over the years for any events they…
Read MoreWere non-believers ever invited to assemblies?
Question: In the last couple of years, I have come to believe that the assembly is for believers. I haven’t seen any examples that non-believers were ever invited to the first of the week assembly. Have you any thoughts on the matter? Thanks. Answer: “In the Law it is written, “By men of strange tongues…
Read MoreWhere is the justification for taking the Lord’s Supper at home?
Question: Dear Brother, In these times of pandemic and gathering restrictions, I have seen many different takes on gathering for the Lord’s table and virtual worship. It is good to see autonomy alive and well within the Lord’s church. My question is the acceptance of virtual worship and the taking of the Lord’s table via…
Read MoreCan the Lord’s Supper be taken by yourself?
Question: Hello, I have a question: Since many church services are canceled due to COVID‐19, I’ve been thinking about a relevant question: When church services are canceled, can a Christian partake of the Lord’s Supper by himself? My answer has been “No” because we “come together” to do it (1 Cor. 11:33; Acts 20:7). This…
Read MoreThe Setting for the Lord’s Supper
by Gary P. Eubanks A Practical and Critical Question If a Christian is too sick to attend the Sunday assemblies of a church but is not too sick to eat the Lord’s Supper at home, may, or should, he do so? It is difficult to imagine a more realistic question or even one more critical…
Read MoreWorshiping during the Coronavirus-19 Pandemic
Question: Brethren, I really appreciate the wealth of information contained on your website and it has been very helpful and insightful. I do have a current concern with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been a few articles in your archive where some have inquired about proper worship as individuals as opposed to…
Read MoreAttendance is not commanded!
Question: Hello, I am a minister and teacher of Christ Jesus. A Christian brother brought to my attention your teaching about attending church and Bible study, so I could comment on it. It is on your page titled “Are you telling me I won’t make it to heaven because I have to work?” I also reviewed…
Read MoreIs it Wrong for Churches to Cancel Services?
by Ken Weliever via The Preacher’s Word This question raised today reminds me of the old joke about the politician who was asked by a reporter his position on a particular issue. “Well, there are two ways to look at it,” he responded. Then launched into a lengthy explanation of both views, giving both the…
Read MoreWhat if the church is told not to meet?
Question: If a law is passed that it is unlawful for the church to meet due to this coronavirus problem, would you obey it? Answer: We need to keep in mind that everything currently being discussed are temporary measures enacted in the hopes of keeping our healthcare system from being overloaded. We can’t stop the…
Read MoreAre you telling me I won’t make it to heaven because I have to work?
Question: I have been struggling with this question, and I’m constantly being made to feel guilty for not making Wednesday evening services. I used to go to every service that I could until I got my current job where I work at least ten-hour days and I am on call once or twice a month.…
Read MoreDoes a Christian have to be at his home congregation every Sunday?
Question: Dear brother in Christ: I greet you cordially. Thanks for the studies I have found on your website, I have been able to translate them into Spanish and they have served both me and the churches that I visit in my area. I have served as a preacher of the gospel for a few years,…
Read MoreWhat do I need to do to return to a congregation?
Question: Dear Sir, I have not been attending church services regularly for about two years. I’m a baptized believer and had been attending a church of Christ. My reasons for not going were due to a lot of different things, but these don’t excuse my absence. I’ve recently started going back but I am confused…
Read MoreShould I go where I can’t worship for several months?
Question: Hello! I was curious about your thoughts regarding worship while traveling abroad. I was accepted to study abroad in Valencia, Spain, for one semester (four months). But I can’t find a congregation near Valencia. The one I contacted in the city only has services in Tagalog and the nearest church that uses English according…
Read MoreHow does God view switching congregations?
Question: Good morning, Mr. Jeffrey! My husband and I have decided to switch our church membership to another local body of believers. God says that He places each member how He sees fit (I Corinthians 12:18), but I cannot find a biblical reference to how God moves people to different churches after they joined their…
Read MoreMy church is just me in my room
Question: G’day Minister, I just wanted, on impulse, to pay my respects and say what a fantastic premise you operate as a ‘church’. No frills, no nonsense, no pretensions – instead, just good old fashioned and solid focus on Scripture. I am most impressed, as I’m sure the Lord must be as well. And, yes,…
Read MoreIs God no longer a priority if I visit other congregations to look for a wife?
Question: God must always come first and our mission in life must be Jesus’ mission, but how do I deal with the underlying problem of being alone? In the most humble way, I make mention of, yes, He is with us until the end of the age; yes, we will not be forsaken; yes, we…
Read MoreGathering Together
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2005/06/GatheringTogether.mp3 I. When we talk of worshiping God, one aspect of that worship is our gathering together A. Psalm 122:1 1. Is this your attitude, or do you feel dragged here? 2. To worship God requires assembling with fellow Christians B. Hebrews 10:19-27 1. The writer of Hebrews discusses the conversion of a man 2. Jesus consecrated a new and living way…
Read MoreHow do I get others to see the necessity of attending?
Question: Hey brother Hamilton, I have a concern I know you will be able to help me address. I am a teacher at a local church of Christ. I have been doing my best teaching the congregation starting about a year ago. I am also a teenager who will be graduating this year. My concern…
Read MoreIf someone attends, but hasn’t become a member, and then stops coming, should you withdraw from him?
Question: Someone begins attending a congregation but does not ask to be a member there. He starts forsaking the assembly. Can you withdraw from him? He was baptized. Answer: Before I answer the question, I want to note that some congregations add people to their membership simply because they keep attending services at the local…
Read MoreMy son is no longer attending church, so is it wrong to pick up my grandchildren?
Question: If my son is baptized but not attending, and my daughter-in-law is not baptized, is it wrong to pick up my grandchildren? Answer: Be careful not to blame kids for their parents’ sins. You seem to be mixing your son’s disobedience as if it was also your grandchildren’s. Each person is responsible for his…
Read MoreShould aid be given to a member who doesn’t attend worship often?
Question: Good day, Would it be scriptural to refuse a widow benevolence because of very poor attendance at the worship services? Answer: Are you talking about benevolence by individuals? Then it would be up to the individual to decide. Individuals are to do good to all people (Galatians 6:9-10). Are you talking about benevolence by…
Read MoreCan’t I just worship with different congregations each Sunday?
Question: Good evening Minister, I have been a member of the Lord’s church for over five years. I’ve been a faithful member; however, I had some concerns about some things that were going on in worship. I left my home-based church where I felt like I was ostracized because I’m a single woman. I began…
Read MoreWhy Do We Church?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/WhyDoWeChurch.mp3 by Garry Floyd
Read MoreWhy We Gather Together
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/WhyWeGatherTogether.mp3 by Alan Feaster
Read MoreIs a person allowed to miss services because of their job?
Question: Is there any proof in the Bible that forsaking the assembly of the saints is acceptable if one’s job requires him to work? I think self-employed people sometimes use this as an excuse which is wrong. But what about companies, or police, or fire, and nurses? I know the head of the family, the…
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