Is Christian attendance at church necessary?

For me, the worst part of the church service is the sermon which can last anywhere from 45 min. to an hour or more. They don't like you to nap, they don't like it if you skip out. They want you to listen to some guy go on, yet again, about an oft expounded-upon piece of scripture everyone knows is too hard to live by and will make you look to the world like some kind of freak if you do. Rarely felt encouraged or uplifted from those awful things. Often felt rotten and beaten down though. I couldn't take it anymore, my personality just doesn't go well with weekly exhortations. Sorry.
 

If the sermon topic interests me and the pastor / priest has planned the sermon well and is engaging, I can enjoy a short or long sermon. I've heard a few that made me sleepy, and others that made me feel like I'm being shot at.
 
It's mainly necessary for the financial health of the church itself. For those attending, it is only necessary if the attendee feels it to be. Organized religion today has as much to do with faith as TV wrestling has to do with the sport. It's for the show and power from the pulpit.
 

In my opinion it is all about what one gets out of going. If it is comforting or inspirational or uplifting then there is every reason to attend. We also know God is everywhere and He is within to contact anytime, anyplace.
 
My late mother was of the church-going type whom pastors refer to as "C & E's," which is to say that they mostly went to church on Christmas and Easter. On one of her such infrequent visits, the pastor told my mother that it was "good to see her." She took this the wrong way, and flew back at the pastor that there were "better Christians at home than in church." I think that the unsuspecting preacher touched a nerve in her... 😺
 
I don’t think, hope, it’s not a requirement.

I no longer attend church. Not out of laziness or ignoring God. But because I irritated or something when there.
I know most of the community and-to some of them standing there, knowing they are about as Christian as my cat, just bothers me. Seeing as I don’t like to judge, I was always battling these two different feelings, and that was taking away from the reason I was there. Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy they attend for whatever reason. I was the one with the problem, not them.

God is a huge part of my life, but I feel better when it is just Him and me. A sunny day with the birds chirping, sitting by the lake or river, watching a thunderstorm or light rain. Watching the snow fall. Whenever nature is involved, God surrounds my heart like there is no tomorrow💕
 
My mom "dragged" me to Sunday School, as a child although I'd have much rather have been playing baseball. Dad was a Christmas and Easter Christian. We attended a small Congregational church near our home . When I married, my wife attended a Baptist Church and we took up attendance there. We continued attending this church for a number of years until our children had been born and became full grown.

We then faded away from regular attendance and our 4 kids moved on to marriage and varying degrees of church attendance. I never saw the need to pass judgement on ourselves or others around us, regarding church attendance.

To this day, I wonder why some folks feel the need to criticize or judge others regarding church attendance, whether being for or against. Seems like people today can't even manage to find a mate and enjoy a lifetime with that person, which would seem a more important "life lesson" to their off-spring, than whether they attend church or not.

IMHO -- If you enjoy attending, and find it fulfilling - do it. If not, skip it and sleep late on Sunday mornings.
 
Attending church is not mandatory for Christians to have a relationship with god through His Son JC. Christians believe the only way to know and commune with God, believer's surrender themselves to God by inviting and giving JC full range of their life. In return, believers need not fear this world because they are no longer a part of it in the spiritual sense of this world.
 
fmdog44 said:
Any time you can get individuals to congregate you erase their individuality.
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I disagree, individuality is something everyone has, however, the Collegiate Dictionary defines congregate transitive verb:"to collect into a group: Assemble intransitive verb: to come together into a group, crowd or assembly "students congregated in the auditorium. adjective: providing or being group services or facilities designed especially for elderly persons requiring supportive services 'congregate housing"

I don't know about you, but nothing is going to take away my individuality, even if I am forced to congregate.
 
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Fyrefox said:
My late mother was of the church-going type whom pastors refer to as "C & E's," which is to say that they mostly went to church on Christmas and Easter. On one of her such infrequent visits, the pastor told my mother that it was "good to see her." She took this the wrong way, and flew back at the pastor that there were "better Christians at home than in church." I think that the unsuspecting preacher touched a nerve in her... 😺
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LOL I have never heard of a "C & E" though I can relate. For a while that was me too ..plus weddings and funerals..now it is only the latter 2
 

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