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someone from the church should always visit the
sick and aged to share that week's sermon. Communion, baptism, and other
rites can be performed in the home or hospital with the same meaning and
effect as when they're performed in the church. It's the job of the church
to care for all believers, not just those who are a physical presence in the
pews on any given Sunday.
So, if believers are to gather together
regularly, what constitutes a "proper" church? If an area must contain pews,
an altar, religious symbols, and clergy wearing designated apparel, then
many Christians don't attend church. During the time of the persecution of
the early church, Christians could only meet in their homes or other secret
locations. Even today, some believers do likewise for the same reason.
Denominations such as the Amish still meet in the homes of fellow believers
to conduct church services. This practice not only does away with the need
to construct unnecessary buildings, but also allows for closer fellowship
with the congregation. For these reasons, as well as those mentioned
earlier, house churches of all denominations are becoming more commonplace
throughout the world. Putting aside all arguments about the proper
ordination of clergy and the order and content of worship, Christians should
understand that the physical meeting place is unimportant. Jesus proclaimed
that wherever two or
three come together in my name, there I am with them
(Matthew 18:20).
Tom Kent, pastor of a small Quaker home church,
aptly describes the necessity of attending church on a regular basis. The
church doesn't only have to serve in the lives of believers, viewed by many
to be to preach sermons based on the teachings of Christ. Neither are they
created for the purpose of conducting rituals; the Quakers don't, in fact,
perform or participate in the rituals as do other denominations. Although a
pastor, preacher, etc. may present a sermon, the same should leave time for
open discussion about the message. Without church members being allowed to
ask questions during the sermon, many will fall short of full understanding.
The church also needs to allow time for fellowship, whether during or after
the main study. Without facilitating the feeling that everyone is an
accepted member of the group, there's no way for the church to provide any
type of accountability. Christians who attend church regularly obtain a
greater understanding of the way God intends his children to live; relying
on and holding one another accountable assists in reaching this goal. |
