Stop Going to Church Part 1

How much credit do we really give Satan? I mean do we actually consider how much he has an impact on the way that we view life, treat others, or spend out time? I have a feeling that we give more credit to Satan than we actually do that we might be living different lives because we would be more aware of the many strongholds he actually has on us. Anyways, one of these strongholds i believe is an absurd lie that we have all bought in to and have not taken the time to sit down and think about it. It's a lie that has infiltrated our entire lifestyle and completely perveted our ideas on what it means to be a Christ follower. (Many claim to be "Christians" when few in fact are followers of Christ, or "little Christs") It's a lie that we probably say at least 10+ times a week which all follow after one of the following: I am, are you, you should, everyone needs to, and i am sure there are a few others if i really thought about it. It's a lie that dishonors God and offers us (meaning those of us who claim Christ as Lord and Savior) a cheapened life that falls drastically short of "...a life to the full" as Christ promised in John 10. It's a lie that if we took the time to sit down and think about what we are saying and it's implications, we would immediately stop saying it and reveal to others the lie as well. The lie is that: we go to church.

We ask, "Hey, are you going to church?" or say, "I am going to church this week." or tell others, "Oh, sounds like you are really struggling...You should go to church." Now please don't get me wrong. Is telling someone that they should go to church a bad thing? In one sense no because there is a good chance that your heart is wanting for God to speak to them during that service or that someone who "works" at the church could relate to them or provide the answers or help that person is looking for. But in another sense i think it is wrong. Scripture is incredibly clear that WE ARE THE CHURCH. When unbelievers put their faith in Christ, they became part of the body of Christ which is the church. And these churches were located all over and would meet in either homes, if there was a more wealthy person who owned a home and served as the supporter or patron for that church, or they would meet in workshops located in cities. These kinds of churches were called "tenement churches" and made up probably 80% of all churches while the home churches were more rare. Tenement churches consisted of the poor and everyone brought what they could provide from their own labor and share it with everyone so that the needs of the whole group were met. People were the church, not the building in which they met. Yet we have somehow adapted this mindset that the church is the building in which we meet. What if that building burnt down? Does that mean the church just burnt down? That the church is done, destroyed, gone, or just out of commission for awhile? hmmm...

Certainly not...and scripture is clear to remind us that it's not. People are the church, not the building. The building is just another building.

So, what does this mean now? How does this change things? Or does it? Has there been any negative effects to the "we go to church" mindset that need to be addressed and dealt with?
These are all questions that need to be looked at and thought on with an open heart and humility because if we have bought in to the "we go to church" mindset, the truth is that our role as a Christian in this world has been completely perverted. It also means that Satan has been doing a really good job at distracting us and leading us farther away from what God actually intended the church to be while the whole time confusing us to think we had it right all along. More on this later...