Just feel the Love and hold to that my fren.

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Romans 16:17

God Bless You Mary.

That is a rare man. I've worked for 3 or 4 pastors. Programs, numbers, public relations and revenue were very important. Messages were scaled down not to offend and oftentimes last minute. Do I sound cynical? Human nature is what it is even with pastors...good men, just human.

It was my dad, I was proud of him.

You don't have to go to church to have a personal relationship with God. God blesses you even if you stay home and never set foot in a church (and many churches are actually evil now).

When I got married 36 years ago, my husband changed the day after the wedding. He refused to allow me to go to church (I grew up similar to Amish, very tight knit church family) and kept me and our children as they came along, very very isolated. Not allowed to have friends or family or church or homeschool groups. He went with us to every medical appointment to make sure no one said anything to alert medical staff.

God still blessed me and my children in many different ways - even thru all that abuse, violence and extreme anger. Your relationship is based on YOU and GOD, not on a church building, a church family or a pastor in your life.

Not everyone can go to church, and not everyone feels comfortable in most churches today - God is still with them. He was even with Jonah, He is everywhere.

NOT mad at the folks, but was in a christian band and told I was "too sexy" WHICH I am not the least bit sexy, never have been, I said SOUNDS like YOU got a problem with lust. I dressed appropriately. ANOTHER time, was studying to at least be in a form of ministry since I do not believe in female pastors, and was told "I needed to stop wearing shorts" WELL ffs they were the ugliest like down to my knees shorts you ever saw. AND my legs looked like twigs, I was so skinny. SO there is that. BUT I love all of God's for sure.

AB"SOL"UTELY TRUE!

Thank Q for Sharing Your Story!

The first time I heard that people can have a personal relationship with God was 22 years ago when I left the Lutheran and Methodist, and Presbyterian churches and went to a non- denominational church. I had never heard that in my life. That day is etched in my memory. I became a changed person, born again Christian living in the New Covenant of Grace. That pastor left and a new pastor came. He changed the church with his legalistic rants. It was like the life of that church was sucked right out if it. It literally went from a church of color, light, joy, and warmth to a church of gray, brown, cold and modern sleek decor. Needless to say we left and now attend a home church. The Lord is alive and well in our group!

🙏💗

Before Christmas 2022, I took on this subject - exactly as you have presented, with an online Associate Pastor and asked him to back his statement of "you won't be blessed unless..." up with scripture. Of course they use Hebrews 10:25 BUT... I posed the fact that I am handicapped and unable to attend a church with oxygen concentrator that isn't quiet. That the Holy Spirit dwells among the sanctified as promised, 24/7... no matter their location, that the Church is a body of believers who individually house as a temple, the Spirit of God.

That a good Christian friend is mine lives in the high mountains and comes down twice per year for 1 week to gather supplies, see a dentist and doctor and returns to his cabin. He has no one but himself and God.

Is he doomed? Heavens NO! God, Jesus, Holy Spirit and him. That's more than two gathered. No...the use of Hebrews 10:25 in this instance is to raise finances. In many churches today, this is the case.

Many seem skilled at presenting that which fills their coffers and as I found God I wasn't in a "church" and never owned a bible, and as it is written, God is spirit, Christ came to take us out of mans temples, giving us the gift of The Holy Spirit which resides within the True Temple of God, our own bodies.