To religious people of all faiths, what is church?

Question

I know what church is, in definition, but i want to know what people's personal beliefs are (regardless of faith).

i want to know what church(or whatever your faith involves) does for you, what you get out of it, and how it makes you feel about yourself and in general.

Be specific about feelings, i'm more curious about the intangible than in actual rites and rituals and events.

To you, as a person of any faith, what is church?

"T" - i know what church is. thank you for not answering my question.

music fich has the right idea.

i never considered church to be just a building...if i meant that i would say "A church"

Answer 1

"Church" can be a gathering of 2 or more in the spirit of the Lord. A church is not a building, but a gathering of the Lord's people.

Answer 2

Within the Christian faith church is the group of people who worship in that little building down the street and around town and around the world. It includes all people (believers or not) who PROFESS faith in Jesus Christ for their salvation.

The Church, or the Bride of Christ, includes those (past, present and future) who are truly saved by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

What does it mean to me? An example:

On December 23, 2005, I received a call from my urologist telling me I had prostate cancer and that I would need surgery. During the course of the next six months I never, not once, worried about the outcome of the disease. I did not know if I would live or die, but I did not worry about the outcome. Why? Because of my faith in Jesus and Him alone for my eternal life in Heaven after this physical life is over. As the apostle Paul said, "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and that is what we all hope for."

My situation was the subject of much prayer in the churches of the many Christians with whom I am acquainted. One church set up a 24 hour a day prayer chain from the morning I went into surgery until I was released from the hospital three days later.

A week ago I received the results of the second post-op PSA test. Zero! God is not yet ready for me to go Home. When He is ready, I am ready.

I hope the above gives you some idea of what church is, what Church is, and what it means to those who truly believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

Answer 3

Church is not a building, but the gathering of people of faith in Gods name. A time for all to bring their problems directly to to the Lord to have him lift the weight off of their shoulders, and to allow the Holy Spirit to fill their souls with peace and love. A believer should walk away from "church" feeling new and refreshed, having their burdens lifted. After church, I always feel like I can take on the worlds evil single handedly. I feel happy, refreshed, and alive, filled with the blessing of God.

Answer 4

The church is the collection of all believers, or followers of God, from every country, every group of people, and in every time period past and present.
Going to church, for me, is not necessarily a day to be spiritually fed for the week, rather a coming together of the believers one day a week to have fellowship with one another, spend some time in worship together, and recharge for the coming week. The day to day reading and meditating on the words in the Bible is when I believe we are spiritually fed rather than on Sunday (or Saturday depending on your particular denomination or faith).
Going to church on Sunday morning is a very encouraging and relaxing experience. For one, just being in fellowship with other believers and talk about the past week, pray for each other really helps me unload the stress from the week.
Then coming together to worship as one whole body of believers and feeling God's presence in the room is a feeling that cannot be described. Being in the presence of God cannot be described in human words. I wish I could portray this experience to you, but I cannot. It's not so much emotional, but it's something that is felt spiritually, and I can't really describe to you what that's like.

Answer 5

As a Christian, the Church of Jesus Christ (not meaning the denomination in particular) is the collection of people who have placed their faith -- trust and obedience -- in Jesus as Lord and Savior of their life.
Worshipping the Lord individually and corporately are biblical and important. Corporate worship is often performed in a building, often termed a church, as well.
The two are different, but since believers often worship together in the same building at the same time, the two terms are often used synonymously.

As far as feelings go...worshipping the Lord is not about feelings...it is about reverence, giving glory, proclaiming His excellencies, and obedience. That can be done in a room in a hotel as easily as in a great cathedral. As a believer, the Lord gives us peace that passes understanding, despite our lot in life or circumstances we find ourselves.

Finally, to address your notion of what do I get out of going to church, and worshipping God...well, I am "recharged" from living a week in a cursed world filled with sin. But more appropriately, it's not what I get, rather what I am able to give -- worship to God. He is worthy...no matter if He ever does anything for me...no matter if He ever sent Jesus to save man...He is always worthy of praise. He is the King of kings, and we are insignificant...our significance and favor comes only from the grace and mercy of God, and the sacrifice His Son, Jesus, experienced on the cross, paying my penalty for my sins.

Answer 6

Church is an awful place in which people go and listen to a corrupt man read out of a corrupt book and try to impose ludicris morals on everyone, and teach false histories. I feel very uncomfortable in a church

Answer 7

I go to a non-denominational church in Chicago. Moody Church. People spend their entire life reading and studying the bible. So thats one of the reasons I go to church. To get guidance. In my bible study we have been going through the book of Romans for about 5 months and we are only on the second chapter. If your in the Word and the Word is in you it becomes this living breathing book that will speak to you all day long in every situation that comes up in your life. So reason i go is for guidance and explanation. Next is the bonding with fellow believers. It's so easy to get sucked into the wrong lifestyle when your not surrounding yourselves with fellow believers. To build each other up, to comfort each other, to teach each other, to share with each other etc... Next reason I go to church is to glorify God. Lots of people these days are not getting into the old hymns. To be perfectly honest sometimes I cant get into them either. But heres the thing. We go to church (and for that matter everything else we do) to glorify God. Coming together as one voice and giveing god the praise and worship that he desires and deserves. I don't know if i directly answered your question but in a round about kind of way I did. I could go on but if your interested in anything I said you can contact me , Take care.

Answer 8

My "church" is a synogogue. On my first visit I discovered beautiful prayers praising God and asking nothing in return. I heard nothing about sin and evil. I've learned Hebrew and have learned how much more you can find in the words of the original Hebrew. I've learned that "names" in the Bible are actually descriptions. I've learned that the root of the Hebrew word, sheol, is "question." With a final hey, it means "toward question." Toward the unknown...

I've found in the Talmud all the things Jesus taught along with much, much more.

I love being a part of a community of people who always seemed so distant and unknown, only to discover that they insist that you learn all their "secrets" before you can become a part of the community.

I love being part of a community whose sole purpose is to do their part in bringing peace on earth.

Shalom my friend

Answer 9

Like a masjid or a temple church is a place of worship

Answer 10

my church, personally, is a place where i know that i am safe that all the people their fully support what i beliueve in. a church basicaly is a support group. through my church i have become the happiest ever because of the friends i have met thier and i can count on them because i know they support my beliefs.