Instead of going to church, should we use that time and money to help the homeless, hungry, and disabled?

Question

Isn't that what Jesus would do?

Answer 1

I am a hospice nurse. I spend everyday of my life ministering to people who are dying and the friends,family, and other loved ones who are going through the ordeal with the patient. My social worker finds programs to help feed these people, we pay for their food sometimes out of our own pockets, we provide them with medications that they couldn't otherwise afford. I go to church on Sunday to thank God for giving me the opportunity to worship him and to serve him by serving these people. Since you brought it up why not add a little info about what it is that you do that is so constructive and helpful to the community you live in.

Answer 2

What do you think many atheists do on Sunday? Going to church often helps no one, yet a day working at a food kitchen can affect lives. Were people really striving to be Christ-like, churches would function as homeless shelters, foster homes, and food kitchens, not just places to sing and get married.

Answer 3

Personally, going to church is a way of renewing my covenants weekly. A day to spend in the Lord's service, whether that be learning scripture, having discussions, or doing charity work as well as many other ways to spend the Sabbath. However, please keep in mind that many of the homeless and hungry people are as such based upon their continual bad choices, liquor, smoking, and others. In giving unto them freely with no strings attached nor restrictions, you do nothing more then fuel there addiction. Instead, why don't you go teach them how to be self sufficient. Give a man a fish and he eats for one day, teach him how to fish, and he eats for a lifetime. Church is important to many of us though and it is not selfish of us to want to spend part of our Sabbath renewing our covenants and learning about the Lord.

Answer 4

Absolutely. If you have the discipline necessary to keep your life stable by doing good deeds every day instead of walking into some fancy building on Sundays, then good for you. You cannot be faulted for that. Anyone who disagrees with that probably either hasn't thought about it enough, or has ties with a corrupt church.

Answer 5

My wife and I don't go to church, but sometimes we look for a pastor, who knows more about the people in the community, who have needs. We give what we can to him, trusting him to help those that can accept charity from the church easier than they could from strangers. We do this locally, and quietly, and only I speak of it now, to let people know that their are things we can do that are not either/or propositions.

Answer 6

I believe that God’s true church would be the church He chose before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph.1:4 below).

We are holy and without blame before Christ Jesus in love as the church of God (1 Cor.10:32 below).


Eph.1:4 According as he (Christ) hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world (Eph.2:9, Jn.17:5), that we should be holy and without blame (Col.1:22, 2 Cor.11:2) before Him in love.

1 Cor.10:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God (1 Cor.1:2, 1 Cor.15:9, Gal.1:13).



Pat (ndbpsa ©)

Answer 7

But we are supposed to take time to worship God. The Bible also tells us not to forsake communion with other Christians. It helps to keep us from forgetting God and protects us from believing false doctrines. On the other hand, many churches also have abandoned their responsibilities to the poor and need people who will remind them to spread the word and a helping hand to those people.

Answer 8

That is a great idea. The churches don't need it they are rich.
Ministers make big salerys.
Collect money to help the poor but it never gets to the poor.
Give your stuff directly to people who need it.

Answer 9

Sounds like a good idea.

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Answer 10

going to church takes up like an hour and a half out of your day. is your sunday that action packed that you can't do anything else that day with the remaining 22 hours?