How do you raise a Christian without going to church?

Question

My wife and I are Christian and we have a 10 month old daughter. I want her to have Christian beliefs and thoughts but I hate organized religion. I pray on my own. I thank GOD when good things happen and I pray over difficult things. I got by background from church obviously but I hate going and always have. I have always seen going to church as a waste of my day. I don’t need to sing and all that stuff to believe in Jesus. If it was just the sermon I could deal. Well we take our daughter to church like twice a month. I work 6 days a week and if I go to church the day is shot I can’t work in the yard or just relax on my only day off. So my question is can I give my child a good Christian background from home

i have been to many christian churces and have hated them all. People gossip in church and are just mean and nosy. People at work are not that nosy. I don't feel the sprit i just prefer to be home

Answer 1

Well, I never went to church as a child but I choose to go now. I actually just started and found a great church but that doesn't answer your question...

My parents would always read and tell us biblical stories. They would tell us that Jesus knows what's in our hearts and that He knows who is true and who is not. My parents used to attend church but after seeing all of the hypocrites [not all Christians of course] and gossip that was involved they shortly quit. Without ever going to church I've learned the Apostles Creed, Lord's Prayer, and understood the Bible through my own studies with my parents. The one thing I'll always remember which is the truth is that Jesus and God will always know what is in our hearts regardless if we practice organized religion or not.

Best of Luck!

Answer 2

I wish I could say yes, but how ? The Word instructs us to not forsake the assembling together and pay our tithes to the storehouses. We were also instructed to go out and preach the gospel. You need to fellowship with other like minded souls. Your daughter needs to be protected from the world which has no regard for her personal safety, mental safety much less her soul. This child belongs to the Lord, she isn't just your daughter, she is your sister in Christ and you are the man of the household. Protect your whole family and lead them to the life God has waiting for them. His perfect will.
I am not sure what kind of church you have been exposed to or how old you are but there are awesome ministries everywhere. If you like country, there are Cowboy Churches, I go to a modern type church where they sing what they hear on the radio and every once and a while pastor will sing an old hymn and it's nice. I am 35 and I still love cool music but now it is just music that is God centered and not the woe-is-me, i hate life kind of lyrics. These worldly lyrics are brainwashing our children into trusting man and not the Creator of Man.
Your daughter will love church and love to worship the Lord, maybe even be an awesome soul winner!
Prayers and congratulations, you've brought a beautiful Christian into this world..God Bless :)

Answer 3

You're asking two questions. First, you can't be successful Christians without fellowship. That's biblical, not just my opinion. You can do it for long periods of time, but the support is essential to be sure you're on the right track. At her age, though, she's not going to get much out of church. You're right, you don't need to sing to believe. But singing is praise, a way of worshipping God that God himself said he liked - it's why David wrote so many songs. Most churches are just fluff. A hymn, nice quickie 3 point sermon, a song during the collection, and you're done. But if you review Acts and what was going on in the home churches in that time, you'll see that's not what church is supposed to be.

If there's nothing that really feeds you spiritually in your area, you might want to check out internet churches for a while. Or do a bit more study through a good university and get your own ordination - you can start your own church and do things a better way. Or just keep your options open and see if you can find an effective, spirit-filled church nearby. In the meantime, you could always listen to a program on the radio or if you've got cable or satellite tv, check out a ministry show on Daystar. Obviously you don't want to tie up your whole day off - it's supposed to be a day of rest! But being able to at least passively participate will help you feel connected to other Christians.

And of course, raising your daughter is going to take more than just church, so I think you're right to focus more attention on that aspect! My daughter is learning to read with her children's bible and she loves the stories and pictures. Even if we never went to church, I know she's getting a good foundation by what we do at home. God bless you!

Answer 4

There is no law in the Bible that says that the only way to give someone Christian belief by going to church. I grew up in the church and have seen a lot of people in the church that don't have Christian values, the truth is that Christian values really come from the parents. How your daughter is raised and what she believes is really up to you (for the most part). If you raise her teaching her Christian values and maybe even read the Bible with her you are probably going to do ok. That being said it is your responsibility to do what is best for her, if that is going to church then that is going to church. So if you and your wife decide that the best way for you daughter to get a Christian upbringing is by going to church then you have to set aside what you want for what is best for your daughter. No one can say if that is going to be best for your daughter but you and your wife. If you think that you will be able to bring up your daughter well with out the church then that is great, if on the other hand you don't think that you can do all of that then it would be best to start going to church and set aside your needs for hers.

The other part of that question is really about what is church? Church is really a community of people that fellowship with each other and love God. We are commanded to find one of these communities and raise our families in them, that is not a suggestion in the Bible. So no matter what you decide for your daughter that is something that you would have to provide for her...what that will look like is up to you. No one can tell you what is best for your daughter but you (I don't think that anyone would try). It won't be easy but that is the nature of parenting.

Answer 5

nicely particular that would desire to be me. i became into not raised a christian I grew to grow to be one at age 33. i became into not an abused toddler or a battered spouse. i don't have a drug or alcohol project or the different addications. i'm not rich or poor yet particularly center classification i don't be afflicted by melancholy, stress or have any wellbeing matters. i'm an well-known american (nicely perhaps not well-known i'm not in debt aside from my living house) married to the comparable guy for 15 years have a beatuiful teenage daughter. Accepting Christ as my Savior has basically made my already happy life even better. i may be happy to respond to any questions which you are going to have for me. I pray that sometime you all might locate and journey the excitement the Jesus can deliver.

Answer 6

I know how you feel. There is more flesh in the church, sometimes, than anywhere! Lots of people have had bad experiences in church, me included, so it is hard.
Just pray about it. I did and the Lord led me to the scripture that says not to forsake the assembly. (Hebrews 10:25).
Revelations reads of the problematic churches. I know it is hard, I have been there! Just pray about it and ask God to reveal your answer through scriptures and witnessing of other believers. Organized religion can be messy, but the whole point of it is to cultivate power through corporate worship. How you do that is between you and God. I know if you pray, He will answer you.

Answer 7

You can but it would be very hard without support from other believers. There are churches that don't do the organised religion stuff they are usu sally church plants so look around you might be surprised. Make sure you have some kind of Christian support/ fellowship group.

Answer 8

The best way is to live the teachings of Christ yourself... your children will see the love that comes from you and see the peace you have.

Be Christ-like yourself. Love her. Especially when it's hard.

I'd like to submit that you hate organized religion because all but one of them is Christ's Church. Slowly and prayerfully search out His church.

Good Luck and have a good day! :)

Answer 9

Larger cities have evening services and that can be pretty great. I went to one in NYC that was fantastic. They have daycare, too, and coffee / cookies social with a jazz guitarist afterwards. There was another one like this in Chicago, but not quite as engaging. Still, I enjoyed. I know where you are coming from.

Answer 10

Jesus is the church he is not a building down the street, you can go to him anytime, anywhere with prayer. Those who are beleivers are the members of this church.

Peace and Love