Watch the video by Steve McVey below: Christian Religion Lie #36: “Attending Church Will Keep You From Growing Spiritually Cold“ and my comments follow:
Lots of pastors talk about spiritually “hot” and “cold” Christians.
That Christians grow “cold” when they’re not in church… regularly praying… having devotion time… reading the Bible… a whole list of religious duties.
This lie is often told by the following example:
“Christians are spiritually hot, on fire for God, and they’re like a bunch of coals on a fire… now if you take one coal and set it off of the fire, all by itself then it will grow cold because it’s not getting the heat from all the other hot coals”
and that’s how they justify going to church because the other Christians will keep you “hot” and you won’t grow “cold” for God.
Getting and staying “hot for God” has nothing to do with Church attendance…
Let me reveal the truth: I’ve been going to Church since I was just a wee little tike. And it NEVER kept me hot.
I was basically coerced/forced into going by my parents… and I’d get there and day dream or draw or whatever and never pay attention except to feel guilty about all the stuff I wasn’t doing for God (it’s funny how the creator of all created things needed my help so much back then… but I digress!)
You know when it changed?
Christ is the answer…
When I was around 17 and I discovered the “rest of the gospel”…. when I discovered grace… was brought to tears by it… when my consciousness was raised because I discovered just how much God LOVED me… how much GRACE, mercy and LOVE He poured out on me. And just like scripture says I started loving God because He first loved me.
Then I couldn’t get enough of church. I would drive there and want to be there even if no one from my family showed up. It wasn’t a chore anymore… it wasn’t a duty… it was something I WANTED to do.
So the idea that going to church will keep you from growing cold is a LIE. Focusing on Christ, focusing on GOD, and what they’ve both done for you will keep you “on fire for God” (as those Baptist preachers love to say) 
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
russ 05.07.08 at 12:27 am
Attending Church will NOT keep you “on fire for God”
True, it takes fellowship with Christians, study and prayer, all by the lead of the Holy Spirit, to be performing God’s will obediently.
Russ via BlogRush
calebo 05.07.08 at 4:26 pm
Actually…
It takes focusing on Christ and your relationship with Him… and… you will automatically be “performing God’s will obediently” because the will of God is a person — it is Christ.
Now, if deepening the intimacy in your relationship with Christ naturally leads to “fellowship with Christians, study and prayer, etc” then that’s fine…
BUT — these are overflow of your relationship with Christ — NOT a replacement for it… or what grows it
With love,
Caleb
russ 05.07.08 at 9:27 pm
Hmm,
To focus on Christ requires prayer, study, fellowship and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. One cannot adequately focus on Christ in isolation. I certainly believe in a personalized relationship with Christ, but this does not happen on its own; it requires what I noted above in order to know Christ well and do God’s will obediently. But, we can agree to disagree, but I am coming from a Reformed perspective.
Cheers.
Russ
thekingpin68
satire and theology
Actually…
It takes focusing on Christ and your relationship with Him… and… you will automatically be “performing God’s will obediently” because the will of God is a person — it is Christ.
Now, if deepening the intimacy in your relationship with Christ naturally leads to “fellowship with Christians, study and prayer, etc” then that’s fine…
BUT — these are overflow of your relationship with Christ — NOT a replacement for it… or what grows it
With love,
Caleb
calebo 05.07.08 at 11:51 pm
I’m just saying…
I could be on a desert island with no Bible, no church and no other means than simple prayer and I’d “stay on fire for God”…
But yes, I have no problem agreeing to disagree too
With Love,
Caleb