Why do so many protestants not consider church attendance an important part of their faith?

[maggie41]

Recently coming from an agnostic point of view I understand the entering a foreign country part because it is a great divide from secular society. But as I’ve told my wife many times, especially when I started attending Mass with her after we started dating it didn’t take long before it felt like home. The natural step for me was to take the path toward entering the Church, which did require a lot of time but it appears our faith requires that regardless of whether you are a beginner or a seasoned Catholic.

On Protestants, only from an outside observers perspective, with people being less social and mixed with a faith stripped of Tradition based on scripture alone, it seems a likely progression. I am currently trying to find a way to reach these types of people in my life. Even close friends seem less apt to discuss religion, especially knowing of my recent conversion and the stigma against the Catholic Church.

I understand exactly what you mean! It is one reason I love these forums. It is hard to find people in my life to discuss these things with, most of my family and friends are Baptist or non-denominational. They are either not happy with my choice or barely tolerant of it. But neither are willing to discuss anything.

I do feel very much at home at Mass, just not on my own. Does that make sense? I desire for my Catholic faith to be an everyday event, and I know it can without practicing any particular devotion. But, I just see how much joy and peace comes from really being Catholic, I guess I just long for more. I know that it will come in time. Patience is a virture, just not one of mine, yet.

In Christ’s Love,
Maggie

 

[Lypher]

Thank you so much for the welcome! I heard similar things from cradle Catholics while going through RCIA. It is true that when you convert as an adult you do tend to research things more than you probably would being born into the Faith. But, I long for things to be second nature to me. To know what benediction, first Friday, etc… are just like I know what the Lord’s Prayer is, you know what I mean? I get on the spirituality forum here a lot and I just marvel at how practicing the Catholic Faith is as natural as breathing to these people. I know I am impatient, a virtue God works on quite a bit with me. I have actually thought of asking my parish priest or one of our deacons about starting a class to help any and all who want to learn more. Would that be inappropriate?

Anyway, thanks for your response, it’s always good to know you’re not alone, when you feel alone.

In Christ’s Love
Maggie

Maggie,

I have been in RCIA going on two years now and will likely be going next year. Our class is after Mass on Sunday, but we also have a Thursday Bible study. Father does not go to the Thursday bible study it is mostly people from RCIA and a few other Catholics that also want to learn more.

I will say being an LCMS I have a general knowledge of the Bible, but I have to be very careful that the interpretation I believe I have I check against the CCC and other encyclicals to make sure I am forming my conscience correctly.

Cradle Catholics in my group sometimes need help. I had someone make the statement that only Catholics could go to heaven… They were pretty shocked when I asked them to read 846 as well as what the Church means by Invincible Ignorance as applied to other faith groups.

Good Luck on forming a Bible Study Group… God Bless You…

 

[CaptainPicard]

Or one that reads: “Ch ch” what is missing?

“oo” and “oo”

Choo choo!

 

[blazerdave]

LOL

 

[brb3]

Same reason as for Catholics. Latest #'s are around 18 % who faithfully attend their respective churches each week. A generation ago, it was 80+ % for Catholics.

In the later days, mens hearts will grow cold … so says scripture.

 

[KathleenGee]

There are bishops who have issues as we see today in the scandals, and for the laity we see it in poor church attendance…‘and a 1/3 of the stars would be swept away’…from Revelations…

Some think we are living at the peak of the Great Apostasy…

I am not worried about it…but look more to prayer and penance…and not holding back…go forward in faith…

The Bible mentioned those of the ancient Jewish faith that fell back, and those who continued forward.

Now that I have reflected on the text from St. Catherine’s ‘Dialogues’, the problems mentioned then in the late 1300’s are like ours today…a purification is now beginning and people’s faith will be more pure and stronger than ever…

Persevere!

 

[eucharisteo]

I know what you mean about money being spent better. We paid off our chuch a few months back. We are debt free. We are putting more money into doing mission work. Helping those who need the help. Going to poor counties and countries. Giving and not asking for anything in return. It feels good to do for others. We have not had a law suit brought against us. We do a lot of checking out before we jump into organizations. If we feel something is not right we stay out. I bet the pipe organ is beautiful. We have one but its not all that fancy, but sounds great. My church is not fancy, it plain. We have stain glass windows, and a cross but the walls are plain. Don’t need all the fancy stuff, our money is better off helping others rather then going to stuff that reall don’t mean a lot.
Now don’t get me wrong its a nice church and a pretty good sized one. Like I said we do a lot of mission work in our community as well as around the globe. We don’t go on mission trips to bring them to Chrisianity we go to show them God at work and if asked why we are doing this for them then we tell them why and that has to do with God. I guess what I’m trying to say is you can have the nicest church but if you only spend you money on making you church the nicest, you are missing what we are her for and that is to help others in their time of need. I hope that makes sense.

Have you ever heard of the “painted churches” in Fayette County, Texas? Find a real artist to create some art on the walls. Just an idea.

 

[rev_kevin]

Have you ever heard of the “painted churches” in Fayette County, Texas? Find a real artist to create some art on the walls. Just an idea.

Don’t need to find a real artist to creat some art on the walls. We have great artists in my church already. They are beautiful churches but there is no need for it IMO. We have over 2000 members without all the art work and all the glitter. They are not there for a art show, they are there to worship the Lord. Now my church is nice, not fancy, but nice enough. Its by no means rundown. It was build in 1992 so its pretty new. Its more of a modern contempory church. Now we do have art work in the hallways of our childrens Sunday school and the class rooms have modern painted walls, but its up to the teachers as to what kind of wall paintings they want in their rooms. Our nursey also has modern painted walls and the classrooms as well. And each adult classroom can paint it how they want.
But in the main halls and sanctuary is wood work and nice wall paper. See we are not into all the fancy stuff.

 

[eucharisteo]

Don’t need to find a real artist to creat some art on the walls. We have great artists in my church already. They are beautiful churches but there is no need for it IMO. We have over 2000 members without all the art work and all the glitter. They are not there for a art show, they are there to worship the Lord. Now my church is nice, not fancy, but nice enough. Its by no means rundown. It was build in 1992 so its pretty new. Its more of a modern contempory church. Now we do have art work in the hallways of our childrens Sunday school and the class rooms have modern painted walls, but its up to the teachers as to what kind of wall paintings they want in their rooms. Our nursey also has modern painted walls and the classrooms as well. And each adult classroom can paint it how they want.
But in the main halls and sanctuary is wood work and nice wall paper. See we are not into all the fancy stuff.

That’s what I was proposing.

 

[rev_kevin]

That’s what I was proposing.

Yes I understand that is what you were proposing and I thank you but I was just saying that we don’t need to hire someone to do the art work, if we wanted it done, when we already have real good artists who will do it for free. Now the bold red is really unnecessary. Why is there a big deal about fancy art work? Why all the posts about not having a fancy vs fancy churchs? Why is it so important that a church needs to have all the flash and glitter? If a church don’t want it or don’t feel the need for it what harm is it doing you or anybody to make such a big fuss about it?

 

[eucharisteo]

Maybe **this **would keep them in their pews.

 

[KathleenGee]

Great video…I think our sense of sacred is of a different culture and ‘sense’ than the others, but we all experience the same presence of the Lord…

I think the Divine Presence within the tabernacle and the sanctuary light are the center of our churches.

 

[KathleenGee]

But as I can attend fellowship with Protestants and enjoy the Lord with them, I do not see them having the same reciprocity.

I do not know why they would reject the idea that we should not make the Lord’s house beautiful in the tradition of how the Lord Himself defined what was fitting to Him to Moses.

 

[graceandglory]

it seems more and more are becoming “unchurchers” if you will - believing that regular church attendance might even be harmful. They want to do a home church. Believing quite literally that where three gather, there goes the Lord. I’m not even sure how to approach those beliefs; they certainly don’t seem in line with the Bible.

THANK YOU for posting this question!!! It has been puzzling me too!!!
None of my Protestant friends go to church anymore. Some have gone the route of Home Church, but they all have bad things to say about “BIG” Church.

They are wandering, and unfulfilled spiritually, unable to find THE TRUE CHURCH, because they are hard of heart and refuse to imagine that The Catholic Church is the True Church that Jesus founded.

They are running out of steam, and I want to help them!

They know the scriptures and their 10 Commandments. Honor the Sabbath to them means “don’t go to work” and just spend the day pursuing leisure activities. They also say a prayer together and read scripture together in their home.

 

[graceandglory]

Amongst Evangelicals, I’ve encountered Acts 2:42–47 (with much emphasis on verse 46b) being adduced in order to endorse this notion. I’ve no doubt that in such company you’d find people who would assert that the idea is “biblical.”

Cordially,
Mick

They did meet in their homes, but ALSO in the Temples! Read the verses around it!

 

[KathleenGee]

The homes commented on in ancient times often were very large to be small churches. They were owned by the rich.

 

[KathleenGee]

What I am gleaning from a number of threads since I have been on here, is that people go so far but then stop, not wanting to even see a Catholic Mass.

I am beginning to think that the impressions that they hold on to, how they filter our sharing with them, all goes back to the sins of the clergy before the Reformation. And so we are still suffering from the effects.

Now with things going in full circle again with corruption and abuse, I really wonder what is going on in Protestant minds now, especially those outside mainline denominations. I think the current events of scandal might feed the impressions they continue to have of us, and prevent them from wanting to learn or go forward to have reconciliation and full communion in the Catholic Church.

My mother’s side was Southern Baptist. We only found that out in an ancestry search. My grandmother said she was Christian, believed in the Bible, and that was it. They came out West from the South after the Civil War. They didn’t go to church at all. My grandmother never mocked the Catholic church. My cousin was married in the Church, my dad caring for her and her brother. He became Catholic as well, but never practiced much. But the neighbor went to the wedding, and told my grandmother afterwards, why wasn’t anybody answering the telephone during the wedding? My grandmother got mad at her making fun of the Mass and really told her off. We just sat there as usual saying nothing. But I remember that and know God does as well, even though she never went to church.

 

[kristine105]

For now, I am joining with fundamentalists’ activities, and yes, most of them does not consider church attendance as one of their faith because most of them reasons that “God knows their hearts” and I think they got it somewhere in Psalms, I think fro Psalms 138-141, I don’t think so bercause I’m not sure with it, and most of them were like that not knowing that theyr are already walking in the wrong path and with that, they are becoming “stagnant christians.”

God Bless!

 

[SSTeacher]

Maybe **this **would keep them in their pews.

Many thanks for supplying this link. I was under the impression that the secularists had more or less won the battle inside American Catholicism but it seems as though that might not be the case. I’m encouraged.

Gratefully,
Mick

 

[SSTeacher]

SSTeacher;6526869:

Amongst Evangelicals, I’ve encountered Acts 2:42–47 (with much emphasis on verse 46b) being adduced in order to endorse this notion. I’ve no doubt that in such company you’d find people who would assert that the idea is “biblical.”

Cordially,
Mick

They did meet in their homes, but ALSO in the Temples! Read the verses around it!

To which “Temples” are you referring? There was only one Temple.

Curiously,
Mick