Hi Eulaha!
  Great question!
     In the days that Hebrews was written in order to hear the Bible one had to go where copies were being read publically.  There were no printing presses and Christians did not have entire copies of the Bible in their homes.  Christians had to gather together to hear the Word of God and to be taught.
   In interpretation of particular verses it is important to ask the question, "who was the exhortation addressed to, and what was the historical setting?  An example of the above is the exhortation to Adam and Eve to "be fruitful and multiply";  this commandment was directed to them, not us, and reinforces the old adage, "all scripture is for us, but not necessarily to us."
    Today, we not only have the Bible but books that teach us about the Bible.  As you mentioned, we also have other media for the purpose of instruction.  Why it is even possible to receive instruction from this BB from time to time !
   Having said all that, the Bible does mention the advanatages associated with gathering with other Christians.  After all, we are called "the body of Christ" and are to function together in a manner that is to "build up" one another.  The Spirit has distributed gifts to each member and the sharing of our part is to benefit others and is a necessary function for the blessing of other Christians.
   The list of these gifts includes more than just teaching/pastoring.  One such gift is called "showing mercy".  As former Assembly members God has given us a sensitivity to the needy, confused and broken Christians we may come across in a church.
   The only "have to" re. "going to church" is the imperative of love that provokes us to seek the blessing of my brother/sister in Christ.  To gather with believers as some kind of duty that "must be obeyed" in order to be "spiritual" misses the entire context of the Hebrews passage where the point is that we are needed by others (and we need them).
  It is difficult for some who have been in a group like the Assembly to feel comfortable in a Christian setting.  There are certain things that trigger negative memories, and there are churches that are more interested in their "church" than the individual(sound familiar?).  
We can also have a feeling that we don't fit into the "program" or that we don't have a contribution to make.
  Those who have been broken in a false holiness system and who have lived under an abusive religous system know the grace of God like no one else.  We have a great wealth of blessing for a Christian church that often strays from Christianity into Churchianity.
  The Assembly may have "intended evil" to us, but God has prepared us to be a great blessing!
                           God is blessed and will bless,  Mark

Hi Eulaha, found a good article recently (http://www.lifestream.org/LSBL.May01.html).  This whole going to church/what is the church issue is really in the forefront of a lot of Chirstian blog sites these past few weeks.  What I am saying sister is that you are in no way alone in your thoughts.

One more thing/site!
This quote is from Chip Brogden http://www.watchman.net/  He has a whole series of pieces on "the Church" which are worth reading when you have time.
 

YBITL
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Thanks for the welcome Brent.  As saw from the post caught up in other things, but will check in here and there and see what is going on.

The web is so cool in that you are not alone, sometimes you can feel like Jeremiah "whoa is me I am so alone!", but this site and MANY!!!!! others show that there are dear brethern all over who have not bowed the knee yet.  Too much of the "Church" has given in to systems created by man, and what is sad is that they like it, and want it that way.

Hey Eulaha, what part of the big Apple are you in (might know of a group or few people that enjoy FELLOWSHIP).

My Hope is built on nothingless than Jesus blood and righthousness.... On Christ the soild rock I stand ALL other ground is sinking stand!

Lord Bless,
G

Hi Joe, your post brings up a question that I wanted to just throw out.

You mentioned

How do you feel about the HUGE swing towards Sat. nite worship services or Sat. nite church?

This whole question bring up three things to me.

1. Where else in the new testament do we regulary see gathering together to BREAK BREAD on the first day of the week as in Acts
2.  Does Hebrews 10:24-25 limit itself to only one day?
     - I say no, I also say it is said that when Sun/Sat rolls around there is not a Ton of encouraging one another going on, it is mainly about being encourage by one (the Pastor, leader, etc.)
3. If Sat nite is "ok" to be considered a main nite, why not Tuesday Morning.

Ok, maybe I am taking this a little far, but to me the main thing missing in the church in regards to this topic is the encouragement of one another.  Sad that Sunday morning happens to be one of the most divided and segagrated times in America.  You will see more diversity and unity of people at a sporting event, than you will see in most "gathering together to encourage!"

Lord Bless,
George

Hey Joe, it is very refreshing to see not only this post both others discussing what is the ministry, worship, and preaching.

Like I have been reading it is so sad to see Christians (mainly Americans), but sit back and let men fleece them and lead them and take their money, and they not only do nothing they like it in fact.

Amazing how Satan has deceived many in the church to fall into the the religious pattern of ho-hum.

Last, it is sad that in most places the only way to "exercise" your gift is found in three positions Pastor, musican, or childern's teacher (and it seems that the last one is spoken about weekly in most places, up their with give).

Cheers,
George

Verne---

I believe a church can have many "teachers"(Sunday school
teachers, Bible study leaders, etc.)---But revelation seems
to state that one person is truly "responsible" for each
church as it's shepherd. He speaks of the lampstands and
the stars. John the Apostle was actually the Pastor of Ephesus before his banishment to Patmos. This "pastor" is not to have complete control by any means over the sheep(as a George did)--but to be their servant and example.

I'm open to correction if I'm wrong about this---but it seems to be the teaching of Scripture.

--Joe

Joe, you are so right on with what I quote above.  It is absolutely true.  The power hiarchy in the Assembly was clearly defined, far more so than in "Pastored" churches.

I came to this conclusion.

There are 3 main types of church government seen in the NT:

Presbyterian
congregational
Episcopal

and one type seen in the OT: Moses, or the combo of Priest plus King.

Keeping this in mind, it seems to me that a church should have elders, who are appointed by someone, like a Pastor.  This is what Paul told Timothy to do in one place.  These elders must be recognized by the congregation.  The pastor must be recognized by the elders and congregation, and both the elders and pastor must serve the congregation.

If the congregation becomes hungry and depressed, they will move on to greener pastures, which is the ultimate act of voting, because they use their feet!

If a church is ruled by elders, who then appoint a pastor, the pastor could be a hireling, and if he teaches anything they don't like, they fire him!  (Happens all the time, and happened in a large SLO church not long ago.)

If the church is run by one man, when that man falls--which he will-- the whole church falls with him.  GG is a great example of this.

If the church is ruled by democratic action of the congregation, politics and slim majority win out over God's Spirit, not to mention that potentially unsaved, and likely ignorant people are making decisions that have a significant spiritual impact!

Most churches today are set up like I outline above, and I think the reason why is because they are smarter than we thought ourselves to be, when we insisted that the ASsembly was "God's" government.

Brent