"Do not forsake the gathering of yourselves together as some have the custom..."

Why is everyone insisting that I am a member of a church and encourage and be encouraged by the people there? People I do not yet know and trust! I am overwhelmed by adding new people to my life already... over the past year I have "met" friends and family that I had not seen in over 20 years.

"The church is not a building. It is simply the sum total of all of those in Christ, His believers. It is not an institution, but you should be surrounded by other believers that build you up in the faith."

And people say that and *still* insist that I am not following John 13:34-35 and Hebrews 10:24-25 because I am not attending church. Seems a bit of cognitive dissonance is going on outside of the JW cult.

We can and should fellowship and encourage outside of church. How many people that attend church actually do that? Or do they just attend and listen to a sermon and then leave? We support the body and love our brothers and sisters when we nurture true friendships within the body of Christ. I have my Lord Jesus Christ and His word to strengthen me and I have my close circle of Christian friends and family to encourage and be encouraged in turn. We can partake of the Lord's supper outside of church since every Born Again Christian is a priest.

Going to church stirs up old feelings of being judged and loved based on my attendance. I also feel that I need to fight against group thinking, accepting certain beliefs and doctrines based on the majority, rather than basing my beliefs on God's word and the Spirit's leadings.

Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another" Yes, we can certainly gather together, exhort, consider on another and stir up love and good works without a church. "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." Matthew 18:20