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I didn’t say the Pew research proved anything.

I simply made the point which you can believe or not, that many protestants who are critical of Catholics and other protestants alike - do not go to a weekly worship service of any kind - they stay home and ‘church themselves’.

Now I understand that regular attendance for both Catholics and protestants is poor to middlin’- a sad commentary upon our culture.

My point indirect as it may be is those folks on this forum who are critical of Catholics and each other are some of those who are ‘churchin’ themselves’ yet come off as holier than thou.

best way to find out for yourself is a discreet private mail question as to whether they do indeed ‘church themselves’ on the Lord’s Day or not.

when you get back a real ‘how dare you even ask’ response you will know.

For the Greater Glory of God - not hypocrites.

Ah, now I understand. Thanks for the clarification. Having said that, my experience is opposite to what you are describing. Nearly a mirror opposite. The only protestants/evangelicals I know personally who are concerned about the errors of Catholicism are deeply committed Christians given to regular attendance. In my experience, those with the marginal attendance habits tend to be squishy on the whole thing. They don’t go because they don’t see the importance in the differences the way you and I might.

I think also it’s possible some are confused over “self-church” versus “house church.” In China the government regards the entire house church movement as illegitimate. The lack of an approved institutional tradition is the basis of condemnation. Yet these house churches are anything but “self-church.” They are rapidly growing, highly active and dynamic fellowships who have an entirely different perspective on church life than we who live in the lap of luxury and convenience. I remember reading somewhere of a house church pastor who was interviewed and his concern was visiting places where some of their people had been killed and praying to see if God might raise them from the dead, which, according to this interview, was happening on occasion.

Jesus said wherever two or three are gathered in His name, he is in the middle of that. So to have a true “ecclesia,” (assembly) you only need two people and Jesus. So you see why I am not quite able to buy into your theory. My church has many more members and a building and worship services with singing and praying and remembering the Lord’s death by way of the Lord’s supper. But Jesus spelled out the minimum. Do you think these FR self-churchers have zero contact with other believers?

Don’t misunderstand, BTW. I am not trying to endorse “self-churching.” I am however interested in avoiding being critical of fellowships that don’t conform to typical expectations of what Christian fellowship should look like. The criteria for that is set forth in Scripture, and that’s good enough for me.

Peace,