Why Attend Church? 

Many students DO continue to attend church, and we of the church and the Lord do appreciate the devotion - as will those that attend regularly.  But to those that do not ...................

Straight talk and no scripture:  

National statistics suggest many post high school students moving on to college cease attending church when they depart from the home environment.  Why?  Also surveys report Atheism is the fastest growing 'relgion' on colege campuses today.  Why? Those that report on this issue forward the following reasons among others. 

• Some only attended because their family did. 
  
• Some were not inspired because the church they attended did not speak to them or meet their needs. 
  
• Some question if the "faith" is real as they read books and media articles attacking religion. 
  

Today many socialize with those benefiting from our "open door America" who are associated with other religions.  They ask:

• Why choose Christianity? 
  
• Is it real? 
  
• Is Jesus really deity?
  
• Did He really come back to life?
  

The Blood Line of the Holy Grail and other best sellers say 'the resurrection' was a hoax!  We also hear that the Bible is just a secret code book and missing gospels were rejected through a conspiracy among the self serving. The fact is most of the missing books define a doctrine called Gnosticism - not Christianity.  We hear that there are errors in the Bible. Others want to be free to practice and promote their religion (fine with us) but they insist on being offended when exposed to "ours.”  That is inappropriate and rude.  

We hear religion is old school - there is no place or need for it anymore.  On the Tonight Show recently a famous 'star' said, “... many are quitting religion as they should for good reason.”  The comment went unchallenged.  And very sadly, a few churches have had some highly publicized bad apples in the barrel.  We have all seen bad things happen to good people like illness, accident or tragic weather - life happens.  The questions and attacks come from all sides, are omnipresent and real. Many wonder and embrace religion, but too many reject.

Then there is the matter of one's conscience.  Some hate to hear the little voice that says, don't do that!  The elements of vice do not want us to have a conscience, they want our money.  They care less about souls, faith and God - and they certainly don't want you to!  They want more money - yours included and they say: Whatever feels good is good.  Don't you want to belong?  You are a coward?  Try it you'll like it.  Good people are silly people.  If you want it, go get it.  It is for you, that is why it is here.  You can get the money somehow......... Who gets hurt in the process is irrelevant.  In other words victims are irrelevant, and in the long run so are all the participants (you?).

A web page is not a suitable forum to answer these issues, but certainly these issues and questions will be asked and answered at God's Country Fellowship Church - FLC Chapel.  There are answers.  Many say one has to accept Christianity on faith alone - which in Rev. Nick's view is exactly the definition of  'faith.'  BUT in TRUTH Christianity is a religion of fact and faith. The Christian faith by its very definition is interested in the long run - certainly yours included.   Few churches discuss the facts when they preach faith and scripture.  Indeed churches should preach the Bible, its word, the truth, and the righteous way.  The church program should also respond to the questions, present the facts and meet the needs. 

What does Rev. Nick Federspiel know about it?  

At the age of most college students 'Rev. Nick' was obviously not then a Minister.  He was overseas in West Pakistan, India, Kashmir, and a few other places without a visa.  He lived with Hindus and Muslims and Pathans.   The Pashtunwali Mujahideen performed both devout acts of incredible courage in defense and suffered murderous atrocities of aggression, many in the name of  .... jihad - religion  .....  Sahib Nick was asked: "Why, infidel, are you a Christian?  Are you afraid to die for your God?  Don't you believe your Christ was resurrected and you will live as He forever?"   

Nick's response to all this was two fold:  1) 'yes' to being Christian and 'yes' that a Christian striving to lead a righteous life is promised everlasting spiritual life; but none (of us) are mandated to take an express lane to arrive early at the heaven of blessings. 2) The evil perpetrated by provocateur politicians that are unsatisfied with what they have thus desiring that of others deserve no such devotion.  The Lord does. They don't.  But the sober fact of history is that forces against evil must be marshaled to defend the innocent.  The morally corrupt from places of relative comfort, satisfy their lust through the sacrifice and misery of others. Attacking and usurping religions is an early effort strategy with most despots.  That Soviet-Afghan conflict was typical of many wars; the result selfishness and greed with no moral restraints. The schemers were  not those of holy devotion only the combatants were.  These things happen-ed. Today this same history repeats itself in Afghanistan and Pakistan as in the 1960-70s.  Nick was immersed in that environment then and his faith was openly challenged.

Nick was born Lutheran, taught Lutheran, attended a Lutheran church his father and neighbors built.  Yet in his first experience away from home Nick lived anything but in a Christian environment.  The poppy fields of the golden triangle looked like the wheat fields of Kansas.  Opium was on the table with the salt, pepper and sugar.  Cocaine was worthless - it was free.  Nick for a while lived in the palace of the King of Swat State, a principality where today those that assume Bin Laden is still alive and thus think he is within, had no Big Macs, no cars, no police, no malls and certainly no Protestant or Catholic Church  - a whole different Kipling environment.  Why you might ask is this relevant to this discussion?  Because Nick thereafter confirmed his preference of Christianity after his experiences.  Seeing and living and choosing a faith is of another realm than perpetuating birthright loyalties. 

Later Nick attended and graduated from FLC.  He did what many college students today are doing - seeing and living and choosing. He looked at the FLC Chapel and was uncertain. He had questions and sought profound answers. He choose Christianity because of its short term moral code of social ethics and its long term goal of bringing spiritual peace to all - as the ancient Egyptians would say words spoken for eternity.  Later in life to deepen his commitment, Nick undertook the path of ordination.  Nick's masters thesis was on Biblical Egyptology - The Search for Moses and Exodus now published as a distant learning seminary course.  Worldly experiences, not just academics, compliment Rev. Nick's sermons as he includes experiences and external evidence when discussing 'why' choose the truth and believe the words and become a witness to the benefits of the righteous way as explained in the scripture of the Holy Bible.

When you think of it seriously, filtering out all the interfering babble and nonsense, science and physics have never yet determined how the mass of this universe we live in was created from nothing preexisting.  So if God did it, well when He did it, however He did it, then that leaves us to ponder if He still is?  'Yes' being the logical answer, why would one with an opportunity to know the Bible believe the universe in all its incredible magnificence and complexity was created to reward evil and or to only sustain 'life' for a relatively infinitesimal moment within its time line?  There must be a greater purpose or why would God bother?  That purpose is you and I.  Our reward for choosing to exhibit our humanity and grace in times of joy and sorrow is peace of soul and spirit in a place man's ears have not heard of and eyes have not seen the wonders of.  To bet against that, to say 'no' it is false hope, a hoax, a devil's tale, a magician's trick, a church's fantasy is wagering poorly, unwisely and recklessly. 

Are 'we' actually to believe 2,000 years ago simple people of limited education and void of technology as we know it could have perfectly performed a 'mission impossible' trick fainting death on the cross and theft from the tomb within arms length of the searing eyes of the Romans and Pharisees ever vigilant to detect exactly such a thing; for collectively they were not ignorant of the prophecies.  And if such a collusion was accomplished to perfection, why was not one of the several instrumental participants ever encouraged to confess the fraud and no corpse was ever found? History has no record of a speech by Herod or Pilate that he (they) had uncovered a fraud. Pilate had found no fault in Jesus' to begin with.  Can anyone believe a crucified mutilated body without attending medical care of any kind nor food and water let alone an aspirin or an IV recovered sufficiently in three days of isolation so well as to fold his linen, roll away a tomb stone and walk away and, if necessary, prepared to combat the guards to secure His freedom?  The guards, it is reported, were stunned like dead men.   Man could not do it, but deity did. 

Should you be in wonder over this?  The apostles were - some of them doubted for a moment with proof before their very eyes.  Much evidence supports the truth and nothing equal to it has ever been found by archeologists to the contrary. These are but a few of the answers. Biblical Archeology 'finds' and historical records from other sources support rather than deny the facts in the book about Immanuel. Seek and you will find the answers. The FLC Chapel is a good place to start.

Why have eternal misery or nothingness when another option well within our control leads to a far better option?  Compliance with the doctrine of a Christian church is simple and the time spent therein is an investment in ourselves and society.  We of the church encourage and invite you to spend your time wisely.  Inherently you have the wisdom to know what is right, the courage to choose the right path and the strength to persevere along its way - so one (you and us all) should well enjoy the benefits of faith everlasting. Come to the Chapel.  Ask the questions and consider the answers. Bring with you one book, new or used, the same book, once  a week.........

Sincerely,

God's Country Fellowship Church