It seems as if everyone I  ask “what is the church”?  Most of them say wherever they attend “church”.  What if  it were illegal to meet in “church”? 
   The first century Christians had to  gather in secret for  fear of  their lives.  What if we too were forbidden to fellowship? The Bible has no  scripture which says “go to church”.  It does say to not forsake  the fellowship.

   The Bible also says that we are the “temple” in which God dwells.  If we are the temple, then why do we call a  building “the church”?

   There is disagreement of when the “Rapture” will  begin.  I think we should be prepared for any situation.   We already see minor persecutions of God’s people; “Christians”.   This will not get better.  Whether we will have to endure “tribulation” is irrelevant.   To be a Christian you  must endure whatever being a Christian includes.  If this is persecution, so be it.   If we are ruptured before  tribulation, praise  God!  But what if God has other plans.
   We found it hard to believe  that a maniac like Hitler would  become the power  that he was.   But he did and he persecuted God’s people; the Jews.  As Christians, can we reject the possibility of  another holocaust for Christians?  Being ready means “being ready” for anything.
   I  once heard a  missionary to China  speak  at a church in South Carolina.  You will find his statement surprising.  He  said that  his prayer for the American Christian was for  persecution.  He said that persecution in China has made the Chinese Christian stronger.  I also know personally some Christians from  other countries who, upon  becoming Christian were dis-owned by  their families.  And we think it’s horrible because  we can’t wear a cross or display  the ten commandments or  a nativity scene.  You haven’t seen anything yet.
   I was raised with a belief in pre-tribulation rapture.  I  pray this  will be true.  However, God does what God wants.  If we must endure tribulation, what will we do.  Will we think that God abandoned us?  Will we think the Bible was wrong, our  denomination was wrong?  Being a good Christian is to  be dedicated to  serve Christ and  endure whatever comes.
   It did no  good for Job to complain about  his trials.  They came anyway.  Job knew the only thing he could  do  was to continue to serve God, no  matter what.
   If we stopped  questioning God and trying to figure out His Word and just accepted Him for who  He is and what He says.  What He says will  happen.  Whether  we  like it or not.
   The church has already suffered for trying to  preach against ALL sins listed in the Bible.  Some  of  those  sins  cannot be preached about because some consider it condemning.   Sin is condemnin!  Sin condemns you to Hell!  If we don’t preach against it and just allow  sin to continue, we are actually committing “spiritual murder”.
   We are commanded to go into all the world  and preach the Gospel of  Jesus Christ.   The Son of  God, crucified for our sins and resurrected from the  grave.  If we do not preach against sin, we are violating a commandment from God.
   The church of just 100 years ago would be aghast at what the church today has become.   We divide ourselves because  of  petty dis-agreements.   We should  unite ourselves in Christ.  These divisions serve Satan.  (Divide and conquer).