To the Household of God, Israel, and those who go with... may you have peace!
Very recently, another dear one asked me whether I attended church and when I responded that I do not attend, but I am the church... as are ALL of us who are "living stones" in the temple of God... the one responded and asked as to our Lord's address to the seven congregations in his revelation to John, as well as the admonition stated at Hebrews 10:25. Unfortunately, neither of these support church attendance, as I shared with the one asking of me.
When our Lord addressed the seven "congregations/churches" in his revelation to John, he was not addressing a literal congregation in, for example, Laodecia. If that were the case, (1) then no other congregations/churches were addressed but those seven and thus, the information is for none but those seven, which is unreasonable; (2) the congregations met in houses and thus there was more than one congregation/church in, say, Ephesus. Which leads one to ask, was he adressing ALL of the Ephesians... or just one congregation in Ephesus?
The answer is that he was addressing his entire BODY... all of whom could "locate" themselves in one of those "churches/congregations" mentioned at any given time. Just like the Body of Christ, which is made up of people... the "temple" of God... the "church"... is not a tangible, concrete dwelling. Neither God nor Christ dwell, however, in handmade temples. They dwell... in their "temple"... us. The Body of Christ. Those who are chosen for such purpose. Also, churches tend to have pastors, elders, reverends... i.e., "leaders." We, as a Body, have a leader, Christ, our Head. There truly is no other "shepherd"... contrary to what Paul (?) and some others may [have] teach/taught.
As for gathering ourselves... I asked my Lord about this and was told that not only was it a specific admonishment to the Hebrews, it had nothing to do with meetings, such as churches promote... but with coming together to partake of the flesh and blood of Christ... which resulted in the "gathering" of the "eagles"... which occurs where "the body" (or carcass) is. Also, he reminded me that some had the "custom" or habit of NOT doing so, but that didn't mean they were expelled from the Body, that it was an admonishment, not a command, for if it were a command it would have (1) gone to ALL congregations, AND there would be NO mention of those who did NOT do it (i.e., the statement would have been "Do forsake the gathering of yourselves together." Period.).
I can no longer touch the unclean things that are the harlots (the daughters of Babylon the Great, the Mother of the Harlots) and I would exhort others not to do so, either. But it is only an exhortation - truly is entirely everyone's own choice.
I bid you peace... and ears to hear... when the Spirit and the Bride say... as to THEM:
"Come! Take 'life's water'... free!"
A slave of Christ,
SA
