JW subtitle extractor

Many people today believe in God
and are interested in spirituality.
Yet,
instead of turning to organized religion,
they choose to practice spirituality
on their own.
Why?
Some have been disillusioned
by religiously based violence
and the hypocrisy of religious leaders
or have dismissed religion as irrelevant.
Must you belong to an organized religion
to worship God?
What’s God’s view?
The Bible tells us how faithful people
in the past worshipped God,
people such as Abraham.
Abraham had a personal relationship
with his Creator.
‘He even came to be called God’s friend.’
He lived by God’s standards
and taught his household to do the same.
Like many other faithful people in the Bible,
Abraham worshipped as part of a community
with family and servants.
Later, God required the ancient Israelites
and first-century Christians
to worship together as a group.
Those gatherings included
reading and explaining scriptures,
singing, and praying together.
God’s worshippers were organized
into what were called congregations.
The Bible mentions congregations
found throughout first-century Asia Minor
and Europe.
In fact, many statements in the Bible
would make little sense
if God did not require us
to worship him as part of a congregation.
For example, 1 Corinthians 1:10 says
that his worshippers should not be divided.
Rather, they should be united
and in agreement on spiritual matters.
How could someone apply this direction
if his or her worship
was independent and detached from others?
The Biblical evidence clearly shows
that God wants you to serve him
and offer him praise
as a part of his congregation of people.
He wants you to meet and worship
alongside people
who truly care about one another
and who, like you, are interested
in learning more about him.
But you may wonder,
‘If there is an organized religion
God approves of, how can I find it today?’
To learn more about what the Bible says
on this and many other topics,
go to jw.org.

Must You Belong to an Organized Religion to Worship God?