Build your church

[Hall7]

So let's pretend you've been given the opportunity to open a church. What would your church be like? How would you go about offerings, preaching, dress code if any, allowing speaking in tongues or not, worshipping etc...   

[LadyKay]

No dress code and lots of candles.  (more later)

[OakWood]

Ornate and colorful, but no icons (idolatry) except for a few crosses, crucifixes etc. No dress code. Comfortable pews.

Regular Bible study classes. Services would be simple and family oriented.

Actually, I'll have to think a bit more about this.........

[nebula]

So let's pretend you've been given the opportunity to open a church. What would your church be like? How would you go about offerings, preaching, dress code if any, allowing speaking in tongues or not, worshipping etc...   

 

If I had the gift and ability to do such, I would want the church to first and foremost be a place of fellowship. That is, a place where people mingled, got to know each other, shared with each other what they were going through, prayed over and with each other, encourage each other in the faith, etc.

 

This being opposed to sitting in pews or rows of chairs that all face forward to the stage - which discourages people form interacting.

 

The rest would come later.

[Hall7]

I guess I should post the way I'd like God's/my church to be like. First of all if money wasn't an issue to me, I wouldn't ask for offerings but rather mention that the ones who give with the heart and not make it known to others will be blessed, hence random acts of kindness to the ones in need in the world. If I did mention an offering, I would have an offering box at the entrance of the church for people to drop something off without anyone noticing if they felt like doing so.

As far as preaching goes, I would mostly concentrate on teaching the way Jesus acted towards humanity, for us to become Christ/like in order to live as a Christian should live. And last but most important, manifest the holy spirit in the time of worship and teach how important it is to renew ourselves everyday with the Holy spirit in order to overcome the mind set of the world. 

No dress code, and the speaking of tongues would be welcome.

[Hall7]

Butero it is a super great idea to have services on Saturdays "the day of the Sabbath"!  I'd definitely have it that way too. Why haven't anyone else thought of that? Hm 

[LadyKay]

Excuse me for a sec sorry for going off topic  but are they really churches that have dress codes? I mean will they really not let you in if you don't follow the dress code?

[Hall7]

Excuse me for a sec sorry for going off topic  but are they really churches that have dress codes? I mean will they really not let you in if you don't follow the dress code?

I heard there are certain dress codes for women but forgot which domination requires such, as well as no makeup. 

[Guest]

Excuse me for a sec sorry for going off topic  but are they really churches that have dress codes? I mean will they really not let you in if you don't follow the dress code?

 

In my experience most so-called dress codes normally are for those who are in a ministry position in a given church. Pastors, song leaders, Sunday school teachers, and the like. Members and visitors are left alone for the most part, although there are some that will have some kind of expectations for members too. I have been to churches where I was cold-shouldered (ignored) because I was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and I didn't hang around after the first time.

[Fez]

There are South African churches where men have to wear suits and women stockings and hats. One of the biggest complaints (this from an ex member who is now free to worship in our church), was "I wished some of the ladies had worn smaller hats, I spent many a sermon staring into the back of a hat".

My church would have three things to start. A roof, walls and the Holy Spirit.