Anyone know where Christians and only Christians..

[nebula]

Hey, Carlos!

I appreciate how you feel about wanting an on-line church.

I've been without a church home for quite a while (long story), and participating on this board has helped fill that need for Christian fellowship, instruction, and all that I have needed.

Yet, I know that it's basically impossible for an on-line community to be a church body. For one, with open forums like this, people register to read and never post once; others post for a season and then go; some come to intereact only about certain topics; . . . . Things just are not structured in such a way that a "church" is possible. On-line, all you can do is communicate - you can't "break bread together," you can't visit, you can't go out on some activity together, you can't share possessions with each other when a member is in need, . . . .

Make sense?

I am looking to find that place where more real, "spiritual fellowship" as Wayne put it, can take place without all the Satanic interruptions if you will.

Yeah, it would be nice to have that.

Unfortunately, as long as we're in this world there will be persecution and other forms of Satanic attack.

Par for the course.

You know, it's easier to maintain the kind of peace you are looking for on a smaller message board (one that doesn't get as much traffic as this one does). The mods have a tough job keeping up with everything. Sometimes, as I've heard, they spend so much time moderating they don't have enough time to do any posting.

That's part of why you hardly seen any of them posting much!

As for the issue of sin in our midst . . . trying to deal with this in a broad category in an open discussion might not be the best way to deal with any problems, per se.

As I'm reading this, my thought is, "What sin is being tollerated?"

If there is a concern, the best approach would be to click the "Report" button and leave a note for the mods that you are concerned about "sin in the midst" with the post, or whatever. It might be the mods had not had a chance to read the post to notice.

That's why the "Report" button is there with each post.

Hope that helps!

[carlos123]

Herein lies the problem, Carlos.  George does not offer this as an "online Church."  I am sure there is a very good reason for that.  You are trying to characterize this as a church, and I am sure you want to view it that way, but that is not what these boards are.  George has made it clear in the  stated mission, that we are ministry dedicated to preaching the gospel and glorifying Jesus.  EVERYTHING else takes a back seat. 

I get so misunderstood when I bring up these kinds of issues that sometimes I honestly wonder if I am just a glutton for punishment. People think I am wanting to run the boards myself, that I am wanting to cause problems, that my motives are bad, that I want to be in a church that is perfect, and you name it. It really astounds me to the point that I either don't know how to speak the English language or else ..... who knows..

Am I trying to characterize this as a church Shiiloh? Do I want to view it as such?

I do NOT want to characterize or view this forum as anything other than what it is!! It would be utterly silly for me to sit here and try to make something of this forum that it is not. That is the whole reason I asked for input on where I could find what I am looking for. Precisely because this foum (and indeed no forum that I have found) is it.

The problem for me in seeing this forum and sometimes thinking that church priinciples would be good to apply has NOT been because I have wanted it to be something different than what it is but rather that it HAS seemed to me to be different at times than what it apparently is. A mission field.

I hear George and others post long and well to the general forum membership about how the Lord wants us to do this or that. Things that only Christians could rightly and fully apply. I have not seen that as very indicative of this being a mission field.

Speaking of viewing this forum as what it truly is, I was thinking about this last night and although I said and still believe that there is nothing inherently wrong or sinful per se with viewing it as Mission Field, I ask myself how it is that a group of Christians meeting anywhere to do God's work and to act as His Body, whether online or offline, can see themselves as anything less than what they truly are? A church!

We may view ourselves on this forum as being on a mission field. But in God's eyes we as Christians are a church wherever we meet. A church is not a place. It is a gathering of Christians as the Body of Christ to do what Christ would have done. That is what genuinely and sincerely confuses me. It seems that many consider a church to only be something that happens in a traditional building on Sunday. I just don't get it. Honestly.

It's almost as if the church online is caught between being a church and being a mission field and not quite sure which principals of being a church apply. When someone like me brings up some church principals that would solve some problems, people get on my case because it's not a church I am told. Then others might suggest that in order to become more winsome to the lost as a mission field we might as well get rid of the "Christian" label and make this a fun forum to pull in more unbelievers with less overt Bible anything....one might be told "No we are here to uphold Christ!" like a church would.

The net result being that the church online is hamstrung by a lack of being able or seeing ourselves as being able to apply church principals to handle problems that arise and as far as a mission field is concerned the majority of people who end up showing up are those who have a spiritual interest in Christian something. Leaving the rest of the world out there in the wild and wooly world of the Internet at large to fend for themselves spiritually.

Anyone who knows anything about the unbelieving world knows that most unbelievers will not grace the doors of a church building coming in to be saved. We must go to them. But we do not see ourselves as a church here so the one's that come here are seen to be coming to a Mission Field such that they can be won by the multitude of Christians who are here like a church.

Can yoiu see how confusing this gets?

I know this forum does not view itself as a church Shiloh. Wayne has shared this much with me before. And I am NOT wanting it to change it's view or otherwise accomodate my desires for an online church. That is NOT my intention bro.

At the same time though I think what is important is to ask ourselves how God views this forum. Is it a church or a mission field by Him? How does He view us as Christians getting together to do His work?

I ask myself that and I cannot come to any other conclusion, based on the Biblcial definition of what a church is, than to the conclusion that we are an online church viewing itself as a mission field.

Again I am NOT, NOT, NOT demanding or making an official suggestion or anything else that this forum should change. I am simply stating what I believe to be the truth in a desire to view things from God's perspective.

I am sure some people treat this like a Church, and that is up to them, but that is not purpose of these boards, and I am reasonably sure that  it is not going to change. People need face to face fellowship, and if this were offered as an online church many might be tempted to use Worthy Boards as a replacement for healthy, face to face fellowship.

There is no question that face to face is best Shiloh. I am in complete agreement with you on that one. My question is what are people to do if for one reason or another they are not able to find such face to face fellowship. I see a need there that is not being met but could be by an online church.

Everyone of us needs to be grounded in a healthy physcial church if possible, and Worthy Boards is a very good supplemental form of fellowship and is certainly one of the safest message boards in cyber space.

I'll second these statements too bro. Worthy Boards is without a doubt one of the better if not the best Christian forum around.

I personally do not believe that "online Churches" are healthy as a primary source fellowship.

If online churches become a crutch and a substitute for face to face churches I completely agree with you bro. 100&. But there are some, like myself, who cannot readily fit into a traditional church or who can't physicall be involved in one or that for other reasons cannot be in one. For them I think an online church would not only be healthy but a need that is not presently being met.

I have my doubts as to if they are even Scriptural.  A Church is meant to be face to face, IMO.

Nothing in the Scriptures that I know of bro suggests that a church MUST be face to face. Indeed the very definition of what a church is from God's view makes a church possible online, in prison, indeed anywhere and in very way that Christians can get together to build each other up and act as a Body of Christ.

George has established the boards in the way that God has directed him, and every decision George and the mods make, are  made only after a signficant amount of time spent in prayer, and seeking the Lord.

I have never said otherwise bro. That is not an issue. And I appreciate greatly that this does happen. Worthy Boards would not be what it is today if the leaders here did not operate in that way.

Carlos

[Guest angelicvoice]

yes

Then yes, I do still sin.

But my sins are not the persistent, obstinate, and unwilling to stop sins I am referring to.

For example I might get angry here and there with others in a way that is sinful but I repent from it when I fall, get up to claim the forgiveness to be found in Christ and go on.

There is a BIG difference between sins that we fall into and get up from and those which we undulge in, treasure, and refuse to repent from.

Carlos

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ANGER is nasty ...period.....and quite frankly it has almost cost me my marriage due to my hubbies anger......

all i can say is .......

you are no better than any other christian......WE ALL FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD!period......

LOVE covers a multitude of sins!!

and who says that sins are different in Gods eyes?

sin is sin ...period

Edited March 29, 2005 by angelicvoice

[carlos123]

I did not mean to offend you bro.

Thanks bro. I was just very surprised at what seemed to be totally unfair characterizations of where I am coming from and could not understand how you, beign a godly man, could do that.

But I suppose that you cannot rightly be expected to remember everything about everybody and the full depth of how much or how little you have communicated in a topic with everyone .

Do you realize that you wrote me about a similiar subject? I responded and we had quite a good discussion.

I do not remember us having a good discussion on this bro. Honest to God. You may be confusing me with someone else or perhaps I am not remembering what I did. I will look through my message store to see if I am mistaken. It's possible that I just don't remember.

I count you as a brother.

And me you

Yet here we are again. I am being blunt because it seems that unless you get the answer you want? This will arise again.

There's nothing wrong with being blunt bro when it's called for. I can see why from your perspective it's called for and I appreciate your willingness to speak what you see as truth into my life. Truly I do.

But can you not see that saying "...unless you get the answer you want..." characterizes me as being obstinate and unyielding, unteachable and irreconcialable and close to being a trouble maker? Do you not see how that could be an unfair characterization?

I mean let's assume for a moment that we did discuss this at length in the past. But that I completely and totally have forgotten such a thing.

Would it not be better to say something like..."Carlos it seems to me that we discussed this in the past and I don't understand why you are bringing it up again?" rather than "...unless you get the answer you want...."?

Can you not see how that is uneccessarily confrontative and a statement of fact as to where I am coming from without giving me the benefit of the doubt?

Simply closing off the doors and running a private club is not the solution.  Snatching some from the fire and moving closer to the Lord is.

This is right in line with why I just don't get why I am so incredibly misunderstood in Christian circles when I bring this topic up. I have never, ever, said or even meant to imply that the solution is to run a private club that would all but ignore the needs of those in the world who need the love of Christ.

I really believe this link will help you;

http://www.worthyboards.com/forums/index.p...opic=19850&st=0

May I ask why you thought this link would help me bro? Is it that you think I am like one of the people George was speaking about?

Feel free to tell me in public bro. I am not here to refuse God's input into my life. If there is any application to me personally in what George said I will be the first to admit it and ask for prayer.

I am nothing on my own and really have nothing to defend about myself bro. I have sinned in the past and continue to fall in different areas. I have needs just like anybody else and if you or anybody else sees a need in my life that I may not be seeing it would be an act of love for you to tell me about it. Whether publicly or privately I don't rightly care.

To some degree the more public any corrrection of me is the more opportunity God has to shed light on my needs so please feel free to share fully what is on your heart as to why the link above was something you believed would really help me.

I am interested in truth bro and more specifically from God's view. About me, about an online cfhurch, or any other issue. I just don't want to be mischaracterized, misunderstood, or to miss out on God's best for me and those around me.

Carlos

[carlos123]

all i can say is .......

you are no better than any other christian......WE ALL FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD!period......

I'll second that!! AMEN!

[Gerioke]

Jesus said where 2 or more are gathered in his name , there He'd be

Would this be considered a gathering?

Was he speaking of a physical gathering or can we apply it to a cyber gathering.

That would distinguish whether this is a church or not

[George]

Interesting discussion! :-)

I can't say that I've read every post in depth, but enough to get the gist! :-)

Just so you know Carlos, like everything -- we are constantly striving for improvement! I don't think we've arrived as a ministry -- and we have a long ways to go, but these "forums" are just the tip of the iceberg as far as the Lord's ministry is concerned here at Worthy.

People don't see what's happening as a whole -- they tend to focus on a part. For example, did you know we send a daily devotional to over 15,000 people daily? Or have you looked at our news site? I'm not sure of any other ministry that is covering Christian persecution as detailed as we do. Or the chat rooms -- just a few weeks ago there was 4 people saved in the chat room in a week! This is just the internet side of things. We're not even beginning to talk about what we are physically doing here in Israel.

We're pressing forward for HIM! Honestly, I haven't had the time to spend on the boards as I would have liked -- but the system is set up where there's checks and balances and nobody "runs the show" but clearly the Lord is running the show!

There have been instances where "posts" get overlooked, but it's not because the MODS purposely overlook them! There's only 12,000 members now with probably 600-800 new posts daily! We can't read them all!

BUT if at any time you feel that a thread is inappropriate or needs to be looked at -- you can send a "REPORT THIS THREAD" to a moderator. :-)

That's what needs to take place!

Just so you know Carlos -- there's no such thing as a church full of ONLY Christians! :-)

Your brother in Christ with much agape love,

George

[carlos123]

Hi George,

There have been instances where "posts" get overlooked, but it's not because the MODS purposely overlook them!  There's only 12,000 members now with probably 600-800 new posts daily!  We can't read them all!

....

Just so you know Carlos -- there's no such thing as a church full of ONLY Christians!  :-)

Thanks for your input George. I am aware of Worthy being much more than the forum so for sure there is lots going on. Lots of GREAT stuff.

Overall I think the mods are doing a great job within the agreed upon parameters for how to run this forum. And yes sometimes posts are skipped. That can't be helped given the size of the forum. I understand that.

So none of what I have shared in this thread is meant to discount any of that George. Just so you and every one else knows .

Given that you have not had a chance and really probably don't even have the time to spare to read the entire thread I can see why you might think I am advocating a church of ONLY Christians but to clarify I am not advocating such. Only that I would like to fellowship somewhere online that sees itself as a church (in the spirit of 2 or 3 gathered in my name) and applies principals of church to it's fellowship as such. That's all.

I originally started this thread asking for input on where I might be able to go to find something closer to what I was looking for and well...here we are....as Dave said....discussing this issue . That's just by way of background about where I was coming from. My intention was never to start in on an all out discussion of this topic .

Thanks again for what you do on this forum George and for making it available. I am very thankful for the opportunity to discuss things from a Christ centered point of view with others anywhere I can.

Carlos

[nebula]

Have you tried a Google search?

Type "church online"

[Guest shiloh357]

I have never, ever, said or even meant to imply that the solution is to run a private club that would all but ignore the needs of those in the world who need the love of Christ.

HA!!! Then why did you title this thread, "Anyone know where Christians and only Christians.., can fellowship on the Internet?"

You have at least verbalized the desire for a "private club" in some sense as indicated here in your first post.

l am not interested in having this place of fellowship also be a place a mission. Most all Christian fellowship sites have this perspective which in my opinion is at the bottom of why there are so many problems with people coming in and causing disruptions. I know there are some on this forum that would disagree with me strongly but Christ did not set up the Church to be a place of mission. Rather He commanded us to go and be missionaries. To our unsaved neighbors and others.

There are literally millions of places on the Internet where we can reach out to unbelievers. I see so few Christians out there it's ridiculous. We all congregrate in our forums and chat rooms thinking it great to reach out to those who come visit us while the world goes to pot. No differently than we congregrate in our church buildings.

How many Christians participate on non-Christian oriented forums to reach the lost? If we are there we sure don't let on we are Christians.

I have been wanting to create a place for Christians and will do so, God willing, as soon as I find the time to implement it but does anyone know of a place that might approach that somewhere on the Internet? Before I create something myself?

I know there are problems inherent in trying to implement a Christians only forum or some such but I do not believe these problems are insurmountable.