Extension of thought on finding a local church

[Neighbor]

Thought for opening conversation; about "Finding that  good local church, the one for me"-

It may not be local! It may be far away, but it will be a local church.

The "test" may not be of the church at all- not is it worthy of me to attend?

The test may be closer to that which some which are told about within the Bible have failed;  both the rich young man when he decided he would follow Jesus, but he could yet not give up his comforts and was disappointed, and that of a disciple that asked for time off to plan out his inheritance from his father's estate to yet come to him.

Will each person called by the Holy Spirit today go at a fast run to where the Holy Spirit will lead, giving up all else that is necessary to leave behind, without looking back at it even?

How close to that kind of commitment is each person that is called to be a bond-servant of Christ Jesus also called into doing this day? Is it only the missionary that goes to foreign lands? Is it only the martyr?  Or; is it every single person called to turn about from sin against God to  turning to God in service under Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit's specific call to them personally?

 I suggest for the sake of conversation that the "right" local church  may not be local. It may not be found so much as it will be "visioned" and then the individual saint in Christ Jesus the bond- servant led toward that local church wherever it is; and not for his comfort so much as for his enlightenment and service to God's will and His good purposes.

Is it possible if there is no local  church where one is comfortable  that it is for a reasson, and that  reason being God has plan  to use the saint elsewhere?

[Who me]

23 hours ago, Neighbor said:

  I suggest for the sake of conversation that the "right" local church  may not be local and not for his comfort so much as for his enlightenment and service to God's will and His good purposes.

 

In looking for a church/to join a church Hebrews 10:   '²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another '

Note how it has nothing to say about how we benefit or 'feel' about the church, the sermon or the fellowship but everything about how WE are an encouragement, a help or a challenge to spiritual growth and maturity to others.

Any visiting of churches while gazing firml;y at ones naval will never lead to a church where one can grow, for the simple reason that naval gazers don't see a need to change.

 

Look at how one can serve a church.

 

Yes it should be local, you should be praying about events you are going to attend, people you know and not for a problem in a town 50 miles away, but for a problem in your town.

[Neighbor]

7 hours ago, Who me said:

In looking for a church/to join a church Hebrews 10:   '²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another '

Note how it has nothing to say about how we benefit or 'feel' about the church, the sermon or the fellowship but everything about how WE are an encouragement, a help or a challenge to spiritual growth and maturity to others.

Any visiting of churches while gazing firml;y at ones naval will never lead to a church where one can grow, for the simple reason that naval gazers don't see a need to change.

 

Look at how one can serve a church.

 

Yes it should be local, you should be praying about events you are going to attend, people you know and not for a problem in a town 50 miles away, but for a problem in your town.

Hi, I agree for sure, but my actual experience has been that God keeps moving me to another town, another state, another coast, to become familiar with and to a church there as well. Who am I to say  no I don't think so Lord, I like it here just fine?

 

[Who me]

18 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Hi, I agree for sure, but my actual experience has been that God keeps moving me to another town, another state, another coast, to become familiar with and to a church there as well. Who am I to say  no I don't think so Lord, I like it here just fine?

 

Doesn't matter whether one is settled in a location or constantly moving towns. The rule of how can I serve the local church still applies.

[Neighbor]

Of course it does. I might call it a privilege as well as a duty, rather than a rule, but that would be quibbling. 

[shortangel]

just keep praying & looking & don't give up,  pray for discernment on what church God has placed you in even if you move around a lot you can still pray & go to different churches to find out where God wants you,  me & my parents are looking for another church because my parents felt uncomfortable at the one that we were attending for 4 years,  hopefuly by Palm Sunday we'll go

[Neighbor]

Hi  I do hope and pray that you  plus your family will be led to a local church body somewhere.

 I am a member  a new member of a church after having been a member of a church for some twenty years or so, and before that  three other churches from one coast of the USA to another.

 The idea that I was trying to convey, and evidently have done a poor job of it, is that  each church is local, no matter where it is. Finding the local church  God has set for a person to participate within may be a matter of being led to move from ones' own local comfort to  a new physical location, rather than just limiting ones self to a local geographic area that is familiar.

 I have experienced being led to move 2800 miles three times, each time to a church where there was a need and I was the little cog that was missing and needed, to fill that local church's need. Once the issue  of the church was done I was led yet again to pick up and move 2800 miles to a  "local " church. 

 That leads me to think that the proper local church  may not be local to where one might be at the moment, and that God may  have one move, not just find a different church in the neighborhood or local vicinity. God even had me paralyzed with depression for some nine months with visions of a church that I knew could not exist, for I knew the area well. I visited the area and to my stunned surprise there sat the church.

It is a long story told elsewhere, but I moved and  did what was required of me there.