What is your view on...

[Who me]

It really depends on the church.

Being part of a denomination does mean that there is a structure and processes to deal with problems with the leadership of a church, but also means there is the opertunity for interferance by upper management.

For me I want a church that seeks to practice what it preaches and has a clear method for dealing with leadership abuse of position/power.

[shortangel]

I attend a non demo church it's a Community Church,  it's a mulita ethnic generational church,  there are some Japenese American people who attend there,  the pastor is a chapliain

[johnthebaptist]

On 6/21/2019 at 2:13 PM, Melinda12 said:

Non denominational churches? 

I don't see any need to belong to a denomination. On the other hand, I don't think it would be appropriate for me to start my own church.

[Michael37]

14 hours ago, johnthebaptist said:

I don't see any need to belong to a denomination. On the other hand, I don't think it would be appropriate for me to start my own church.

But you could "host" members of the body of Christ who desire to gather for fellowship, edification, exhortation, and comfort. If it proved to be a feasible expression of God's ekklesia it would then be a local ekklesia, with responsible saints free to function in whatever giftings come to light. Maybe some as elders, maybe some in teaching and pastoring service, maybe some evangelising around the place as they go about their daily business, etc... 

2Co 6:1-10
(1)  We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain.
(2)  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
(3)  Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
(4)  But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
(5)  In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
(6)  By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
(7)  By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
(8)  By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
(9)  As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
(10)  As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

[Michael37]

17 minutes ago, Betha said:

I could be offended IF i took this literal, being 90 years old....but maybe it was not meant that way ???

I don't think it was meant to be offensive to old people, Betha. For whatever reason this young person is trapped in an enclave of older people who probably bore the daylights out of her. I entirely sympathise. Certain congregations fail young people who would be far better off involved with people their own age if there are none readily to hand IMHO this is a given for edifying fellowship and spiritual growth.

[Guest]

58 minutes ago, Betha said:

I could be offended IF i took this literal, being 90 years old....but maybe it was not meant that way ???

So sorry! Please forgive me. I meant it very generally. I need to be with people of my own age. My apologies.  

[Marilyn C]

On ‎6‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 6:43 AM, Melinda12 said:

Non denominational churches? 

Hi Melinda,

Firstly let me say I very much appreciate all the denominations, as they at some time held fast to a certain truth that had been neglected. If you follow the rise of every denomination you will see a history of the moves of the Holy Spirit to revive the Body of Christ in that truth. Over time other groups received the `lastest` truth and thus the truths of the Lord spread across the Body of Christ.

Do we realise that people were ostracised for believing in water Baptism of adults, or later, gifts of the Holy Spirit. We are so blessed in our day to have received all the truths from over the centuries, that we can not fully appreciated that often people died for such truths.

Now we see non-denominational churches springing up, yet really they are a denomination of their own. They are less hampered organisationally by a central control group, but they have their own control group, so not too much difference. Each group whether denom, or non denom, are really controlled by the person in charge and thus it becomes a personality thing. People tend to pick and choose according to what they want out of a meeting.

And may I just say that Jesus NEVER said, "Go and build organisations and public meetings!" Remember He said "Go and make disciples..." I wonder if you asked someone on Sunday who their `disciples` were, if you would get an answer.

Something to ponder about. marilyn  

[Spock]

Honestly, you have to “judge” each church individually....you just can’t give one answer for ALL non denominational churches just like you can’t have one answer for all Baptist churches. 

It seems to me from my perspective when I do go to church (every other week to take my granddaughter) there are things I like and things I don’t like. 

[johnthebaptist]

7 hours ago, Michael37 said:

But you could "host" members of the body of Christ who desire to gather for fellowship, edification, exhortation, and comfort. If it proved to be a feasible expression of God's ekklesia it would then be a local ekklesia, with responsible saints free to function in whatever giftings come to light. Maybe some as elders, maybe some in teaching and pastoring service, maybe some evangelising around the place as they go about their daily business, etc... 

2Co 6:1-10
(1)  We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain.
(2)  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
(3)  Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
(4)  But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
(5)  In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
(6)  By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
(7)  By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
(8)  By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
(9)  As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
(10)  As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Perhaps a properly motivated person could start a church. If someone is starting a church in order to glorify themselves, that would be wrong.

[Reinitin]

On 6/21/2019 at 4:13 PM, Melinda12 said:

Non denominational churches? 

I like the non denominational bible church I go to. I have been going since 2008.

There is no 501 c3 everyone is a volunteer even the pastors have different jobs. The pastor that started it is a baptist pastor and has his own church. We are not part of an organization, we get together in local resturants, the parks in our seperated communities , we have one piece of property that was donated and we have a big tent we use once a month and all get together. It is more like command central then what people consider a church. We set up food banks and caring centers in all the little towns around us and got most the churches in the towns to donate to support them and safe harbors and safe houses.

Last sunday my groups church meeting was a cook out for the homeless in downtown Fort Worth. What I like best is all the offering we take up are to help people in our community and our congegation and missions. We take of offering to help people in the congregation and pay their bills if some one is hurt or in the hospital our having to miss work to have a baby. We will all collect our junk and have a huge yard sale at someones house to raise money to help people in our congergation that are in hard times. We have several licenced christian counclers and set up support safe harbor groups for people dealing with divorce, grief, abuse, drug, sex and alcohol addictions.  Worship is lead by different people that prepare and volunteer for different projects. We have several garage bands and singers and musicians. We study the bible straight through, in context, every one participates, its never a denomination lesson though many people have denominational views and so you get different perspectives and supporting verse information. We put people through seminary so they are always contributing to studies. We are able to put over a million back into our community and congregation every year I have been a part it. Our kids go help fix people houses, do the elderly members yards. The women schedule and cook and take food to families that need help. I like it because we do what Christian are suppose to do. Alot of the people that are part of our congregation go to other churches too.

The way I got involved was a friend invited me to the tent meeting and it was a shock because it was all tables with chairs around them, some kids lead the worship they passed the plate with the instruction if you have extra put some in if you need help take some out. Then every table was a ministry group or bible study. So I just started helping the ministry group that was at the table I sat down at. The tent has a satalight connection to other ministry groups in smaller towns so the groups can all coordinate and sometimes one of the pastors shares a message he is giving in his Church with all the satalight groups.

I show horses too. I am often traveling on weekends, so I go to cowboy church. It is a formal services for all denomination at the shows. I love cowboy church too.

Edited June 24, 2019 by Reinitin