An Importance of Faithfulness to a Local Church

[Riverwalker]

7 minutes ago, Starise said:

What does this mean exactly? On the positive side of things I have seem many fruitful group efforts at church. 

It means we are not all on the same page, we are not all there for the same reason.  Even if the motives are good, they can be vastly different.  You seem to want to make life easier for others, to give them a hand, to encourage and you would like to see others do that.  Others are there and just want to be left alone dealing with hurts or fears, and their unwillingness to join in the fellowship may be looked on as askance and they could be alienated, when what they really need to to be a part of it

[Riverwalker]

6 minutes ago, Josheb said:

Point of clarification: While we may not all be on the same page of our own design, we are all on the same page of God's design.  

 

 

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And in a perfect world we would be marching lock step

In a perfect world with perfect people

[Alive]

9 minutes ago, Riverwalker said:

And in a perfect world we would be marching lock step

In a perfect world with perfect people

 

15 minutes ago, Josheb said:

Point of clarification: While we may not all be on the same page of our own design, we are all on the same page of God's design.  

 

 

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So then--how do we reconcile these points in a practical manner?

[Kelly2363]

5 minutes ago, Alive said:

So then--how do we reconcile these points in a practical manner?

 

In a practical manner? Or in a manner of producing the fruit of the Spirit?

[Alive]

1 minute ago, Kelly2363 said:

 

In a practical manner? Or in a manner of producing the fruit of the Spirit?

Hopefully the fruit would be a part fore and aft.

[Starise]

48 minutes ago, Riverwalker said:

It means we are not all on the same page, we are not all there for the same reason.  Even if the motives are good, they can be vastly different.  You seem to want to make life easier for others, to give them a hand, to encourage and you would like to see others do that.  Others are there and just want to be left alone dealing with hurts or fears, and their unwillingness to join in the fellowship may be looked on as askance and they could be alienated, when what they really need to to be a part of it

I appreciate your words on this. This reminds me of several people I know. One man who was a very loyal attender at a church I attended never looked to become a member as in going up front and asking to be accepted as a member. He was probably more loyal than most of the members and I always seen him as a member even though he never went through the formalities.

I guess my only expectations are that people notice one another and give each other due respect as brothers an sisters in Christ. Brotherly love.  This should be a bare minimum. I fully realize many people have different abilities and gifts from the Lord. I rejoice in seeing others use their gifts in church and elsewhere. I have had to refuse on more than one occasion certain requests because I knew it would stretch me too far and begin to hurt my own necessary recharge time. Take away- They will ask with no regard to you. You need to determine what you can do. Not every request is from the Lord.

Lots of people in the local church body are going through something with family or a health issue and therefore they need to be ministered to and not expected to minister.

It is possible to be both forgotten and serving 110% in a church in a visible position. I can personally vouch for that one. The working parts never need oil right? One of the easiest things for me to do is to become invisible in almost any situation. I'm just there until I'm not there at which point someone notices and replaces me because something needs to be done now.. So long as I'm there I seem to be like inert matter. Just hanging around doing something  If anyone is looking to serve in a church the goal should never be attention or acknowledgment of any kind. Our reward will come from the Lord one day. The shiny buttons get noticed the most but the belt is what's holding the trousers up.

New Christians and seekers are going to a fellowship often with hope. We don't want to dash the hopes of a new believer or discourage a seeker. Maybe the best thing is for them to see all of us muck ups and realize that God saved us too and we are all works in progress. I'll be honest. I don't attend a church for the sermon, I attend for those connections to brothers and sisters the Lord has brought across my path, those who I enjoy their company. This is the HIGHLIGHT of going for me. I go for those opportunities to serve. The sermon is only a small part of it for me. Frankly a very small part of it. While the message should be Biblically accurate and should hopefully speak to me in some way, I also realize it's just a man up there like me. I loose attention sometimes. Neither do I think most pastors believe the delivery on Sunday is a large part of what they really do as pastors. At least I hope not.

Some speakers hold me to my chair. Others not so much.

I've been on both sides of the worship in a church. I look at video feeds and see people standing there like they are looking at a painting. Never can be sure what's happening inside ( and not my place to judge). On the other side of it, it can be frustrating. In a recent event we worked through something in practice. Someone forgot they were supposed to start a song. They came up and looked at me like " ok you can start now". It was a deer in the headlights moment in front of lots of people. What bothered me the most though was it ruined the song for the congregation. I HATE those kinds of things especially after we practiced it before hand.That brother apologized and I accepted. This is how it should be. In everything in the church. In a perfect world it would not have happened.

 

 

[Riverwalker]

I have to share a time I had with God.  Where he gave me a "spiritual" head slap.

Because of circumstances in my life, I am a very serious Christian.  And one day I was looking at other "casual" Christians and I asked God how long he would tolerate this kind of person (not lukewarm by any means, but certainly not with a full head of steam)

:::Thwapp::: as best as I can describe a spiritual slap in the head. And then God told me that these are HIS people and He will take them anyway He can. as long as they cross the finish line of faith they will be His forever. 

People are just not going to be perfect and anytime a  group of them get together there is going to be drama, tension, strife, and every other kind of "interesting" behavior

I see a common question in this thread....what can we do to fix it?   Well I am not sure it is fixable,  we are all in our own progress space with the Lord, but each of us has our weak spots or personality traits that are bound to cause dust ups.

C'est le vie.....such is life.

What cannot be cured must be endured with as much grace and love we can muster and we must accept that there will be issues and with each one we will deal with  them  in their time

There will come a time of harmony and peace....but it is not this time I fear.

We deal with it, as God would lead us

Edited September 2, 2021 by Riverwalker

[Kelly2363]

1 minute ago, Riverwalker said:

What cannot be cured must be endured with as much grace and love we can muster and we must accept that there will be issues and with each one we will deal with  them  in their time

 

Persecution cures it.

[Riverwalker]

5 minutes ago, Kelly2363 said:

 

Persecution cures it.

it  certainly tests one's mettle

 

[Kelly2363]

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.