Why Are There So Many Denominations In The Church

[Charlie1988]

7 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

The group I've been with here locally for over 25 years has a very open and participatory way of gathering. There are one or two playing unplugged folk guitars and a piano, and usually just the members singing (i.e., no one up front), which we do quite enthusiastically. (Others visiting us have referred to us as "the singing church" as we really belt it out)

When traveling, the groups I visit often have singers and instrument players up front leading things.  But I find that almost no other group sings as enthusiastically as my local bunch does.  And sometimes the "production" up front is so involved or loud, it's hard to hear the members singing . . . or they don't seem to sing in a very engaged way.

We've had a number of discussions on here about how the focus on a few up front can often detract from the members functioning well in our gatherings.  I believe when the members function well, like really being engaged and participating in singing worship (and/or openly testifying of their experience of the Lord in their lives to the group), that each person's own spirit is nourished all the more, and it really raises the level of life.

Just wondering if your Church sings Hymns from the old Christian Hymn Book or do the musicians write their own modern songs. 

We just have a piano and sing songs from the old Christian Hymn Book, so there's no waving of hands or jumping or dancing on the spot. I know some Churches in Africa dance during their singing, but that's a part of the African culture. It's all good as long as it's done to the praise of and glory of the Lord. 

I can't see how Churches can have rock bands, playing music which sounds like worldly music, and still be pleasing to the Lord.   

[Michael37]

2 hours ago, Charlie1988 said:

I believe that my Church is correct because it is based on the Apostolic Church model. We tick every box, on Gods list of requirements to validate a local Church as being Biblically correct and pleasing to God. 

By your own frame of reference you are being naughty by associating with us, @Charlie1988

[other one]

1 hour ago, Charlie1988 said:

The first thing we should consider, Demons are not in the world today as they were when Jesus came into the world 2000 years ago. So Demonic possession doesn't happen today as it did back then. 

I am not allowed to discuss specifics, but I do want to be one in the background saying this is not true.  I would doubt I could change your mind about it, but readers need to know there are people who have different experiences than what you believe.

[Neighbor]

35 minutes ago, Charlie1988 said:

Just wondering if your Church sings Hymns from the old Christian Hymn Book or do the musicians write their own modern songs. 

We just have a piano and sing songs from the old Christian Hymn Book, so there's no waving of hands or jumping or dancing on the spot. I know some Churches in Africa dance during their singing, but that's a part of the African culture. It's all good as long as it's done to the praise of and glory of the Lord. 

I can't see how Churches can have rock bands, playing music which sounds like worldly music, and still be pleasing to the Lord.   

The Old Christian Hymn Book? The one Paul used?

Personally I like the older than that music book and most all of it's lyrics.

Your group allows a musical instrument, a piano?  Oh my, Church of hrist has you beat on that issue.  It was always funny to me to hear the C o C congregation singing start out with a blow on a pitch pipe.

The piano is a relatively new instrument not known until about 1690 ish. Sure it's okay?

Music is the number one cause of church splits, has been since Luther, Martin Luther. And yet  there is such joy when a local body gathered together sings praises without shame of any kind; and if someone is caught up in the joyful noise I can learn to tolerate it, as I cry in the presence of the Holy Spirit as He swirls amongst the gathered and we prepare for the reading of the word with exposition and prayer and thought while seeking application for our own lives in this world today.

Praise God it is not all can't and don't and shall not, but instead there is great opportunity to love love God and love one another. Makes me want to jump sing and shout it. Ain't no Grave going to hold my body down!

[Charlie1988]

3 hours ago, RdJ said:

That exists too yes and you have to really watch out with that. In the 90s a guy with a demon kick out ministry came to Holland and a lot of evangelical leaders were naive and had no clue. You just assume it's also from God. Well it wasn't. My ex went there. I wanted to join, but he wouldn't let me. Luckily. It was insane. They supposedly cut off the arms and legs of demons and other totally crazy stuff. There were some leaders who warned against it. People fell from their faith afterwards. My ex had to be set free from a demon because he went there. There was a gigantic car crash nearby. He thought because they were summoning demons. So the reformed church is safe. You won't ever get that kind of craziness, but they also miss out on good stuff.

Jesus rebuked people for asking Him to perform miracles for them. He said, a wicked and perverse generations seeks after signs and wonders. But no sign will be given apart from the sign of Jonah, He was referring to Himself being dead for three days, just as Jonah spent 3 days in the belly of the fish.

Sickness and disease came into the world when Adam sinned and it has always been with us and it always will until Jesus comes back and destroys this world with fire and creates a new world and new heavens. There will be no more disease or tears, until then we have to accept that it's not always Gods will to perform a miraculous healing of our bodies. 

God is all wise, so we must trust Him in all things. If He decides to take a loved one from us, then we still have to praise Him for it. I know some people who lost their faith in God after they lost a loved one. 

The so called healing ministries and deliverance ministries, give people the impression those Ministers have something special to offer, when in reality they have nothing but false hope and false doctrine to offer. We should be concerned with the eternal things of God, but most are only concerned with the temporal things of this world.

I found the Pentecostal Denomination is preoccupied with all the temporal things of this world, such as prosperity. Jesus didn't come to shows us how to get rich quickly and how to stay younger looking for longer. He came to sav his people from hell and give them eternal life in paradise, which is much better than what the riches of this world offer for a short time.        

[Neighbor]

Just played "Little David  Play Your Harp" for my own joy. See me dance my fingers on th ekeyboard !!  I just put it on Christian music here! That and Holy Holy Holy. Love Bro. Ely.

[Charlie1988]

2 hours ago, warrior12 said:

Real comprehensive list. Thanks.

Do the women remain silent or are they allow to speak and paticipate in the chutch service.

Our women obviously aren't allowed to speak from the pulpit, because the Bible makes i clear that God never ordained women to lead the local Church. But their role is equally important as they are the ones who raise children, and many teach the Children at Sunday School and  they play many other important roles in the life of the Church. 

There are no examples of women Shepherds in the local Churches, so we don't have them either. I know some have departed from Gods instructions and they allow just about anything. That's why I was trying to draw a comparison between a faithful Church and an unfaithful Church. If the Church is the Bride of Christ, She should remain faithful to Him and not fornicate with the world.  

[warrior12]

9 minutes ago, Charlie1988 said:

Our women obviously aren't allowed to speak from the pulpit, because the Bible makes i clear that God never ordained women to lead the local Church. But their role is equally important as they are the ones who raise children, and many teach the Children at Sunday School and  they play many other important roles in the life of the Church. 

There are no examples of women Shepherds in the local Churches, so we don't have them either. I know some have departed from Gods instructions and they allow just about anything. That's why I was trying to draw a comparison between a faithful Church and an unfaithful Church. If the Church is the Bride of Christ, She should remain faithful to Him and not fornicate with the world.  

That's what I like, no bs around. You gave your answer straightfoward.

Thank you

[Charlie1988]

1 hour ago, RdJ said:

The worst ones have been bound.  It's most of the time not possession but demonic influence. The woman who didn't walk straight, spirit of infirmity. Only her body was bound. She was the possession of God. Or unclean spirits. They didn't leave. Paul said we had to wrestle against them. If someone is addicted to porn those demons come through the tv. Trusting in a minister is no use. Always trust in God, but He may use someone and it's useless if you don't repent from that sin.

I don't think Paul was wrestling with Demos, my understanding is he was wrestling with his old nature. 

Born again believers still live in a fallen body of death, the flesh still cries out to have it's lusts satisfied. So we have to wrestle against our lustful desires, and strive to deny them and rebuke the temptation to sin in the name of the Lord. 

We obviously don't win every battle and we sin when we are drawn away by our own lust. But we always repent and continue to walk with the Lord and He is faithful to forgive us. 

The bible speaks about the Devil and His Demons in terms of powers and dominions in the high places. This suggests that they operate in the spiritual realm, where they use their powers of deception to corrupt the Kings and institutions of the world. They only have one goal, and that is to prevent the gospel for going into all the world. 

Jesus said His gospel will go into all the world and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, but that only made the Devil His Demons more determined to stop it. So they use every means at their disposal to prevent people from haring the gospel and believing it.

The gospel sets people free from the Devil and the power of sin. Anyone who denies that and claims to have special power is a false prophet.     

[Charlie1988]

1 hour ago, Michael37 said:

When I shared my testimony from the pulpit one lady asked if Jesus had long hair in the vision of His glistening snow-white glorified form. I couldn't say because a tallit covered His Head.

I was 26 at the time.

Act 2:17  ‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.

I also had a similar very powerful experience as yourself. I was 19 or 20 at the time and it happened when I called out to God while I was in a deep state of despair and disillusion. A bunch of harsh providences seem to have come together at one time and they overwhelmed me. 

I cried out to God in a prayer, to help me as I felt utterly defeated and hopeless. Looking back now I believe God lead me to that place which caused me to repent. In my prayer I basically said I surrender, I can't go on running my own show and I was ready to make Jesus the Lord of my life. Then I suddenly experienced a peace which is indescribable, and there appeared a circle of light around me as if it was protecting me from the troubles of this world.

I didn't actually see an Angel or Jesus, but I sure felt Gods Holy Spirit abiding with me and showering me with peace and joy. I really felt this joy and peace, in such a powerful all encompassing way, that it couldn't be mistaken for anything other than the Holy Sprit. 

I can't confirm or deny what others may have experienced, but our Pastor warned us to be weary of people who claim that God spoke to them, or that they received some new revelation from God. There are many scriptures to support this, I can find them and list them if it helps.