Church

[Guest]

{{{ News flash! }}}

{{{ The church typically meets in buildings }}}

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:"

"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 )

Looks to me as if "The Church" will meet in the air!

Jump Brother! We'll race

[Floatingaxe]

Thank you all for your opinions on the church. To me, God doesn't love me any less for not attending a church service every Sunday. I have my faith, I have my personal relationship with Him. Going to a fellowship to hear someone talk about God's word is great for some people, just not so much me. I learn better on my own and not in a building with many many people. I am new to the teachings of the Bible so studying and learning it on my own at my own pace works greatly for me. It is not to say that I will never go to Church some Sundays just to be with other followers, just at this time in my life I chose not to. The friend I was referring to in my 2nd post truly beleives that we as beleivers NEED to be in church every Sunday.

Your friend is right in one respect--you need to be a part of a group of believers. No way is Christianity a personal odyssey. We are responsible to our brothers and sisters. We need to share our lives with them, and they us. This is how we weed out error that creeps in. We hold each other accountable and we encourage each other in the faith. Not belonging to a church is not scriptural, and not healthy...plus you deprive other believers of your gifts as well as yourself the benefit of good teaching and ministry. You need to come under the authority of leadership as God places it over us. Don't forget that we are "sheep"! We can go astray very easily! We need the Word of God taught by those older and wiser in the Lord, so we can grow to such a stature that we, too, become teachers of the Word, rightly divided. Church is a covering for us!

Do not forsake the assembling of yourself together with the family of God---your family.

One can be part of a group of Believers without attending the religious institution we have come to call "church". We can weed out error in meeting with fellow Believers outside the church and be held accountable to our fellow believers outside the church. There is no verse of Scripture that commands us to belong to a church. Jesus did not establish churches. He called out followers who became the Church. The assumption in your post that teachings in a church are "...good teaching..." and that those in charge of the religious institution are "...older and wiser..." is, at best, naive. There are leaders in fellowships outside the religious institution under whose authority we can submit ourselves. The "Do not forsake..." verse has been addressed elsewhere in this thread. You sound like a seminary indoctrinated pastor.

You've got me a bit wrong there. Of course wiser believers can be anywhere, but we aren't to be foolish and think that we can be "do-it-yourselfers" in our walk with God. Jesus did start the Church, and anointed Paul to establish churches! We need to be wise and dogged in our search for good Bodies of Believers where we can belong and serve and be served and EQUIPPED! You dont want to be spreading error around while you are performing the Great Commission, do you? God would hold you accountable for teaching error.

I am so glad you have the impression that I am a pastor! Thanks for the compliment.

[Guest man]

but we aren't to be foolish and think that we can be "do-it-yourselfers" in our walk with God.

I don't attend church and I don't consider myself a "do-it-yourselfer".

The bible says there is one teacher and that is Christ.

It also says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Get wisdom....and in all your getting, get understanding.

Just because someone is the head of a church, doesn't mean he knows God.

I've asked this question many times concerning this topic and have yet to recieve an answer.

(Q) Of the 30,000 different denominations preaching Christ, which one would you suggest? Which church is totally without fault? Which one speaks the true Word of God?

[Floatingaxe]

Which one speaks the true Word of God?

You need to be diligent to find that out. Ask God Almighty to help you! He will, because He wants you strong and healthy in the Body--and useful!

We need spiritual covering, leaders to lead us. God provides that for us...He cares about that. It is dangerous thinking that we can get along without other anointed Christians to teach us, and for us to teach. It is part of our responsibility. It is a family after all! That is how families are. There are those who lead, and those who follow. Parents, teachers, with children who learn and grow, and grow up to become parents of spiritual children and disciplers of such. It is a healthy arrangement that God has instituted...when it is done right, according to God's plan.

[Smalcald]

dear brothers and sister,

The word "church" in greek is "ecclesia" which literally means the "called out ones". We are no longer part of this world though we live in it; the Lord Jesus has "called us out" out of this world and into Him. The Church is the Body of Christ and we are its many members. Jesus Christ has chosen such a Body to be manifested in. Jesus Christ is the Head on this Body.

So...Jesus Christ (the Head) + us (the many members) = the Body of Christ or the Church.

For those Christians who are physically or feel socially isolated from the Church, you should pray over this matter of meeting and connecting to the other members of the Body. Satan fears the Church greatly and hopes to keep it from functioning. I feel that many lone Christians are vital parts of the Body. It is, therefore, no coincidence then that Satan would isolate you. Do not expect to gather with a church and find understanding, support, or sincerity from others...not everyone in the Body is obeying the Head. Even hypocrisy and bigotry could be there. But it is not for yourself you go to church, rather it is what you must do for Jesus Christ. He needs you. Then you can in turn receive the much needed blood supply.

So are you saying that "The Church" is a building and because one doesn't go to that building, they are not a part of "The Church"?

This "much needed blood supply" you make ref. to, can you only get it inside a building?

There are roughly 30,000 different denominations, which one would you suggest?

Doesn't the bible tell us that God doesn't dwell in temples made with hands?

Doesn't the bible also tell us that we are to all be of the same mind and the same speech?

Do all churches teach the same thing? Do they all agree as far as doctrine is concerned?

So when you don't join one of the 30,000 you are in effect the 30,001 church, the church of man. Not going or belonging to church simply splinters the Christian community even more. You are in effect saying that no other doctrine on the face of the earth would meet your standards, that you alone hold the true doctrine. Does that seem right to you, that God would leave you totally alone with His truth?

I am not saying as a person who does not like groups (I can totally relate to that) that you have to become heavily involved in the social aspect of a congregation. But just your presence could make a difference for both you and them.

[billie]

Jesus is the only person who can suggest a denomination, or a fellowship. No one else is qualified to make that kind of suggestion. There are some definate no-nos, like cults, and churches who are obviously in error in their doctrine. However, there are some fellowships that do have correct doctrine. There is no perfect fellowship anywhere on the planet, because there are no perfect Christians anywhere on the planet. If this was a valid reason not to meet with other believers, even the very first believers in the Bible wouldn't have met.

[Guest man]

So when you don't join one of the 30,000 you are in effect the 30,001 church, the church of man. Not going or belonging to church simply splinters the Christian community even more. You are in effect saying that no other doctrine on the face of the earth would meet your standards, that you alone hold the true doctrine. Does that seem right to you, that God would leave you totally alone with His truth?

I am not saying as a person who does not like groups (I can totally relate to that) that you have to become heavily involved in the social aspect of a congregation. But just your presence could make a difference for both you and them.

I don't hold to any doctrine but what the bible teaches. What I learn, I learn from God. He alone holds the Truth.

I don't consider myself to be a church...you might but I don't.

If the christian community is splintered, it's not because I'm not there. It's probably because there are 30,000 different denominations.

We are to be of the same mind and the same speech. Not 30,000 different minds and 30.000 different messages.

There is one huge reason I don't attend church. If you would like to know what that is, ask me and we will take this down a totally different road.

If you feel the need to be guided by others, to have a sense of belonging to some organization, that's your business and I don't fault you for that. I don't have that need. I don't have to belong to something.

My identity in Christ is not a denomination.

[Floatingaxe]

Then become an active and productive member of a non-denominational church. You need the covering.

[Guest man]

Then become an active and productive member of a non-denominational church. You need the covering.

"Non-denominational" is a denomination itself.

To say I'm Catholic, I'm Baptist, I"m Non-Denominational, it's all the same thing. The only thing that has changed is the label.

You say I need to become "active and productive". What are your assumptions about me? Please explain this.

And you mentioned this on more then one occasion, "a need for a covering". What is this "covering" you keep talking about?

Like I said, if you "need" to belong to something, then by all means have at it, but don't look down on those who don't feel that need. If I for one instance thought that going to church would bring me closer to God, I would be camped out on their doorstep. But it doesn't, so I don't go.

God doesn't dwell in temples made with hands. He dwells in the heart of the believer. There is nothing that I can physically do that will bring me closer to Him, and this includes church. I'm sorry if you feel any different but those are my beliefs.

So if you would please answer the questions I have asked, it would be greatly appreciated.

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Now on a lighter note.....this my 1,000th post.

[Constant]

There are some of you saying that we don't need to attend church to learn and worship God and others are saying that we must go.

Who is to say that the teachings of a Catholic church are better than the teachings of a Baptist church? What type of church is the correct one to attend??

When I went to a Baptist church with my friend and her husband there was about 600 people there and they sand, prayed and then the pastor read a passage and then talked about how it is brought into everyday life. Then that was the end of the church service. Now I can learn all that at home with my husband or a few friends.

I am not saying that church is a waste of time and that it is for people who need the fellowship to learn and worship God. All I am trying to say is that it isn't that way to me and I don't see how people who do it on their own is bad.