All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
What is the purpose of The Church? Why did Jesus create this entity?
I'm opening this discussion for conjecture and edification. [for us to discuss and grow in understanding].
How do you read it? Please give scriptural explanation, not merely personal opinion.
What has taken place? Please share personal experience and historical evidence, not just theory.
Does The Church have a place in your life?
Has anything changed in the world, for how God wants to use The Church today?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Seek on
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Grooooaaan. Before ya'll think that's bad,she's been texting me several of them. And they're so bad I've been retelling them. LOL
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Another purpose of the church and in fact the entire body of Christ: give to the poor, lend to those in need.
We had a visitor this morning. She was very downcast and pushing her 2 1/2 yo daughter in a ratty stroller. Cynthia was running the front desk and asked me to show her where the nursery was. From there on I found myself trying to get her some help through the church. She's living in a local motel with no food and diapers and was hoping they could help with food and diapers and pay the hotel directly so she could stay a couple more nights. I got her info and gave it to Ralph and he was going to speak to the pastor during the elders meeting between services. The pastor didn't know what they had available and said they'd try to help but needed a day to see what they had. But this girl didn't have a day or she'd be on the streets tonight. She didn't even have transportation and was bumming rides and no car seat for her daughter. I don't have much to spare but thanks be to God that I'm not living in a hotel with the real possibility of being on the street with my child tonight in 30 degree temps. I wrote a check for one night to the hotel, and gave her the bit of cash in my wallet. Mom gave her some and left early and drove her to the church down the street who was going to help her. Ralph is going to pay some to the hotel and take her a spare car seat he has.
At first I was upset. That should be a priority of the church, to help those in need. As I thought of it though, I happened to be the one Cynthia turned to to show her around and one who was concerned with helping. While I still wish the church would be quicker to help, they have recently done a lot of remodeling and building an emergency relief shelter at the church and heavily involved in missions. They may very well not have it at this time and God may have arranged for her and I to meet.
So before I get upset with the church I have to remember and believe that God is in control of everything. He was in control of this.
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Most shelters are full and focus on abused women rather than homeless.
I wonder many times if I'm just being taken by people but her stating she was looking to have them pay the hotel and not her and seeking food not money is why I believed her.
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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But they may be able to give her resources you aren't aware of, plus there has to be factors for why she's in this situation, and I'm sure she won't be forthcoming concerning all of them, one of which could be having been in an abusive relationship and left or was abandoned. At any rate, one agency will have resources for other agencies and other help.
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Here is a site that shows some resources that could be available to her. http://www.familyhomelessness.org/resources.php?p=sm
What you did is wonderful but only short term and like a band-aid. She needs the resources to make a fresh start. If it's addiction, abuse, mental illness, or what have you, or several things together, the help she needs is extensive, and, most of all, does she want the help, or will she take the necessary steps? I'm sure she's afraid of some forms of help, especially the help that removes a child from a dangerous situation.
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I had asked her if she'd gone to the welfare office as they can give her emergency assistance. I think this is something that has just happened though and being on the weekend, she wasn't able to do that. Plus, she has no transportation and had no money for a bus. She has that now however so that should help her to get there. She told my mom that she and her husband had split up. I get the feeling there's more to it than that, but she really didn't want to talk. She looked both depressed and angry at the same time, very hurt, and wouldn't open up much to anyone.
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Permalink Reply by larry brinlee on
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I have always thought purpose of the church was to go through the bible verse by verse and help explain the meaning through discussion and prayer.
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Colossians 3:16 says: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
So one purpose is to let the Word dwell in us to teach and admonish each other and come together corporately to sing hymns.
Hebrews 10:25 says: Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another...
So it's to encourage each other.
James 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
It's so we can be prayed over when sick either physically or perhaps spiritually. Even Jesus said He prayed the Father would keep the disciples from evil.
Ephesians 5:19 ESV / 3 helpful votes
Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart
Addressing one another again is encouraging one another.
We're told bad company corrupts good morals. So what will good company do? The church is necessary. If we walk alone there is no one to hold us up. A strand of two is not easily broken and three is even better.
Scripture points everywhere that the church is to unite the body to encourage and strengthen. God knows that it is not good that man is alone. We need each other if we're to stand, learn and be strengthened and encouraged.
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I think it makes sense. I think that the diversity in the Body of Christ isn't given its proper respect. I think the tendency is to want everyone to be on the same page, if not the very same paragraph, to all look and act and think alike and to all have the same preferences, and so forth. But I think everyone is unique. One thing I've often been criticized for is being quiet and introverted (in person, lol) and, I suppose that kind of behavior bothers some people while others are bothered by those who come in and take over in a very extroverted way, which I sometimes view as being impersonal or even insensitive. But it just means that each of us have differing gifts, for the Spirit gives them as He wills, and each of us can do certain things well but not the same things well. We need to be more patient and understanding of each other, I think. At least I know I need to.
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