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OPPS I DONT DO CHURCH !
I follow after the Holy Spirit some would say that's doing your own thing, don't answer to anyone, it looks that way but you can be bound controlled in churches not all I know, and the title well at times I do church when I believe |Im led to go there. otherwise Like the freedom. and have other commitments at times in the way, am I loved less by God, He who follows His commandments He loves does it have a commandment saying thou shalt do church every sunday. or sat. or for some in there own home like me church is everyday. so is it jus fitting in to the right place even like being here. one can believe themselves to be rejected not wanted. whatever.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Francis Drake on
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I knew someone would immediately come up with that excellent, but entirely predictable scripture…-
Hebrews10v 25not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.Simply put, that scripture is very, very, rarely fulfilled by going to church each week. Christians fob themselves off with attending church, believing they are assembling, in obedience to scripture. Yet never examine scripture to see what a church "assembling together" is really supposed to be like.
eg.
1Cor14v26What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.The idea of sitting in rows like school, with the "service" being orchestrated by the man at the front, has no scriptural precedence. Nor does it in any way fulfill Hebrews10v25, or the other relevant scriptures.
Scripture makes it clear that when the brethren assemble together, it is the whole assembly via the gifts and fruits of the spirit, that do the ministry, and not some specially qualified leader.The church will always be crippled and weak, until the priesthood of the believer is recognised and practiced.
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Permalink Reply by Seek on
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Then I'd say you're in the wrong church. Mine has small Lifegroups so that we do assemble in small home meetings weekly. And we don't sit in the pews and watch an orchestrated service by the man up front, but we are encouraged to participate. We've had people just felt led to say something or sing a song and they approach the pastor during the worship music and he always provides them the mic and platform. We're encouraged to gather at the altar and worship rather than just sitting in the pews. Encouraged to go around the church and shake hands with people we don't know.
Scripture is quite clear also that the "qualified leader" is put there by God and we're to respect their authority. If we question their beliefs, we can approach them and take one or two witnesses. But since he's the head of the church, we are free to find another unless the majority of the congregation is in agreement that he's out of line with Scripture.
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In addition, 1 Corinthians speaks quite a bit about pastors being paid for their service/work. Pastors cannot pastor without a congregation.
If we're to aspire to be like Christ, even He went to church: Luke 4:16 "He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom."
There is plenty of Scripture, not just the one verse. 1 Peter 5 speaks of the elders and leaders. Whom do they lead except for the church?
Matthew 18:20 speaks of two or three gathered...not one gathered unto himself.
All through the NT, you don't find any Christians going it alone. All of the disciples and apostles continually speak of church, the elders and gathering together. They speak of the gifts, meant to minister to one another. How do you minister when alone? There is Scripture admonishing pastors and elders to shepherd their flocks well. What flocks if there were no church?
Romans is FULL of how the church and it's members are to behave and respond to other members acting in sin, etc. Paul's letters were to the "churches", not individuals. This meant they had to gather together to read them in the congregations. Jesus read Scripture to all in the synagogues, where they gathered to hear it read.
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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Eph 4:11-16 ESV And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, (12) to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, (13) until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, (14) so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (15) Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, (16) from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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It's through the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers that He feeds His flock IMO, the biblical ones as well as the modern prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers (I'm not sure of modern apostles). Jesus is the Bread of Life, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. God uses His children as tools to feed, water, and nourish one another as well as help them see truth and implanting seeds in their hearts that will grow into faith as God gives the increase IMO.
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Yes. We know He works in and through the whole body and at the same time has designated certain parts to primarily be responsible for certain functions within the body.
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The human body is a good analogy. Eyes have a certain function, etc ...
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Regardless of what one thinks about Hebrews 10:25 it is a call to gather together and speaks against a position of being a lone ranger Christian.
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Francis, 1 Cor 14:26 happens in my church, and I'm sure it happens in the meetings of others replying here, too. It is to occur orderly, however, not confusingly.
Good Order in Worship
26What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
34Womenf should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.g
36Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.h
39Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. NIV
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Permalink Reply by Tammy on
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Francis, I think you're just grasping for something to hang onto as justification for not going. I'm not saying you have to go to a building with a steeple but the Lord does encourage us to gather with believers on a regular basis. The church doesn't have everything right but most of them truly try to see His will & do it. To let you know I'm not judging you for not going, I myself don't go. I do feel very convicted that I haven't worked harder to find a home church since moving but I'll admit. I'm lazy. I don't get excited about having to get up & get my kids ready. I've been away from the church too long so it's very much easier to sit here. The longer you stay out, the harder it is to return. I've heard many say that the Lord told them to leave. I don't think the Lord tells anyone to leave The church. He may ask them to leave that particular church but if that's the case, He will have another one available. Outside of not going to church, I study the Word of God, I pray, I'm admin on several Christian sites however, none of those replace the true fellowship that I should seek out. I do attend a service on SKYPE but then again, that's my lazy way of justifying my not going. However, left to my own devises & interpretations, I can justify anything I do with Scripture if that's my true desire. Now, for you to say sitting in a row like school isn't Biblical. The Bible also doesn't talk about using the toilet but common sense applies here. You could stand if you wanted to I'm sure if that makes you more comfortable. As far as the man at the front, it absolutely is Biblical.
It sounds to me, Francis, that you have been really really hurt by the church. I'm so sorry this has happened to you because it has gotten you to a place of bitterness towards the church as a whole. The entire church is not this way nor should they all be stereotyped based on your experience. Again, I'm sorry this has happened to you. Christians can hurt us more then anyone else. Our expectations are pretty high of them though. When I get upset with something they have done, before I get really mad, bitter or whatever, I try to back up & ask myself if I, myself, meet up to those same expectations I expect of others. Be blessed
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