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I should also mentioned that while the followers of Jesus gathered on the day of His resurrection (1st day of the week which was really the 8th day as the circumcision foretold) it is not a requirement to gather that day.
It is a privilege to be gathered together on the 8th day
And then there are the Christians like myself who work in security at a hotel, and have to work on some Sundays...
...have tried to find night services and wed. services, and my pastor is great because he said if i wanted he would try to set up something on a day i was off, but that would be difficult because my work days never are the same.
The church is the people, but it is nice to have a building to protect God's people form the elements while they worship. Would you rather stand in the rain?
I wouldn't need other people to worship. In fact, I don't like being around other people.
They left because of "management"? Why are churches run like businesses? They even advertise on billboards and in the newspaper - it's strange. I don't believe it was ever intended to be done in that manner.
I don't think there was ever a church which managed itself. There are bills to be paid, buildings to be maintained etc. I didn't say anything about our church being ran like a business. Those were your words, not mine.
I wouldn't need other people to worship. In fact, I don't like being around other people.
That is too bad. A church is a place for teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer. It is good to be with people so you can pray with them and for them. Also, if you need a prayer, or if you know someone who needs a prayer, you can ask your fellow Christians to pray with you for your friends. You can encourage others, instruct them, be compassionate and help them. Also, through church you can find ways to serve the lord.
I am noticing more and more folks on this forum who claim to follow Jesus but do not go to church. How do you encourage yourself or find community? Of course, those who do go to church use the "do not forsake the assembling of yourselves" scripture. How do you skirt around this passage?
I'm one who does NOT go to church. My son went this morning, and that's fine with me but I choose to not go because of the raging hypocrisy around here. I watch a couple of programs on tv on Sunday mornings of preachers that I respect, but I don't agree with all that they teach. But I didn't go to church BEFORE I became a Universalist, so it has nothing to do with that.
And as far as that scripture, I don't skirt around it, I just do what is right for me. And God has no problem with that. I'm one of those people who is better off without the social clubs and "what's everyone wearing" clubs. Trust me, I've spent enough time in every type of church imaginable to know that I don't belong there. I have my own special relationship with God.
I am noticing more and more folks on this forum who claim to follow Jesus but do not go to church. How do you encourage yourself or find community? Of course, those who do go to church use the "do not forsake the assembling of yourselves" scripture. How do you skirt around this passage?
I do not "go to church", as the church is not a building to begin with, but it is the body of believers.
I fellowship with my family and close friends, and of course on the internet i fellowship with many people from all over the world.
Location: Went around the corner & now I'm lost!!!!
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Originally Posted by InsaneInDaMembrane
I am noticing more and more folks on this forum who claim to follow Jesus but do not go to church. How do you encourage yourself or find community? Of course, those who do go to church use the "do not forsake the assembling of yourselves" scripture. How do you skirt around this passage?
I don't attend a building called a church. I found that they teach the same thing over and over but when I read on my own the Holy Spirit revealed alot more than what they were teaching. I have several friends that do not go to church but have a deep hunger to know the Lord more deeply. So we finally formed a home church and we have on guy lead us during those meetings. He is an apostle which he goes from home church to home church. We also have guest speaker who love and know the God and we give a love offering to whomever speaks (100% goes to that person unlike the church which takes their cut into the speaker's pocket)
We have learn things the church have never taught (i.e trevailing, the difference between working from the spirit and the working from the soul (which most churches work from the soul by pumping you up with songs and shouting), the coorelation between the fruit of the spirit and the gifts of the spirit, speaking in tongues, dream/vision interpretations ( we are not always accurate but we are not off base either...we are in training because the orginal church would not allow the general members to do this except from their "chosen " leaders). We analyze scripture and discuss what revelation God has given us. Sometimes we talk about what the leader is about to teach on before he get to the full teaching..lol now that's the Holy Spirit at work folks!
We also have pray for those in need; some come only once and later on they report great results from the prays. But what I have noticed most of all is that TOGETHER we produce better results than the church because we KNOW we can't do it without each other and we know it is the Lord at work in us; each of us hold a major part of God's puzzle in order to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. We understand more than ever why Yeshua says "become one". Because as we become in the body, more power is given to the entire group and you can feel the presence of the Holy Spirit so much so that you don't want to leave.
We don't have a meal after the teaching; we had spiritual food but we will do communion as the Spirit leads ( I personally do it several times a week)
Will I go back to the regular church?...NO.
Also with the economy getting worse, I wonder who is going to pay the overhead for these churches when the bills come. You are going to see the attitude of the church change as they start trying to make you tithe more and they beg more because bills are not being paid. In home churches that is not an issue unless one person trys to feed the people after the meeting; we don't
That is too bad. A church is a place for teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer. It is good to be with people so you can pray with them and for them. Also, if you need a prayer, or if you know someone who needs a prayer, you can ask your fellow Christians to pray with you for your friends. You can encourage others, instruct them, be compassionate and help them. Also, through church you can find ways to serve the lord.
God helps those who help themselves.
There's a joke I heard about a preacher in a flood zone. The water came into his yard, and he waited, because the Lord was going to save him. It came up to his door, and he waited, because the Lord was going to save him. Guy comes by in a canoe and asks the preacher if he was going to get out, and the preacher tells him, "No, the Lord says he's going to save me."
Next thing you know, he's sitting on his roof. Another guy comes by in a skiff and asks the preacher to get on board. Preacher's still insisting God is coming to save him. Water rises even higher, and the preacher cries out to God, saying, "Lord, I thought You were going to save me." God answers him back, "What? Didn't the guy in the boat come by?"
There's a joke I heard about a preacher in a flood zone. The water came into his yard, and he waited, because the Lord was going to save him. It came up to his door, and he waited, because the Lord was going to save him. Guy comes by in a canoe and asks the preacher if he was going to get out, and the preacher tells him, "No, the Lord says he's going to save me."
Next thing you know, he's sitting on his roof. Another guy comes by in a skiff and asks the preacher to get on board. Preacher's still insisting God is coming to save him. Water rises even higher, and the preacher cries out to God, saying, "Lord, I thought You were going to save me." God answers him back, "What? Didn't the guy in the boat come by?"
That's a good funny, but why did you attach my post to it?
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