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"neglect not the gathering of the saints" I would think the church is there to allow people to 1) Praise and worship in unison 2) To get a new prospective on the Word of God 3) To encourage and help one another. But you are right, we go, do our thing and come home. No fruit in those actions? This could be prevented if the church itself organizes other events, like "Wednesday night healing seminar" or "Special praise and worship meeting on Friday night" etc.
We come together, meet each other face to face, talk about our experiences as Christians. We have A "Gods pantry", people donate food for those that have lost jobs and so on. One gets involved in the various "Ministries" of the church, and here is the strange thing, I originate from many different denominations, but my peers, who have grown up in this church, have exactly the same views as me! Awsome! Hope this will encourage you too, even if its just a tiny weeny little bit!
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Posted 05/31/2009 04:25am
Author: trevcharl
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My bishop says that church has multiple purposes... it's a school and training center to learn how to apply what is in the Bible to our lives... church is a hospital for the broken in spirit, and once you've entered into a covenant relationship with a church, then you ask God for direction on where to share your time, talents, and energy, and be "spiritually employed"
the old testament makes it clear the tabernacle, synagogue, church is the center of social activity for the believer... the tabernacle or tent of meeting was the center of social life in Israel...
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Posted 05/31/2009 02:04pm
Author: blackrose65
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Today, Sunday, May 31, 2009 is Penecost. In Christianity, it is recognized as the birth of the church, the universal church. (This was the same room used for the Last
Supper) On Pentecost, as the disciples gathered in the upper room (approximately 120, including the Eleven), the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirist came upon them. this has been foretold and promised by Jesus. Those who were filled with the Holy Spirit.
The disciples were iding in this room. They were afraid of receiving the same sentence as Jesus, death on the cross.
After receiving the Spirit, the disciples, led by the eleven, went ut among the people. They had received the "gift of tongues" and were able to speak the languages (which they had not known before) to people from all over the known world. These included no only the Jews, but also the gentiles who had come to Jeruselem merchants for Pentecost.
In essence, Peter proclaimed "I no longer care what you might do to me, I am going to proclaim the Good News of Christ Jesus." He was fulfilling the Great Commission to carry this Good News to all the nations and all the peoples. So, this is the "original mission" of "the church." To proclaim the Good News of Christ Jesus.
People "come to church" (meaning weekly worship) for many reasons. Worship services can be conducted in many different ways. Some of those can be very entertaining, for example, Glory and Priase services. These are full of contemporary music, often do not have clergy wearing the regalia of more traditional services and are much less "formal." Are they less effective than "traditional" services in worshiping God? They can, in fact, be much more effective to many people.
When the disciples received the "gift of tongues" in the upper room, they could speak the languages of people from all over the world. The important thing here is that this happened "in the language of the hearer." GAP services and many other ways of reaching out to people "speaks the language they will understand."
The issue isn't the method used in worship services, but the message. That addresses the local church congregation.
The larger picture, the universal church still has the mission of carrying the News to others, finding them where they are and as they are. This missionary work does not consist of sitting in our sancuaries and inviting others to join us (perhaps for some entertainment). It is going out to the world, as the disciples did the very morning of the foundation of the church.
One of the great things of Christ Jesus is that He will "take us as we are." To me, the problem you are addressing here is people who come to worship to be "taken as they are" only to "leave as they came." And then take no effort to carry the News to others.
Shalom,
Art
Alive in The Word
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Posted 05/31/2009 08:49pm
Author: aliveintheword
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