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 to CB.
Indeed, you will get lots of opinions here -- we hope on point and not on a tangent.
Look forward to hearing more from you and seeing what happens.
Gracie
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Posted 11/18/2008 05:44am
Author: savedbyegrace
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Savedbygrace,
Thank you for your warm welcome. I hope to do a write a blog a two once I finish taking finals (the next two weeks). Until next time:
God's blessings and favor for you and your loved ones,
Berean Jim
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Posted 11/18/2008 10:13pm
Author: bereanjim
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Welcome and blessings in Christ. I too have found this to be a wonderful place to learn, share, and yes, question. I have had some of the same types of experiences you have had in established churches. I have also had some very good experiences in them. What I have come to understand is that the "church" is not a building, a denomination nor a pastor, but the church is God's children in Christ, wherever they be. The building is simply a place to worship Him. The members of an established church are brothers and sisters who come to worship at the same location and listen to the same minister. I always get some disagreement about statements I make, and that's wonderful! It means this site is working as it should. We should be able to discuss, debate and learn.
I am making notes toward a couple of new blog entries. One of them will be about various Christian web sites I have seen and visited, but I am now thinking to expand it to included churches I have visited as well. There have been many, and being from a small town myself, I have probably seen a lot of what you have seen. I will not debase anyone or any church, but I will point out some erroneous teachings I have heard and seen, and put them forth for feedback from my brothers and sisters here.
Keep blogging, and stay strong in Christ. You have a wonderful attitude about at least one thing, I noticed: It is God who must be glorified, not any pastor or denomination. If you want to know the basis of my "doctrine", for lack of a better word, I invite you to read one of my very first blogs here, "The Spirit of God is Love." You can navigate to it from my profile.
I look forward to hearing more from you.
Blessings in Christ.
Phil
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Posted 11/19/2008 02:53am
Author: philruby
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Dear Jim.
I can relate so much to what you have shared in this first blog. My husband and I went through so many of the same struggles you have had. Moved to a small town, we tried so many different churches, felt we were to worship at home, but for us that did not work. Became a part of a cell church and soon discovered it was cultish and glorified the pastor not the Lord. Finally after 5 long years we have found a community of believers that we truly love and fit into. Where it is all about Christ and not about the church, the pastor, etc. Where they walk the walk. The teaching is Biblical, straight out of Scripture. So many pastors write a sermon and then try to find the Scripture to support it. This pastor reads the Scripture and expounds on it. Stays in that one piece of Scripture for the entire sermon! He is convicting and humble. SO press on dear brother, whether it is a home group or another church, the Lord has a place for you. And I found that during my 5 years in the desert I did much growing and shed a lot of religiosity and legalism that had entrenched me and became truly free to love the Lord thy God with all my heart, soul and strength and learning to love my neighbor as myself.
Blessings and welcome!
Andrea
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Posted 11/19/2008 03:26am
Author: allforhim
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Phil and Andrea,
You are truly precious brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank you for your words of encouragement. I will not give up. In fact, I am going to fast and pray through the holiday break from school. I believe God has opened a door for my wife an I to minister to some teenagers at the charter school we work at; the founder has offered us use of the facility on Saturday's and/or Sunday's.
Many of the middle school students have come to us for guidance; they are under enormous pressure to engage in gang activity, drugs and sex. Please keep this in prayer with and for us.  We desire to do God's will.
May God's love shine brightly in your lives,
Berean Jim
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Posted 11/19/2008 08:26pm
Author: bereanjim
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Jim,
I saw one of your comments in the Eschatology section ("holograms... ) and followed to your bio. I read this blog and was moved to pray for your ministry. All the early churches were in households, and the Lord is present when as few as 2 gather in His Name. I'm inspired and refreshed by your story. Also, I'm overjoyed to meet others that have struggled spiritually and despair over the state of things in the Church, the world and in ourselves. I've been a Christian for some time now, but it was only a couple of years ago that I began to understand that Christians needed to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling." A lot of the teaching I received came through the website of Scott and Brian McPherson, Studying the Word of God (biblestudying.net). I meant to mention them when I was adding a comment to the "holograms" blog because I thought Jessica could have help understanding Daniel there. By the way, your referral to Daniel for proper understanding of end times prophecy is spot on. If you get time, review the "Eschatology" articles in the In Depth Bible Studies section of biblestudying.net, especially on prophetic symbols. I'd like to hear another student's take on the interpretations and content there. Also, they have outlines that can be used as teaching aids, so you might find them useful as you go about the Lord's work.
I'm glad to have met you brother.
In Christ,
Todd
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Posted 11/24/2008 11:18pm
Author: rockwatcher
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Jim,
I can feel your searching and frustrated heart as you wander through the Sunday morning show that pass for church meetings today. Our family has experienced the same journies. My wife and I moved to a new town 12 years ago to plant a new church work. We were sent by a 'megachurch' but they sent us alone and with no support. For 8 years, we struggled to run the 'show' courting volunteers and carefully planning worship and message. God revealed to us that church overall has become more about a performance than fully knowing Him and following Him. We closed our church plant and left the experience broken and discouraged.
We worked briefly at another local church (1 year) and saw that the leadership was consumed with numbers, people and money. I believe they started with a heart for the things of God, but as with so many I've seen, including myself, the weight of the responsibility of the bills, and the processes, and the programs led them to a place of resentment for the very people they wanted to minister to. We couldn't stay and watch a staff with no life offering life to the crowd on Sundays. Shouldn't we experience what we teach?
We started a home group the next year, mostly for our own family and inlaws, and it grew without us even trying. I hit hard the aspects of relationship, worship, and allowing God's Spirit to form us into the image of Christ, whatever that would take. It didn't take long for most to leave because they couldn't have the 'show' they were looking for. They wanted to look and sound like all the other churches. It amazes me how we look at the Pharisees in Scripture and shake our heads at their stubborn traditions, but we have our own traditions alive and well and quenching the Spirit of God in churches all over the world.
Our home group is still going, but it is three families rather than the 60 people it had grown to. We want to make disciples, not groupies. We are the church to each other, praying for, talking over Scripture with, meeting together, and in all of that, waiting on the Lord. As He guides us, we move. We are open to share the Gospel with those around us, and to encourage others in Christ we meet along the way. But the freedom from bondage to the 'show' is breathtaking. I feel I can finally experience communion with the One I was working so hard to serve all these years, without the distraction of the trappings of 'churchianity'. It truly has become all about Christ.
God bless you, and go WHEREVER God leads you, because that's where you find Him, and His purpose for you.
Rev.
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Posted 12/03/2008 10:45am
Author: revrowland
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I know exactly how you feel. I really liked what you said about religion. I completely agree. Religion has sadly found its way into many churches, and is trying to take over. I completely understand not wanting to attend churches.
I hope everything goes well with you trying to begin a church in your home. I know it is not an easy road but is very rewarding.
I hope we both live to see the day when neither of us have to use the phrase "church as usual" in a negative way.
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Posted 12/03/2008 12:44pm
Author: freeindeed87
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Todd,
God bless you. I am encouraged by your words of inspiration. Thank you for mentioning the biblestudying.net website. I will make a point to visit it and review the Eschatology section.
Berean Jim
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Posted 12/09/2008 05:12pm
Author: bereanjim
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Berean Jim. Your blog has given me much to think about. I have been a Christian since 7 yo. I love the Lord and enjoy being with His people. I have been to Bible College and been involved in the local church for many many years. The Lord encouraged me to purchase a large house and offer lodgings to men who were broken by life or their own sin. Many passed through my home some staying just a few weeks but most stayed about two years. The Lord blessed them and many of them left my home as Godly men who had found their place in the church and who could walk tall among their peers. My role was to love and care for them. We talked and argued on just about every subject under the sun we laughed and cried together. Then just a few years ago I became aware of the old 'another Sunday Service' feeling. I went to Ellel Ministries Nets Programme. I learned a great deal but the 'boredom' was still there. I left my home church and eventually closed and sold my home. I had beein ministering to these broken men for 13 years.
Its now 10 years since I have been in membership of a home church. I still love the Lord and spend time with his people but I am so bored with 'church'.
Your blog has reawakened the desire to be part of a group of people who don't do church. Rather they meet together to hear directly from the Lord and to worship him in freedom but in order. Many years ago I was part of a group of young people. We belonged to different churches everything from RC to CoE. baptist, etc. When together we didn't acknowledge labels. Rather we met to worship, to express the gifts of the HS, to study His Word and to love one another. Out of that group so many went into the ministry.
That group did Church but without the systems, procedures, committee meetings, gossip, etc.
Jim if the Lord is calling you to begin a church GO FOR IT. A couple of years ago I heard of a church started by a small group. (I heard the story from the leader of that group) The Lord told them to hold a 'mission' in a particularly rough area. The Lord told them to reach out to the street girls, the drunks, the dope misusers. the down and outs. Out of that mission a church was formed and every member had come from the groups I have mentioned. The church reflected the people in it. Rough and ready, no frills, no books, no robes. The new converts ran the church with help from the original small group. Eventually the small group withdrew and the church blossomed. It now has people from other walks of life but it has kep its emphasis of reaching societies lost and refused to be sucked into legalism.
If God has given you a vision for a church again GO FOR IT God will honour you but beware of making your own traditions which eventually could lead to legalism.
As for me thank you for expressing your feelings you have reawakened a desire in me. I will pray on it as I pray for you and your family.
Tikvah
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Posted 01/06/2009 08:54pm
Author: tikvah
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Tikvah,
Thank you soooooooo much for your encouraging comments; my eyes are filled with tears. Tonight, Wed. 1/7/09, (technically last night) after leaving "Bible Study" - it was more like the pastor asked leading questions to prove his points of view. Anyway, my wife and I discussed the very real possibilty of moving foward with a Christ-centered fellowship based on the structure of the Church exemplified in the book of Acts. I am spending more time before God about it; I want to do His will.
I am blessed to hear that you took men into your home for 13 years. For three years my wife and I (along with our daughter) had in-home fellowship/ministry for men and women with substance abuse and addiction issues. It warms my heart when I hear of Christians making sacrifices for others, living a loving Christian life.
If/when we begin, you can be sure we will not be legalistic. We didn't minister that way before and we certainly won't do it this time. God's way is the best way. We will keep you in our prayers.
Your brother in Christ,
Berean Jim
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Posted 01/07/2009 09:17pm
Author: bereanjim
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