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 Post subject: Neglecting assembling with other believers.
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:54 pm 
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From the article:[i][i]
Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Parts of the body are missing when believers do not attend, crippling the body.

God has not so gifted you of all people that you can thrive and grow without the gifts he has given to others. In this way neglecting to meet with God’s people is a sign of overwhelming and outrageous pride. You have somehow determined either that the gifts God has given others are of no real consequence to you, or you have determined that you are so gifted that you can happily survive without.

[/i][/i]

First off, I totally agree with what is said here. I know people that do not come, or seldom come, to church and they are depriving us of what they have to offer the body. I so wish they would come.

But, I also know people that don't go to church because they haven't found a local church that follows the Word. SO MANY churches are becoming social clubs and are all about community events, food pantries, movie nights, alternative "clubs" for those that want a "safe environment" to socialize.


But maybe those churches are that way because the ones that would be the "watchtowers" have left?


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 Post subject: Re: Neglecting assembling with other believers.
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 2:09 pm 
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"But, I also know people that don't go to church because they haven't found a local church that follows the Word. SO MANY churches are becoming social clubs and are all about community events, food pantries, movie nights, alternative "clubs" for those that want a "safe environment" to socialize."


Food pantries are ALL about following the word (Acts 6, http://biblehub.com/acts/6-1.htm. Not to mention this HUGE selection of verses on the topic http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/poor.htm). And, I cannot recall any Biblical prohibition on socializing with other Christians in a Church context - quite the contrary.

I'm not saying that Churches are perfect - they're not - but if someone can't find one that's "good enough" for them *anywhere*, it's not the Churches' fault.

The Biblical command is clear. If someone is not obeying the command, then how can they claim to be more obedient than the Churches they criticize?

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 Post subject: Re: Neglecting assembling with other believers.
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 3:24 pm 
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Anna1111 wrote:
"But, I also know people that don't go to church because they haven't found a local church that follows the Word. SO MANY churches are becoming social clubs and are all about community events, food pantries, movie nights, alternative "clubs" for those that want a "safe environment" to socialize."


Food pantries are ALL about following the word (Acts 6, http://biblehub.com/acts/6-1.htm. Not to mention this HUGE selection of verses on the topic http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/poor.htm). And, I cannot recall any Biblical prohibition on socializing with other Christians in a Church context - quite the contrary.
!
I'm not saying that Churches are perfect - they're not - but if someone can't find one that's "good enough" for them *anywhere*, it's not the Churches' fault.

The Biblical command is clear. If someone is not obeying the command, then how can they claim to be more obedient than the Churches they criticize?



Oh no! I don't mean any of these things are bad! And, I could go so far as to say that most of them are good! Biblical even! (Altho' feeding the poor and food pantries do not always go hand in hand in the USA.)

I mean that this is ALL the church is about - these churches. There is little, if any, Bible teaching. It's more like an inspirational tho't for the day with a scripture connected - that's the SERMON. That's IT! It's about making people feel good and happy and purposeful (again all good things as PRODUCTS but not the total package). God is often left on the side so as not to offend those that you're helping. Much of the help is often more about making the helpers feel good than for actually meeting a real need. There's no teaching on forgiveness, giving God the glory, or salvation - blood?! Horrors!


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 Post subject: Re: Neglecting assembling with other believers.
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:31 pm 
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I guess I just haven't encountered any Christian Churches like that.

I do think a Christian is on *very* dangerous ground when he or she says that there is NO Church available in which they can worship God. After all, the Bible says "the gates of Hell shall not prevail . . . "

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 Post subject: Re: Neglecting assembling with other believers.
PostPosted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 1:26 am 
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Anna1111 wrote:
I guess I just haven't encountered any Christian Churches like that.

I do think a Christian is on *very* dangerous ground when he or she says that there is NO Church available in which they can worship God. After all, the Bible says "the gates of Hell shall not prevail . . . "


I agree. It does make me skeptical. I'm not in a position to go search it out for myself. I only know what I hear from those that do attend these churches and it does make me sad. OTOH, perhaps they've taken something that was said the wrong way or .... I dunno. Just some explanation.

I do know that I've seen a couple of local churches go thru the growing pains of trying to be "seeker friendly" and they've come out the other side. The numbers are down but the core seems stronger and on track.


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 Post subject: Re: Neglecting assembling with other believers.
PostPosted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 9:43 am 
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Yeah. Our Church is trying to be seeker-friendly. We put a greeter at the door.

(That's my dry humor again in case it doesn't come thru in print. Orthodox Churches *do* *not* *change*! ! ! ! ; )

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 Post subject: Re: Neglecting assembling with other believers.
PostPosted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 10:16 am 
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I love your humor, Anna. Always good to make sure it comes thru. I might be scratching my head if you didn't add the disclaimer. ;-)


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 Post subject: Re: Neglecting assembling with other believers.
PostPosted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 5:18 pm 
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LOL! Anna!!

On the note of seeker friendly.. the newest church here.. they bought the church buidling and property from our old church. Long financial story of woe.. but when this church bought us out, they interviewed the pastor on the news. (This church building is a branch of a very large church.)
He said that he wanted to make it clear that they were NOT seeking new members. They were only getting the building so their "already members" that lived in this area would not have to drive into the city to attend church each week, making it more convenient for them.
That was several years ago, NOW they are always holding "looking for a church?" activities.
I guess that pastor either left or learned his lesson.


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 Post subject: Re: Neglecting assembling with other believers.
PostPosted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 6:21 pm 
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I'm confused by this subject line and then the message. The subject line seems to be about gathering together and the need for it, but then the messages after the first are about not liking what people do when they're together (whether in church or in other).

Anyway .... I think a big reason there's a lack of meeting together with other believers is because of the idea that the "church" is solely an invisible "everyone who believes in Jesus." If my husband and kids are the church, then I am never forsaking the assembling together of believers, right? If my friends are the church, I can have coffee or a Bible study with them and call it good. I know that's way too general, but this is part of the reason I do believe in a tangible church. I do believe that the building and meeting together there is important.

There's more to it than that, but that's part of it in this context.

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 Post subject: Re: Neglecting assembling with other believers.
PostPosted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 9:48 pm 
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Darla wrote:
I'm confused by this subject line and then the message. The subject line seems to be about gathering together and the need for it, but then the messages after the first are about not liking what people do when they're together (whether in church or in other).

Anyway .... I think a big reason there's a lack of meeting together with other believers is because of the idea that the "church" is solely an invisible "everyone who believes in Jesus." If my husband and kids are the church, then I am never forsaking the assembling together of believers, right? If my friends are the church, I can have coffee or a Bible study with them and call it good. I know that's way too general, but this is part of the reason I do believe in a tangible church. I do believe that the building and meeting together there is important.

There's more to it than that, but that's part of it in this context.



But the subject line doesn't say that, Darla? It's about people that *neglect* the assembling together. And I agree with what you said. I don't think the Bible is talking about the casual coffee-clutch church. "Assembling together" seems to indicate a definite time/place meeting. And then there's the "appointing of elders" that need to meet specific guidelines. That speaks to a more organized for of "church" that the casual "two or three" together.


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