what a timely subject! So many churches no longer respect Biblical authority. Sadly, the leadership is often allowing/encouraging this love affair with the world (paganism). When was the 11th commandment "thou shalt not offend" added? I cannot recall the last gospel sermon I heard in person.
One guideline I would offer: The New Testament often uses family language for the church: family, brothers and sisters, adoption. Get involved as you would with family, and leave as reluctantly as you would disconnect from your relatives. Should you threaten to leave a congregation because of some dispute? Well, is that how you behave at family reunions?
The family language is not just nice sounding words. We need to take this language to heart.
I am so thankful that my church has none of these problems. We love families. Our rector says "do you know why this creed is before my sermon? So that you can compare the two, and know to reject my sermon if it is errant. "
The church is the body of Christ. The ecclesia. That is not to be confused with a building or a group of people. Good advice, pray…read. Listen. Sometimes we cannot follow the prompts of the Holy Spirit while standing still and staying in one place.
At the Church where I currently attend there are things does that are not scriptural. I have been ostracized for what few comments have made. I er time I have attended a number of congregations. There are similarities. I believe the church should reflect the church at the height of the restoration movement. But we are like the frog who remained in the pot while the temperature rose not being aware of the change happening. We reflect some denominations except for baptism and being acapella. We dismiss services for Christmas, New Year's Day, and other holidays if they occur involving Sunday night and Wednesday night. These meeting times were added by men. So the reasoning goes we can dismiss the to keep parents happy. The elder are afraid of the women. The women speak up in Sunday School. I don't think that is right and occasionally they will speak up before the worship service is ended. I think when the body of Christ assembles it is all worship eg. Sunday School and worship. Just try to explain when Sunday School ends and worship begins. I can't really do it. We participate in Trunk or Treat. Which we know is a safe way for kids to trick or treat on Halloween and the community is invited so pamphlets can be handed out. Halloween is a pagan holiday. The Church should not be connected with it at all. Christmas became a Cathloic observance. The Church should not dismiss services because of it let alone allow Christmas parties. I have always been active in teaching classes but now I have been excluded because of my conservative doctrinal beliefs. I am not non- institutionalized but in some ways they are closer to the truth. The congregations I have attended are not considered liberal which I hate. Yet the spend litterally millions on fellowship halls/ basketball courts. This is all unscriptural. Where I attend in Lawrence county Alabama. The evangelism efforts are all associated with catering and pot lucks. Just basically food. A member should not have to be enticed to attend monthly evangelism meetings. At the first I was involved in everything I have mentioned except observance of man made holidays. I was teaching a class on the restoration movement and I apparently spoke too loud and said near the end that we have for decades had people attending the Church of Christ on Wednesday night and Sunday night while attending a Baptist church in Sunday mornings. The two offended ladies went straight to the elders. That is what lead to me being set aside. I don't need to expound on clear scripture to address conflict between members. The elder's didn't even talk to me. Just eliminated me from teaching. Well I feel useless and trapped. The nearest scriptural churches are located in the hills of Tennessee. I know because I attended them while a student at Freed-Hardeman. We need to restore the restoration church that was a fast growing church back in the day.
Having been raised in ministry, and having been in ministry, I understand how painful it is for leaders when people leave. That said the level of pride, ethical issues, and misconduct seem to be exploding in church offices these days. As we were leaving after having met with leadership about real biblical issues and conduct, my husband, an architect, wondered "I've never worked anywhere where people would be permitted to speak to anyone and keep their job. Isn't the standard of conduct in a church office supposed to be higher than it is on a construction site?" Yeh, it was finally time to go.
what a timely subject! So many churches no longer respect Biblical authority. Sadly, the leadership is often allowing/encouraging this love affair with the world (paganism). When was the 11th commandment "thou shalt not offend" added? I cannot recall the last gospel sermon I heard in person.
One guideline I would offer: The New Testament often uses family language for the church: family, brothers and sisters, adoption. Get involved as you would with family, and leave as reluctantly as you would disconnect from your relatives. Should you threaten to leave a congregation because of some dispute? Well, is that how you behave at family reunions?
The family language is not just nice sounding words. We need to take this language to heart.
This is a great point. I think it would cut down church switches by a pretty good percentage if practiced.
I am so thankful that my church has none of these problems. We love families. Our rector says "do you know why this creed is before my sermon? So that you can compare the two, and know to reject my sermon if it is errant. "
That's a solid quote
The church is the body of Christ. The ecclesia. That is not to be confused with a building or a group of people. Good advice, pray…read. Listen. Sometimes we cannot follow the prompts of the Holy Spirit while standing still and staying in one place.
At the Church where I currently attend there are things does that are not scriptural. I have been ostracized for what few comments have made. I er time I have attended a number of congregations. There are similarities. I believe the church should reflect the church at the height of the restoration movement. But we are like the frog who remained in the pot while the temperature rose not being aware of the change happening. We reflect some denominations except for baptism and being acapella. We dismiss services for Christmas, New Year's Day, and other holidays if they occur involving Sunday night and Wednesday night. These meeting times were added by men. So the reasoning goes we can dismiss the to keep parents happy. The elder are afraid of the women. The women speak up in Sunday School. I don't think that is right and occasionally they will speak up before the worship service is ended. I think when the body of Christ assembles it is all worship eg. Sunday School and worship. Just try to explain when Sunday School ends and worship begins. I can't really do it. We participate in Trunk or Treat. Which we know is a safe way for kids to trick or treat on Halloween and the community is invited so pamphlets can be handed out. Halloween is a pagan holiday. The Church should not be connected with it at all. Christmas became a Cathloic observance. The Church should not dismiss services because of it let alone allow Christmas parties. I have always been active in teaching classes but now I have been excluded because of my conservative doctrinal beliefs. I am not non- institutionalized but in some ways they are closer to the truth. The congregations I have attended are not considered liberal which I hate. Yet the spend litterally millions on fellowship halls/ basketball courts. This is all unscriptural. Where I attend in Lawrence county Alabama. The evangelism efforts are all associated with catering and pot lucks. Just basically food. A member should not have to be enticed to attend monthly evangelism meetings. At the first I was involved in everything I have mentioned except observance of man made holidays. I was teaching a class on the restoration movement and I apparently spoke too loud and said near the end that we have for decades had people attending the Church of Christ on Wednesday night and Sunday night while attending a Baptist church in Sunday mornings. The two offended ladies went straight to the elders. That is what lead to me being set aside. I don't need to expound on clear scripture to address conflict between members. The elder's didn't even talk to me. Just eliminated me from teaching. Well I feel useless and trapped. The nearest scriptural churches are located in the hills of Tennessee. I know because I attended them while a student at Freed-Hardeman. We need to restore the restoration church that was a fast growing church back in the day.
Having been raised in ministry, and having been in ministry, I understand how painful it is for leaders when people leave. That said the level of pride, ethical issues, and misconduct seem to be exploding in church offices these days. As we were leaving after having met with leadership about real biblical issues and conduct, my husband, an architect, wondered "I've never worked anywhere where people would be permitted to speak to anyone and keep their job. Isn't the standard of conduct in a church office supposed to be higher than it is on a construction site?" Yeh, it was finally time to go.