Where are all the churches?

[PHart]

Sounds like a good Home Church.

It's similar to the home church concept except it is led and administered by a pastor and group of elders like in a traditional church. And it meets in a public building, not a home. Although it doesn't have to.

It's really the structure of a traditional church, but conducted in the open style of a home church.

 

[Willie-T]

It's similar to the home church concept except it is led and administered by a pastor and group of elders like in a traditional church. And it meets in a public building, not a home. Although it doesn't have to.

It's really the structure of a traditional church, but conducted in the open style of a home church.

Sounds great. I wish our church was much less a lecture. I actually consider our mid-week house meeting to be more of "church" to me. (We start at 7:00 pm, and often find ourselves still talking at 11:30.)

 

[PHart]

A big part of this issue is pastors no longer see the church as a place to grow Christians. Church used to be a place of fellowship, an escape from the world and a place to learn more about God and the bible. And also how to be a witness.
Now pastors tell you to invite people to your church, rather than witness to them, and he simply does messages for the unsaved. This increase in unsaved not only stops teaching Christians but invites the world in. It's about filling seats, not souls.
If a church falls under any if this then avoid it.

You get it.

The church I attended called itself a 'chapel' which means 'sanctuary'. The church meeting is a sanctuary for believers to find comfort and healing and strength and fellowship and everything that the leadership of the church in conjunction with the gifts within the body itself are to provide to the body to build itself up. Of course, unbelievers--enquirers of the faith--are honored guests but the church meeting does not exist for them. It exists for the body of Christ.

 

[PHart]

Sounds great. I wish our church was much less a lecture. I actually consider our mid-week house meeting to be more of "church" to me. (We start at 7:00 pm, and often find ourselves still talking at 11:30.)

It's so refreshing to know other believers see the value of the open, informal midweek extra-curricular meeting. Our boring Sunday morning tradition is just that--a tradition. And one that is, IMO, unBiblical and usually very ineffective, except for salving one's conscience in regard to 'going to church'.

 

[Willie-T]

It's so refreshing to know other believers see the value of the open, informal midweek extra-curricular meeting. Our boring Sunday morning tradition is just that--a tradition. And one that is, IMO, unBiblical and usually very ineffective, except for salving one's conscience in regard to 'going to church'.

There are only 7 or 8 of us at the mid-week meeting, so I really do like getting together with the whole 115 of us on Sunday. Most of us get there at least 45 minutes early so we can have that time drinking coffee and visiting..... then we usually don't leave until a good half-hour after church is "officially" over.

 

[OneFaith]

So we all know, should know, that church is simply God's people but they usually gather at a building on the Lord's day.....Icant find one. Most of the churches here are all carnal and honestly just disgusting its all fake fske Christians, fake preacher's, bad preaching, and overall just lost people being religious. I want a church a biblical one but i cant seem to find one around me. Im only 17 don't have a car atm so it's not super easy to get to a church anyway but if i could find one I'd try my best lol. Anyway i was wondering how do you find a biblical church what are the signs? What to look for? And how do you know? Any help would be appreciated thanks and God bless.

I studied many religions for years, and only found the Church of Christ to be biblically accurate- which is the only way to identify the real church from false churches- does it match the church Christ established? If you look us up, we were not started by Alexander Campbell- he just realized, like 8 year old King Josiah, that “Hey wait a minute, we’re not following the way of the Lord, let’s get back on track.” He restored people back to the original doctrine of Christ (restoration is bringing back, not creating new). Because since Christ established His church, many branch-off churches started by people changing one thing after another. Why is it important? Because false doctrines do not result in salvation. “They worship Me in vain- their doctrine is merely human rules.”

If you like to read, there’s a book about a couple who put a pile of church pamphlets on their living room floor, and one by one studied to see which one matched the Bible. You can already guess it was the Church of Christ, but you might be interested to see their questions and answers. The book is called “Muscle and a Shovel” because it takes digging into the Word of God, and a lot of thinking and prayer to see the truth. We all have to do this for ourselves, but this book offers a major head start. The author is Micheal Shank.

 

[Willie-T]

Having spent more than 12 years in the church of Christ, I can only advise you to stay far away from that one. They are truly Modern Day Pharisees.

 

[OneFaith]

Having spent more than 12 years in the church of Christ, I can only advise you to stay far away from that one. They are truly Modern Day Pharisees.

(Respectfully asking), What problem do you have with the church of Christ?

 

[Willie-T]

(Respectfully asking), What problem do you have with the church of Christ?

I expressed it as them being Pharisees. Not much different that those in Jesus' day, and He told them that they certainly knew the word, better than almost anyone else, but they did not know the author.

 

[OneFaith]

I expressed it as them being Pharisees. Not much different that those in Jesus' day, and He told them that they certainly knew the word, better than almost anyone else, but they did not know the author.

You certainly are entitled to your opinion, I find them biblically accurate, and not like Pharisees at all.

 

[LightBright]

***I can recommend three websites with good ministries: Glory of Zion in Dallas; Revival Ministries International in Tampa; and Morningstar Ministries in Fort Mill, South Carolina***check out there websites and contact them for a good Church in your area***Grace and Peace...

Thanks ill look into that i think cx

 

[LightBright]

If your want of a good "church" is valid, God will provide it.
Trust Him.
What city do you live in?

Kansas city.....

 

[LightBright]

What, exactly, is it you think a real church is going to look like? What do you feel has to be going on? What are they supposed to be doing? What are the words you want to hear a preacher say up there?

Just a place to grow in my faith and get discipled but mainly just actual Christians instead of people with double lives that say they are Christian but encourage ungodly things as soon as church is over.

 

[LightBright]

If you cannot find a Biblical church then spend your time growing in the knowledge of salvation by reading the Bible and finding avenues to access other Bible believing Christians.. There are a number of online Christians sites you can search out to see if you can find Bible believing Christiasn to fellowship with..

Later on when you gain some independence ( and a car ) you will be able to expand your area of searching and you may find a Bible based church within your range..

But not having a church does not exclude you from growing in the knowledge of salvation and finding Christians to fellowship with..

May the LORD guide you and may you be willing to follow Him..

Well yea but the Bible says not to neglect the Lords day i dont want to keep missing it and i do have ways to talk to other people i believe are Christian including this but I'd like to have people i can be around and talk to IRL

 

[maxwel]

There are only 7 or 8 of us at the mid-week meeting, so I really do like getting together with the whole 115 of us on Sunday. Most of us get there at least 45 minutes early so we can have that time drinking coffee and visiting..... then we usually don't leave until a good half-hour after church is "officially" over.

Willie,

Are you telling me there are 115 other people who think like YOU?


I'm going to need some alone time... to recover.




I was just getting used to their being "one" of you... and now I hear this.

 

[LightBright]

I expressed it as them being Pharisees. Not much different that those in Jesus' day, and He told them that they certainly knew the word, better than almost anyone else, but they did not know the author.

Ok makes sense but just cuz people day they are one thing doesn't mean they are its like calking yourself a Catholic but believing everything about Christianity, no they are not the same like at all, so who knows maybe you got into a bad one or maybe she got into a good one but that doesn't just make your warning irrelevant just please try to understand not everything is as it seems God bless and thanks for the advice sir.

 

[Willie-T]

Kansas city.....

Just north of the big airport on Arrowhead.... about two miles on the left. (I'll see if I have their phone number.)

Address: 12300 NW Arrowhead Trfy, Kansas City, MO 64165

Phone: (816) 734-8100

 

[Willie-T]

Ok makes sense but just cuz people day they are one thing doesn't mean they are its like calking yourself a Catholic but believing everything about Christianity, no they are not the same like at all, so who knows maybe you got into a bad one or maybe she got into a good one but that doesn't just make your warning irrelevant just please try to understand not everything is as it seems God bless and thanks for the advice sir.

I was giving that warning because, from what little you have told us about your expectations, I anticipate that you would be instantly drawn to the CoC ........... without having any idea of the inherent dangers of the general attitude of that denomination. (One, is the fact that they would be highly agitated with me for actually calling them a "denomination". They don't think they are. They have really convinced themselves that they are the only truly original church that Jesus established.)

 

[Willie-T]

Willie,
Are you telling me there are 115 other people who think like YOU?
I'm going to need some alone time... to recover.
I was just getting used to their being "one" of you... and now I hear this.

No, I would say the ones who are as weird as me are maybe three guys in my small, mid-week group. The odd ones in the main congregation sometimes have even wilder ideas than I do.