14 characteristics of genuinely friendly Churches

[jasonc]

If you were teaching Revelation and I felt you were taking me off in left field......you are right.I would not listen.There are a lot of different end time views not just pre-trib.In fact pre-trib is not that popular right now.

again so you do have a demonation. my church has a end time statement that allows for middle, pre and post. I think most of my elders know that im not in that group. I don't teach my views there, I wont. unless they saw some reason to allow me to do that. I can say why so and so is wrong. so long as its in humility and edification it wouldn't matter. but if it goes south, it not a good idea.

a lot of churches have the same style of end time openness.

 

[Willie T]

You would not believe the things I have discussed with preachers who would never ever teach their personal views from the pulpit.

 

[Kathi]

You would not believe the things I have discussed with preachers who would never ever teach their personal views from the pulpit.

Is it that bad?

 

[Malachi]

You would not believe the things I have discussed with preachers who would never ever teach their personal views from the pulpit.

Then they really should have resigned long ago. If our public views do not match our private beliefs, we are hypocrites, and worse than hypocrites.

Getting back on topic, friendliness is never a bad thing, but if the church has compromised itself in the things which really matter, friendliness is worthless. Also, we see no exhoratations in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus (the pastoral epistles) regarding "friendliness".

The true Gospel is generally not being preached in all its fulness today, and God's true Bible doctrines are not being taught systematically today. There is confusion about Bible prophecy because too many preachers are too lazy to search the Scriptures. Finally, the power of prayer and of the Holy Spirit is being given second place to the works of the flesh. Entertainment and not spirituality is what is drawing "the crowds" today.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Then they really should have resigned long ago. If our public views do not match our private beliefs, we are hypocrites, and worse than hypocrites.

Getting back on topic, friendliness is never a bad thing, but if the church has compromised itself in the things which really matter, friendliness is worthless. Also, we see no exhoratations in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus (the pastoral epistles) regarding "friendliness".

The true Gospel is generally not being preached in all its fulness today, and God's true Bible doctrines are not being taught systematically today. There is confusion about Bible prophecy because too many preachers are too lazy to search the Scriptures. Finally, the power of prayer and of the Holy Spirit is being given second place to the works of the flesh. Entertainment and not spirituality is what is drawing "the crowds" today.

So what should we do about it?
Close down all the churches and start over?
That might not be a bad idea except there are good churches out there.

 

[jasonc]

Then they really should have resigned long ago. If our public views do not match our private beliefs, we are hypocrites, and worse than hypocrites.

Getting back on topic, friendliness is never a bad thing, but if the church has compromised itself in the things which really matter, friendliness is worthless. Also, we see no exhoratations in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus (the pastoral epistles) regarding "friendliness".

The true Gospel is generally not being preached in all its fulness today, and God's true Bible doctrines are not being taught systematically today. There is confusion about Bible prophecy because too many preachers are too lazy to search the Scriptures. Finally, the power of prayer and of the Holy Spirit is being given second place to the works of the flesh. Entertainment and not spirituality is what is drawing "the crowds" today.

so being that im amil , I guess I shouldn't even attend any local church that isn't that way. and I shouldn't allow them that disagree to teach at all in my church. which I would allow that if its done in a respectful and edifying manner.

 

[jasonc]

Then they really should have resigned long ago. If our public views do not match our private beliefs, we are hypocrites, and worse than hypocrites.

Getting back on topic, friendliness is never a bad thing, but if the church has compromised itself in the things which really matter, friendliness is worthless. Also, we see no exhoratations in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus (the pastoral epistles) regarding "friendliness".

The true Gospel is generally not being preached in all its fulness today, and God's true Bible doctrines are not being taught systematically today. There is confusion about Bible prophecy because too many preachers are too lazy to search the Scriptures. Finally, the power of prayer and of the Holy Spirit is being given second place to the works of the flesh. Entertainment and not spirituality is what is drawing "the crowds" today.

ok so I guess being partial preterist amil type, I shouldn't teach anyone at church nor teach at all since I attend the opposite and well here is a list of futurist churches that I have been too
first church of god
twentieth ave church of god(home church)
calvary chapel of vero.
treasure coast assembly of god
central assembly of god
winter beach church of god
Christian and missioniary allance
king's baptist
vero beach Baptist church
winter beach Baptist church
world on fire revivals

all of them are pre trib.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I think so, maybe, maybe not, I'm not sure, what do you think?

8% growth, I'm guessing.

Add a loud, overwhelming, thumping drummer.....25-50% growth. The church is so misguided.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Sorry, Guys. Everyone knows it is the drummer who truly brings you to Jesus.

Lol, I'm only now seeing this.

There is something terribly, terribly wrong with congregants these days.

Head banging music took over popular music somewhere around 1981. I pretty much bailed out of music then because of my utter distaste for the stuff. Now I'm a Christian and I see the appetite for head banging is pervading the church. YUK!

Let's worship the Lord together folks.

"Oh, you are holy Lord" BAM!

"You are the light of life" BAM!

"You are..."

 

[Willie T]

Did you know that a great many of the Christian hymns we consider so Holy and respectfully traditional were, at the time of their inception, resisted and declared horrible (just as we say about today's worship music). And some were even down right banned in certain churches for awhile.

And even those people back then were NOT worshiping to music anywhere like the early church employed.

We all get so stubborn, and have our heads shoved into the sand over a multitude of things... not just music. All, to declare that we are the spiritual ones.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Did you know that a great many of the Christian hymns we consider so Holy and respectfully traditional were, at the time of their inception, resisted and declared horrible (just as we say about today's worship music). And some were even down right banned in certain churches for awhile.

And even those people back then were NOT worshiping to music anywhere like the early church employed.

We all get so stubborn, and have our heads shoved into the sand over a multitude of things... not just music. All, to declare that we are the spiritual ones.

Loud is fine (have you ever worshiped with 50,000 men at a Promise Keepers convention?). Exuberance is wonderful, but bashing a drum that rattles your brain is not how you experience intimate contact with the Holy Spirit. It's so completely out of place for that moment you make contact with God by the Holy Spirit. Clapping is another obnoxious interruption to that moment.

It's dangerous to confuse 'good' music (ahem) with spiritual music. I see this over and over in people who attend popular, 'with it', mega-churches. It's the problem with seeking entertainment instead of spirituality and thinking you found spirituality just because you were entertained.

 

[TOG]

8% growth, I'm guessing.

Add a loud, overwhelming, thumping drummer.....25-50% growth. The church is so misguided.

The first century church had neither electric guitars nor drummers, and they went from 120 to 3000 in one day. How many percent is that?

The TOG​

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

The first century church had neither electric guitars nor drummers, and they went from 120 to 3000 in one day. How many percent is that?

The TOG​

That's an unrealistic statistic.
They went from nothing to something.
We already have the something.

 

[TOG]

That's an unrealistic statistic.
They went from nothing to something.
We already have the something.

It might be unrealistic to expect that kind of increase today, but the fact remains that they didn't have any of the things that are considered necessary for church growth today. But they had something that many churches today lack - the leading and power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the disciples to wait until the Spirit came. How many times do you hear today "don't start your ministry until the Holy Spirit tells you to start"?

The TOG​

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

It might be unrealistic to expect that kind of increase today, but the fact remains that they didn't have any of the things that are considered necessary for church growth today. But they had something that many churches today lack - the leading and power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the disciples to wait until the Spirit came. How many times do you hear today "don't start your ministry until the Holy Spirit tells you to start"?

The TOG​

I hear it all the time.
What church do you go to that doesn't do that?

 

[TOG]

I hear it all the time.
What church do you go to that doesn't do that?

I pretty much don't go to church any more, but I used to go to a Lutheran church, and before that a Presbyterian church. In both places, I was encouraged to do street preaching and witness door-to-door, before I even received any confirmation that that's what God wanted me to do (I later figured out that it wasn't). They expected everybody to "do the work of an evangelist", whether that's what God had specifically called them to or not.

The TOG​

 

[Kathi]

I pretty much don't go to church any more, but I used to go to a Lutheran church, and before that a Presbyterian church. In both places, I was encouraged to do street preaching and witness door-to-door, before I even received any confirmation that that's what God wanted me to do (I later figured out that it wasn't). They expected everybody to "do the work of an evangelist", whether that's what God had specifically called them to or not.

The TOG​

I was a member of a Lutheran church too.I didn't feel it there.I learned very little.

 

[jasonc]

I was a member of a Lutheran church too.I didn't feel it there.I learned very little.

one can learn at times from your church or not. sometimes its not the learning but the doing that is needful.

 

[Willie T]

one can learn at times from your church or not. sometimes its not the learning but the doing that is needful.

Our preacher did his last installment of the series on Rescuing Revelation, this morning (Part # VI ), and much of the lesson was on this very concept of "doing", instead of "waiting" and "watching" or focusing upon "being prepared".

I'll post the address again (They are all the same location, so any of those I posted in the past will take you right to the same place) when it gets put online. Only one more week to go..... The one where he answers questions directly from the congregation. That should be interesting.

 

[Malachi]

So what should we do about it?...

Rollo,

1. The first thing we should do is recognize that "the falling away" or the great apostasy which the apostle Paul prophesied (2 Thess 2:3)has occurred and is gaining ground every day in the evangelical churches, which see nothing wrong with joining hands with Rome and other apostate churches. Believers need to be aware and alert and stand up and speak out -- "Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain" (Rev 3:2).

2. The second thing we should be doing is applying the exhortations which the Holy Spirit gave to the 7 churches in the book of Revelation, and deal with the sins that are within our local assemblies -- "I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil; and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars" (Rev 2:2).

3. The third things which local churches should be doing is coming before the Lord to repent of their falling away (Rev 2:5,16,21; 3:3,19). Do you notice how often the Lord is commanding the churches to repent? "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and REPENT, and do the first works..." (Rev 2:5).

Where is that happening? In wicked Nineveh, the evil king and the Ninevites immediately fasted, put on sackcloth, and "turned every one from his evil way" (Jonah 3:5-10) . That's what the churches should be doing. Instead we have the World Evangelical Alliance joining hands with Rome as we speak.