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elijah23
Guest
When one looks for a church, does one want a church that believes exactly as he, or she, does, or does one want a church that will provide a group of loyal friends?
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Hi Elijah 23--I believe the answer to your question is NEITHER. Jesus said He would build His church, Matt.16. The identity of His church is found in the NT, it can be identified. By such identification we can determine the counterfeit from the real.
Its not what I want, not what I think nor what I believe that amounts to eternity, its what the Bible teaches about the church. As for loyal friends, Peter addresses his 2nd epistle to those "of like precious faith." Among those of "like precious faith" we have friends who are tuly "loyal".
Its not what I want, not what I think nor what I believe that amounts to eternity, its what the Bible teaches about the church. As for loyal friends, Peter addresses his 2nd epistle to those "of like precious faith." Among those of "like precious faith" we have friends who are tuly "loyal".
Jethro Bodine
Member
Choose one that has a pastor and leadership gifted in teaching and who is honest enough to acknowledge differing opinions about the things we really don't have absolute answers for...and who makes room for people who believe differently than him about those things.
God's plan is for us is to be unified in the fellowship of the Spirit as we study and learn together and grow up into Christ the Head, and as we do all the things the Church has been equipped to do for itself by the Spirit. Along the way you'll make great friends and learn a lot about God and his people and his plan for the ages.
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elijah23
Guest
A person can be very lonely, especially after the loss of a loved one. A good church will go a long ways in providing the friendship and support one needs when they are lonely.
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elijah23
Guest
I have no family within 450 miles of my home. My church IS my family, to a certain extent. Their support and friendship are invaluable.
Car Guy
Member
I agree with Webb and would add these as practical application in finding a true bible believing church:
1) The church must be preaching the Word of God from the pulpit. Is the message clearly rooted in scripture or is it just a lot of opinion and fluff?
2) Does the church offer inreach and outreach? Inreach meaning feeding the flock of beleivers with bible study, prayer meetings, suport groups, small groups, and so on. Out reach meaning supporting missions, evangelizing, serving the community, ect. There should be a balanced approach.
3) Is there a balance between the love of God and the justice of God taught by the pastors and lived out in the life of the members? A church that teaches all love and ignores sin and repentance should be avoided. The other extreme is also bad -- all sin and judgment with no love of God and forgiveness.
I'll add you should not be attending a church just to be around friends or family if there are problems with the fundamental theology or other warning signs I have listed above.
1) The church must be preaching the Word of God from the pulpit. Is the message clearly rooted in scripture or is it just a lot of opinion and fluff?
2) Does the church offer inreach and outreach? Inreach meaning feeding the flock of beleivers with bible study, prayer meetings, suport groups, small groups, and so on. Out reach meaning supporting missions, evangelizing, serving the community, ect. There should be a balanced approach.
3) Is there a balance between the love of God and the justice of God taught by the pastors and lived out in the life of the members? A church that teaches all love and ignores sin and repentance should be avoided. The other extreme is also bad -- all sin and judgment with no love of God and forgiveness.
I'll add you should not be attending a church just to be around friends or family if there are problems with the fundamental theology or other warning signs I have listed above.
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elijah23
Guest
One shouldn't depend on the pastor for learning. We must all be listening to the Lord to hear what he says to each of us.
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elijah23
Guest
Sooner or later we lose loved ones and find ourselves lonely. Churches can help cure that loneliness.
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elijah23
Guest
A person can be very lonely after the loss of loved ones. A church can cure that problem.
Car Guy
Member
Only Jesus Christ can be the true source to cure your loss and loneliness. The body of believers in a church is secondary.
Sorry if you are having a hard time but I don't want to give you bad, unscriptural advice, either.
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elijah23
Guest
When you begin to attend a church, there probably will be people who will become your friends. When the time comes you are in need, for any reason, you will find them there. There comes a time we all need friends. The loneliness that follows the loss of a husband or wife, the loss of a parent, brother or sister—it will happen to all of us one day.
Don’t underestimate the value of friendship and loyalty.
Don’t underestimate the value of friendship and loyalty.
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elijah23
Guest
I believe you will find the Lord wants you to have fellowship in your church.
Car Guy
Member
I don't disagree, but you can't put man into a position to cure matters of the heart that only God can cure.
In my own case, before I was married, I moved to a new state and didn't have any family or know one person. That time of loss away from friends and family taught me to trust in God more than ever. For the first two months I spend many hours in private prayer and bible study. I prayed every day for the Lord to fill me completely. He did, and I only felt loss or loneliness when I stopped trusting and started looking else ware besides Him. Before I knew it I was in a small group meeting some new friends and also doing some short term missions. Within 2 more years I meet my wife and was married. I think it only worked out this way because I put God first and foremost and trusted him to give me what I needed in His timing.
I just get a sense you are relying on people too much to fix what only God can fix and would encourage you to seek him with earnestness before thinking friendships will cure your loneliness.
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elijah23
Guest
Between the Lord and my church, I haven't been suffering from loneliness. I believe this is the Lord's will.
Jethro Bodine
Member
The plain Biblical fact is God has ordained certain people to lead and teach his people. I don't want you think I was suggesting that means we don't learn anything ourselves and must only depend on a pastor for all our learning. Maybe it's because the office of pastor/teacher is often abused and filled with people who do not have this calling that some think that its value doesn't exist or isn't needed.
The point is, when you pick a church make sure it is being led by someone God has appointed and equipped in the power of the Spirit to teach the Word, because I'm convinced a church must have as it's core the ministry of teaching the Word in order for it to thrive and succeed in fulfilling all the things God has ordained for it to be.
The pastor sets the tone for the church. IMO, if things are wrong or inadequate in regard to the pastor's anointing to teach the Bible you can't reasonably expect the church as a whole to reasonably fulfill the will of God for the people in the church. You can get along fairly well when other things aren't quite right, but not when there's a lack in the office of teacher/pastor, and the teaching of the Word of God through the Spirit is not the core foundation of the church.
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elijah23
Guest
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. Mat 23:8 RSV
Unless the preacher is also an elder (elder and pastor being the same) he cannot be termed "pastor". Qualifications for such men are found in I Tim. 3 and Titus 1. This goes back to what I said in my 1st. post that in choosing a church, if you want Christ's church and not a man-made church study it's identity in the NT. There are many counterfeits.
Jethro Bodine
Member
And this is entirely correct. We should not do that. But the 'rhabbi' and 'kathēgētēs' Jesus is speaking of in Matthew 23 are not the 'didaskalos' that God has appointed in the church to teach his people.
It's okay to have teachers (didaskalos) in the church. That is not what Jesus was talking about. If we take what Jesus said in Matthew 23 the way you are then we should not even address our grade school teachers by that title.