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I quit church

wondering said:
Free said:
There are things we do because we are supposed to, despite how we feel.
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I couldn't agree more.
But going to church is not one of them.

Remember to keep Holy the Sabbath.

Maybe we should start a thread on what that means.
Does it mean going to church? That's certainly a part of it.
Then what?
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You've just contradicted yourself. You say that church is not one of those things we do because we are supposed to, then go on to say that we need to keep the Sabbath holy, a part of which is going to church.

Perhaps you can clear that up for me.

wondering said:
Jesus, as in Mathew, wanted a transformation of the heart. Chapters 5 to 7 deal with the beautitudes.
Jesus said to be humble in Mathew 5:3 The Poor In Spirit.
Did He mean that I should make believe that I'm poor in spirit, or that I really should be?
It's of no value to make believe. God knows what we "feel".
If we're going to church to follow a rule, we're going for the pastor, priest, or friends.
If we're going because we want to be there, then we're going to please God and due to that transformation which will work most times, but, alas, being human, not all times.
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We should always be going to church because that is what the Bible says we should do. But while we are there, we are to follow whatever rules that are put in place by the leadership.
 
Free said:
Irrelevant to my question. I'll ask again: if one has been participating in the life of the church for years and wants to continue participating in those things, then why would one not just become a member? What is the root issue for not becoming a member?
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The root issue for not becoming a member is based on the fact that it is unbiblical.
We are all members of the body of Christ.
If I have to join a church to pray with people, then there is something wrong.
Why should I put myself in amongst a group of people that I cannot fellowship with.
Should I follow a pastor that does wrong?
Should I put up with prayer group leaders who follow their leaders blindly?
I've been at this for over 32 years.
It took me a long time to figure things out.
Now I'm old and disabled and nobody in the church could care less.
Not one.
And you want me to think I'm not honoring God by staying away?
 
Free said:
You've just contradicted yourself. You say that church is not one of those things we do because we are supposed to, then go on to say that we need to keep the Sabbath holy, a part of which is going to church.

Perhaps you can clear that up for me.


We should always be going to church because that is what the Bible says we should do. But while we are there, we are to follow whatever rules that are put in place by the leadership.
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1984
 
Allen Wynne said:
The root issue for not becoming a member is based on the fact that it is unbiblical.
We are all members of the body of Christ.
If I have to join a church to pray with people, then there is something wrong.
Why should I put myself in amongst a group of people that I cannot fellowship with.
Should I follow a pastor that does wrong?
Should I put up with prayer group leaders who follow their leaders blindly?
I've been at this for over 32 years.
It took me a long time to figure things out.
Now I'm old and disabled and nobody in the church could care less.
Not one.
And you want me to think I'm not honoring God by staying away?
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Good for you Allen.
It has to work both ways.
Most churches do not care for their members.
It makes a person feel ignored and not part of the church. (small c)
And this happens to everyone. Even people that tithe 10% of all they earn.
They set up their ministries. If you could attend, fine --- if not, too bad.
Maybe some here have not had this experience yet?
 
Allen Wynne said:
Well that's not true as I've been a member of a church for 11 years that never let the members rule on anything, only the staff decides.
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The church I'm leaving has all kinds of rules that are not voted on.
They are coming out of the pastor's office.
The same with Calvary Chapel, which claims no membership and the pastors do as they please
Do you really believe that John Hagee allows anyone to open their mouth on any issue in his church?
And the beat goes on.
 
Free said:
Irrelevant to my question. I'll ask again: if one has been participating in the life of the church for years and wants to continue participating in those things, then why would one not just become a member? What is the root issue for not becoming a member?
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Because they feel that the top-down institutional approach is doing them wrong, probably going against former values of the church, and likely already had been doing those things before the thing about the prayer was added or possibly even before the concept of membership was added or changed.

Likely, there's more to the story and we actually speaking of a conflict in the middle of a story

So, I would surmise Allen Wayne feels torn because he is connected and loyal to people in the church but not the concept of membership in this church. He might actually have a far easier time being a member of a different church than this one.

Keeping the Sabbath day never meant "attend church" or even "attend synagogue" that's a distortion that has formed over time. Institutionalism can protect against error, but depending on who is in power it can make corrupt things seem right.
 
Allen Wynne said:
The root issue for not becoming a member is based on the fact that it is unbiblical.
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No, that's not it. I have given good reasons, including from the Bible, why membership in a church is a good thing and why the NT church may have actually had formal membership lists.

Allen Wynne said:
We are all members of the body of Christ.
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Yes, but that doesn't mean that there shouldn't be formal church memberships.

Allen Wynne said:
If I have to join a church to pray with people, then there is something wrong.
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Perhaps, but I have also given some sound reasons as to why that might be the case. In terms of a church where you had been for eleven years and should have been well known, that's absurd on their part. But maybe in not wanting to appear to be showing favouritism, they decided to apply it to all people. You would have to discuss their reasons with them.

Allen Wynne said:
Why should I put myself in amongst a group of people that I cannot fellowship with.
Should I follow a pastor that does wrong?
Should I put up with prayer group leaders who follow their leaders blindly?
I've been at this for over 32 years.
It took me a long time to figure things out.
Now I'm old and disabled and nobody in the church could care less.
Not one.
And you want me to think I'm not honoring God by staying away?
Click to expand...
But now you're bringing in all sorts of other issues that you didn't before, using them as a counter-argument to an argument that was not addressing them.
 
Free said:
No, that's not it. I have given good reasons, including from the Bible, why membership in a church is a good thing and why the NT church may have actually had formal membership lists.


Yes, but that doesn't mean that there shouldn't be formal church memberships.


Perhaps, but I have also given some sound reasons as to why that might be the case. In terms of a church where you had been for eleven years and should have been well known, that's absurd on their part. But maybe in not wanting to appear to be showing favouritism, they decided to apply it to all people. You would have to discuss their reasons with them.


But now you're bringing in all sorts of other issues that you didn't before, using them as a counter-argument to an argument that was not addressing them.
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Oh, is that the problem?
You thought we were arguing?
I thought we were discussing.
It's so difficult to figure out people on the internet.
What can we do?
There's no reason to continue this.
I wrote the thread for the purpose of getting support, not to be attacked.
You can believe you've won, smile about it, and be on your way.
I have no reason to talk top you about it further.
 
Allen Wynne said:
Oh, is that the problem?
You thought we were arguing?
I thought we were discussing.
It's so difficult to figure out people on the internet.
What can we do?
There's no reason to continue this.
I wrote the thread for the purpose of getting support, not to be attacked.
You can believe you've won, smile about it, and be on your way.
I have no reason to talk top you about it further.
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:confused

Your OP in no way seems as though you were looking for support but rather lodging a complaint about a specific issue you had with your church for which you decided to leave. And it's an issue which, to me, suggests that you have a problem with authority.

No, we weren't arguing; we were discussing....at least for my part.
 
Free said:
:confused

Your OP in no way seems as though you were looking for support but rather lodging a complaint about a specific issue you had with your church for which you decided to leave. And it's an issue which, to me, suggests that you have a problem with authority.

No, we weren't arguing; we were discussing....at least for my part.
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Well Free, if you don't see me posting anymore, you can tack it up to you harassing me.
Good bye.
 
wondering said:
iLOVE,

Do you remember Gabriel ever talking about how he used to WORK for his salvation? He says how he never understood freedom in Christ and the work of the Cross. He talks about how difficult it was and how he thought everything was up to him.

Then he explains how one day he really understood the freedom In Christ. How he rests in God's love and His finished work.

Do you know what he means when he says all these things?
You are to follow your Christianity the way God allows you to understand it.
However, you are preaching the Law here and not Grace.
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Many Believers are doing what's right in their own eyes, and the Word of God is not being consulted. Unless a man or woman is willing to place themselves under Kingdom authority, they will be always be living under conflict; why? because they get to take care of themselves.

By: Tony Evans
 
iLOVE said:
I understand now. You give but don't tithe. You love the Lord, but you don't love Him first. Revelation 2:4-5, Matthew 6:33, Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 5:11-14
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11“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ (Luke 18:11-12 NASB)
 
Jethro Bodine said:
11“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ (Luke 18:11-12 NASB)
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What test is used in the bible to see if you are in faith?
Answer...Luke 16:9-13

Christians are tested with the least in the Kingdom of God which is money.
Considering what Jesus has said here (Luke 16:9-13 NKJV), I think it would be difficult to overstate the significance of this down to earth, practical teaching, that applies to everyone. If a person cannot be trusted with money, and in any capacity, Jesus plainly says, he cannot be trusted with Salvation, i.e., "true riches." In view of the seriousness of what is being said, we would do well to heed carefully.

In these passages (Luke 16:9-13), Jesus is saying that irrespective of how loudly and how often we profess our Godliness, if it does not show up in our practical, every day living, and especially in the matters of money, and our responsibility toward others, our profession is vain. This statement is plain and clear, if we are unfaithful in these things. "Who will commit to our trust the true riches?"

By: JSM
 
Free said:
We should always be going to church because that is what the Bible says we should do. But while we are there, we are to follow whatever rules that are put in place by the leadership.
Click to expand...

Because I dont go to church I have no idea but would be interested to know what type of rules all the people here have at there churches. What are the rules churches have these days?. Obvious basic moral rules but what are the addons some have.

Anyone here church have any funny or wierd rules?. Please share.
 
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