What's new
By:
Filters
Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Institutional Church vs Home Church?

V

vessel

Guest
Is one better than the other? Is someone in a better place if they attend a home church rather than a institutional church or vice versa? Is there a NT church model in the Scriptures that validates one over the other, or perhaps both? Or is it wherever there is Life, wherever Christ is in the midst, regardless of the place of meeting, there lies the Church?
 
All I would say is that Christ taught that our hearts we're the Temple. To me, where you fellowship with God is not as important as actaully fellowshipping with the father.
 
Shalom,

Basically either or is fine.

First all members in CHRIST constitute "The Church" (Col 1:24).
Second either assembly method is fine. The Organized Church (OC) started by meeting with the Jews in the Temple. Later they were expelled for what was basically considered heresy. Not being then able to secure larger facilities or not needing to they met in local homes or wherever they could. Thus either or will do. Just don't forsake the meeting together in fellowship as some do.
 
Great words, Pastor Eric. I feel the same way. By the way, if I haven't said it already, Welcome to the forums. 8-)
 
vessel said:
Is one better than the other? Is someone in a better place if they attend a home church rather than a institutional church or vice versa? Is there a NT church model in the Scriptures that validates one over the other, or perhaps both? Or is it wherever there is Life, wherever Christ is in the midst, regardless of the place of meeting, there lies the Church?
Click to expand...

I recall looking at our church budget several years ago. About 80% of it was salaries for the pastors. Most of the rest of it was for building costs and maintenance and the like. And then if we had anything left over, we threw the poor a bone to make ourselves feel better.
 
Well if you're churches budget pays out that much to the Pastor, maybe your church should start looking over your tithes and offerings. It might not be the buildings fault, but those who worship in it. Remember, the church is the body, not the building. 8-)
 
Shalom,

First let me say Adam's son that there is no such thing as a "church budget". According to scripture once you have taken your money to the Temple as an offering and laid it down, it is no longer yours thus it can not be a budget for the church (please remember that you are the church not the building or what is often called the church).

Second, once you have taken the money in what happens to it after that point is the responsibility of the Pastor (the Priest of the OT). If he or they or she is misusing it that is actually between them and GOD and not the sheep.

Third, since you saw the so-called "church budget" I will assume that your assembly is structured in such a way that appeases the IRS rather than GOD. Therefore you would be entitled by law or by-laws to see much of what is going on in other aspects of this local assembly and if there is a problem as you perceive it then there is also in place a solution. One such as board meetings where points of inquiry can be brought up.

Fourth from what you have said I would agree with probably you and Brutus/HisCatalyst that the problem is in the body and yet possibly also in the Pastor. Neither is fulfilling their calling properly. I assume your "board" makes financial decisions such as how much to pay your Pastor. However scripturally by going back to the OT you will find that he is only to receive a tithe of what comes in and any offering that is specified for that purpose. If this structure were in place then this would not be the problem.

To be perfectly honest with you just from what little you posted and my own personal past experiences as Pastor I would come in and scrap the current structure of the assembly and rewrite it from the ground up! In addition it sounds like you are in a typical "Traditional" assembly! Yuk!!!
Mar 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top