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Is it time to turn away from the organized church?

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Thursday night I was watching a film about faith on netflix and it got me thinking that it's time to take the gospel to the unchurched pagans in the streets just as it was time for Paul to take the gospel to the gentiles when the religious community of their day vehemently opposed his message.:

"when the (church) saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by (insert gospel worker name here), and were blaspheming. 46 (those gospel workers) spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of (the truth), behold, we are turning to the (unchurched pagans)." (Acts 13:45-46 NASB parenthesis mine of course to make my point)

What do you think?
 
Thursday night I was watching a film about faith on netflix and it got me thinking that it's time to take the gospel to the unchurched pagans in the streets just as it was time for Paul to take the gospel to the gentiles when the religious community of their day vehemently opposed his message.:

"when the (church) saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by (insert gospel worker name here), and were blaspheming. 46 (those gospel workers) spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of (the truth), behold, we are turning to the (unchurched pagans)." (Acts 13:45-46 NASB parenthesis mine of course to make my point)

What do you think?
The jews, and Gentiles
 
I think of church as something to be in but not of.

Am I making sense?
I go, am involved, volunteer and meet, greet and get involved in friends lives. But since there are things I vehemently disagree with about them...there is a separation. And in that stance I have a family that are the only ones with me.

But missions are a focus of mine....and the church is where I find them.
 
The jews, and Gentiles
Yes, the Jews were the religious folks thoroughly indoctrinated by the religious doctrines of the day, while the gentiles did not have that baggage keeping them from, and interfering with the truth. Paul finally got so fed up he turned to those who would listen--and listen because they were pure in that they had no preconceived doctrines to blind them from the truth.
 
That was from the the Lord Jethro...

Psalm 9:1 To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
 
But missions are a focus of mine....and the church is where I find them.
What do you think about street ministry?
I was like you....I felt the church is where the truth was needed to be heard, so it (the church) could be changed.
Now I think it's time to build a new church--another reformation--built on the foundational truth of life and liberty in Christ, taught with a demonstration of power, not mere words like our churches (generally speaking of course) teach their indoctrinated truths.
 
That was from the the Lord Jethro...

Psalm 9:1 To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
If only you knew the full extent of what's going on inside of me that makes this so wonderfully applicable. Thank you for the confirmation.
What a pleasant, and encouraging, and godly, and anointed, prophetic use of the scriptures.
 
What do you think about street ministry?
I was like you....I felt the church is where the truth was needed to be heard, so it (the church) could be changed.
Now I think it's time to build a new church--another reformation--built on the foundational truth of life and liberty in Christ, taught with a demonstration of power, not mere words like our churches (generally speaking of course) teach their indoctrinated truths.
Totally not in my wheelhouse.
As a construction worker I meet new young men regularly.
Then on a personal, regular basis I get to tell them what God has done for me and what I have in Christ.
Now as a journeyman in the skilled trades I have clout, respectability and standing. Apprentices listen carefully to what I am saying and I can work with them on a personal basis.

A stranger on the street has none of that.

Sure I get laughed at...but in the course of time my skills and experience and abilities laugh back...and last and best.

Edited to add:
I send young men to church. It's the best place for those needing training wheels in the ride called life. There is the help that an itinerant person can get...no other place like it.
 
Totally not in my wheelhouse.
As a construction worker I meet new young men regularly.
Then on a personal, regular basis I get to tell them what God has done for me and what I have in Christ.
Now as a journeyman in the skilled trades I have clout, respectability and standing. Apprentices listen carefully to what I am saying and I can work with them on a personal basis.

A stranger on the street has none of that.

Sure I get laughed at...but in the course of time my skills and experience and abilities laugh back...and last and best.

Edited to add:
I send young men to church. It's the best place for those needing training wheels in the ride called life. There is the help that an itinerant person can get...no other place like it.
Okay, cool. Sounds like where I've been for the last 30 years. So I totally respect what you're saying.
What if instead of telling people what Jesus did for you alone, you lay hands on them as you pray for them according to their need and Jesus does for them what he has done for you, ministering the knowledge of God in a demonstration of power instead of just words. Are you there bro? If not, think you ever can be?

The world has had enough of our powerless disappointing words....and so has the church, quite frankly.
 
Okay, cool. Sounds like where I've been for the last 30 years. So I totally respect what you're saying.
What if instead of telling people what Jesus did for you alone, you lay hands on them as you pray for them according to their need and Jesus does for them what he has done for you, ministering the knowledge of God in a demonstration of power instead of just words. Are you there bro? If not, think you ever can be?

The world has had enough of our powerless disappointing words....and so has the church, quite frankly.
OK. But I can't guarantee what, when, where and why God will do anything for them except for Salvation.

I am not even going to try to speak for God. I ain't anywhere good enough for that. "Unclean lips"

I can tell only what I know.
Pray?
Always and without ceasing.
 
OK. But I can't guarantee what, when, where and why God will do anything for them except for Salvation.
No, salvation comes after the demonstration of power. If all goes well, you can lead them to salvation. If not, trust that someone else farther down the line gets the harvest from your work.

I am not even going to try to speak for God.
Right. Just give God a chance to speak and work through you, that's all. The power of love rising up inside of you is where the anointing comes from, and the courage to test it to see if it really is of God.

I can tell only what I know.
Boy, you sure do sound like me, lol.
I'm finding out that ministering in the power of the Spirit is not necessarily about knowing ahead of time what God is absolutely going to do. It's about stepping out in faith on behalf of someone because you genuinely care about them and want them to find and experience God--just like you do your own kids. Everyone you meet is someone's kid, or parent, or whatever. Almost everyone I talked to about Christ at my workplace years ago eventually told me about a crazy 'religious' aunt or grandma that I could only conclude was the reason I was talking to them. It changed my own prayers for my own kids.
 
I dunno. Sometimes...churches seem like they're just an outgrowth of society. not to knock all churches and church-goers, far from it, but...I see where you're coming from. My own inclination would be to move more towards small groups and home "churches". The problem there is that there's no way to guard against serious error and repeat the probs of any number of groups/denominations that swerved into error over time.

As for taking The Word directly to the un-believers...possibly? The World has always been at odds with The Cross, and I think now that society has changed and is changing, there's much more open hostility, from all levels of society. I live in The Bible Belt ("1,000 miles wide, 1 inch deep"), and there's --still-- opposition to The Cross, and it seems somewhat worse to me because everybody goes to church. Ugh.

Point is...The Bible also warns us of casting pearls before swine. Increasinly, society is not only filled with swine, its filled with self-important, heady, reckless and hedonistic swine filled with psychobabble and New Age nonsense...that or agnosticism, militant atheism, etc.

So...I dunno. I just don't know.
 
My own inclination would be to move more towards small groups and home "churches". The problem there is that there's no way to guard against serious error and repeat the probs of any number of groups/denominations that swerved into error over time.
That's a problem because small groups often lack official leadership. Those in educated leadership have stacks of education loans to pay back and can't settle for a small group that may barely pay their mortgage, let alone pay them enough to meet the monthly student loan payment.

But I agree, a small group/church is probably best suited to launch a 'hands on/ in your face' kind of ministry to people on the street. Small groups of believers can best encourage and build each other up spiritually for the task through personal interaction among themselves, and they provide the best setting and atmosphere for an inquirer who was ministered to outside of that group to come in by invitation and learn more about Christ/ Christianity. I'm definitely talking about a grassroots movement here.

As for taking The Word directly to the un-believers...possibly? The World has always been at odds with The Cross, and I think now that society has changed and is changing, there's much more open hostility, from all levels of society.
There is, but it's hostility is pointed toward the ivory towers in Christianity from whence Christians look down in hate and judgment on the unsaved masses. But meet them where they're at with the disarming love of Jesus in polite and loving interaction and you immediately distinguish yourself from that which the world hates.

I live in The Bible Belt ("1,000 miles wide, 1 inch deep"), and there's --still-- opposition to The Cross, and it seems somewhat worse to me because everybody goes to church. Ugh.
EXACTLY! I live in the Bible belt too, and if I remember correctly not to terribly far from you. This is the EXACT place where it's time to say, "enough, we're dusting our feet of your cold dead powerless traditions that to you seem to represent the power and love of God. We're taking the truths you resist and discredit and contradict to those who don't know enough of your so-called truth to resist what we say."

You see, I thought it would be cool to come to the Bible belt ten years ago for the very reason this is where traditional Bible values are generally respected. But I did know it meant the entrenchment of Spirit-less tradition. It was as expected. But generally, I have to admit society here is better for it. It's just that the true Spirit-filled life of the believer suffocates underneath the facade.

Point is...The Bible also warns us of casting pearls before swine.
I don't believe praying for someone's healing, or whatever, who is letting you do that at your polite request, is casting pearls. Casting pearls is what happens in, for example, the A&P threads. The precious word of God is held up to ridicule to those who have made it more than obvious they have no intention of learning from it, but in trampling it down to the ground. Yes, I'm guilty. Sometimes I just don't know when to stop casting in the hope that the word will make an impact in a hardened soul.

Increasinly, society is not only filled with swine, its filled with self-important, heady, reckless and hedonistic swine filled with psychobabble and New Age nonsense...that or agnosticism, militant atheism, etc.
...all with ailments and needs that their religions and philosophies and status and riches and reasonings can't touch. The goal being to lead them to humble themselves just enough through your polite conversation, and perhaps the anointing of a music ministry, to accept your request for you to pray for them in the hope that God will reach out to them in real power, not just words through you. It isn't about knowing for sure God will do something. It's about giving God the chance to. All in accordance with your gift and the measure of faith God has given you to exercise it (Romans 12:3-8 NASB).

One thing God has given all of us is the power to love people and wish they had the power and grace of the Holy Spirit like you yourself have. And the more you are experiencing it for yourself and growing because of it, the more you will want others to have it. That's where the building up of each other in prayer, the reading of the word, and spiritual worship before you hit the streets comes in. Which, as we all know, can only happen in small intimate groups of believers. Which can exist in a big church, too. It's just that the big church has to be broken down into those kinds of groups.
 
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Jethro Bodine, please post the name of the Netflix show. I'm going back to work today and always have time to watch while I'm at work. I'm interested in watching it too.
 
Jethro Bodine, please post the name of the Netflix show. I'm going back to work today and always have time to watch while I'm at work. I'm interested in watching it too.
Thank you for asking. I was waiting to see if someone might be interested (I was just getting ready to PM it to Christ_empowered ).

"Furious Love"

(There is another one too, but I have to grasp for the title). Please give it a chance and let's talk about it. I'm not pretending that it is a perfect representation of what I'm talking about. What I can see is the fundamental truth the film represents.
 
Grass root efforts?

Exactly how do you think most established churches started?

I've seen several that have started out in someone's house and become huge cathedral sized organizations. Been a part of them too.

Setting up a shack to meet in that isn't up to codes, blocks traffic and is an eyesore to the community with God's name on it is good?

Other people who had the best of intentions about leaving a positive legacy for the future generations in a city are getting denounced as heretics?

Probably not.

But inside of churches that don't have the ministry you want to promote need something... YOU to lead a ministry. And when you find yourself stopped and blocked...then move on.
 
Grass root efforts?

Exactly how do you think most established churches started?
The difference is what truths the grass roots movement is based on.

I'm a few minutes into "Finger of God".......not too sure about this one, lol, but if there is some truth to be gleaned from it I'll take it. I'm recommending 'Holy Spirit' (if that's really the name), and "Furious Love". I'd love to talk about them. Anybody who knows about and believes the truth of healing through the laying on of hands in prayer, even just a little, can catch the vision in these films.
 
Setting up a shack to meet in that isn't up to codes, blocks traffic and is an eyesore to the community with God's name on it is good?
Then don't do that, lol. That hardly means the entire vision is worthless.

Other people who had the best of intentions about leaving a positive legacy for the future generations in a city are getting denounced as heretics?
Perhaps this points to the fact they weren't the best of intentions to begin with, or later degraded into not so good intentions (which I tend to lean toward happening). If the sole intention is not to demonstrate the love of God in power alone, and that's it, you'll probably get bogged down and become as the church of the world is.
 
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