To be the church

[JennyThatcher123]

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif][if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> To be the church. This is a concept I heard and wanted peoples input on. It is easy to think that the building we go to worship in is the church, it is. Is it bigger than that though?
Could the church be the collective? So when the doors close to worship, does the church leave the building?

I was injured years ago during winter. Without any prompting some came to plow my drive way- the church has left the building. A single mom needs help with a repair that she can not afford, you do it, and you bring the church to her. Someone down the road is having a hard time, while a stranger just drops off a box of groceries, Jesus just stopped by.

I could keep on but I choose not to. I think the people are the church, I think Jesus tried to tell us this. So what does this look like from your perspective? Please share and God bless.

 

[Tina]

Absolutely! I agree with you ...

The church is the Body of Christ, not the building of Christ ... :D


The true purpose and meaning of church is defeated when believers worship Him in church buildings on weekends and then go about their lives on weekdays as if meeting over, church is dismissed.

We are to be the church without walls, and unless we are in some place like China, there should be no reason for us to live like underground closet Christians where the outside world has no freedom to interact with believers and hear the good news of the gospel !

 

[reba]

 

[farouk]

'Where two or three are gathered...'

 

[ivorhughjarse]

I've never done a big post but here goes


God loves the church, he is jealous for it and he gave his only son for it. Jesus gave up his life for it. To God and Jesus the church is most special and therefore to attack it or not care in some way for the church is a sin. If so much hangs on pleasing God by also loving his church the thing that he jealously loves and cares for, it would prove valuable to us to know what church is and also by comparison what church is not.

To illustrate imagine a place in an area where not many know Jesus. The Holy Spirit moves a couple to go to a town and hire a room, post flyers and arrange a small talk on the bible for Sunday morning. An older Christian lady from the town brings her grandson. Two families who were born Catholic who are God fearing but no longer attend church arrive. The local vagrant comes in and a few Christian friends of the couple make up the small gathering. The man greets all with a passion and at 10 o’clock he asks a prayer, says a few words about how he feels the Holy Spirit has called him and what his hopes for the future of the town are. He reads the bible and bravely initiates a song of praise to God “all things bright and beautiful†which most know and concludes in prayer to God through Jesus Christ. The man and his wife then provide drinks and a snack of all. This is done with all sincerity and love.
Visiting the gathering six months later, they feel that God has truly blessed them. A large Christian family have moved into town, several from the area have accepted Jesus and been baptised in the local pool including the vagrant whom the couple have shown unswerving love for and the gathering has become 15 souls. They prayerfully consider a name and call their place The Rented Room and all are happy with the decision. There is evident love of Jesus in the place and the meetings now include more, with the Lords meal now a regular part of it.
Three years later they have a building with a cross on it a sign saying “Alpha Church†and the building includes a small self contained apartment called the “rented room†where the homeless may take refuge for free while the gathered Christians help them. They have become attached to another church a few miles away and apart from local disagreements common to all gatherings all is well. The meeting has a structured pattern,

Sunday Morning
Prayer, Worship, The Lords Meal, Talk or Bible Reading with Prayer and Drinks afterward

Wednesday Evening
Prayer meeting

Saturday Afternoon
Kiddies Time


Is this the Church that God Loves?

Well, yes and no, we need to see deeper into what church is and to take prayerful consideration because the Holy Spirit will reveal all to set the captives free. Now would be the appropriate time to say a prayer to God if you are uncomfortable or angry inside at what you anticipate you may read. I ask that in the prayer you include a desire to know Gods will on the matter.
Firstly does God love the couple and their efforts to start something for him? Yes the Holy Spirit moved them, and the couple being Christian God would love them if they did nothing because God’s love is unconditional.
Was Jesus at the first gathering and were the angels in heaven and on earth rejoicing? Of course they were Jesus said I will be with you until the end of the days. Did he love them? Was he jealously guarding them in their first steps as his own? Yes.
Later at the pool was Jesus pleased and the Holy Spirit moved by the baptism of a few in this small group and was he released into their lives to make changes as they submitted to his will? Yes

The day that the name “rented room†was prayed for was the inner spirit of all in attendance moved by the Holy Spirit did it feel just right? Yes God blessed them with this encouragement.

Their new building “Alpha Church†and their first mission to the homeless with “the rented room†was God in this and does he love what they have done, as a father loves a child that pleases him? Yes no doubt

Is God pleased with their weekly activity and their chosen order of service? He keenly watches and is well pleased with all the good work that this church does

Is this then the church that Jesus so loves and cares for? Well yes and no again.

What is the church that Jesus so loves so much? In the rented room did it matter that the room was rented and that they only could attend a few hours on a Sunday morning. Was it the wooden chairs that Jesus loved or the bus timetable on the wall, the flowered wallpaper or the community notice board that he cares with a passion for or was it actually the ones gathered? If this was the only room available and the gathering had to be on Monday evening not Sunday would Jesus still love the ones gathered? What if only half of the small number had arrived on the first day would Jesus and the angels have left the building? If a man that loses one lamb or one sheep from his fold would spend all night searching for it and rejoice more over the lost sheep found than the flock that was never lost then it appears that Jesus would stay whatever the numbers.
In summery. It’s not the building or the things hung on the walls or the décor or the quality of the furnishings or even the day of the week. Nor is it the number of the people gathered but it is the gathering of those who love Jesus and desire to know Jesus that he loves.
After six months and a new Christian family had moved in and some of those gathered had been baptised and the group had chosen the name “rented roomâ€. In reality nothing had changed with Jesus’ love for them. The numbers were greater and they had an identity in the name. Was Jesus now coming round to having a passion for the wallpaper and chairs or was it still the gathered ones that he loves so dearly?
Three years later they had their own building “Alpha Churchâ€. A cross on the out side wall, good furniture a designed structure of how they worship and many functions and appointments for the smooth running of the church they also acquired recognition from another church.

So what’s new in Jesus’ eyes? The wallpaper is stripes instead of flowers; does he watch more intently the décor and have a greater passion for the new carpet? Does he look at the bulletin board and see the rota and appointments and deem that he will guard for all eternity these appointments and never change any structure that the gathering has made and nothing now can be done any differently? Or is that open to the gathered ones and really Jesus passion is for the people who gather.
It is the people that are church and not the building or the decor, the day of the week, the number gathered or the structure of doing things, the appointments or the mission or that other men in another church deem to pronounce it a real church.

All that this church (gathered people) has done Jesus loves. And if they had chosen another day to worship he would still love them his church. If the numbers had not grown quickly he would love them his church. If the numbers had stood for some time or got smaller he would love them his church. If they had chosen another name or no name at all he would love them his church. If they arranged their meetings differently he would love them his church. If they moved to a different building he would love them his church.
The church that Jesus loves cares for and is passionately jealously on guard for are the ones who have let Jesus into their lives and aim to love God and their neighbour. Who gather together in any number, at any day of the week and at any time in or outside any building. With or without structure of addressing matters. To fellowship and encourage and edify all who gather to come to know the Lord and his purpose for them more fully.
This is the church that Jesus loves and if you belong to a gathering that has ones in it that have accepted Jesus into their lives and pursue to know him more, then you my friend are part of the church. Jesus will protect and love his church with all his heart for Jesus loves you and Jesus loves me and you are my brother or sister in the Lord

All things go. Methods of doing things, appointments, decor, furnishings even the buildings and organisations all succumb to time. But Jesus loves the people who are forever, first in the flesh then in spirit.

You may be in a big gathering with a lot happening or a few gathered in a home and nothing much happens. You may be rich you may be poor. You may have crosses and paintings in your building or no building at all. You may have a full schedule everyday of the week or you may gather for fellowship twice a month or less. Your gathering may have a wonderful God given inspirational name or no name at all. You are no more special than all of God's children and also no less special. All the above are the church and Jesus loves you all, the Holy Spirit guides you all and as real siblings you all fight each other and want to take control and do things your way. Stop it!

The church is the gathering together of Christians who have accepted Jesus into their lives and aim to live as Jesus wishes. Two or three or maybe more than a thousand its still church.

(Jesus knows who loves him and who in turn truly love their neighbour)

We cannot always see this in people that we meet and there are a million ways to praise God as well as your way, which is fine. I see loads of occasions where Christians are trying to convert Christians and all they are doing is attempting to get more people to praise God their way.

 

[Tina]

Ivorhughjarse,


You are absolutely right ...

.... your post is too big !



. .

 

[for_his_glory]

Latin root word for religion is bondage, following tradition and the doctrine of a mans church, not Gods true church. Religion tells you what you can and cannot do and becomes socially acceptable by mans interpretations, traditions and doctrines. Religion is what nailed Christ to the cross because this Bible is not socially acceptable to society, if it were then Christ would have died in vain. God is not about mans religion, nor does he recognize religion. God is about a personal relationship with you and His son Jesus Christ.

John 1:1 in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 the same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3 all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:4 in him was life; and the life was the light of men.
John 1:5 and the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

[farouk]

Latin root word for religion is bondage, following tradition and the doctrine of a mans church, not Gods true church. Religion tells you what you can and cannot do and becomes socially acceptable by mans interpretations, traditions and doctrines. Religion is what nailed Christ to the cross because this Bible is not socially acceptable to society, if it were then Christ would have died in vain. God is not about mans religion, nor does he recognize religion. God is about a personal relationship with you and His son Jesus Christ.

John 1:1 in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 the same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3 all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:4 in him was life; and the life was the light of men.
John 1:5 and the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

for his glory:

Great verses; getting to be on a right standing with God by faith in Christ comes first. The church aspect comes afterwards. So many folk confuse the order of things.

 

[poppers]

the church is not a building, the church building is only a place where we gather to worship and to learn Bible doctrine. The true church is the body of believers all of them.every person who has ever believed in Christ is a member of that church the body of Christ.
The baptism of the Spirit places us into union with Christ, making each church age believer a member of the body of Christ, the Church, the Royal family of God (1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Peter 2:9).