What does a real Biblical church look like?

[Dave...]

You found a new church. Everything felt perfect. For a while it felt like you were right on target. Everything was going great. But now, months later, you are more broken and miserable with less faith, less assurance and you see hypocrisy, lies and sin everywhere. What happened?

Do you know the difference between being worked up in the flesh and the awesome feeling of being fed the Word of God, even when it convicts you?

Do you know the difference between a church that is committed to glorifying God and one that, in disguise of glorifying God, actually creates and nurtures an environment that encourages people to glorify themselves?

Did you ever wonder why corruption and sin is running rampant in your church?

Do you wonder why your faith, assurance of salvation and your peace are going down the drain?

I'm not speaking of the regular struggles that all Christians should expect. I'm talking about churches that have from one degree to another, moved away from the truth. I've seen literally hundreds of people that I knew fall victim to these false teachers, and i've read about the same thing happening to people in this forum at their church. This is not a unique experience by any stretch of the imagination to have been duped by a counterfeit, but some people learned from this and it made them stronger.

Only by the truth of God's Word can you be saved.

Only the truth of God's Word gives you real assurance.

Only the truth of God's Word will give you a real Biblical peace.

Only by the truth of God's Word can you be renewed in your mind.

Look closely at your your church, you have every right to do this. Are they conforming to the world and calling it good?

There are many unBiblical churches out there. These are the churches that will leave you high and dry and wondering what happened.

Do you know what a Biblical church looks like?

Dave

 

[lovely]

Acts 2:40-47

40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

 

[Drew]

Among other things, the members of a real Biblical church would sell all their luxuries and give the money to the needy as per the obvious (to me anyway) instruction of Jesus (e.g. the rich young ruler story and the story of the goats and the sheep). Until we really put Jesus first (in reality, not in theory) by caring materially for the least of these, we are not a Biblical church.

 

[Soma-Sight]

A Biblical Church has some important characteristics that must be known!!!!

The foundation is of the earth and rock!

The walls are trees and lakes!

The roof is made of infinite stars!

The center of the Church is the human heart!

The wind is the choir!

The people that go to this Church live in all countries, lands, and come from various cultures!

The only prerequisite for membership to this Church is wonder. Wonder at your life, your family, your friends! Wonder at the amazing miracle of life and submittance to the knowledge of an infinite Divine Creator! A love for all creation regardless if is is an ant or a an eagle, and love for yourself, fellow man and the One behind it all!

 

[Dave...]

A Biblical Church has some important characteristics that must be known!!!!

The foundation is of the earth and rock!

The walls are trees and lakes!

The roof is made of infinite stars!

The center of the Church is the human heart!

The wind is the choir!

The people that go to this Church live in all countries, lands, and come from various cultures!

The only prerequisite for membership to this Church is wonder. Wonder at your life, your family, your friends! Wonder at the amazing miracle of life and submittance to the knowledge of an infinite Divine Creator! A love for all creation regardless if is is an ant or a an eagle, and love for yourself, fellow man and the One behind it all!

Ignorance is bliss, but you will not be afforded this ignorance in hell. You will be perfectly and completely aware of the all truth which includes your separation from God for all eternity. There is no earthy emotional pain that can even come close to matching the anguish that will result from this fact.

 

[Soma-Sight]

Dave,

where did that come from?

Whats wrong with God's creation - his beautiful nature and the solitude it provides being used as a "Church"........

Wouldnt you rather worship in the temple of heart rather than the temple of the termite?

The termites (humans) that eat all the gradfather trees and live inside them?

 

[Nikki]

This is something that I've noticed for many years and one reason why I am always in and out of church. I get so excited when I think I've found a good church and them BAM!

Honestly, I'm to a point where I feel closer to God at home.

 

[Dave...]

Soma-Sight, we need to go to scripture for the truth that God want's us to know about genuine saving faith and a true salvation in Christ.

The only prerequisite for membership to this Church is wonder.

I disagree here. Though I don't think that you meant it in the way that I initially read it. A true faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and His work on the cross.
http://www.biblebb.com/files/macqa/IA-genuinefaith.htm
http://www.biblebb.com/files/macqa/IA-faithreal.htm (short version)
http://www.biblebb.com/files/macqa/IA-suresave.htm

...and love for yourself...

Mark 8:34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. Also Luke 9:23-24

Matthew 10:38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

I hope I didn't come off as too strong, sometimes I confuse people that I've discussed these things with in the past. there are people who try to irritate posters by posting things that they know are not true. I just confused you with someone else. I apologize.

 

[Dave...]

Nikki wrote:

Honestly, I'm to a point where I feel closer to God at home.

I know exactly how you feel. I was so burned by my last church that I don't know if i'll ever recover enough to trust again. To tell you the truth, though, it was my fault because God had placed me in a doctrinally sound church to begin with and I left because I was uncomfortable there. It was really all me. Each sermon was convicting me and I felt that the pastor was picking on me, but little did I know that this is how the Holy Spirit works. That there were probably 50 other people being convicted of their sin at the same time. At the time I was so broken that I didn't feel like I had anything to give as far as conviction of sin. I really needed to be lifted up in truth. Again, my fault because I keep things to myself and rarely open up. Anyways, I left for a more comfortable church and paid a heavy price for it. Looking back now I should have stayed at the first, but at the time I really didn't know better. I tested everything as best as a newly saved person could, but made the wrong choices.

I think that this happens a lot. We could literally walk into any denomination and be shown scripture that seems to back up what they teach as truth. As new Christians we are unable to test things very well because we have so little of God's Word sewn into our hearts.

I think that there are solid churches out there, but they don't have the curb appeal that the worldly churches have.

that's mainly why I started this thread, so we can help each other to take heed of the warning signs and be very cautious in decerning what is from God, and what is flesh candy from the enemy that will end at the very least in heart acke.

Many atheists testify that they went to church at one time. They get mixed up in these worldly churches and judge the true Gospel by the destruction of the false. They never knew the true.

 

[Soma-Sight]

Fair enough Dave,

I prefer the solitude of nature for my prayer, and meditation on the nature of God.

Not packed pews and preachers on high horses.

 

[jgarden_47]

Early "churches" were often in people's homes or in secret locations where Christians could be safe from Roman persecution. The Christian Church was associated with the under classes who had little money to invest in large edifaces. Christianity was characterized by group participation, not a passive congregation sitting in the pews. For early Christians, Christ and His people were truely the Church, not some large impressive, empty cathedral.

 

[Steve]

Personally, I avoid "Independent" churches like the plague. Why? Because they answer to NO-ONE.

Most denominational churches have some sort of structure, so that loose cannons can be dealt with.

 

[bibleberean]

Bend Fundamental Bible Church
Doctrinal Statement.

Bend Fundamental Bible Church is a local independent fellowship and is not answerable or affiliated with any headquarters or individual.This church is answerable to the Lord Jesus Christ and to Him alone.

Revelation 2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

 

[prayerpower]

I feel that it is one of a Christian's responsibilities to be part of a church. I understand that ppl have been burned by churchs in the past and then they quit going. I know that when I don't go to church - I quit growing spiritually and emotionally. Lack of fellowship with others who are or aren't going through what I am at the time really hampers growth and accountability. I feel that it is my duty as a Christian to help improve my church. All churches are lacking, all churches have those few ppl that are back-biting, etc. - but are we to give up on the church and stay home? I think not.

 

[Dave...]

It's the denominations that make me cautious because pastors can sometimes become enslaved to the "church" doctrine and make the "Church" doctrine yield to it from the pulpit.

I know from the assemblies of God that if a pastor of that church comes to know that Baptism of the Holy Spirit is actually part of the born again experience and not a second work of grace and he teaches this from the pulpit, he's gone. He will lose his church.

Independents can be bad or good, but one thing is for sure, they have room to repent from false teaching without worry of corporate headquarters telling him he is on the street. This shouldn't matter anyways, but it does for many pastors.

I need to find a church.

Dave

 

[prayerpower]

Dave....
I don't know where you are located, but I belong to a non-denominational church - we are a part of Great Commission Minitries Association. http://www.gcachurches.org


Maybe this will help! :P

 

[Judy]

Edited to remove posts on a banned topic. :wink:

 

[Steve]

Bend Fundamental Bible Church
Doctrinal Statement.

Bend Fundamental Bible Church is a local independent fellowship and is not answerable or affiliated with any headquarters or individual.This church is answerable to the Lord Jesus Christ and to Him alone.

Revelation 2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

To m, that is scary. And who will protect people from............loose cannons?

'Non-denominational' Means, 'northing.'
How can you be a 'nothing' ?

 

[NRoof]

To tell you the truth, though, it was my fault because God had placed me in a doctrinally sound church to begin with and I left because I was uncomfortable there.

I need to find a church.

Dave,
Sounds to me you have already found one. Unless you have moved there should be no reason for you not to go back to your original church. If they are Biblically sound as you have stated there is no reason not to go back. Even if you left on unfriendly terms they should have no problem with you coming back.



This is a little off topic for the thread but it has already been raised so I need to ask a question or two.

What is the purpose of denominations?
What do denominations really accomplish?

There is more to this and I will probably start a new topic on this.

 

[supernac]

Bend Fundamental Bible Church
Doctrinal Statement.

Bend Fundamental Bible Church is a local independent fellowship and is not answerable or affiliated with any headquarters or individual.This church is answerable to the Lord Jesus Christ and to Him alone.

Revelation 2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

To m, that is scary. And who will protect people from............loose cannons?

'Non-denominational' Means, 'northing.'
How can you be a 'nothing' ?

The disciples did not claim a denomination, they were just Christians.
When Jesus walked this world there were sevral Jewish "denominations"
Jesus didnt claim any of them, he was just a Jew. The bible will protect
people from "lose cannons" (If you study and read it). If it goes against scripture it is not of God, but of man. If its not found in scripture, again
it is not of God, but man.