Unhappy to be missing church meetings ? [Archive]

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NJA

22nd May 2005, 06:43 PM

If that's you, then please say what you would want to see in a church to actually bring you back.

(If that's not you, please don't answer)

Hisrosebud

28th May 2005, 12:07 AM

"you know my people by the fruit that they bare."

I would love to see the fruits of the spirit in the people instead of people playing church.

I would love to see people building relationships instead of the next mega building.

I would love to see meetings dissolve so that we can have more family time.

I would love to see many participate in the teachings and not hear from the same man (pastor) every service, every meeting, every class.

I would love to see a public posting of money.

I would love to see people used in the gifts that God gave them, even the people who don't "dress right" or "act right".

I would love to see the captives set free, the naked be clothed, the hungary be feed, the lonely be comptforted, etc.....
instead of a million ministries that are religiously politically correct.

I would love to see a church that doesn't believe that their church is going to be the only one in heaven....or at least have the front seats in heaven because they are doing it the right way....

I would love to see a church where women aren't counseled to stay with abusive husbands.

I would love to see a church where pastors aren't worshipped.

I would love to see a church where I can worsip in spirit and in truth and be free to do so.

I would love to see a church without traveling prophets that take everyones money and worse, everyone's hopes (to be healed, to hear from God,,,)

I would love to see a church where if you don't necessarily agree with the religious right politics, you are not considered to belong to satan...

Where my children can be taught to worship, pray, love, and grow in the call within their own lives...

You know, I honestly answered this post thinking I want to be in a church. The more I write, the more I realize that I don't. I am sorry. Honestly.

When I was a child, I grew up in a congregational church. I loved sunday school, bible stories, old hymns and knowing that Jesus was a friend. Then I became born-again- and things just got really complicated. Then we were in a spiritually abusive church and things went from bad to worse... I regret deeply that my children don't have that same loving experience of church that I did. That is the only thing I regret about not being in a church. To me, every thing else about church is man made and very much pharisee-looking.

Love,
Jane

NJA

28th May 2005, 03:28 AM

If it's man-made it's not church !

Church is as God set up in the New Testament, nothing added, nothing taken away. Even churches that seek to abide by God's ways make mistakes, but some are taking correction, others don't.

1Ki:19:10: And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away . . . :12: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

The Lord has not forsaken you, he's your "cruise of oil" (1 Kings 17), let him flow from you, let him be magnified.

rocklife

29th May 2005, 03:16 AM

One thing for me is if I could be with my child in his class, even as a visitor. I am really appalled at the children's programs I have personally witnessed and been involved with. I don't agree with many about raising children (I disagree with the church ladies who say real love is spoiling them), and I don't want my son with a warped and wrong view of God and unloving church staff. The church nursery and youth programs my son has been in were pretty bad, even compared to secular standards.

Plan 9

19th June 2005, 04:24 PM

If that's you, then please say what you would want to see in a church to actually bring you back.

(If that's not you, please don't answer)

I am physically incapable of attending my church without help. I long to attend it again. No one could ask for a better church than the one I belong to. :cry:

Buttermilk

19th June 2005, 06:07 PM

I am physically incapable of attending my church without help. I long to attend it again. No one could ask for a better church than the one I belong to. :cry:

If it is that good why are they not helping you to enable you to attend?

Plan 9

19th June 2005, 06:39 PM

If it is that good why are they not helping you to enable you to attend?

Because I have no way to reach them to tell them I need help. I can't even contact them to them I've moved back in town. :doh:

WAIT! You know, Buttermilk, I'm so glad you asked me that question because it just occured to me for the first time that I might be able to reach the pastor, at least, through our district superintendent's office.
hmmm Let me think about that...

Buttermilk

19th June 2005, 06:54 PM

Can you not email them or something?

I hope you are able to make contact somehow :)

Plan 9

19th June 2005, 07:12 PM

Can you not email them or something?

You know, I hadn't thought of that, either! :blush:
We're too poor to maintain church business hours, but someone might have put a site up! That doesn't cost much money, does it?

I hope you are able to make contact somehow :)

Well, now that I have you to help me think, I'm very hopeful. :)
Do you hire out your services, or is helping dim people think of good ideas part of your staff job? ;)

Buttermilk

19th June 2005, 07:44 PM

Well, now that I have you to help me think, I'm very hopeful. :)
Do you hire out your services, or is helping dim people think of good ideas part of your staff job? ;)

I try to facilitate ;) Sorry I was at a course all weekend and that was the buzz word ^_^

Plan 9

20th June 2005, 02:55 AM

I try to facilitate ;) Sorry I was at a course all weekend and that was the buzz word ^_^

There's always a buzz word, isn't there? :D

I have relatively mild neurological problems, the nature of which are such that asking me good questions cues my mind in a number of valuable ways.
So, you have been "facilitating" without a doubt, although you may have been surprised to find this out? :blush:

discernomatic

30th June 2005, 04:55 AM

Jane, you said it better than I could. I would only add that people should discern more what doctrines are false - those that lead people away from God and from each other, and which are beneficial to God and fellow man. :)

GodLovesUs

12th July 2005, 12:42 AM

The reason why i sometimes miss church is simple, there is lack of scripture and good teaching from the pulpit.

New_Wineskin

12th July 2005, 05:30 AM

The reason why i sometimes miss church is simple, there is lack of scripture and good teaching from the pulpit.

Those would be the last reasons that would bring me to these organizations . I can read the Scriptures on my own and the Lord makes the best Teacher .
I understand that people meet for different reasons .

lismore

28th July 2005, 11:38 AM

If that's you, then please say what you would want to see in a church to actually bring you back.

(If that's not you, please don't answer)

Hi:wave:

I used to feel like this but then I realised that wherever two or more believers are gathered in Jesus name then this is 'church'.

Its a grave mistake to see church meetings and the Kingdom of God as the same thing, often they are not.

God can exist outside of denominations, he can move outside of the little boxes we have made. He is not limited by them or often even influenced by them.

If you have been to a scheduled and pre planned meeting where one person, priest or pastor puts on a pleasant little 'show' then you will know what I mean. If you have been manipulated from the pulpit to accept something you know to be untrue then you will know what I mean. if you have seen a power scramble in the steeple-house then you will know what I mean.

The Kingdom of God is within you. We have a commission to fulfill, and its not to be fulfilled by sitting back and having repetitive and ritualised church services, no matter how pleasant it seems.

Stir up the Holy Spirit and the gifts within ourselves! We are a royal priesthood, all belivers are in the ministry of reconciliation:clap:

cygnusx1

28th July 2005, 05:21 PM

http://www.hwcn.org/link/hmm/nkn/images/NoCaresOval035.jpg :wave: :hug:

NJA

28th July 2005, 06:48 PM

lismore

29th July 2005, 11:56 AM

lismore - you talk about the gifts, so does the bible, at length - do you want to attend meetings according to what God details in 1 Cor. 12 - 14 ?

Here's what happens where I attend:-
choruses/spiritual songs
tesimony by someone of what God has done for them
talk from the bible
hymn & communion (sunday meetings)
2 or 3 gifts of tongues, each with interpretation
2 or 3 prophecies
prayer line (gifts of healing and faith)
closing song/notices
tea

. . . ."all things done decently and in order", "the spirit of the
prophets are subject to the prophets", God does not "take people over"

Hi NJA:wave:

Sounds good Im happy for you:wave:

The problem is that I sat for years through such a system where a pastor and a couple of his creatures did all this in a totally planned and structured way. It got to the point you could tell who was going to speak the tongue, who was going to interpret and what was going to be said in the interpretation. My point was that no-one is useless and that in light of the passage, God can speak though anyone. It doesnt have to be structured and controlled by man- the Holy Spirit is real and has a view:) . The Spirit can re-structure it.

Someone can give a talk yes. But if one person gives a talk three times a week for years and stifles everyone else who has to agree with whatever is said:cry: then God help the people sitting through it.

And if one person manipulates the whole meeting then :sigh:

Also dont be afraid to re-arrange your programme as the Spirit Leads

NJA

29th July 2005, 12:17 PM

lismore - the structure is perfect for allowing all to minister the Spirit's inspiration in various ways, that's why God set it up that way. If you only went to a meeting where people manipulated and controlled what is said then you still have never actually been to a church run as God wants. If you change what you have been doing to what you should be doing, you will see the blessings.

1Co:14:37: If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

"If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14v15)

New_Wineskin

29th July 2005, 02:58 PM

New_Wineskin

29th July 2005, 03:02 PM

Hi NJA:wave:

Sounds good Im happy for you:wave:

The problem is that I sat for years through such a system where a pastor and a couple of his creatures did all this in a totally planned and structured way. It got to the point you could tell who was going to speak the tongue, who was going to interpret and what was going to be said in the interpretation. My point was that no-one is useless and that in light of the passage, God can speak though anyone. It doesnt have to be structured and controlled by man- the Holy Spirit is real and has a view:) . The Spirit can re-structure it.

Someone can give a talk yes. But if one person gives a talk three times a week for years and stifles everyone else who has to agree with whatever is said:cry: then God help the people sitting through it.

And if one person manipulates the whole meeting then :sigh:

Also dont be afraid to re-arrange your programme as the Spirit Leads

I agree . I was tires ofone or two people giving their pov for 45 minutes to an hour and a half while giving everyone else combined maybe 15 minutes total ( on a *very* *good* day ) . They seem to thing that "each one has" but *they* have more .

lismore

30th July 2005, 01:59 PM

I agree . I was tires ofone or two people giving their pov for 45 minutes to an hour and a half while giving everyone else combined maybe 15 minutes total ( on a *very* *good* day ) . They seem to thing that "each one has" but *they* have more .

Hi there:wave:

I agree

Sometimes the Lord speaks through the most unlikely seeming people. Have you ever heard about the prophet Amos for example? No-one listened to him because he was a shepherd- he had a lowly paid and menial job- and yet God gave a message through him. The Jews at that point couldnt see God as operating outside of their man made 'box'.

Man looks on the outer appearance but the Lord looks on the heart - 1 Samuel 16:7

The moment anyone tells me they have this or that ministry or this or that position I just shut right off. But when someone gives a word from the Lord, then my ears just prick up:D

God Bless

Lismore

New_Wineskin

30th July 2005, 03:38 PM

Yes . The Lord can speak to and through all of us - not only one out of a hundred .

NJA

30th July 2005, 03:58 PM

But when someone gives a word from the Lord, then my ears just prick up

That's it ! That's what God wants - all members to seek to and have opportunity to be used of Him to inspire His flock.

In our fellowship all members are encouraged to be used and the experienced people are to be willing to give the less experienced opportunity:-
1Cor. 14:30: If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
:31: For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.