Showing posts with label church community. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church community. Show all posts

Saturday 24 March 2018

Unhappy people in empty churches

The last decade lots of people have turned their back to their church. 10% of those having left church have left the faith completely, but that means the others did not give up faith totally. Many because of the many questions and of seeing contradictions in their church, left the institution, but wanted to stay spiritual.
When the big institutional churches may still count on 20% who are still in churches and are happy, their members may not see major problems within their congregations or problems resulting from their institutional practice of faith. To them, church attendance is a practical and enjoyable expression of faith.

Though of the 30% who are in churches can not say they are happy, but indicate they are unhappy. They see major problems but continue with church attendance for a variety of reasons. The important thing for this group is that, despite all it’s flaws churches are still worth supporting through attendance and possibly finances.

We may wonder why they do not dare to question their pastors or ministers more and go not look for the real happiness in their Scriptures. For many a real confrontation with what is written in the Book of books seems to dangerous and to much bringing them in confusion, and that is something they do not like; They want a certain certainty? When reading the Bible they encounter too many things which seem so muddling or confusing with the many church doctrines and to leave church doctrines aside looks for them as treason to the community. They forget they are better to do treason to the world of man than to the world of God. That is what Jesus and the other prophets are all about when they talk not to be of this world but to belong to God.

40%of those who abandoned their church see the institutional churches of our era as more damaging than helpful to the Kingdom, and have walked out on the institutions their parents and grandparents built, to practice faith in a far more personal way, a far more tight-knit community.

It becomes time that those who left the institution churches come to see there are other ways to come to God and to please God, but that we still have to come together to unite as brothers and sisters in Christ.

The "Unchurching" is a growing movement of Christians who are leaving churches and the allegiance to trappings churches demand in order to find God, experience him more personally, and enjoy smaller, tight-knit communities that don’t put institutional concerns in front of godliness.

We can only hope they shall be able to find like minded people who find it more important to come to Biblical truth and to worship God in the way that God wants to be worshipped.

For those who left their big institutional church they, when they look for an other community of believers, should know
It isn’t about moving the same old church practices to a smaller venue. It’s about reassessing every one of those practices to see if they meet the needs of the Kingdom, advance the message of the Gospel, and draw closer to God.
unchurching

Monday 11 November 2013

Small churches of the few Christadelphians

The big difficulty we do encounter in Belgium is that when people do ask where we meet with how many, they hesitate to come to our meetings because we are not with enough people attending a service.
they all prefer to come to a church where they can hide in the massa's of people. When there are many people they can just be an unnoticed onlooker; but when there are just a handful of people present they shall be noticed by the others, and that is something what they do not like so much.

Today we also do hear about the empty Roman Catholic Churches but the growing attendance in the Pentecostal churches. On television people also can find many mega churches where enough entertainment is given to enjoy the show.

Most people have their instinctive opinions about “big church.”  Some may prefer to be a nobody in the amount of people present at a service, others may not like the feeling to be swallowed up in such a congregation.

We wonder if there are enough people who have a dislike for “big church,” because it seems so impersonal and also perhaps because in those churches the accent is not always on the right things. It is not the amount of people , the quantity in church, but should be more of the quality in church.

Those who do not want to come to our services because we are not with enough people should reconsider what they like to see in church and what would be that "Big church".

Don’t critique or judge getting big. Look the “bigness” right in the face. And ask, “What does big really mean?”
English: Jesus, followed by Simon Peter and Andrew
English: Jesus, followed by Simon Peter and Andrew (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Matthew 16:16-18 (NIV) says, “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”"
Well, if you are wanting to see a "Big Church" or going to go big, go really big!
When you accept that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God … you better also look at him as the one building his church!

Church of the Primacy of St. Peter on the Sea ...
Church of the Primacy of St. Peter on the Sea of Galilee. Traditional site where Jesus Christ appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and, according to Catholic tradition, established Peter's supreme jurisdiction over the Christian church. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Jesus is the one who makes church. Jesus is the church. Church is not a specific 'church-building' with a tower and a cross shape directed to the east.

It is also not the construction of people. Though we would like it, it is not us building the church. It’s not the pastor on the stage or the priest in the pulpit.  It is Jesus, the Son of the living God, who is building His Church.

The Church is a big idea. Because Jesus is a big idea. And because Jesus gives his disciples a big task.

All those who call themselves Christians, should be followers of Christ. they should not only be name Christians, but doers of the Word. In Acts, Jesus describes how big of a task he is giving the disciples.  Acts 1:7-8 (MSG) states,
 “He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”
Imagine if Jesus came to us and said,
 “…you will be my witness in Leefdaal, all over Flemish Brabant and the Low countries, even to the ends of the world.”
 Yeah, that’s pretty big too.   The church is a big idea, and it will expand. It started with 12 disciples and it has grown across the world to nations with more than 100 different languages.
In Acts 2:21 (NIV), it says, ”Everyone who calls on the name of The Lord will be saved.”
That saving should we proclaim and we should bring the hearts into fire for the name of Jesus. Christians should bring forwards the Gospel of the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God.  Every person coming to believe in Jesus as the saviour send by the Most High Saviour Jehovah God, would have to become partaker of the body of Christ and as such being a member of the Church of God, which has Christ Jesus as its High priest.

All those believing individuals in their own houses, who believe in the offer Jesus made and accept him as their saviour, willing to become part of that Body of Christ, are part of the church.

Here is another example of ‘big church’ in the Bible.
  In Acts 2:41-47 is the story of the 3,000 who were baptized… imagine that in present day. How many kids rooms would we need from one week to the next? How many new greeters? How many overflow rooms? How many extra chairs? The Church basically went from meeting in a living room to needing a stadium! And that was just one day.

Now to transition just a little bit, it is one thing to agree and say, yes, we agree with you, Jesus that the church should probably be big. But what does is truly mean to be a disciple? Great question.
In John 13:34-35 (MSG) Jesus states,
 ““Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples — when they see the love you have for each other.”
Well, that sounds pretty simple doesn’t it? Love one another, cool! I’ve got it. But what does it really mean to live out your love for each other?

The first part of loving one another is building relationships with one another.  The church is not just based out of a building or a temple, it is based out of homes. Faith is centered on two places: temple and homes.
To love one another in the old church knew they needed to meet and know each other in their homes. Meeting at the temple was important, but they had to eat with each other and know each other in order to love each other like Jesus loved.  This is such a critical part of today’s church as well! That is also the reason why we meet in houses, cafetaria's, parks, have something to eat or drink with each other and not sit on benches or ordered chairs in a row.

We need our small groups and relationships to truly know each other and love each other.

It’s a great first step to agree with Jesus. But how do we actually Do what Jesus said? How do we love one another despite the chaos of life? Despite our differences?
 Jesus directs us to do the following:
Submit to one another. Honor one another. Bear with one another. Forgive one another. Accept one another. Care for one another. Encourage one another. Restore one another. Love one another.
Most of this cannot happen on Sunday morning. We have to be in each other’s lives daily.
“We, the church family, want to get bigger for the sake of eternity and smaller for the value of each individual.”
We all should feel like brothers and sisters in Christ.

As brethren and sisters we do have to help each other to grow spiritually. It is by sharing ideas that we can help each other to see other things or to think about other things or to think in another way. As such we can grow and get more strength, because others share their messes, and we share our messes, yet we are still there for each other, serving one another and loving one another despite the chaos of life.
“Let’s share our messes so that we can see grace move in each other as light is shed on our mess.”
“Is big church healthy?
Size doesn’t have anything to do with health. Health has everything to do with our relationships.”

When we want to become good Christians, this shall not only become by becoming 'churchgoers'. We do need to make church, but making church happens in the own heart. It is the willingness to become part of the Body of Christ and willing to share that feeling with others, in love, by taking their bad and good elements, overlooking their peculiarities. Willing to take every person like he or she is, and considering him or her as your brother or sister.

This brotherly love is what makes the church, not the building or the presence of just material bodies in one specific place.

The Christadelphians may gather with not so many people, but the love of those people for each other and their love for God is what binds them all over the world. In one specific place they are perhaps not with many, but they do feel connected with others in many different countries, speaking many different languages, which we even not always understand. But we understand each other in the love of God, and that is what binds us forever.

Next time when you are looking for a church, question what you are looking for. Are you looking to find a place where you can find some nice entertainment? Are you looking for some enjoyable socialising? Or are you looking for the genuine love Christ has given mankind?
Are you submitting to one another? Are you letting others go first? Are we honoring one another in how we speak to each other? Are we caring for one another? 
When was the last time we went out of our way to appreciate and love on someone else? How are you loving each other as Jesus loves?
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Monday 18 February 2013

United people under Christ

Last week the worldcommunity saw that the one who claims to be the follower of the apostle Peter stepped down from his position on what many call the 'holy chair'.
English: Christ Handing the Keys to St. Peter ...
English: Christ Handing the Keys to St. Peter by Pietro Perugino (1481-82) Fresco, 335 x 550 cm Cappella Sistina, Vatican. Ελληνικά: Λεπτομέρεια από την νωπογραφία του Πιέτρο Περουτζίνο, Ο Χριστός Παραδίδει τα Κλειδιά στον Πέτρο, 335 x 600 cm, Καπέλα Σιξτίνα, Πόλη του Βατικανού. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


The church community should be found on a good faith base and have clear and undeniable grounds with people who live according to community rules which are according to the Law of God. They should try to be living by the standard of the “One Body” of Christ. The Nazarene man who did not appoint one or the other above one another. Though perhaps many might think that the apostle Peter was chosen to be a leader, he certainly was not the leader of the church community at the time of the first years after Christ his death. All apostles had their particular duties but worked together and even where not afraid to criticise each other.

In the Acts of the apostles is given a very clear picture of the working of the first church as one united body in Christ. when you read the chapters you shall not find any decent reason to believe that the Pope is the real acceptable leader of the Church of God.
Could it also be that the church became subdivided into local churches but that along the way into history that church their members (of each local church) still make up the universal body of Christ? There is no one church that monopolizes the body of Christ.

History proves that contamination was brought in very soon after Jesus' death. Several apostles warned the followers of Christ to be careful and to look out for false teachings. People also had to be careful not to mingle with weak or sinful men, who would love to see them being diverted from the unworldy ideas of their religion.

Though we are never to judge or condemn others; we just have to politely “stand aside” from them!

When we look at the world we should consider that there are many people with different beliefs, but that there might be different opinions between the many persons that does not mean they would not be considered as being part of one and the same united people under Christ.

Some teach that if you are not part of this denomination or that denomination then you cannot be part of the body of Christ. There exist many denominations which believe people do have to belong to them, because otherwise they would be doomed into damnation or when people do not belong to their denomination they would not be able to enter the Kingdom of God. What most of those denomination forget is that before they came into being ther where also people who loved God as the Most High, and honoured Him at their best. Those people are also saved by Jesus his offer and got the right to enter the Kingdom of God. It is he, Jesus who shall decide who is able to enter the Kingdom of God and not one world church organisation or denomination who is going to decide that. God knows the heart of each person and He shall see if that person is worthy or not to enter the Kingdom. Jesus as the mediator shall be the person who can mediate for those who tried to do their best on earth and who followed one or another path according to a path laid in front of them by one or another denomination. but the people themselves shall have to carry the responsibility of their choice. They also shall not be able to blame their congregation or denomination for the choices they have made.
As part of the body of Christ we should be people working under the guidance of the Bible, to serve each other and the body, not taking into account language, ethnicity, gender, nationality etc. When we are unified with One Spirit in One Body that means we are unified under Gods Spirit to have and show  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and awareness for each other, treasuring the same hope of eternal life in Jesus Christ together with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of his Father.

Every person has received the gifts to think and to have his mind working to find out certain things. Every person, in his or her life shall get opportunities to be able to be confronted with certain values, certain truths, certain ideas ... and shall be confronted with the possibility to make a certain choice.
The 1st English edition of The Kingdom of God ...
The 1st English edition of The Kingdom of God Is Within You. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


It is up to us to think about our faith, about what we do want to believe and about what we do have to believe.

Every transition in a movement should be followed up and registered, looked at in function of the Will of God and the Biblical writings. They are given to us to help us to direct the right way. We should listen to the voice of God and follow the directions given in the Holy Scriptures. They should be the most important guide for our life and way of life.

The guidance from the Bible should give us insight in what the world offers, also on religious matters and on actions of faith.
We must remember that the ecclesia does not exist to keep the Truth pure as a theory (i.e., “The purer our ecclesia, the better!”). The Truth (as an abstract principle, or set of principles, communicated from God) cannot be anything but pure! It might sound strange that the ecclesia does exist to help impure men and women (with imperfect beliefs and impure ways) to move toward purity, even if their progress is slow… Some expect that the people who enter the ecclesia or church-community would be already very pure from their baptism, but that is not so. The baptism is only the starting point to the way of purity to the small gate to the Kingdom of God.

Out of love for each other each member of the ecclesia should help each other to grow and to make every day a step closer to that set-apartness or holiness of purity.

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Read also:
  1. Fellowship 101: A Short Course by George Booker – Class 5
    Those who believe the gospel and are baptised into Christ become ‘brethren in Christ’, without regard to nationality. They also become a part of the ‘one body’, with Christ as their head. God calls them His children, and they become partakers of His grace and love” (BASF 22).

  2. Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith
  3. Handbook to the Christadelphian Statement of Faith
  4. Reasons to come to gether
  5. Philippians 1 – 2
  6. Look for your Refuge by God
  7. A day without taking the symbols
  8. Breathing to teach
  9. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #1 Kings Faith
  10. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #2 Calling upon the Name of God
  11. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #1 Creator and His Prophets
  12. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #2 Instructions and Laws
  13. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #3 A voice to be taken Seriously
  14. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #4 Words in Scripture
  15. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #5 To meditate and Transform
  16. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
  17. Jehovah in the BASF
     


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Saturday 27 December 2008

What part of the Body am I?


1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.


Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Welk deel van het lichaam ben jij
Previous> Parts of the body of Christ




Thoughts
Phil Ware    Some questions we each need to ask ourselves: What part of the Body am I? What's my function, my purpose? How are I blessing others in the Body of Christ? Who is someone in the Body who does a great deal of service to others who needs my encouragement and praise, and perhaps my assistance? Who is someone who feels neglected and lonely who needs my love to be shown to him or her?

Prayer
    Father, thank you for making me a part of something so precious, so awesome, as the bodily presence of the Lord. Please help each person in our church family to find his or her gifts of service and to use those gifts in ways that touch others with your grace and that bring you glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.


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