New Testament Church vs Modern Church

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Ferris Bueller

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This was not always the case.

Acts of the Apostles 14:1-2
“And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.”
I knew you'd make this argument, lol.
The Christian church could NOT in any way shape or form hold their meetings in a synagogue. Paul spoke to Jews in their synagogues but in no way were Christians having church in Jewish synagogues.
 
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Ferris Bueller

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So in the TV version, Ferris does not lie to his parents about escaping away for a day to have fun?
That bothers YOUR conscience to watch someone lie. NOT MINE. My conscience is not governed by yours. And neither is your conscience governed by mine. It is not a sin to watch someone lie, lol. But if YOU think it is that is something YOU need to deal with, not me. And I give you perfect freedom to deal with it the way YOUR conscience dictates.
 
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Ferris Bueller

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It does to the point I made about moving outside our comfort zones. Both also are involved in loving our neighbor properly. To have fellowship in our home vs. being in a big church building means you are more correctly loving the brethren (i.e. loving your neighbor). For being in big crowd of strangers in big church building means you can be detached from everyone else. But invite them to your home opens the door to talking to them face to face and serving them in love and to share with them your love for Christ.
Dude, that simply is not having church. It has nothing to do with it.
Church is for believers. Not unbelievers. Unbelievers can be guests but it does not exist for them. Any helps offered to them has NOTHING to do with having church and much less to do with WHERE saints have church.
 

Bible Highlighter

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That bothers YOUR conscience to watch someone lie. NOT MINE. My conscience is not governed by yours. And neither is your conscience governed by mine. It is not a sin to watch someone lie, lol.

It’s more than that. You are promoting a character who lies as the main theme or basis of the plot of the movie. It would be no different if you promoted porn, or excessively violent films. A person can say it is not a sin to watch porn, or violence, or lying, but these things can affect the soul for the worse and not for the better. We are to think on those things that are above. We are told in 1 John 2 to not love the world, and neither the things in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in them. Believers should surround themselves with good influences and not bad ones. We should not look and talk like the world (Which endorses sin). That’s what Ferris does. It endorses the sin of lying as the main theme of the plot. It has nothing to do with a personal conviction alone whereby it is good for one but bad for another. Lying is bad for all people and to promote the sin of lying in any form is just wrong on many levels.
 

Bible Highlighter

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Dude, that simply is not having church. It has nothing to do with it.
Church is for believers. Not unbelievers. Unbelievers can be guests but it does not exist for them. Any helps offered to them has NOTHING to do with having church and much less to do with WHERE saints have church.

Yes, I am not saying they are related in every exact way. Nowhere he did say that. Again, I was making a related point on how we are to move outside our comfort zones in both cases. As I pointed out before, both also are involved in loving your neighbor.
 

L.A.M.B.

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I'd like to give a little testimony of the church I went to.

I have seen healing of myself & others. We had humble Spirit filled foot washings. The true place of a servant is to do our Masters will.

After ladies or any anointed service ,it could be requested for prayer clothes. Our curch women kept these prepared for prayer, always.
Cut up scraps of material into squares.

Miracles. Once when we were driving the church bus, we had to go around a blind curve. This car was going to fast to make the turn next to us coming our way. The road was unmarked without shoulders.

I saw this cars left front end impact on our left side where I always sat. Immediately I prayed and in the blink of an eye I had tightened up for imact, there was none. That car was way behind us heading in the opposite direction; NO IMPACT. If that isnt like our God.

Praises to him !
 

Wynona

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Am thinking about my exit strategy for my church and it fills me with anxiety.

We are moving about forty minutes away in October. But it will still be very noticeable when we leave.

Our church's members were almost all retired when we came. We were the first young couple to come under their ministry, as the pastor likes to say.

I serve in five different ways at the church currently. There are only about 20 regular members.

Its true that we are not as close as I'd like to be to the congregation personally. But they treated us well enough and I know that the pastor and his wife will treat us leaving like a personal diss to their ministry or some sort of trial from Satan.
 
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Bible Highlighter

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Am thinking about my exit strategy for my church and it fills me with anxiety.

We are moving about forty minutes away in October. But it will still be very noticeable when we leave.

Our church's members were almost all retired when we came. We were the first young couple to come under their ministry, as the pastor likes to say.

I serve in five different ways at the church currently. There are only about 20 regular members.

Its true that we are not as close as I'd like to be to the congregation personally. But they treated us well enough and I know that the pastor and his wife will treat us leaving like a personal diss to their ministry or some sort of trial from Satan.

I think what matters is following the Lord in what His Word says. That sometimes may make others view you in a different light or with you not being as popular in their eyes. You may even be offered with an opportunity by them to make it easier for you to stay (like them paying for your housing or with them having somebody pick you up). But I would not buy into it if that happens. That will only give them more control over you. I think the move out is a good thing. While I am sure they are well intentioned, I believe moving on to follow the Lord and His Word unhindered by others lording over you (on some capacity) will benefit you greatly. For if there are things you disagree with in your church, it is best to take heed those disagreements and follow the Lord Jesus unhindered. Nobody should get in the way of our serving the Lord Jesus.
 
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Wynona

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I think what matters is following the Lord in what His Word says. That sometimes may make others view you in a different light or with you not being as popular in their eyes. You may even be offered with an opportunity by them to make it easier for you to stay (like them paying for your housing or with them having somebody pick you up). But I would not buy into it if that happens. That will only give them more control over you. I think the move out is a good thing. While I am sure they are well intentioned, I believe moving on to follow the Lord and His Word unhindered by others lording over you (on some capacity) will benefit you greatly. For if there are things you disagree with in your church, it is best to take heed those disagreements and follow the Lord Jesus unhindered. Nobody should get in the way of our serving the Lord Jesus.

When we tell them were leaving, Ill just be honest about why and leave it at that. There's no avoiding them getting upset. Ill say that were moving further away and we no longer agree with the traditional denominational church structure.
 

Bible Highlighter

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When we tell them were leaving, Ill just be honest about why and leave it at that. There's no avoiding them getting upset. Ill say that were moving further away and we no longer agree with the traditional denominational church structure.

So glad to hear, sister.
May the Lord bless you in your new journey in serving Him.
 
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Ferris Bueller

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Today I thought of the wine skins analogy. I feel like our traditional denominational churches have become like the old wineskins. Pour something new and it will burst.
I appreciate the analogy in this case.
I wonder if Christ was alluding to the new birth?
The wine of the new covenant is poured into new wineskins, not the old ones. And must be.

Still it's fitting to your situation.
I knew when I got born again that the life of the Holy Spirit in my new 'charismatic' life was not going to fit well into the traditional church upbringing I had.
 
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Ferris Bueller

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When we tell them were leaving, Ill just be honest about why and leave it at that. There's no avoiding them getting upset. Ill say that were moving further away and we no longer agree with the traditional denominational church structure.
Maybe you can tell them you're looking for something different than the traditional denominational church structure(?) If they inquire beyond that then you can go into detail about why.
 
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L.A.M.B.

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When we tell them were leaving, Ill just be honest about why and leave it at that. There's no avoiding them getting upset. Ill say that were moving further away and we no longer agree with the traditional denominational church structure.




It will be hard yes but we follow the Lord as BH has said.

It will also be hard alone for a spell, but remember, God never leaves us sometimes it is us that leaves him. I am praying for your strength and guidance. Hubby feel the sames as you do?

Keep volunteering or volunteer somewhere else, soup kitchen, day care ect. It will keep you busy off home..

Study and pray must continue. Let the Spirit have free reign in your home without constraint.
 

Wynona

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It will be hard yes but we follow the Lord as BH has said.

It will also be hard alone for a spell, but remember, God never leaves us sometimes it is us that leaves him. I am praying for your strength and guidance. Hubby feel the sames as you do?

Keep volunteering or volunteer somewhere else, soup kitchen, day care ect. It will keep you busy off home..

Study and pray must continue. Let the Spirit have free reign in your home without constraint.

Hubby said there's no use hemming and hawing. He said he'd support us leaving immediately.
 

Wynona

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I sent my pastor's wife a message saying we are taking a break from attending and will decide on whether to stay or go in two weeks and talk to them about our decision.

It was hubby's idea for us to say we are making a decision over a break. It's true and it gave me the push I needed to not just attend choir practice today and obligate myself to another two services.

This will give us time to reassess what we want and make sure we aren't making a snap decision. We will likely decide not to attend anymore.

I'm very sensitive to the way I affect people's feelings so Im thankful my husband is backing me in this decision. He even offered to speak and take full ownership of the decision as a sort of emotional shield. He's a man so he doesn't feel as obligated to all the social stuff. Im grateful.
 
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L.A.M.B.

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Hubby said there's no use hemming and hawing. He said he'd support us leaving immediately.



Always be in agreement. Not only is he your life partner but also your spiritual support partner...........

I'm keeping your home lifted up!
 
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Johann

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My husband I love our church. But we see the good and the bad.

The church has a business side, a huge building to pay for, and prioritizes that and pulpit preaching. Tithes and offering go to that.

But the New Testament Church had some differences.

-More fellowship and doing life together

-Outreach, street evangelism

-Tithes went to those in need, not the church building

-Not just the Pastor spoke during gatherings

What are your thoughts on this?

@Ferris Bueller @Bible Highlighter @L3astAm0ngManyB13ss3d @marks @devin553344 I'm curious as to what you all think as well.

For over thirty years I was in this kind of outreach, street evangelism.
 
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Johann

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How was that? Was it through a church?

It was a church unlike the modern churches today Wynona, a "place" called THE ARK and shaped like an ark and is now a museum in Durban, South Africa.


Our Ark was the same as David Wilkerson's ministry, a place for the outcasts, drug-addicts, the sick, orphans etc. etc...a place I miss dearly.
Founded and based on Matthew 25.
I am sure there should be info on Google re "The Ark"
God bless you dear sister.

 
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