Organised Religion
- Thread starter Pearl
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About the Church you mean? I would like to see and hear more of the Holy Spirit and less of human egos.Hi Pearl, Good topic.
Is there anything off the bat you would like to change?
what is stuffiness of org religion? i have no problem with catholics or apostolic . lets say the catholic taught preached catholic doctrine in the church . would it have been accepted as gospel ? how about apostolic oneness doctrine ? no trinity baptized into salvation speaking in tongues shows your saved and have the Holy Ghost. i am trying to get clarity of stuffiness of org religion and this fresh approach
I have been very blessed in the churches I have belonged to. First an Anglican church after I became a Christian and then the non-denominational church I described.
even non denoms have structure you cant have 30 different leaders teaching 30 different things . where is the stuffiness of org religion
Organised religion prevents the spontaneity of the Holy Spirit. By stuffiness I mean the repetitiveness of the order of service, every week the same. The attitudes of those who want to keep things the same and oppose any move towards the Holy Spirit.
Eternally Grateful
Well-Known Member
I think a lot of it has to do with churches have gotten away from what made the church n the first century. They can’t even get breaking bread correct. It has become more of a production rather than an ekklesia..
I'm sure it can be very difficult leading a church, especially if you are are the only pastor. When the church I sort of belong to got started it was in peoples homes and made up of those fed up with 'organised religion'. It embraced Christians right across the board, from Brethren to Catholics and every denomination in between.
The vision was to live as the New Testament example of church, sharing and being a community - not living together but sharing and caring. There were originally four leaders with different responsibilities, A preacher, a pastor. a worship leader and an administrator. None of them formally trained but all of them men of faith. There were also a number of deacons with the care of designated smaller groups and then house group leaders with the care of the twelve or so people in their midweek groups.
The preaching and teaching was totally bible based and we were encouraged to check it out for ourselves during the week. We were also allowed to come to the front and share what God we were hearing from God with the church.
It was wonderful after the stuffiness of organised religion to have this fresh approach and to feel spiritually well fed but wanting more each week.
Then gradually things started to change as more people - mostly men - wanted more say in things. Men who were not preachers were allowed to preach, most of them I think satisfying their own egos. And the downward spiral had begun. Sad, the vision was lost but the same people carried on just doing the same old, same old. So I don't go anymore.
The vision was to live as the New Testament example of church, sharing and being a community - not living together but sharing and caring. There were originally four leaders with different responsibilities, A preacher, a pastor. a worship leader and an administrator. None of them formally trained but all of them men of faith. There were also a number of deacons with the care of designated smaller groups and then house group leaders with the care of the twelve or so people in their midweek groups.
The preaching and teaching was totally bible based and we were encouraged to check it out for ourselves during the week. We were also allowed to come to the front and share what God we were hearing from God with the church.
It was wonderful after the stuffiness of organised religion to have this fresh approach and to feel spiritually well fed but wanting more each week.
Then gradually things started to change as more people - mostly men - wanted more say in things. Men who were not preachers were allowed to preach, most of them I think satisfying their own egos. And the downward spiral had begun. Sad, the vision was lost but the same people carried on just doing the same old, same old. So I don't go anymore.
Eternally Grateful
Well-Known Member
This is another issue. Jesus sent them out in two’s. Not ones/ Paul went out with people. Not himself
God never intended one person be in charge.. of a church. Or the church
a good pastor friend of mine once said the Church had a better band than the rock bands did.. when we focus more on praise and worship than the preaching of the word. Churches lose focus. its hard time for churches they have not recovered from the shut down from covid
Eternally Grateful
Well-Known Member
Structure is not the same as organised religion, which in its various guises mainly prefers tradition over spontaneity.
there has to be a leader . the pastor is in charge of the preaching it is he who stands in greater judgment for what he teaches. it was peter who preached at Pentecost. paul started Churches then placed a leader. the cong has a say in the functions of the Church
Yes but are they still making disciples? Some must but with the concentration on people pleasing it can't be good.
perhaps lets NOT forget the families who have say in the Church. they hold all the major offices
The pastor should be the shepherd, caring for the flock, so that the preacher can concentrate on preaching.
Eternally Grateful
Well-Known Member
There were leaders. Not a leader
a leader is dangerous in the fact they can become tempted and has no checks and balances. I have been to many churches over this country where the pastors would make sure only yes men were nominated for deacons..
My church has multiple leaders. Even our home groups have 4 leaders (2 men and 2 women) who pastor the flock (the women pastor the women, the men the men).
umm the pastor is the shepherd/preacher you are getting into the office of the Deacons
Eternally Grateful
Well-Known Member
They all want huge churches.. A pastor can not pastor his flock when there are hundreds in his flock..
Jesus disciples 12 men, with a few who would walk with them. Yet we have pastors who think they can pastor 50 - 100 or even more..
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