Thursday, March 31, 2005
Meetings?
"let us not give up meeting together,as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Heb10:25
whats the point? I am not advocating Christians stop meeting together or anarchy against the church- If we are to meet together what will we do? How often should we meet? Are we wasting peoples time? Sometimes people are told to be "in God's House whenever the doors are open"- Ill be blunt- utter nonsense. Our hearts are His temple. What is the purpose of meeting together at all? To encourage each other, according to this verse. {disclaimer- it could mean other things as well but I cannot bore you with all those things- example- to praise God corporately}
So when have you been most encouraged by other believers? when they agree with you? when they challenge you? when they think at all? Where was this encouraging done? For me it was usually in a more social setting like over coffee or in someones studio space,at work, or on the car ride home from church. Sometimes even in church, maybe watching someone worship. My point we have so many meetings and services and are people really encouraging each other in that setting? They are lonely depressed, feeling guilty, etc. Why?
I believe the church- by and large- has become a welfare state- too many average sermons because the pastor has to give a sermon every week (why?). Too many people who got to church looking to get fed because noone ever taught them how to study the Bible and seek God on their own time- oh wait they dont have time they are in church 4 nights a week- Its a bad system- we are dependant on it because we dont know what else to do. Its like when you get home and go to turn on the TV or the radio, or hook up the internet. Its a default setting. Like Christianity in the US- by default people think they are Christian, but that doesnt make you a Christian. Its an act of the will by faith, with the situation surrounding that act orchestrated by God, and the existance of that opportunity allowed and given by God through grace. Back to the subject. Meetings called church- The new testament church was dispersed because they tried to set up just that type of "community" a sheltered one- they were dispersed through persecution- Why would God not want His people meeting together so often? Its just not the time yet- heaven is reserved for that. Now we must give opportunity- instead of prostilatize- for the whole world to hear the Godd News that God is choosing not to hold peoples faults against them, for a season judgement is on hold- we are free to meet with God- anywhere/ anytime/ with anyone. I am ranting now. Please post any good questions thoughts or answers, even bad ones are ok
whats the point? I am not advocating Christians stop meeting together or anarchy against the church- If we are to meet together what will we do? How often should we meet? Are we wasting peoples time? Sometimes people are told to be "in God's House whenever the doors are open"- Ill be blunt- utter nonsense. Our hearts are His temple. What is the purpose of meeting together at all? To encourage each other, according to this verse. {disclaimer- it could mean other things as well but I cannot bore you with all those things- example- to praise God corporately}
So when have you been most encouraged by other believers? when they agree with you? when they challenge you? when they think at all? Where was this encouraging done? For me it was usually in a more social setting like over coffee or in someones studio space,at work, or on the car ride home from church. Sometimes even in church, maybe watching someone worship. My point we have so many meetings and services and are people really encouraging each other in that setting? They are lonely depressed, feeling guilty, etc. Why?
I believe the church- by and large- has become a welfare state- too many average sermons because the pastor has to give a sermon every week (why?). Too many people who got to church looking to get fed because noone ever taught them how to study the Bible and seek God on their own time- oh wait they dont have time they are in church 4 nights a week- Its a bad system- we are dependant on it because we dont know what else to do. Its like when you get home and go to turn on the TV or the radio, or hook up the internet. Its a default setting. Like Christianity in the US- by default people think they are Christian, but that doesnt make you a Christian. Its an act of the will by faith, with the situation surrounding that act orchestrated by God, and the existance of that opportunity allowed and given by God through grace. Back to the subject. Meetings called church- The new testament church was dispersed because they tried to set up just that type of "community" a sheltered one- they were dispersed through persecution- Why would God not want His people meeting together so often? Its just not the time yet- heaven is reserved for that. Now we must give opportunity- instead of prostilatize- for the whole world to hear the Godd News that God is choosing not to hold peoples faults against them, for a season judgement is on hold- we are free to meet with God- anywhere/ anytime/ with anyone. I am ranting now. Please post any good questions thoughts or answers, even bad ones are ok
hd 11:37 AM
1 Comments:
I had a thought about 1.5 months ago, while attending a meeting of about 800 people, perhaps many of them Christians:
A 1000 Christians present in a single place… …creates 1000 other places without the presence of a single Christian.
-Nick Bousquet
A 1000 Christians present in a single place… …creates 1000 other places without the presence of a single Christian.
-Nick Bousquet
