Izzy, you say home churches are hard to find...but
I'll bet there'sone in your living room just waiting for you and your
friends to attend!
>From: "ShieldsFamily"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>To:
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: RE: [TruthTalk] Practical Issues
relative to House Churches
>Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 18:32:00 -0500
>
>Bruce, regretfully we seem to have gotten off
the issue of home churches.
>To me they are the ideal, but not easy to find
(impossible?). So many "home
>churches" are run by kooks (I won't mention the
one I have in mind at this
>moment, but you know who he is!), making it hard
to discern whether it is
>even safe to try one out.
>
>
>
> Meantime, I think it is better to worship in an
organized setting than not
>at all. It isn't all bad, either--lots of good
stuff happening! We worship
>at a non-denom on Sunday, and a Messianic
synagogue on Saturday. Do you
>think it was wrong of Jews to have temples
(other than the one in
>Jerusalem?). Do you think they should have
confined themselves to home
>churches? Don't you think the Original, 1st
Century Believers worshipped in
>temples/synagogues? Izzy
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of Bruce Woodford
>Sent: Friday, July 18, 2003 5:32 PM
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Practical Issues
relative to House Churches
>
>
>
>Hi Laura,
>
>
>
>You wrote:"Believe me if my church taught false
doctrine I'd be looking for
>
>
>another place to worship."
>
>
>
>Dear Sister, does your church teach and
practice:
>
>-that the church is to be lead by the pastor?
>
>-that the pastor is hired and paid by the
church?
>
>-that the church building is to be maintained
from the collection which
>
>scripture says is to be for poor saints?
>
>-that believers are to tithe to support the
pastor and the church programs?
>
>-that in regular church gatherings the
congregation is to be silent and
>
>listen to sermons from the pastor?
>
>-that church members are to be accountable to
the pastor or other church
>
>leaders?
>
>
>
>If any of these doctrines are believed and
taught in your church, there is
>
>very prominent false doctrine. (All of these
practices are not only
>
>unscriptural, they are contrary to scripture!)
>
>
>
>The church is to be lead by Christ, the Head.
>
>Shepherds are never hired, paid nor fired by the
sheep! Shepherds are
>
>appointed by the Owner of the sheep and their
needs are met as they labour
>
>with their own hands. Acts 20:28-35
>
>
>
>New covenant saints have no sanctified buildings
to maintain! Collections
>
>are for poor saints. I Cor.16:1,2 and II Cor.8
and 9
>
>
>
>Tithing has absolutely nothing to do with new
covenant saints or new
>
>covenant churches!
>
>
>
>When new covenant saints assemble together they
are NOT to be silent, but
>
>are rather to provoke one another to love and to
good works, they are to
>
>exhort one another, they are to edify one
another etc. Heb.10:24,25
>
>
>
>All believers are accountable to God alone for
their assignments and for the
>
>
>evaluation of their service. Rom.14:12. Even
those who lead are
>
>accountable to God and must give account to Him.
Heb.13:17
>
>
>
>But sister, please do not go looking for another
"place"!!!! We are not
>
>called to find a "place"! Old covenant woship
HAD to be in the right PLACE
>
>because God put His name in ONE PLACE and if you
didn't worship there you
>
>were in the wrong PLACE!
>
>
>
>But new covenant worship is not in places. God
no longer dwells in temples
>
>made with hands. He now dwells in PERSONS. He
dwells in His people and they
>
>
>dwell in Him! Christians do not GO TO CHURCH, we
ARE THE CHURCH where ever
>
>we go! Our responsibilility is to recognize
other believers and build
>
>relationships with each other in our normal
activities and normal gathering
>
>places. That is why new covenant believers
gathered in homes! There was a
>
>church in Aquila and Priscilla's home, a church
in Philemon's home, a church
>
>
>in Nymphas' home, prayer meetings in homes,
breaking bread from house to
>
>house etc etc.
>
>
>
>Far better to simply look for other believers
who live within a few blocks
>
>of your home (or if you live in the country-
within a few miles of your
>
>home) and seek to build relationships with them.
Pray with them, eat with
>
>them, sing with them, encourage each other in
the Word, when you find some
>
>among them who are in need, give to them. " By
this shall all men know that
>
>ye are my disciples if ye have love one to
another."
>
>
>
>The hallmark of new covenant ministry of saints
is reciprocal "one
>
>anothering"! Loving one another, praying for one
another, confessing faults
>
>
>one to another, edifying one another, exhorting
one another, bear one
>
>another's burdens etc etc.
>
>
>
>Your brother in Christ,
>
>Bruce
>
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>
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>
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>
>
>----------
>
>"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned
with salt, that you may know
>how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians
4:6)
>http://www.InnGlory.org
>
>
>
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