Is there such a thing as too much fellowship?

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Timmy

Yes.

you put the same picture up there four times skewing the amount of fellowship in the crowd.

[Timmy]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

you put the same picture up there four times skewing the amount of fellowship in the crowd.

[endtimer]

Originally Posted by ILG

Church does not equal fellowship.

I agree, simply attending a church does not mean your getting fellowship. The direction of this thread kind of hits close to home for my wifes family. My mother-law, who recently quit church all together used to complain and nit-pick everything and every body church related. Her main complaint was that she had no church friends, truth is, she don't have a lot of friends outside church either. For her church was a place to hurry up and get out of the way. She and my father-in-law would come in last minute, sit in the back, sit through the worship, nod to the message preached, skip the altar-call then pick up and go home soon as possible. This was her habit for 19 years, all the while not bothering to talk to any one before or after service. She never made "church" an opportunity to have fellowship. My wife and I go to the same church and know the same people and we disagree with most of what she would say about church. The difference is we made church an entirely different thing than she has. I am not suggesting that you view church the way she does or even act like she did. I choose to accept having church to be much more than a few songs, an offering and a sermon. For me, its another opportunity to connect with God, my brothers and my sisters in Christ.

[AreYouReady?]

We tried having church fellowship...but some of the congregational elite would not fellowship with us after church because we did not agree with the club rules. Some of them would openly disdain us. Others would sympathize with our views, yet they did not want to be seen chatting with us because they might receive the same treatment. And others still...would tell us how we are supposed to get to the altar and repent (until we agreed with club rules) for opposing church leadership.

How much compromise does one have to do in order to have fellowship?

I would gladly overlook, but respect their beliefs. So...why can't we receive the same?

[Michael The Disciple]

The Church gathering CAN be a place for fellowship if leadership has that vision. You could fellowship, before or after the meeting. Also the Church building doors COULD be open certain or even all times.

[KeptByTheWord]

Let me put it this way.

You and I are friends. Each week we meet together. After we meet and greet each other, I sit down, and my friend stands up. My friend then begins to speak, and I am not allowed to interrupt, even if I don't agree, or don't understand. My friend speaks for a long time, sometimes an hour or more. I just sit and listen. When my friend is done speaking, I get up, shake her hand, and leave.

We do this each week, sometimes several times a week. I consider her a great friend. She speaks her heart to me each time. Yet, I never get to say anything to her. She does all the talking. Yet, I believe that we are the best of friends in the world.

Does this scenario sound familiar anyone? How could I consider this friend... to be my true friend, if I never was allowed open communication with her? What kind of fellowship would we be having? It is simply a one-way monologue, of which I learn nothing, because I can neither ask, participate, or say what I think. I just simply sit and listen.

You see... this is not a friendship. This is not fellowship. This is not communication. This is not the path to growth.

No one desiring true friendship and fellowship would hang around for that kind of fellowship/friendship very long. If I had a friend who never let me speak, never let me share my thoughts about the issue at hand... I wouldn't hang around long at all. Because that is not a friendship. That is not fellowship. It is a dead end one way street.

Basically what I have just described is what happens each Sunday/Wednesday in churches all across the world. We claim that we come to have fellowship at church, but really, all we are doing is sitting in on a monologue, of which we can not participate in. You sit, you listen, and when they are through... you leave.


So.... all you folks who go to church faithfully, and listen to a monologue each time you go.... are you growing? If you cannot communicate, ask questions, share your own thoughts.... is this really helping you grow in your relationship with Christ?

No... it is pure entertainment, and emotionalism at times.... but growth is not taking place.

If I have a friend who I can communicate with, share ideas with, debate, cry with, laugh with, and interact with... that is a friend that is going to help me grow.

That is why the church system as it is set up now is failing men and women everywhere. There is no room for growth. You can only be entertained so long before you begin to die a slow spiritual death. The only room for growth is when each member of the body is allowed to function and play their role in the body.

When "church" is just a monologue from the pastor with no interaction from the rest of the body, then parts of the body begin to shrivel up and die.

And Paul says this in 1 Cor. 12:12-31 Read it for yourself, and see God's true plan for the body... it certainly does not line up with how we see the body of Christ functioning today.

[Michael The Disciple]

Very well put.

[Titus2woman]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

Let me put it this way.
[INDENT]My friend speaks for a long time, sometimes an hour or more. I just sit and listen. When my friend is done speaking, I get up, shake her hand, and leave.

We do this each week, sometimes several times a week. I consider her a great friend. She speaks her heart to me each time. Yet, I never get to say anything to her. She does all the talking.


It is simply a one-way monologue, of which I learn nothing, because I can neither ask, participate, or say what I think. I just simply sit and listen.

And in some churches it goes further than that. Not only can I not speak out to ask questions or disagree while the monolog is going on but I am told that I should not even question in the privacy of my own home or even in my own thoughts.

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

And in some churches it goes further than that. Not only can I not speak out to ask questions or disagree while the monolog is going on but I am told that I should not even question in the privacy of my own home or even in my own thoughts.

Yes indeed I hear you! Been there... done that!

Church is where growth in Christ is "supposed" to take place... but how can you grow if you are never allowed to ask questions, or to even think much less study for yourself?

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Timmy

Yes.