It's Time To Get Over It

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by tbpew

Eliesus wrote:
We have converted the koinonia of the Body into a franchise business focused on weekly motivational speaking seminars and musical entertainment.
...and in doing so, a new paradigm/premise from which to define the saints "assembling together" has been established within the experience of the believer.

This alternate expression/lifestyle has replaced a vastly larger dynamic that the Spirit of God could guide us as benefactors and contributors within the Body of God's anointing. In this surrogate model of assembling, size/numbers replace the free-flow of access to "whomsoever will" that the Spirit will lead us to connect with. This system has even greatly curtailed mobility involving the giftings and servant ministries (Eph 4), static becomes the norm, dynamic the exception.

In this creation of a surrogate system of saints assembling in a very specific, finite local group, fidelity, loyalty and alegience to a new man-made thing is introduced. Oh what a tangled web we weave.

I offer NO dispute with the admonition that Chan would have us be reminded of; DO NOT FORSAKE our ASSEMBLING TOGETHER! The construct authored by men to create a myriad of local churches does JUST THAT. We are expected to pledge our allegiance to some thing that has been authored by men, thus dramatically curtailing our free assembly with those who our Lord will lead us to serve and be served by.

Without a surrogate system where men can better make disciples unto themselves, the countless SECTS would lose their sponsoring energy. Without a central command structure authored by individual men, each individual must seek the Spirit to be led concerning his own calling and election. At the end of this life, each individual will face their own Lord to provide an account of what we have done with the precious treasure we have been given.

God is one. He has one body. He has one head over that body.

So what do you propose?

Chan has a point when he brought in the "churches " in Revelation. Who are the angels over these churches?

[Trouvere]

The churches being spoken of in Revelation are those in which John was the Bishop over.God did not John to give messages to angels.That is unlogical.

Originally Posted by mizpeh

So what do you propose?

Chan has a point when he brought in the "churches " in Revelation. Who are the angels over these churches?

I believe the "angels" over those churches were the bishop (overseeing elder)/pastor of those churches. For example, Polycarp was reportedly the bishop of the church at Smyrna.

[crakjak]

Originally Posted by Chan

Yes, I did say a local church intentionally. Of course, what so many here are leaving out is that we Christians don't have a say in the matter: we are to go where GOD commands us to go and to do otherwise is to commit rebellion and treason against Him. It is so typical of the worldly thinking in so much of the Church today that we think that Christianity is somehow a democracy and that we are somehow sovereign over these lives God has allowed us to live.

How does one know for sure where God would have them to go? Isn't it a matter of where an individual feels God is directing them?

BTW, I am about half way thru your book, you are still laying the foundations of your message.

[crakjak]

Originally Posted by Eliseus

Chan, too many people assume "assemblying together" means attending a weekly lecture at a State-authorised "service" sponsored by a non-profit religious corporation of the State.

This is why "attending prayer meetings and Bible studies with fellow saints" is never accepted as a "substitute for regular church attendance".

We have converted the koinonia of the Body into a franchise business focused on weekly motivational speaking seminars and musical entertainment.

On this subject I agree with you.

[crakjak]

Originally Posted by tbpew

Eliesus wrote:
We have converted the koinonia of the Body into a franchise business focused on weekly motivational speaking seminars and musical entertainment.
...and in doing so, a new paradigm/premise from which to define the saints "assembling together" has been established within the experience of the believer.

This alternate expression/lifestyle has replaced a vastly larger dynamic that the Spirit of God could guide us as benefactors and contributors within the Body of God's anointing. In this surrogate model of assembling, size/numbers replace the free-flow of access to "whomsoever will" that the Spirit will lead us to connect with. This system has even greatly curtailed mobility involving the giftings and servant ministries (Eph 4), static becomes the norm, dynamic the exception.

In this creation of a surrogate system of saints assembling in a very specific, finite local group, fidelity, loyalty and alegience to a new man-made thing is introduced. Oh what a tangled web we weave.

I offer NO dispute with the admonition that Chan would have us be reminded of; DO NOT FORSAKE our ASSEMBLING TOGETHER! The construct authored by men to create a myriad of local churches does JUST THAT. We are expected to pledge our allegiance to some thing that has been authored by men, thus dramatically curtailing our free assembly with those who our Lord will lead us to serve and be served by.

Without a surrogate system where men can better make disciples unto themselves, the countless SECTS would lose their sponsoring energy. Without a central command structure authored by individual men, each individual must seek the Spirit to be led concerning his own calling and election. At the end of this life, each individual will face their own Lord to provide an account of what we have done with the precious treasure we have been given.
God is one. He has one body. He has one head over that body.

Just think Christians just might personally seek and hear from God, and if every member of the body is hearing and doing, what would happen???

Could it possibily be that we will then see, "...none will say 'know the Lord' for all will know Him, from the least to the greatest..." "...then the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea..." O, THAT THAT DAY WOULD BE THIS DAY!!!!

Great post tbpew!

[Rico]

Originally Posted by True Believer

What if there are no other churches around you? I know of an area of the country (which shall remain nameless) that the UPCI churches are at least 1 1/2 hours away from each other. Not so easy to just go to another one. Then the pastor of the other one wants a letter from your old pastor. (What do you think that letter will say? Anything good probably not). There are no other Oneness churches around in this particular area that I am aware of, so what do those people do?

Get off their butt and look for one! Don't you read? Then, the ones that do go searching for a church are criticized over considering moving to attend one they find.

[Rico]

Originally Posted by MrsMcD

There are people that believe if you aren't going to an Apostolic church, you might as well not go to church at all.

And not just any apostolic church will do, either.

[Rico]

Originally Posted by freeatlast

My first thoughts were , "this all sounds SO CHILDISH"

Secondly, if I ever had a boss who treated me as two psstors I've had, I'd quit ttomorrow and go get a different job.

Thirdly, your comparrison with church to a job holds no water. Whatever my boss tells me has no eternal worth concerning my souls destination.

Don't you know it's only ok to look to the world for an example when it's convenient to them?

by True Believer
What if there are no other churches around you? I know of an area of the country (which shall remain nameless) that the UPCI churches are at least 1 1/2 hours away from each other. Not so easy to just go to another one. Then the pastor of the other one wants a letter from your old pastor. (What do you think that letter will say? Anything good probably not). There are no other Oneness churches around in this particular area that I am aware of, so what do those people do?

The closes UPC church to me is 95 miles away, one way. The letter thing is more like a report card, as for what people do with no church around they home church, invite other to join you, who in the same boat ~