Apostolic Friends Forum
Tab Menu 1
Go Back   Apostolic Friends Forum > The Fellowship Hall > Fellowship Hall
Facebook

Notices

Fellowship Hall The place to go for Fellowship & Fun!


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #21  
Old 10-25-2017, 11:45 AM
Originalist Originalist is offline
Registered Member


 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 10,073
Re: Visited a New Church Sunday

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sherri View Post
Nothing wrong with lights and a smoke machine, if you also have the anointing and power of God. Sometimes we use the smoke machine, and I personally don't get it, but the younger staff people love it. To me, it doesn't add or take away from God's presence. It's all about why we are there - and we come to worship Jesus! And we have powerful moves of God. It's all about the HEART.
Ask yourself WHY a smoke machine. What would motivate the use of it?
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 10-25-2017, 12:26 PM
Aquila Aquila is offline
Banned


 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 31,124
Re: Visited a New Church Sunday

When I see a church use a smoke machine, I can't help but think of...
"I am Oz! The Great and Powerful!"

Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 10-25-2017, 03:17 PM
houston houston is offline
Isaiah 56:4-5


 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: SOUTH ZION
Posts: 11,307
Re: Visited a New Church Sunday

I need to walk away from this thread or I’m gonna cuss.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 10-25-2017, 06:59 PM
Esaias's Avatar
Esaias Esaias is offline
Unvaxxed Pureblood


 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Zion aka TEXAS
Posts: 26,758
Re: Visited a New Church Sunday

Of course the younger people love it - it's cool, it's a "sanctified night club."

And, as more and more churches blow more and more smoke, more and more young people grow up and move on with their lives, onto more "serious" things, leaving church behind.

It's all good, though, Jesus DID say He's in the pruning business...
__________________
Visit the Apostolic House Church YouTube Channel!


Biblical Worship - free pdf http://www.pdf-archive.com/2016/02/21/biblicalworship4/

Conditional immortality proven - https://ia800502.us.archive.org/3/it...surrection.pdf

Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 10-25-2017, 07:49 PM
Sister Alvear's Avatar
Sister Alvear Sister Alvear is offline
Sister Alvear


 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Brazil, SA
Posts: 27,037
Re: Visited a New Church Sunday

I cannot remember what we were doing but we borrowed one for a play on some occasion...We also borrowed (maybe rented) I cannot remember some kind of machine that spits out little pieces of paper...the young people did a skit about rain...I find nothing wrong with that...I love the colored lights at Brother Holmes church...our grandson came back from camp meeting and rigged up some here.... I cannot imagine smoke every night or pieces of paper raining down...but I see no more sin in that than using a microphone... the early church had neither smoke machines or microphones.....

I was in a service not long ago and we had a group that came in from another church and they had flags and all kinds of things...almost shocking...They were not asked they just jumped in and started doing their thing...I sat for a moment stunned...and then the Holy Ghost spoke to me, "you can sit here criticizing these kids or you can worship me...the song is not about them it is about me..." I admit I closed my eyes...however I began to worship and before it was over felt the presence of the Lord so strong...the kids told me later they had never been to a church like ours and they loved it...and want me to come speak at their church...

I was so ashamed of myself...little innocent young people that brought all they knew to help in a service they really knew nothing about...(Brazilian style) . and here the Mrs Know it all missionary is sitting in the pew frowning as they worship the only way they know how... Oh! Lord forgive me...help me to help others...help me to love and care and never forget if I do know more... that I am blessed....but not above them or better than them...or anyone ...

It is true God does not need my help to pour out His spirit...but I do need his help....
__________________
Monies to help us may be sent to P.O. Box 797, Jonesville, La 71343.

If it is for one of our direct needs please mark it on the check.
Facebook Janice LaVaun Taylor Alvear
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 10-25-2017, 07:53 PM
n david n david is offline
Registered Member


 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 17,807
Re: Visited a New Church Sunday

Church "worship" - Guns N Roses "Sweet Child O' Mine"

  #27  
Old 10-25-2017, 07:53 PM
Sister Alvear's Avatar
Sister Alvear Sister Alvear is offline
Sister Alvear


 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Brazil, SA
Posts: 27,037
Re: Visited a New Church Sunday

12 Things the Early Church Didn't Need to Change the World for Jesus
JOSEPH MATTERA

With the focus today on building large church edifices to hold sizable crowds, we forget that the early church exploded when they were decentralized and met in homes and catacombs. (Flickr/Jorge Lascar)
The book of Acts grants us a snapshot as to the power and effectiveness of the first-century church that transformed the world. I believe we are still called to extrapolate principles from the early church in order to fulfill our mission. One of the things that most of us take for granted is the dependence upon modern methodologies and assumptions we deem absolutely necessary today to have a successful church.

However, sometimes what we deem necessary may prove to be a stumbling block in our quest for exponential, explosive church growth.

The following are 12 things the early church didn't need to change the world:

1. A Large Central Building

With the focus today on building large church edifices to hold sizable crowds, we forget that the early church exploded when they were decentralized and met in homes and catacombs. Of course the reason for this was because Christianity was illegal and they could not build public buildings. Having smaller meeting places gave them a greater sense of community and compelled more people to lead to hold the city church together. It was truly one city church with many congregations and locations.

2. A Complete Bible

The powerful church depicted in the book of Acts did not yet have all the gospels, epistles and the book of Revelation. Furthermore, since there was no printing press, nobody walked around with a Bible! Can you imagine a church today without access to a completed Bible? (In many places today where believers are persecuted, many are without a Bible!)

In the early church, only a few had scrolls of the Old Testament and some apostolic letters that circulated among believers to be read in corporate gatherings. Yet, they turned the world upside down! Why? Because they were living epistles who depended upon oral learning and acted upon the limited revelation they had.

3. Professional Clergy

Often the first-century church only had a handful of full-time ministers. Most of the ministry was done by elders, deacons and believers who supported themselves with a vocation. Of course, the primary apostolic leaders itinerated and devoted themselves to the ministry of the Word and prayer (Acts 6:1-4).

4. A Denomination

The early church was an organic movement of voluntary associations of believers. The skeletal frame was a simple hierarchical structure that included five cluster ministry gifts (Eph. 4:11) with a team of elders and deacons (1Tim. 3). Their focus was to equip the church to do the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:12). As the church evolved, church government became more sophisticated, and the office of bishop eventually expanded to have a diocesan and metropolitan influence.

However, they were not an institutionalized, top-down, hierarchical organization with complicated canon law, protocols and traditions like present-day denominations. They would be more akin to what we would term today as "independent, network Christianity" that is presently exploding and expanding the global church.

5. An Accommodating Culture

The early church emerged as a small, counter-culture movement with opposition from both the Jewish nation and its polytheistic Roman/Greco culture. Its odds of survival were very slim (perhaps in Vegas it would be 100-1 odds). In spite of this, they not only survived but thrived because they depended upon the all-sufficient Christ as their daily bread. Many believers today fight for freedom of religion because they do not want to be inconvenienced when living out their faith.

6. A Bible School

The thought of sending promising leaders away to a university or Bible college was unheard of in the first century. The model for nurturing and equipping their leaders of the future was to mentor them in the context of their faith community. This is still the most effective way to develop strong leadership.

7. A Worship Team

The early church utilized the psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, orally passed down Scripture and sang a cappella in their small gatherings (Eph. 5:19). Can you imagine a church trying to grow today without the use of visual effects, lights and a skilled worship team? Often these accoutrements cause believers to focus more on a visceral experience than worshipping Jesus.

8. Social Media and Technology

The apostle Paul planted churches in 31 major cities and networked all the leaders together through the use of hand-delivered letters and personal visits. His work turned the world upside down without the use of planes, trains, automobiles and social media.

There is truly no substitute for personal touch when it comes to birthing a movement.

9. A Sunday School or Youth Group

In the early church there was no separating the families. The children, youth and parents all worshipped and learned the word together. Of course, some were taken aside for private instruction (2 Tim. 2:2), but the concept of Sunday Schools and youth groups was unheard of. Yet, they still kept their families in the faith and perpetuated the gospel for generations.

10. Professional Therapy and Counseling

In the early church—people received Scripture-based admonition (Heb. 3:12,13), prayer and at times deliverance from Satanic oppression—but there was no psychological counseling and therapy (or drugs). Yet, they rejoiced always—even when their material goods were confiscated and they were persecuted (Phil. 4:4; Heb.10:32-34).

11. Political Affiliation

Nowadays, most Christians are affiliated to some extent with a political party and even depend upon it to buttress their faith and values. The early church only promoted and affiliated in public with Christ's kingdom. They believed that affiliating with a heathen government like Rome compromised their allegiance to the reign of God.

12. A Financial War-Chest

Many church plants and congregations today struggle to survive due to a lack of finances (many church plants even close due to this). The early church did not have much money (Acts 3:6) but subsisted on radical love, which included the sharing of their material possessions and financial support (Acts 2:44,45; 4:32; 2 Cor. 8-9). This interdependence created synergy, which released great power to spread the gospel (Acts 4:32, 33).

Finally, although the methodologies we utilize today can be useful, we should never allow them to replace proven biblical principles the early church used to turn the world upside down (Acts 17: 6).

Dr. Joseph Mattera
__________________
Monies to help us may be sent to P.O. Box 797, Jonesville, La 71343.

If it is for one of our direct needs please mark it on the check.
Facebook Janice LaVaun Taylor Alvear
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 10-25-2017, 07:55 PM
n david n david is offline
Registered Member


 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 17,807
Re: Visited a New Church Sunday

Hallelujah!

  #29  
Old 10-25-2017, 07:57 PM
n david n david is offline
Registered Member


 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 17,807
Re: Visited a New Church Sunday

Praise the Lord, saints!

Life is a Highway...or journey. Sweet home, Alabama?

  #30  
Old 10-25-2017, 08:04 PM
n david n david is offline
Registered Member


 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 17,807
Re: Visited a New Church Sunday

Back in 2005, another friend and I visited Craig Groschel's LifeChurch.tv satellite church plant grand opening near here. They had a sermon from Craig via pre-recorded video, but a live "worship" band. The band's songs were Lenny Kravitz's "Are you gonna go my way" and U2's "Miracle Drug." They were talented, but it was terrible. Both plants here were gone within a few years.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
About The Church I Visited Today... Jermyn Davidson Fellowship Hall 16 12-09-2015 10:07 AM
Went To Church Sunday Michael The Disciple Fellowship Hall 25 01-13-2015 10:43 AM
I visited another church this past weekend Originalist Fellowship Hall 33 09-19-2013 09:56 AM
First Sunday In Our New Church! CC1 Fellowship Hall 21 06-06-2013 11:21 PM
Visited a non UPC church Titus2woman Fellowship Hall 136 02-06-2012 09:41 AM

 
User Infomation
Your Avatar

Latest Threads
- by Praxeas
- by Amanah

Help Support AFF!

Advertisement




All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:26 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.