Well I am restless in my own thoughts trying to make sense of what I see.

For those of you who love Jesus and try everyday to follow his Word....Has anyone been noticing that the people of God are starving for a fellowship of Genuine believers walking in faith? Willing to do what the Bible says Everyday?

My thoughts ...correct me please.


I have been fellowshiping with the non-denomination-denomination. I have grown so tired of praying for the "New" building, listening and trying to praise the Lord to "this is the air I Breathe" till everyone is emotionaly spent, and watching everyone trying to make the Cut in being the Good Looking minister/Hireling suck ups to a "Klicky" leadership. How far are we from the Mark and how badly are we missing it?

The (My) Heart is decietfully wicked right...Am I just a Bitter believer in sin, not submitting to a church's vision. Or is this what the Church in America is today? Is it men following men with ideas of How it all should be done? Waiting for approval from one another in order to do what they KNOW is already right? Is the Worship leaders new les paul with a Marshall half stack more important then some 90 orphans in Pena Blanca Honduras getting atleast one meal a day served by someone wanting to show the Love of God and point them to Jesus?

Some body please slap me! Then pray I dont get an Isaiah complex and start some zealous home fellowship.

Note : I am limiting my Brother Ravenhill sermons to 2 a year....if that much.

Thanks for your encouragement or exhortation in advance.

There is a thread "just Who IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS." a couple down from you, with a lot of comments on the forum. It comes from a similar mindset that you are communicating, ans is edifying in that many see what you see, and offer their answers and insights.


This state of the church is nor going to change overnight, but I guarantee that it will. We need to pray, and to be willing to change ourselves, and to become a nobody...a servant to the least...and willing to become a "Good Brother"...or a "Good sister!" We need to learn how to love, and how to walk by faith, and still interact with his body.



I sympathize with your plight, and may agree with your discernment, but sense a cynical attitude to your Church. Go on with God...find Him even if you have to walk alone for a season...but remain innocent and loving to others. He desires a pure heart in us first, no matter how right we may be. Please him, and learn to worship Him, all on your own. This is the key to walking, and living by faith.


The biblical model is combining this walk, and uniting with others that God has joined you to. This, under the rule of a Godly and united band of shepherds, is the core of a New Testament Church.



If we continue to feed where the Holy Spirit is continually quenched, day by day, year by year...we will starve, shrivel up and die. You are responsible to walk by faith, by your faith, and God will provide...as He promised, to carry you through. Seek Him to guide, and provide, and remember He is much more interested in what you become, than what you Do.

I think that's some good advice, Brother Tom. I've been through that myself, and I also have friends who have been there, wondering if we can't find a decent church because we're maybe being too picky. A good thing about being in transition between churches, though, is that you have to learn how to stand on your own for a season, and it can strengthen you if you choose to see it as an opportunity to do so, but still we were not meant to walk alone all the time.

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Troy A Lasseigne

Your brothers may have their focus off. Your brothers may be trendy. Your brothers may play lots of games. But they are still your brothers just the same. Wherever God has planted you, blossom there.

Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. (Hebrews 12:12-13)

There are some weak, feeble, and lame brethren out there. Indeed, there are many whose lives are out of joint and they have rendered themselves lame. But tend to them, love them, and take care of them. Build them up in the most holy faith, that was once and for all delivered to the saints. Be patient, and remember that you yourself have probably been in their very same predicament before in your own life. But the Lord was patient with you, and had mercy on you. Therefore, show mercy to them.

Withdrawing fellowship from your weaker brethren so you can form a small group of Ravenhill's simply is not the will of the Lord. He never did that nor would He do that today.

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Jimmy H

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Janice

Thanks Brothers....appreciate it.

Some body please slap me! Then pray I dont get an Isaiah complex and start some zealous home fellowship.

--well that's how it started out "Believers meet house to house"

An organism of cooperating cells submitting to the direct headship of Christ, rather than a religious business corporation where the directors raise up a vision in Jesus' name.

The corporate model is easier to control by men, the the former much harder.

The head of every believing man is Christ not the local Church. He has an individual plan/vision for each believer. And as long as it supports the corporate church's vision they'll support yours-(maybe). When the Lord leads you in a different path than the corporate vision then suddenly your a divisive brother; not submitting to the headship their church.
"Who's your covering?"-- a catch phrase of man's control. Christ is my head and the presence of the Holy Spirit my covering.

cordially Ron J.

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Ron Johnson

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Christiaan

""Can you quote me the scripture for that? It sounds more like a personal assumption of what you feel He would say. I trust you do not intend putting words in our Lords mouth. If I am in error here, please show me.""


The only time the Scriptures ever encourage us to disassociate ourselves with other Christians is in the case of those who persist in open sin, and shun the discipline of those in the church who show them their sin. Read Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Or read five of John's seven letters to the churches in Revelation. Or read our Lord's command in Matthew. Never will you find a verse in the entire New Testament that encourages you to leave one church and go to another, or to form a small group of Ravenhill's to protest a large lukewarm churches.

To do so is to create division in the body of Christ, and is just as much sin and carnality as those who are living in adulterous relationships. "Divisions" or "Factions" is listed as a fruit of the flesh in Galatians 6, which ranks with some other gross immorality. There is nothing spiritual about it. "Come out of her My people!" is often the cry of many such individuals. In my opinion and experience, I'm glad to see such people go when they finally do go. That way the church can get on with the business of being the church.

That's not to say I don't sympathize with such a view point. If there is anybody that is jealous for a church that is pure, white, and without spot and wrinkle, it would be me. But that doesn't mean we ignore the fact there are those who are genuine brethren who don't regularly live up to that standard. Indeed, there are brethren who are quite stale in their walk, and have little passion for God. Mere pew warmers on many levels. Oh to God this were not the case, but the fact of the matter is that this is the case. And such excites me and challenges me all the more. God knows I've been there and done that.

I thank God for the people who woke me from my slumber. Thank God they did not break away from the church and have nothing to do with lukewarm people like me. Otherwise, I would not be the man of God that I am today. We must patiently deal with immature and lukewarm believers. It is only so-called brethren who live in open sin that we must disassociate ourselves with. To disassociate from the brethren just because their cold and institutional has no foundation to it in Scripture whatsoever.

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Jimmy H

As for house churches, no, I've never "formally" been involved with a house church. Every Friday night though, I do open my apartment up for a time of fellowship with other men in the church. There is no formality to it. We show up, we eat, we share, we look at Scriptures, we lay hands on one another, we pray, and we go home. There is no leader. We simply meet under the headship of Christ, and simply as brethren. Some weeks some men have more to share than others. Sometimes our schedules conflict and we don't get together at all.

I believe God has called me to be a church planter here in America one day. He has put it in my heart to plant a church that is as organic as possible, and be house/cell based. But, I'm not opposed to having a larger more formal Sunday morning service so long as its done in the right spirit.

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Jimmy H