Saints,Every week I speak to more and more believers that cannot find good Biblical fellowship in their local area. Many churches each year are progressively deviating from the truths of God's Word. Sadly this is happening all over North America. There are new churches starting but many of them are offering a cheap grace, superficial surrender and a church where you can have all the world's values and still have a assembly of God's people. It is said that the largest segment of true believers in every major city in North America are simply right now going to Church. We actually believe that could be true or will be definitely true soon. If you cannot find fellowship right now or are looking to be involved in a small gathering of believers even 2-3 or an established home church then you could consider to find one in your local area here:http://gospelfellowships.net/find-fellowship/If there is not a fellowship or contact listed in your local city consider to add yourself to the fellowship finder.
_________________SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
Some of us choose to stay in local church assemblies that are less than ideal. We choose to stay and pray and participate. Where we can, we seek to "earnestly contend for the faith once delivered" (Jude 1:3) and speak good things into public meetings and private conversations. Sometimes we rock the boat of the status quo and may encounter some push-back. So be it. For those of us who stay, our family and our friends and neighbors attend these assemblies. Our children and their friends attend these assemblies. Some of our children may be grown and out of the house and married and attending the same or similar assemblies with their children. At some points in life, we do well to make commitments and then subsequently to stick with them.If the public worship service has weak or grievous things being said, then pray and pray some more. Pray for the preacher. Pray for the hearers. Pray for the local shepherds. Pray for the sheep. Pray for saints to come forth to do ministry as in Ephesians 4:11-12.Labor and pray and seek to be an influence until "we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.".(Ephesians 4:13).Established assemblies are still growing into the desired stature of the fullness of Christ. I'm sure that new assemblies won't be there during their first week either.
thanks Greg for posting this. I think what you are all doing with sharing these fellowships is so awesome.rdg
Harold Camping and Family radio took the extreme position that all existing churches had gone apostate.As reported by the Christian Post...Tom Evans, assistant general manager at Family Stations, Inc., told The Christian Post that Family Radio continues to "advocate" and "agree with" the views Camping held.This includes the proposal that all institutional churches have gone apostate and that true believers should leave their congregations.
Some of us choose to stay in local church assemblies that are less than ideal. We choose to stay and pray and participate. Where we can, we seek to "earnestly contend for the faith once delivered" (Jude 1:3) and speak good things into public meetings and private conversations. Sometimes we rock the boat of the status quo and may encounter some push-back. So be it.
This includes the proposal that all institutional churches have gone apostate and that true believers should leave their congregations.
Thanks, GG. Sometimes fellowship comes over the phone or over the internet via forums and email and voice. Sometimes, we do have local fellowship. Sometimes, we find local fellowship that is outside of our local church but in our local community. Joseph in Egypt, Moses, Elijah, Daniel, and Jesus all seemed to be alone at times but they had fellowship with God the Father in private prayer. Sometimes, I remember fellowship of years ago and get a smile by thinking about it. I can still remember some old, private exhortations. The Apostle Paul did have companions in ministry and this was good. In prayer meetings, sometimes we enjoy fellowship with others at the start and end of the prayer meeting. Yes, helpful fellowship is something to be sought and then appreciated and enjoyed when it is found.