SermonIndex Audio Sermons
SermonIndex - Promoting Revival to this Generation
Give To SermonIndex
Discussion Forum : General Topics : My Visit to a Church Last Night

Print Thread (PDF)

Goto page ( Previous Page 1 | 2 | 3 Next Page )
PosterThread
dolfan
Member



Joined: 2011/8/23
Posts: 1727
Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama

 Re:

After visiting with those in the Gospel Fellowships/SI gathering in Atlanta I walked away with two overarching thoughts:

1. We are doing the right thing.
2. We are doing it in the right way.

I mean by that our own home fellowship.

Still processing other things and praying, as we have been, for the Lord to show us Himself and for Him to lead us.

Also, we learned something new and we are seeking Him about it, too. Not an -ism, not a technique, but a work by the Holy Spirit and will be praying on it.


_________________
Tim

 2016/6/19 21:31Profile
browny
Member



Joined: 2010/11/24
Posts: 458


 Re: My Visit to a Church Last Night


Yes, I am there also, outside the camp.

 2016/6/19 22:11Profile









 Re:

I have been outside the camp for many years, mainly due to being too sick to survive a whole service through noise sensitivity, inability to sit upright for so long, parking access problems etc and just general lack of interest in making attendance for the chronically sick possible.

Until a year ago when it was pressed upon me that my local church which is two minutes walk away, and Emergent, is at least reading the scriptures publically and in my vicinity and l should support that.

Moreover, the early morning communion service lasts one hour with a very small congregation, so l not only began to attend, but volunteered as a lay readerso l am the one doing the readings.

This has been possible because the Lord has been leading me into ways of bringing healing to my body, through a dietary protocol which is grain, dairy, processed foods free and l have become much stronger.

There are some good things actually in Emergence and the church has been running a course on ' rethinking' evangelism and reaching out to the under privileged and marginalised, and there is a work going on in my city amongst ex offenders which l managed to attend, which was amazing. It is growing rapidly, and seeing conversions all of the time. They provide a meal, testimony, prayers and worship. There are things like this going on all over the uk.

With my church being a joint Anglican and Methodist venture, the preaching is generally about Jesus to be accessible to all and some visiting ministers do preach the gospel.

There are plenty of things that l would change, and no prayer meetings taking place, but the people genuinely want to serve the community which l often found lacking in some evangelical huddles l came across over the years.

At least the c of e recognises that things are very seriously wrong in the church and are seeking for answers. Perhaps God will use me, we shall see. At least this church has made it possible for a very sick person to have some contact with other humans, whereas the evangelical churches in the area, do not.

 2016/6/20 1:51









 Re:

Brenda,
When you say your church is "Emergent", do you mean like Doug Pagget, Rob Bell, Universalism, No such thing as Hell, Contemplative Centering chanting, etc.? That's what it means in America & it's a haunt of jackals filled with every kind of unbiblical heresy & if you really study it out (Elliot Nesch? Has a video on YouTube about the roots & history of the Emergent church movement I think called something like "Real roots of the Emergent Church" or something?) it is mixed with New Age & Occult mixture to the core. Not trying to "go all GK Chesterson on you" or anything, & I'm not out "heresy hunting", but the Emergent church movement is full of things the Apostles addressed even in the scriptures & would address no doubt were they alive today. I am sorry the other churches don't make accomodations for you & I hear most of the denominational churches in buildings in the UK (that haven't been turned into mosques) are a lot like many of the ones in the USA - lukewarm or even in outright apostasy. This, among other things, is why I would recommend a good strong, Biblical house church of intimate close believers, elders, real fellowship, etc. Anyways, Joe Schimel also has a good expose on the Emergent Church called "Submerging Church" I Think? Also, one of the brothers in our fellowship wrote a mini-book warning of Rob Bell & his heretical teaching. You can find it at his site: "preachingjesuschrist.com". Anyways, I am not trying to harm you, judge you or pick a fight. Lord as my witness. But the Emergent Church is like the Gnostics the apostles warned of (& some Emergent circles actually are gnostic in some of their beliefs & teachings), so I speak from a heart of love & genuine concern.
God Bless,
Jeff

 2016/6/20 2:15









 Re:

Thanks for your concern Jeff.

The services are pretty inocculous, being either the early morning traditional Anglican liturgy or the later 'modern' cafe church with nothing like the things you mentioned.

Some of the people that go are leaning towards liberalism or are nominal Christians who or merely church attenders who are pretty quiet about their faith, and then some of the people are reading the less extreme Emergent stuff. There is a big variation in it.

I hear the odd thing that disturbed me, like RC being an acceptable part of the church. You can see the subtle influences that will lead to a one world church, but it is all under key and there is nothing greatly amiss. No occultism but one or two are a bit on the new age side but are not trying to change others.

The church is unusual being mainly middle class professionals as it is on a big estate full of teachers, prison workers, police etc so no way out people, they are pretty conformist. Heck, l am much more out there than them with my beliefs on sanctification.

The main thrust is to provide for the community in children's work and the focus is always on Jesus though it is a bit if a middle class social club.

I am reading up on what l can, and have found some of the teaching going round on Fresh Expression good in finding ways to take the gospel out rather than just wait for people to come in. I have been inspired by some of what l have heard going on like the work amongst bikers in Wales.

I have been able to give my testimony and preach the the gospel at the fellowship groups. I have freedom to say what l want and believe what l want which you find in these Anglican liberal churches, but then, with it being Methodist too, l can bring John Wesley into the discussion and tell them what he taught. Very few have done much reading.

I don't have much choice otherwise. I certainly will not go to any charismatic gatherings with the unholy noise they make, completely oblivious to any present with neurological damage or other frail people and besides, they will not have their services accessible to non charismatics by leaving out the things that divide and make people feel alienated. They could do their own stuff midweek.

At least my church have services where anyone can feel welcome which in the present state of spiritual deadness and lack of revival!,is the best you can get IMO. I don't see any church doing much better. The evangelicals may be better doctrinally but cold and judgemental.

Fortunately for me my own faith and beliefs are rock solid and do not depend on what men say, l was taught by the Lord in my many years of isolation. I tell you this though, l think that churches like mine are much more open to revival as they know they have got things wrong and are seeking answers.

There are evangelicals on the estate that travelling into the city to attend charismatic churches (no house churches as such though there are local midweek meetings that l have attended and go to one for fellowship midweek that is another Anglican, non charismatic but evangelical). That church is inaccessible for disabled parking. If they attended our local church instead it would have a huge impact on the community.

 2016/6/20 5:01









 Re:

This morning in my time with the Lord prayed for the particular church I visited this last Saturday night. I believe God allowed me to go or I should say directed me to go there. If nothing else to intercede for them.

When I left the church last Saturday night I kept thinking with such shallowness. They will not withstand what is coming. So I prayed that the pastors as the leaders in this church in their own walk With Jesus would go deeper in him. And then encourage their flock to do so. For surely if we do not have a deep walk with Jesus in this hour. We will not endure the storm that is surely to come up on us in America.

 2016/6/20 5:54
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re:

Hi Bear-

Thought I'd toss out a question.

Is it better to be mile wide and an inch deep or zero miles wide and no depth? Because many people go to "mega-churches" that would not go otherwise.

My church is similar to what you describe- however our pastor does preach the word and does preach the hard stuff when needed. In fact we are in a series doing a "bird's eye" view of the Bible for the next 9 months for the sole purpose of getting folks acquainted with what is in the scriptures. We have weekly life groups that go deeper.

Now I have to admit some of the marketing aspects of the church do gag me. However, those same things that gag me get many into the church that would otherwise not go. Once they visit they generally stay. They hear the word, grow in the Lord, and start serving, generally.

Last May over 300 people were baptized on a single Sunday. Hearing their testimonies leads me to believe they have likely been genuinely converted. Of course you can never know for absolute sure. Many were baptized in the clothes they came to church in because they heeded the call to be baptized if they believe and not put it off.

It is not the head pastors job to spoon feed the congregation. As our pastor says, his desire is that people develop into self-feeders. I would certainly agree that when the pastor does preach, he needs to preach undiluted truth. If I felt our pastor was not doing this, I would leave.

I have determined after being part of several churches that there is no perfect church.

In a church like the one we attend there is a "subset" of folks who find each other who want to go deeper and we do. We all have similar qualms about certain aspects of the church, but I guess we intend to be part of the solution and not cause dissension by griping and complaining about things that ultimately don't matter. What matters is if people are being saved and becoming disciples of Jesus Christ. And I would have to say that in my church they are. Not everyone, but a good amount.


_________________
Todd

 2016/6/20 9:01Profile









 Re: Todd

Brother I praise God that you have found a church that is preaching God's word. And that is encouraging their congregation to go deeper. Just because of church is a mega church does not mean there is not good in them. What I was sharing was simply my experience visiting this one church. And I think the Lord had me at in there so I could pray and intercede that they would go deeper in the Lord.

Just sending my thoughts bro.

 2016/6/20 9:28
Renee_is_His
Member



Joined: 2016/3/9
Posts: 74
Garland, TX

 Re: Todd

I agree brother, that there is no such thing as a perfect church - that goes without saying.
What I have been searching for is not perfection (for it would cease to be perfect as soon as I showed up), but purity of heart. Is there a genuine desire to go on in the Lord, being perfected in the beauty of holiness? A genuine love for the Lord and for His people? A desire to be conformed to His image? To know Him, in the power of His resurrection AND in the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death?
I thank God that He has led me to a small house fellowship that does contain some of these elements. I too am outside the camp.


_________________
Renee

 2016/6/20 10:03Profile









 Re:

I'm sure we have heard of the camp meetings that used to be held on the 19th and 20th Century. Maybe we need to have some meetings but call them outside the camp meetings. :-)

 2016/6/20 10:28





©2002-2024 SermonIndex.net
Promoting Revival to this Generation.
Privacy Policy