Membership in a good Bible-believing, Bible teaching, Bible preaching church can’t be beat. The church has a lot to offer and I have not given up. Since I prefer to be around Christians, and because I love to learn Bible doctrine, like good singing and other church activities, I prefer to be able to be in a church. It’s funny how people can meet, assemble, or congregate every where else, belong to clubs and auxiliaries, sororieties, fraternities, the Masons, the KKK and any other kind of group.

Assembling together can mean home fellowships but the new testament model is church fellowship. When we look at the majority of Pauls epistles they were written to churches.Or a gathering of believers who had in common their love for Christ and each other.I realize a major portion of Hebrews is stating that Jesus is the high priest and we no longer need a priest to intercede for us which is definitely true . However that does not negate the need for a Godly organized gathering where we are to fellowship with one another and be taught and bless one another with the individual gifts God has given us.

I have said before that Paul did not write we are to have Pastors deacons bishops etc. in the church for nothing these are God ordained positions that show the Fathers desire for Godly leadership and structure in his church. I realize this has been abused and done improperly and may be the reason many people stay away from church.

For example the following scripture has been mutilated by pastors to control and manipulate people Hbr 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you. . No the scripture does not mean church leadership is to rule and reign over the congregations life.The pastor is to be an example for the people to live a Godly life submitted to God not him. However the office of pastor (teacher) is to be respected not because I say so but because the Word does.

Msaumu says: What are you trying to learn any way in these building’s? Flee from them, trust in the Lord your God and ask, he will supply your need in Christ Jesus

Well my brother trusting in Jesus means trusting in what he established and that is church.I always say good churches are out there just keep looking. Guys we cant run from church and proclaim them all bad or unnecessary.

1Sa 10:19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, [Nay], but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.

What are you trying to learn any way in these building’s? Flee from them, trust in the Lord your God and ask, he will supply your need in Christ Jesus

Anybody who has lived on this earth long enough to have had any kind of trials, tribulations, disappointments and problems, can preach the kind of sermons I have been hearing lately. Some aren’t even preaching; they’re reading stuff they sat down and wrote the night before. I know of one pastor whose wife prepares his sermons for him and writes them out. He reads from the Bible, sets the Bible aside or closes it, and then reads her sermon notes, word for word, from the notes she’s written. She teaches the Bible Study at the church and when she does teach, it’s more like she is preaching and there is a lot of reaction from the pews. But when the pastor teaches the Bible study, the people are so quiet because he is really dull and sometimes when he is teaching, she (his wife) has to gently correct him because he gets off the true meaning of the lesson. I visited there more than once before I moved on, but it appears that before long, his wife will be pastoring that church (she already is a seminary trained working chaplain). Anyway, I’m still looking and praying. Have a blessed day everyone!

(MN: Here, let me try again.

If you think I am misinterpreting the Bible, please tell me where and why yo think what I have said is a misinterpretation. )

(GV) Yes……..that’s become obvious. The question though is “WHY NOT??” You came here with nothing more than assertions and uninformed opinion without a shred of Biblical support to tell us WE don’t know the Bible.

Well, if we are to take you seriously, you must PROVE your assertions by the Bible.Otherwise, you’re wasting bandwidth.

The fact is, you CANNOT prove what you assert by Scripture, therefore you do not attempt it. Wise move.

(Anon)u all on the other hand seem desperate for people to see things your way…show you that your theologically wrong? What makes you theologically right?

(GV) Mel’s response cannot be improved upon. Scripture. Tell me………how would you KNOW what was theologically right to begin with when you haven’t even the ability to defend your OWN theology, never mind the theology of the pimps??

(Anon) It’s folks like you that make people not want to be a part of the church because you’re always pointing out what the church isn’t doing…what the preachers are doing wrong…

(GV) WRONG. It’s the pimps and sheeple like those YOU defend that make the Body of Christ a laughingstock and bring reproach upon His Name. Their sloth towards the Word has allowed these Pimpologists to make a mockery of Christ before the eyes of the world.

It is NOT Scripture rightly divided that the world mocks……….for the Word properly exegeted is the Power Of God. What the world mocks and disdains is the fact that even THEY (WITHOUT the Spirit) can see right through the money-making schemes, the blatant manipulation, and the freakishly maniacal emotionalism the pimps use to fleece their “flock”. And their flock allows this on national TV and radio (before a mocking world) as a direct result of the sort of Biblical ignorance you’ve demonstrated here.

It is these pimp-idols that cause the world to smirk at and reject Christ, with their satellite -broadcast spastic displays, and babbling gibberish, and eager desire to throw money at obvious con-men.

The world disdains the church and Christ because it mistakenly believes that the embarrassing displays it sees on TV (paid for and promoted those you defend) is actually what Christ is all about.

(Anon)how about finding something positive to say…you can’t can you…since everyone up here knows scripture you should be trying to lead us “sinners” to Christ….

(GV) We are commanded to sound a warning against false teachers. We are commanded to warn those who may blindly fall into their trap. No axillary good work that might be done through these men can make amends for the spiritual devastation they wreak by their heresies and pimpery.

Will God commend them for feeding a poor person before leading the poor to a false Christ and a Godless eternity?? Will God commend them for clothing the naked before making him two-fold more the child of hell than themselves??

God is far more concerned with their spiritual food, and their spiritual garments, than their physical ones.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I (Jesus) profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Look carefully at these verses my friend……..for if you ARE unsaved, pray that God may grant you repentance unto life so that these Words of His (Depart from Me) may never ring in YOUR ears.

My question is……….”Or what??”

Seems like the typical internet toughguy stupidity. I notice you haven’t taken up the challenge to PROVE your assertions, though you had the time and inclination to pound out another vitriolic post (once again void of anything even remotely Biblical to support your views).

Not that I’m surprised after sampling your writings thus far. C’mon and prove us wrong. Defend the DOCTRINE rather than the PIMP…………..if you CAN. Show us how we’re theologically wrong and you and your leaders are correct.

Step up………

Most of the folks who comment here leave a tag of some kind. You, on the other hand, choose to be anonymous. Insecurities? Please. I suspect you are somewhat insecure since you fail to deal with issues and instead toss insults from the shadows. )

First, Paul said that the enemy would be crushed Romans 16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet [shortly] the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Compare this with Revelation 22:6 “and he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants which must [shortly] be done. ”

If shortly means in these two verses what shortly is supposed to mean, I don’t think the enemy was around when man in his own heart started these building calling them churches. I know we always say we know that the church is not a building- that’s fine and good but its sad when we say go back to church knowing that we really mean the building. The word church is the start of the problem. It’s a business; it always was because man- not God or Jesus ordained it.

So to make it simple, they can never go back to church. Since this has been misapplied so long no one cares to correct the error- they just say ” I know the church is not a building- but you know what I mean”. When it comes to other biblical truths, where else do we use this sad excuse? Everyone says they know, BUT. Ask yourself why and then think about it. This has messed up people for a long time and it needs to be changed, and the change starts with you with my friend. So I’m saying to you that it’s not the enemy that keeps people out of church because he can’t.
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P.S.Romans16:20is something to think about. This is after the cross. Satan is crushed so to use Satan as the reason behind every thing is wrong. And all you have to do is look around and see that all this money is going to buildings instead of people. It’s sad, but we really should be taking care of people instead of buildings.

I’m not sure about that devil thing but maybe the below will help.

Gal 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Satan’s power is found in our ungodly desires, desire the things of God and Satan has no power, Give attention to your flesh give power to the devil.

My belief that the wicked one is behind believers not wanting to fellowship in a church setting is based on the fact that the church as we mostly have today represents the biblical model.with deacons pastors elders etc. Many of Pauls epistles were written to churches (I realize these started as home fellowships) with this God mandated structure. Look at what Luke wrote(Acts 15:22)

My point is God is a God of order structure and orginization. I dont mean denominations or affiliations and I realize man has done a poor job at keeping Gods house as a house of worship and not a house of thieves. I am not saying that home fellowships are bad or you and your husband are wrong and should find a church tommorow. You obviously are mature christians who need very little structure or motivation to serve God (not being sarcastic) but I dare say most believers need the solid backing of a church.

In regards to giving financially to ministry we can see it done as a church body in 2 corinthians Chapter 8 Paul is using the example of the giving Macedonian church to encourage the corinthian church to give as a church body (2corinthians 8:10) I do realize these scriptures and especially the ones related to giving in the next chapter have been instrumental in the fleecing of the sheep. However The enemy wants us to focus on man’s mistakes and sins in regards to church so we won’t go back.

Remember our battle is with pricipalities and wickedness in high places. the devil is behind false doctrine and division. He is the one who tempts the pimps to preach foolishness to fulfill their greedy desires. We still need to pray for these misguided men and women. God can change the heart of man, afterall he did it for you and I. Can you imagine if someone like Jamal Bryant started preaching the truth? Yeah I bet his church would shrink but he could potentially be used in a great way (heart change needed of course) My prayer is that we get right what God has established and set up as opposed to leaving it in our frustration. Please see my heart in this I am not condemning anyone.

jcrep32

blessings & peace to you all.

I grew up in a church where we would have prayer meeting, devotional services, Bible Study (where the members had the opportunity to ask questions and have them answered while in the Bible Study). No more. Half of these PP’s read their sermons from notes they’ve copied from a commentary written by a popular preacher whom they feel has done the research and study on whatever subject it is that they want to “preach” from, and hardly even pick up the Bible after they,ve read the Scriptures they say they are preaching from.

They’ll read the Scriptures and preach on something not even related to the particular Scriptures the lesson or sermon is supposed to be coming from. Most of the time they are just speaking their own opinion or will use the pulpit to fuss about something that they don’t like (somebody said something ugly to their wife, or somebody wrote an ugly note and didn’t sign their name to it, or their FAVORITE subject, TITHING).

It’s a waste of time and frustrating (after working all week and are tired) to get up early, get dressed, use gas to go to hear opinions, and the mangling and misinterpretation of the Word. So, I still visit and hope for the best, that I will find a church eventually. I just don’t feel complete not being in a good church.

PS: I think I’ve committed a “rudity,” as in “RUDE.” I’m new in this forum but have posted here a few times before, but never introduced myself by saying hello. So HELLO, everyone! I’ve really enjoyed this site/forum. Sorry for the rudeness.

(MN: Don’t worry about the rudity. We have more than enjoyed your comments and contributions. )