I was studying Acts and I came across Acts 2:42-47....It tells that the disciples devoted their time to 4 things:teaching, fellowship, prayer, and breaking bread. Also that they sold off all of their posessions and shared everything; no one was in need. They were liked by all men. In acts 1:8, when He says "you are to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." This is saying that they need to stay local first, in Jerusalem where the are, then go out to samaria where their enemies live.
From what I get out of all of this is that we in the modern church have gone away from the 4 main things the early church did. Also with money and the offering, in the early church they only put up an offering for money for an other church that was doing bad financially. Why is it then that we now have to have these mega churches with people coming from all over when Christ told us to stay local. From what I get out of it we should have church in our homes and not have a fancy building; collecting an offering to support the building when we have perfectly good homes not being used.
This is just my thoughts, and coming from a 16 year old they may not even be valid; but I think I am ready for a change. Thoughts???
I was studying Acts and I came across Acts 2:42-47....It tells that the disciples devoted their time to 4 things:teaching, fellowship, prayer, and breaking bread. Also that they sold off all of their posessions and shared everything; no one was in need. They were liked by all men. In acts 1:8, when He says "you are to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." This is saying that they need to stay local first, in Jerusalem where the are, then go out to samaria where their enemies live.
From what I get out of all of this is that we in the modern church have gone away from the 4 main things the early church did. Also with money and the offering, in the early church they only put up an offering for money for an other church that was doing bad financially. Why is it then that we now have to have these mega churches with people coming from all over when Christ told us to stay local. From what I get out of it we should have church in our homes and not have a fancy building; collecting an offering to support the building when we have perfectly good homes not being used.
This is just my thoughts, and coming from a 16 year old they may not even be valid; but I think I am ready for a change. Thoughts???
You are very Smart or the Holy Spirit has enlighten you for a 16 year old to realise such things, it has to be from the Holy Spirit.
Todays Church does not even resemble the first Church, which was all Jewish by the Way.
Todays church has allowed many many pagan teachings into it, some christian todays who think they are orthodox in their beliefs ,do not even realise this.
Starting from using a transliterated Bible to accepting old teachings of the catholic fathers which introduced pagan worship in the church.
they also introduced worship to 3 Gods instead of One God, also a theology of scapeism such as the raptured, none which can be found in the bible.
Teachings of Wealth instead of the gospel of Christ is being preached everywhere, while half of the world live in poverty and hunger.
You do well into looking into messianic Christendom which is now rising and bringing believers back to that foundation of the first church believers.
Shalom
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"Blessed is He who Comes in The Name of The Lord"
Why is it then that we now have to have these mega churches with people coming from all over when Christ told us to stay local. From what I get out of it we should have church in our homes and not have a fancy building; collecting an offering to support the building when we have perfectly good homes not being used.
This is just my thoughts, and coming from a 16 year old they may not even be valid; but I think I am ready for a change. Thoughts???
Matt.18:19-20
[19] Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
[20] For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
[/blockquote]
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Jesus said, "he who stands firm to the end will be saved" Mark 13:13.
Live Life in such a way that those who do not know Christ will come to know Him because they know you
I am not judging, as long as they are fully convinced. Romans 14 is talking about sabbath but I think it can still apply:
Romans 14:1-5
1Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
I go to a Christian School, and we are studying acts in our Bible class 'The Christian Life' about the early church. But Alex, I have felt that I do have a gift from the Spirit in that I can understand scripture very well, but I really started thinking about this topic when I thought about my Church. I have gone there all my life, and up untill 5 years ago we had around 100-200 in attendance every sunday, with full sunday school classes. Now we have on average 40 people every sunday with 1 adult sunday school class and 1 high school class. My family moved away from this church 10 years ago, but still go to it. And I have thought about leaving myself to go to another Church, but have decided to keep my committment to the Church and stay with it. The problem is is that we have a building that we hardly use, and I feel like we need to reach out to the neighborhood, the problem is that only about 10 out of the 40 live within 5 minutes of the Church. I just feel like no one is doing any wittnessing, myself included, but now I have decided to stand up and reach out. I am going to talk to the pastor and try to have a euchre game for the public, going door to door inviting neighbors of the church.
Since all of you are wise men I was wondering what you would say about all of this.
no, I dont know who cataway is, I came up with this idea because euchre is one thing that our church likes to do together, and i figured it would be a good way to attract neighbors.
Brother for a 16 year old you are truly very mature in Christ and his church. Like you I am blown away by the amount of money that is poured into church buildings by some congregations while the poor and the needy go without even thier basic needs. Many churches have become businesses, many self proclaimed men of God live in the lap of luxury while many of the people who are supporting them and their ministry live in poverty. I have seen some of the best ministrys run by lay people out of thier own homes that do everything in thier power to help the needy.
I do not see how a preacher can leave one congregation for another because of better pay, house or car, nor do I get it when a congregation fires a preacher? Can you imagine one of the Apostles telling a congregation "Well folks it has been nice ministering to you, but there is another church that pays better so I am leaving you"!
Or even more unbeleiveable to me would be a congregation telling one of the Apostles "You fired, we don't like the way you preach."!
I don not recall any where in the Bible where it speaks of any of the Apostles charging any of the followers of Christ nor do I see a single one of them living a life of luxury.
In case you haven't guessed this is a bit of hypocrisy practiced by some churches I have a hard time dealing with!
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The Tazman aka Martin Price
Proud father of a Devil Dog
I was studying Acts and I came across Acts 2:42-47....It tells that the disciples devoted their time to 4 things:teaching, fellowship, prayer, and breaking bread. Also that they sold off all of their posessions and shared everything; no one was in need. They were liked by all men. In acts 1:8, when He says "you are to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." This is saying that they need to stay local first, in Jerusalem where the are, then go out to samaria where their enemies live.
From what I get out of all of this is that we in the modern church have gone away from the 4 main things the early church did. Also with money and the offering, in the early church they only put up an offering for money for an other church that was doing bad financially. Why is it then that we now have to have these mega churches with people coming from all over when Christ told us to stay local. From what I get out of it we should have church in our homes and not have a fancy building; collecting an offering to support the building when we have perfectly good homes not being used.
Gogiggen,
I agree with your point, and I would also say that there are probably house churches all around where you live. There is nothing wrong with using your home for a church meeting place. But I would also say that there is nothing wrong with using a "church building" either. I guess I would encourage you "not to throw the baby out with the bath water".
There are some that take advantage of the liberty we have in the command to "meet on the first day of the week", Acts 20:7. But the fact is that we are commanded to meet, and it is our own opinion wither we meet in a home or a building. We are at liberty to choose which serves the church and the communitybest. Our main goal is to reach the lost with the gospel, Matthew 28:19-20,and if a building enhances the opportunity for us to teach and reach those outside, then so be it.
I love the saying, "In matters of Faith, unity, in matters of opinion, liberty, in all things love."
Trae
BTW - Where do you go giggen in Ohio? And what do you gig?
Early Church compared to today
