Andre Smit,
Today at 3:09 AM
A quick history: I did not believe in God, Jesus or the Bible. I had almost no experience with the “Church” or any knowledge of the Bible.
Then all that literally changed in a moment. My soul was set on fire and a passion for Jesus was ignited within me that burned so strong that I was actually scared it would consume me. I started to pray. I started to read and study the Bible.
I joined the congregation that some of my family members attended and I got a very rude awakening.
Abdicate,
Today at 9:00 AM
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To find the truth, one must first have no opinion.
You didn't have an opinion about the "church rules" because you were seeking truth. When it came contrary to the word of God you received the truth.
Amen!
Hello, Andre; Thank you for your testimony and your first experience in the church.
Churches who follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the authority of the Bible - God's Word, all belong to God. God promised His churches would be the perfect place, whether the smallest of congregations to the mega churches, to gather for
Christians battling with challenges.
We would all love the ideal, perfect church but what may be ideal and perfect for me may not be for another. Every church is going to have it's inner and outer cup problems. The Pastor may be very knowledgable in theology and know the scriptures, but doesn't have people skills and rarely stays in touch with God's sheep. The Bible study teachers may only teach on a shallow surface base and not allow some disciples to get a deeper meaning of the scriptures. The men's and women's ministry may get together for breakfast or tea and crumpets with no real vision of why. Some church missionaries scrape up the love offerings to go overseas on "short term" missions and spend more time shopping and site seeing with minimal missions or evangelism to the people.
Let's be fair. There are many churches of God, praise Him, who are well structured in all the angles of the church body - preaching, teaching, discipleship, music, administration, finances, etc...And lets be fair again, there are other churches of God who are not consistent but more inconsistent in some or most ministries of church.
When we recognize our weaknesses in our home churches, we all need to start by being an example of Christ.
Andre, you shared your soul was set on fire and a passion for Christ burning in you that burns so strong. This is great! Then we encourage you, and all of us, to get out there and do what we do, be that burning fire and passion for Christ. Many times this will
heal the weaknesses existing in the church. Others church family members, especially the church leadership, will be inspired and see your witness through the Holy Spirit and could very well strengthen that area in your church.
During Paul's second missions he wrote to the Thessalonians and encouraged and affirmed the love, praising God for their faithfulness during persecution and the internal challenges amongst the church family.
1 Thessalonians 5:8-12,
8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
A word of encouragement offered at the right moment of challenges in the church can be the difference of accomplishing or crashing.
12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. - ESV
The church should not be without a Shepherd. The Shepherd receives the Word from God in the ministerial direction your church is taking. Moses, Joshua, Paul and especially Jesus were key examples in the Old and New Testaments. However, there are churches for many reasons, who don't have a pastor and are serving with lay preachers. Lets not limit God and seek what He says about the church's situation, starting with prayer, individual and corporate prayer.
Many church congregations are "autonomous" and have exercised laying hands on their Elders, or church leaders to do Communion or lead baptisms. Please see Philip in Acts 6 and 8:36-39.
Years ago my pastor could not attend our leader's retreat so hands were laid on me to lead Communion. When a believer visits a dying patient and they want communion, does the believer withhold because the pastor is not present? I have not found in scripture where only an ordained pastor can perform communion.
However, many churches want their pastor to serve the Communion or Baptism.
Abdicate shares that finding Truth, in Christ Jesus, one must first have no opinion.
Jesus teaches in Matthew, Mark, Luke and Revelation, "those who have ears to hear let them hear" so we can understand what the Spirit is saying to us and the church. Its an important time to listen first, when receiving Truth.
Overall, we should give more grace and patience to the flaws in our home churches and PRAY for our church leaders. They would really appreciate that and can go a long way in uplifting our Shepherds.
At the same time questions by us should always be received with grace and patience by our church leaders. How are we going to grow?
If we are appointed where we serve in church then we have to follow Paul's teaching in 1 Thessalonians. If our Spirit is not being fed, if the controversy is not getting resolved, then it could be a crossroads that God is redirecting you to another church for His Purpose and plan for you. But before any of us step down from ministry or serving in our home church we should also go to God first and seek what His plan is for us.
God bless you, Andre.