Can you be a christian and not belong to any church

Ravindran said:
Personal struggles of another person, marital relationship problems, encouragement for other believers in their spiritual growth, kids ministry - I believe these would be handled much better in a Church environment compared to online forums. This forum is a great place, no denying of that fact. You will often see people asking members to talk with their pastor for further guidance. Simply, we just don't know the other person personally.
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I understand what you mean, this forum was just an example. :)
It is undoubtedly essential to have face-to-face fellowship, but my point still stands that it doesn't need to be a "Church," it could be a small gathering of close friends.

I have reservations about fundamental "Church" dynamics, so we may simply disagree on that point for a different discussion. :)
 
Major said:
BUT.........if you have the knowledge, why do share that with a class of believers and teach them what you have learned??????

Matthew 28:19
"Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".
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I'm here aren't I?
 
Hadron said:
I understand what you mean, this forum was just an example. :)
It is undoubtedly essential to have face-to-face fellowship, but my point still stands that it doesn't need to be a "Church," it could be a small gathering of close friends.
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That is what we call as Church my friend :D While gathering, throw in a few worship songs, a prayer and sermon. You have a Church! The place does not matter at all.. In fact, houses work out great.

I have reservations about fundamental "Church" dynamics, so we may simply disagree on that point for a different discussion. :)
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I am okay with that :) I don't think we should be divided over this topic. Too insignificant to spend energy in debating
 
Where two or three gather in jesus name he is there in the midst.

Start off with 2 or 3 and then as jesus grafts you in and the cutting 'takes' to the olive tree you will find that you can fellowship with christians anywhere.

Church is recomended as thats the place christians are most likely to gather! Also you cannot break bread and have the Lords supper with each other online! I think communion with others is essential, but there is nothing to stop you eating crackers and grape juice and remembering Jesus at home as long as you dont neglect this important thing!!!

Also it is good to celebrate and proclaim Jesus with songs of praise and worship together. Hard to be in a choir of one.
 
Lanolin said:
Where two or three gather in jesus name he is there in the midst.

Start off with 2 or 3 and then as jesus grafts you in and the cutting 'takes' to the olive tree you will find that you can fellowship with christians anywhere.

Church is recomended as thats the place christians are most likely to gather! Also you cannot break bread and have the Lords supper with each other online! I think communion with others is essential, but there is nothing to stop you eating crackers and grape juice and remembering Jesus at home as long as you dont neglect this important thing!!!

Also it is good to celebrate and proclaim Jesus with songs of praise and worship together. Hard to be in a choir of one.
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Agreed, it great to be within a Christian community. There is so much that can be learnt when with other Christians...discussions of other people's experience with God and what fruits they are bearing.
 
It may be best if we halt this thread until such time as the person who started this thread returns to read all of the posts.

When the member who started this thread returns and see's this staff memo, please PM any Moderator to have the thread opened again.

Thank you all for your feedback to the thread starter and we hope to have this open again soon for additional comments and advice.
 
Since the originator of this thread has been back to read things and seems to be caught up, now, we are reopening this thread for additional comments and assistance from members.

Thank you for your patience.
 
I love reading everyone's input to Peki's thread. Y'all have such sincere desire to help, and there is no ugliness. I'm always concerned about message boards and forums, and what posts can turn into. I'm new here, but what I've seen so far makes me feel at ease and I'm very encouraged.
 
Cinderella8 said:
I love reading everyone's input to Peki's thread. Y'all have such sincere desire to help, and there is no ugliness. I'm always concerned about message boards and forums, and what posts can turn into. I'm new here, but what I've seen so far makes me feel at ease and I'm very encouraged.
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Cinderella8 - Thank you for your kind comments and we appreciate that you found us and took time to register. While some members may be critical of our staff for doing things the way that we do here at CFS, we have allowed this forum to become one of the most popular and highly rated forums of it's type anywhere on the Net by maintaining a friendly and safe environment for all members. Again, Welcome to CFS.
 
Peki said:
The title of this thread is preaty much my question. I am finding it hard to find a church that sees the bible same as I do, and others do things I sort of don't feel like doing.
Thanks
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G'Day Peki. I take it from Pastor Gary's website info response to you that you are Australian. If you are looking for a Bible based church that preaches sound docrine then give The Revival Fellowship an ahoy! www.revivalfellowship.org
Best Bible believing and preaching mob in the country.
 
Abdicate said:
I'm here, I have a web site, a blog, and my book is free. Not sure what else I can do. I don't speak the local language so...
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Most Churches are very very protective of their flock, and will not allow someone to come in and teach as that could cause many to leave, and never come back. I believe it to be "fear". Unless you are one of their "elite" and believe exactly as they do, there is no way for a person called to teach by God to have any access. I know of many Churches that will not allow you to even have a Bible study group in your own home unless you are teaching what they give you to teach.
I wonder how many Church would even allow Jesus himself to teach as he has a history of teaching and everyone leaving to never coming back. This is exactly what we need, the truth which is a double sided sword that separates the sheep from the goats.
 
I really like this forum.
I must say its the best one so far out of all the other christian forums Ive been on. The others are so divisive. I feel like this one is a safe place for us sheep.

As for church, go where the Lord leads. We cant tell you which one or the name of it or what kind. You not gonna find one thats perfect till we reach heaven..
 
I was a regular, faithful, active, and involved churchgoer for the first 47 years of my life. I come from a long line of churchgoers, many musicians and pastors and teachers. But the more I studied the NT, the less I saw the traditional "go to church" paradigm as scriptural. It certainly isn't forbidden or sinful, but I was called out of it... and it was not an easy decision to make. But I can assure anyone who would ask, that I and my family have not wavered in our faith, nor stopped looking for genuine Christian fellowship in person. And consider long-distance meeting places like this to be valid fellowship.
 
Peki said:
The title of this thread is preaty much my question. I am finding it hard to find a church that sees the bible same as I do, and others do things I sort of don't feel like doing.

Thanks
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Being a Christian means you are a part of the church, but I don't believe that means we should scatter and "do church" alone. Throughout history Christianity has been a communal faith, without community we neglect moral and theological accountability.

That's an inherent issue, even with churches that isolate themselves - they're cutoff from the larger community of the church, exposing themselves as a breeding ground for heterodoxy.

I understand how difficult it is to find a suitable church, I'm on that journey myself. That being said, never give up the quest because it's of the utmost importance to connect to the body in a material way.

What sort of churches have you visited thus far? How have your beliefs regarding scripture differed?
 
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