I need some advice please

[abysmul]

They may not know their own church doctrine, or they may be an offshoot with modified COC doctrine....

The congregations around here that call themselves Church of Christ are not of a denomination, as each congregation operates totally independently. By and large they are pretty similar, but they are not governed outside their on congregation. There is even one around here that uses instrumental music in their services... which I gather is very rare.

 

[A_Thinker]

Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to (1) the apostles’ teaching and to (2) fellowship, to the (3) breaking of bread and to (4) prayer.

And they had to take communion every week to stay saved.

As you might expect, Catholics were ripe for the picking by their proselytizing ...

 

[112358]

That is another element I have been doing wrong in performing communion once a month BTW. Sigh!!

Acts 20:7 There is scriptural support for all of it. They are not just conjuring up things for fun.

 

[A_Thinker]

Have you ever considered they don't want liberty?

Liberty can be scary ...

 

[Southernscotty]

Have you ever considered they don't want liberty?

I guess that right and I guess I should tell them to stop, but he is a good friend and I do honestly care a lot for him. He is a determined little booger, If I could get him converted he would be a great evangelist

 

[Deborah D]

Have you ever considered they don't want liberty?

That's a good point! So many people want man-made, man-controlled religion because walking by faith can seem a little scary. We have to relinquish man's control and allow the Holy Spirit's control.

 

[Southernscotty]

Acts 20:7 There is scriptural support for all of it. They are not just conjuring up things for fun.

Where is that located?

 

[Deborah D]

I guess that right and I guess I should tell them to stop, but he is a good friend and I do honestly care a lot for him. He is a determined little booger, If I could get him converted he would be a great evangelist

Ah, there's the problem. You can't get him converted, but the Holy Spirit can convict him and lead him to the truth.

 

[A_Thinker]

Acts 20:7 There is scriptural support for all of it. They are not just conjuring up things for fun.

1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

 

[Hazelelponi]

I guess that right and I guess I should tell them to stop, but he is a good friend and I do honestly care a lot for him. He is a determined little booger, If I could get him converted he would be a great evangelist

There is a lesson God wants you to learn in this, somewhere.

Ask God to show you what it is.. is He trying to teach you your imitations? Is He trying to teach you perseverance? Is He trying to teach you more x...

Pray for God to show you what He wants you to learn from this.

You know the material. You don't know the lesson..

 

[A_Thinker]

Please don't send them to my house, I have enough to research. lol

Fortunately, ... they don't do door to door ...

 

[Southernscotty]

Where is that located?

Oh I am sorry I see Acts 20 there. Yes you are correct in that the early church performed communion weekly.
He declared that the bread spoke of His body which would be broken. There was not a broken bone, but His body was so badly tortured that it was hardly recognizable (Psalm 22:12-17; Isaiah 53:4-7). The wine spoke of His blood, indicating the terrible death He would soon experience. He, the perfect Son of God, became the fulfillment of the countless Old Testament prophecies concerning a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53). When He said, “Do this in remembrance of me,” He indicated this was a ceremony that must be continued in the future. It indicated also that the Passover, which required the death of a lamb and looked forward to the coming of the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world, was fulfilled in the Lord’s Supper. The New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant when Christ, the Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), was sacrificed (Hebrews 8:8-13). The sacrificial system was no longer needed (Hebrews 9:25-28). The Lord’s Supper/Christian Communion is a remembrance of what Christ did for us and a celebration of what we receive as a result of His sacrifice.

 

[Southernscotty]

Love is the fulfillment, not ordinances, We are told to do communion but it is not to become a ritual but a blessing to be able to do. We honor the Lord every Sunday and are a church that realizes His abundant grace. We are just fallen creatures that are offered a precious free gift that we do not deserve and certainly cannot earn.
Thank God for the grace He lavished upon us. :]

 

[A_Thinker]

The congregations around here that call themselves Church of Christ are not of a denomination, as each congregation operates totally independently. By and large they are pretty similar, but they are not governed outside their on congregation. There is even one around here that uses instrumental music in their services... which I gather is very rare.

So ... to clarify, there is the United Church of Christ ... which is one of the mainline denominations ...

... and there is the International Church of Christ (a offshoot of the United Church of Christ), which we have been discussing. The International Church of Christ will also identify itself by their locations (i.e. Boston Church of Christ, Los Angeles Church of Christ, etc.).

 

[A_Thinker]

This is interesting ... from Wikipedia ...

International Churches of Christ - Wikipedia

n 1985 a Church of Christ minister and professor, Dr. Flavil Yeakley, administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test to the Boston Church of Christ (BCC), the founding church of the ICOC. Yeakley passed out three different MBTI tests, which asked members to perceive their past, current, and five-year in the future personality types. While over 900 members were tested, 835 individuals completed all three forms. A majority of those respondents changed their perceived or imagined personality type scores on the three different tests in convergence with a single type. After completing the study, Yeakley observed that "The data in this study of the Boston Church of Christ does not prove that any certain individual has actually changed his or her personality in an unhealthy way. The data, however, does prove that there is a group dynamic operating in that congregation that influences its members to change their personalities to conform to the group norm."

 

[112358]

Yes you are correct in that the early church performed communion weekly.

And this is the key to understanding where COC people are coming from. We seek to follow the example set for us by the 1st century church in all respects. Nothing more nothing less. If the early church observed communion weekly, so do we. If they did not use instrumental music, neither do we. If they baptized for the remission of sins, so do we. Etc. Etc. It really is as simple as that.

 

[Deborah D]

And this is the key to understanding where COC people are coming from. We seek to follow the example set for us by the 1st century church in all respects. Nothing more nothing less. If the early church observed communion weekly, so do we. If they did not use instrumental music, neither do we. If they baptized for the remission of sins, so do we. Etc. Etc. It really is as simple as that.

That's what all denominations claim--adherence to 1st-century church teachings, do they not? So, it's really not that simple.

 

[Deborah D]

Love is the fulfillment, not ordinances, We are told to do communion but it is not to become a ritual but a blessing to be able to do. We honor the Lord every Sunday and are a church that realizes His abundant grace. We are just fallen creatures that are offered a precious free gift that we do not deserve and certainly cannot earn.
Thank God for the grace He lavished upon us. :]

Yes, love is the fulfillment of the law. As Christians we follow the Law of Love (or we should).

 

[112358]

That's what all denominations claim--adherence to 1st-century church teachings, do they not? So, it's really not that simple.

Actually no, MANY do not.

 

[Deborah D]

Actually no, MANY do not.

I've been in many different denominations who say they base their doctrines and practices on the early church....