This might help. Bob Jones called it "barns".Hi, I live in the UK and I do miss my physical church. online gatherings are helpful but they are not the same. also not everyone has internet access. but...
Here is where i stuggle a bit. I hear many Christians saying how awful it is that churches are closed, and saying that ministers are in sin for complying with the regulations and staying closed. Some are saying that thsoe churches are never going to open again? Lockdown is temporary, and is being gradually lifted here in the Uk. Most churches won't close. some might do due to lack of income and am not saying i am not sad about it. but, the Church is the bride of Christ. The Remnant. so this virus is not going to destroy her.
i am guessing that we will maybe end up meeting in house churches and holding meetings that way? i don't see how that is actually a bad thing, although I guess many community based and social justice activities set up by church may have to fold which would be very sad. i support those kind of preojects wholeheartedly. i am labelled as vulnerable and marginalised (disabled, sick and on welfare etc) an dhave benefitted from the churches support in this way.
but, although i support social justice and welfare, in temrs of being the church and preaching the gospel, healing the sick, driving out demons, encouraging and prayign for each other, giving to each other who are in need, well having house churches or undrground churches did not stop the early church , did it? In countries like China, the underground church is flourishing. life is much harder for them than it is in the West, yet they have not been extinguished. they are flourishing.
we can still BE the church. we ARE His body. We are waiting for Him to take us to our wedding feast. when i say Church, i do not refer to an institution. i am talking about ALL born again believers. yes, it will be hard. yes there will be limitations. but i dont get the "doom and gloom" of some believers who are saying pastors are sinning for not opening church.
for a start, are we meant to be judging our brothers and sisters in Christ for a personal conviction? maybe God has shown them to close for a season until there are sufficient hospital beds to deal with the crisis. or maybe, some He has told to open? are we not supposed to be UNITED as a body of believers, rather than condemning and judging one another which can cause splits in the body? what kind of witness is it to the world if they see us backbiting at each other in this way?
You are welcome. That couldn’t be done on my church.Ok , I was not sure on that point. Thanks
Church is not a building. The more we get our heads around that the more we can figure out what Church is and how we may be strategic during this time.Hi, I live in the UK and I do miss my physical church. online gatherings are helpful but they are not the same. also not everyone has internet access. but...
Here is where i stuggle a bit. I hear many Christians saying how awful it is that churches are closed, and saying that ministers are in sin for complying with the regulations and staying closed. Some are saying that thsoe churches are never going to open again? Lockdown is temporary, and is being gradually lifted here in the Uk. Most churches won't close. some might do due to lack of income and am not saying i am not sad about it. but, the Church is the bride of Christ. The Remnant. so this virus is not going to destroy her.
i am guessing that we will maybe end up meeting in house churches and holding meetings that way? i don't see how that is actually a bad thing, although I guess many community based and social justice activities set up by church may have to fold which would be very sad. i support those kind of preojects wholeheartedly. i am labelled as vulnerable and marginalised (disabled, sick and on welfare etc) an dhave benefitted from the churches support in this way.
but, although i support social justice and welfare, in temrs of being the church and preaching the gospel, healing the sick, driving out demons, encouraging and prayign for each other, giving to each other who are in need, well having house churches or undrground churches did not stop the early church , did it? In countries like China, the underground church is flourishing. life is much harder for them than it is in the West, yet they have not been extinguished. they are flourishing.
we can still BE the church. we ARE His body. We are waiting for Him to take us to our wedding feast. when i say Church, i do not refer to an institution. i am talking about ALL born again believers. yes, it will be hard. yes there will be limitations. but i dont get the "doom and gloom" of some believers who are saying pastors are sinning for not opening church.
for a start, are we meant to be judging our brothers and sisters in Christ for a personal conviction? maybe God has shown them to close for a season until there are sufficient hospital beds to deal with the crisis. or maybe, some He has told to open? are we not supposed to be UNITED as a body of believers, rather than condemning and judging one another which can cause splits in the body? what kind of witness is it to the world if they see us backbiting at each other in this way?
David wasn't going around complaining like I said, he was talking directly to elohim.It is important to do things without grumbling or questioning, but we kind of have to be realistic.
Have you never complained?
Have you never grumbled?
Even David, the man after God's own heart, complained.
Nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.
What you said is true, indeed, in a certain context. But, I also know God wants us to lead an authentic life with Him. I am so glad He forgives my grumbling when it is something to glorify Him. I have fallen short, but His grace has been so sufficient for those shortcomings.
I believe God looks at your heart, at your intentions, and I believe He helps in those moments when we want to grumble. It is very easy to do.
Sometimes, I just have to say to Jesus, "Oh, hey, look. I don't want to do this. I realllllllly don't want to do this. Can you help my heart in this situation? I really need your help because I just can't do it."
David even said, "I pour out before him my complaint; before him, I tell my trouble." Psalm 142:2 and David was a man after God's own heart.
It. Is. Okay. To. Be. Honest. With. God.
He won't strike your dead for being honest and vulnerable. We shouldn't be fearful of God if we grumble if we question. Instead, we should feel confident to go to Him with those things. Because, as humans, we tend to complain. Some more than others.
More likely to be judged by God for opening churches and spreading the virus.some of them are acting like the UK and America are going to be judged by God for the churches closing! but we are not subject to wrath, if we are born again believers. that is why i say the true church (us who are Elect) will continue
If I am not mistaken, most Protestant churches do not believe so. I believe that this is primarily a Catholic belief; Transubstantiation.Remember the Presbyterians do not believe that the bread and wine become the body and blood.
Lutherans do not believe in transubstantiation. However we do believe that Christ is fully present in with and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion. The bread and wine is not just a symbol. The Lutheran view is sometimes called Sacramental Union.If I am not mistaken, most Protestant churches do not believe so. I believe that this is primarily a Catholic belief; Transubstantiation.
"Transubstantiation – the idea that during Mass, the bread and wine used for Communion become the body and blood of Jesus Christ – is central to the Catholic faith. Indeed, the Catholic Church teaches that “the Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life.’” " Pasted from: Just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is body, blood of Christ
Interestingly, only 1/3 of Catholics in the USA believe in Transubstantiation today and the rest believe that the elements are symbolic. Here is a more detailed chart from same source listed above:
Is that only the day you worship, fellowship ect.It was the day the Lord rose from the dead.
The closures are not temporary, because the virus is not real. The churches will be closed again for the "second wave", or who knows how many more waves, before they bring out the Mark of the Beast. Then people will be free to go to Church again, once they receive the Mark - or as they will call it, the "vaccine". That's how I see this being played.It is a big deal but this closure is temporary for most churches. most of them will open again. pastors are not sinning by closing their churches. some pastors did open their churches and died from the virus. was that God's will?
Hi I was more interested to see why David had said Sunday, it wasn't a case of me not knowing I have stated in other posts, but I do appreciate you in answering the question rather than just clicking on the optimistic button.I thought your question was why does the church meet on Sunday? Did I misunderstand?
Well, it is a problem because we can't gather and fellowship. But it's not such a problem that we should be defying social gathering rules and policies and laws. We are the Church so whether we meet or not that doesn't change. I don't like seeing some churches going against God's Word by being disobedient to the authorities over us and using church attendance as an excuse. While we ought to attend Church services there is no mandate from God's Word saying that we must do so under any and all circumstances. God's Word commands also to love our neighbor (and our enemies); by not attending church services to protect our neighbors we are obeying that command.Hi, I live in the UK and I do miss my physical church. online gatherings are helpful but they are not the same. also not everyone has internet access. but...
Here is where i stuggle a bit. I hear many Christians saying how awful it is that churches are closed, and saying that ministers are in sin for complying with the regulations and staying closed. Some are saying that thsoe churches are never going to open again? Lockdown is temporary, and is being gradually lifted here in the Uk. Most churches won't close. some might do due to lack of income and am not saying i am not sad about it. but, the Church is the bride of Christ. The Remnant. so this virus is not going to destroy her.
i am guessing that we will maybe end up meeting in house churches and holding meetings that way? i don't see how that is actually a bad thing, although I guess many community based and social justice activities set up by church may have to fold which would be very sad. i support those kind of preojects wholeheartedly. i am labelled as vulnerable and marginalised (disabled, sick and on welfare etc) an dhave benefitted from the churches support in this way.
but, although i support social justice and welfare, in temrs of being the church and preaching the gospel, healing the sick, driving out demons, encouraging and prayign for each other, giving to each other who are in need, well having house churches or undrground churches did not stop the early church , did it? In countries like China, the underground church is flourishing. life is much harder for them than it is in the West, yet they have not been extinguished. they are flourishing.
we can still BE the church. we ARE His body. We are waiting for Him to take us to our wedding feast. when i say Church, i do not refer to an institution. i am talking about ALL born again believers. yes, it will be hard. yes there will be limitations. but i dont get the "doom and gloom" of some believers who are saying pastors are sinning for not opening church.
for a start, are we meant to be judging our brothers and sisters in Christ for a personal conviction? maybe God has shown them to close for a season until there are sufficient hospital beds to deal with the crisis. or maybe, some He has told to open? are we not supposed to be UNITED as a body of believers, rather than condemning and judging one another which can cause splits in the body? what kind of witness is it to the world if they see us backbiting at each other in this way?