A conversation about unity.

[concretecamper]

This might sound a bit radical but I have often thought that the gathering for worship in a district could be once a month with the day to day work of being Christ to the world concentrated in homes and the marketplace.

I'm sure it sounds good to you, but I don't pretend to force my idea of worship on Him.

In reading Revelation, I don't see worship taking place on a marketplace or homes.

 

[Carl Emerson]

I'm sure it sounds good to you, but I don't pretend to force my idea of worship on Him.

In reading Revelation, I don't see worship taking place on a marketplace or homes.

What part of life is not worship ?

 

[concretecamper]

What part of life is not worship ?

Again, in reading Revelation, I don't see worship in the marketplace or home.

If you want to blur the definition of worship to include being and living a Christian life, you can easily lose the necessity/importance of Heavenly worship (The Book of Revelation).

 

[Carl Emerson]

Again, in reading Revelation, I don't see worship in the marketplace or home.

If you want to blur the definition of worship to include being and living a Christian life, you can easily lose the necessity/importance of Heavenly worship (The Book of Revelation).

I am stunned by your response - my life daily is a continuing communion with
Him as one being offered as a living sacrifice of worship to Him. How can one not worship, being surrounded by the evidence of Him in creation ?

 

[Fervent]

Is Church not simply where Christ is? and did He not say He is present whenever 2 or 3 are gathered in His name? Ekklesia is nothing more than those who gather, and Roman Catholics saying "I am of Peter" is a call to disunity, even if they soften the charge by saying that there is an ersatz Christ that isn't the full measure outside of what they call the "church".

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

Jesus built the church house to house.

really?

 

[Carl Emerson]

really?

And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.


Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,


And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

 

[Strong in Him]

If you want to blur the definition of worship to include being and living a Christian life,

Paul tells us to offer our bodies as a true and living sacrifice - which is our spiritual worship, Romans 12:1.
He says that whatever we do we should work at it with our whole hearts as working for the Lord, Colossians 3:23.
He said in 1 Corinthians 12 that Christians are the body of Christ, each with a role to play, and in Ephesians 4:11 that spiritual gifts are given to equip people for works of service and to edify the church.
Elsewhere he wrote that we should live a life that is worthy of our calling.
Jesus tells us to remain in him, the Vine, because without him we can do nothing, John 15:5.

Sounds like the NT writers very much accepted that serving God and living a good, Christian life was a form of worship.

 

[Strong in Him]

really?

The early church met in people's houses.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

The early church met in people's houses.

Did they?
Saint Paul preached in a hired lecture hall. That wasn't a house. Nor was the upper room.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

There were 120 people in that room. Surely not a house anybody I know would have. How about you?

Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart

Is it possible that you are interpreting "house" quite differently from the way that the author is using it?

,


And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Did they?
Saint Paul preached in a hired lecture hall. That wasn't a house. Nor was the upper room.

Romans 16:5
also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.

1 Corinthians 16:19
The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

Colossians 4:15
Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.

Philemon 1:2
and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Some recent start up faith communities may have become building centric.

So are many older communities; two local Anglican Parishes are slated to close within the next 12 months (or less) and merge with a third. For the majority, it is the pending loss of their place of worship that is their prime concern, and source of grief and anger, not concern for the Gospel. This scenario is not unique to Anglicans either. Over the years various congregations here have closed; UCC, Anglican, Many Catholic Parishes, Lutherans of both Synods, Baptist etc. etc. etc. When this happens, regardless of the Church, half or less of the members will persist in the same communion, about 20% will go to a completely different community, 30% just fall away and go nowhere.

Sad comment on the state of faith.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Romans 16:5
also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.

1 Corinthians 16:19
The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

Colossians 4:15
Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.

Philemon 1:2
and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

A lot of our mission start ups start with worshiping in a house or a class room. As congregations grow, having a dedicated worship space helps "unify" the group, even going so far as to create a focal point for their congregations; becoming a unifying factor for them and even their community. Likewise, in Liturgical Churches such as ours, the Altar becomes the focal point in the Church, further unifying them. Also, with the Churches that have retained traditional liturgical worship, be it Lutheran Divine Service, Orthodox Divine Liturgy, Catholic Mass, there is unity in praxis, if not in Dogmas and Doctrine. In these Churches, the word is proclaimed and the Sacraments are administered. That has been consistently the case for over 1000 years.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

Romans 16:5
also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.

1 Corinthians 16:19
The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

Colossians 4:15
Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.

Philemon 1:2
and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

What, exactly do you think those verses teach or prove?

 

[concretecamper]

I am stunned by your response - my life daily is a continuing communion with
Him as one being offered as a living sacrifice of worship to Him. How can one not worship, being surrounded by the evidence of Him in creation ?

Living Christian virtue is a great thing. But again, it ain't worship where Heaven and Earth meet.

 

[concretecamper]

Sounds like the NT writers very much accepted that serving God and living a good, Christian life was a form of worship.

You are adding to Scripture. Living a Christian life gives glory to God.

 

[Strong in Him]

Did they?

Luke 22:10-12.
Acts 2:2
Acts 12:12

 

[Strong in Him]

You are adding to Scripture. Living a Christian life gives glory to God.

No, I was quoting Scripture. Offering our bodies to God is our spiritual worship.

 

[concretecamper]

No, I was quoting Scripture. Offering our bodies to God is our spiritual worship.

You quoted Scripture and then added on your 2 cents to the verse. That is adding to Scripture.

"Paul tells us to offer our bodies as a true and living sacrifice - which is our spiritual worship, Romans 12:1"

Paul doesn't say anything about Spiritual worship in that verse.