What has become of Christianity

ace of hearts said:

Is Christianity just another place to fill idle time? I really see no difference except arguing from the secular world.

What I'm trying to say I just don't see an assembly of believers in Jesus Christ. What I do see in religious assemblies is vanity and people at each others throats. Even churches belonging to the same control group won't associate. I talk about football, weather, vehicles, civil government issues, pets, general gossip, etc everywhere else. All I see at church is a teacher promoting something not wanting discussion or ill prepared for one, a community sing, and a sermon very few if any remember past the door, if that long and visiting with others about everything except God and His dear Son, Jesus. One pastor told me he's sometimes shocked by those conversations.

Please don't use this thread trying to fix me. I'm not trying to be fixed.

Click to expand...

I have had the same feelings. I had a dream today in which I was in a group praying for the return of Jesus Christ. As the dream progressed I felt there were outside satanic forces trying to stifle our push. What would happen if others would start praying for the return of Jesus Christ in spite of the social club most churches have become.

bekkilyn said:

Yes, but modern western Christianity has for the most part abandoned the more contemplative aspects of Christianity and has taken up a very narrow and rigid view of many things, but there is a very rich tradition of more spiritual thought and practice throughout history. Look for books on the spiritual disciplines, such as Richard Foster's "Celebration of Discipline" and books by Henri Nouwen and Parker Palmer. You might also look into Richard Rohr, who has a daily meditation that he sends out and writes a good bit about contemplative Christian topics. You may also be able to find a Quaker group near you as their style of prayer can be more about sitting and listening to God rather than all the constant talk, so perhaps they would be more suitable than one of the "louder" denominations or churches.

Click to expand...

Excellent advice. That you so very much! God bless you and yours.

friend of said:

You think it's weird that church attendees bring their bibles to church? Why on earth would you think that? Isn't the reason obvious?

Click to expand...

Any who do so should be commended, if it is not for show.

I remember back in the 80's that almost every single person at our church brought a Bible, and almost every sinlge Bible was dog-eared and marked with a multitude of underlined verses. I simply do not see that any more. The vast majority of churches pick out a main verse and flash it up on the wall. One verse. An entire sermon is pulled from one verse. Why bring Bibles?

Do you think as a whole we are truly digging for gold as we seek God's face in His Word, or has it losts its luster as well as its value as a weapon of war to counter satan's lies? Sadly, I think overall there can be no doubt that it has.

blessings,

Gideon

Yet at the end you say fix.. focus on JESUS.. pray talk to HIM..see people through HIS eyes..not yours. ASK HIM

ace of hearts said:

I wasn't alluding to anything. I made no pretenses or accusations at least that I understand. So your comment that I was is based on what?

Click to expand...

I already mentioned it...Alluding to a particular false doctrine. Here, hope this clears that up.

ace of hearts said:

One of the things I see at church is people being led away by some false doctrine mainly because they're not grounded in the faith.

Click to expand...

My point as I already went over, was that's always going to happen when who ever it may be is teaching a false doctrine, and it should happen.

But if you are going to take it as harassment to discuss what appears to be one of the main concerns you have with the church, or the beliefs of others, then best you not reply to my discussing it.

You made it clear you didn't want to say what it was exactly and i respect that, but you did make it part of the topic when you brought it up.

IOW, we were having a conversation on the concerns you brought up, and that has somehow turned into harassment on my part.

Anyway, now you know to just not continue the conversation and I'll chalk it up to something you'd rather not get into in anymore depth.

ace of hearts said:

I'm sorry you don't see what is happening. I don't know what church you talk about. I'm talking about the church that's the bride of Jesus Christ.

Click to expand...

Again, this is what I'm talking about

ace of hearts said:

One of the things I see at church is people being led away by some false doctrine mainly because they're not grounded in the faith.

Click to expand...

And no, the way that is worded ("One of the things I see at church") you are talking about church, as in people in a church building, not what you now claim was "the bride of Christ" church/no building.

Not sure why you would claim that now, especially when it makes not difference and is not something that need be argued either way. False doctrine is false doctrine, regardless of if it's being taught to the Body of Christ as a whole, or only to those in a Church building.

And, no, I never said they were squawks as you call them, of minor or major proportion...you never would say.

Now you are here doing whatever it is you're trying to accomplish, but making little sense in the process.

Hey, so let's talk about Christ. He's absolutely amazing, you know.

Bill Gaither's song Get All Excited talks about the problem and it looks like we can focus on the problem too but it really is time to get all excited, go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is king.

Sorry, I'm a child of the 1960s & 70s. You don't fix a problem by complaining about who's doing what wrong but by doing what's right. Be infectious and let the infection spread.

Jesus saved me within the first few months of my birth. I was healed through the prayer of faith in the name of Jesus, saved from likely death, and that became the focal point of my faith that made me commit my life to him. I know zip about football, cars and other stuff but I do know that Jesus saves and he heals because that is what he did for me.

Tell me what he did for you and let's start having church the way it should be.

I'm still unclear what the OP thinks should be happening in churches that isn't.

-CryptoLutheran

ace of hearts said:

I didn't specify a single location of any church.

Click to expand...

No, you didn't.

?

ace of hearts said:

In this thread I'm not arguing over doctrines. I'm simply not going down those rabbit trails with you.

Click to expand...

Fine, you brought us to the the rabbit trail with the "False Doctrine" comment but I already get that's as far as you want to go.

ace of hearts said:

Is Christianity just another place to fill idle time? I really see no difference except arguing from the secular world.

What I'm trying to say I just don't see an assembly of believers in Jesus Christ. What I do see in religious assemblies is vanity and people at each others throats. Even churches belonging to the same control group won't associate. I talk about football, weather, vehicles, civil government issues, pets, general gossip, etc everywhere else. All I see at church is a teacher promoting something not wanting discussion or ill prepared for one, a community sing, and a sermon very few if any remember past the door, if that long and visiting with others about everything except God and His dear Son, Jesus. One pastor told me he's sometimes shocked by those conversations.

Please don't use this thread trying to fix me. I'm not trying to be fixed.

Click to expand...

You might find this interesting

The Pastor King (New)

ace of hearts said:

Is Christianity just another place to fill idle time? I really see no difference except arguing from the secular world.

What I'm trying to say I just don't see an assembly of believers in Jesus Christ. What I do see in religious assemblies is vanity and people at each others throats. Even churches belonging to the same control group won't associate. I talk about football, weather, vehicles, civil government issues, pets, general gossip, etc everywhere else. All I see at church is a teacher promoting something not wanting discussion or ill prepared for one, a community sing, and a sermon very few if any remember past the door, if that long and visiting with others about everything except God and His dear Son, Jesus. One pastor told me he's sometimes shocked by those conversations.

Please don't use this thread trying to fix me. I'm not trying to be fixed.

Click to expand...

And this as well
God's Order in the Church vs Man's Order

ace of hearts said:

discipleship

Click to expand...

Okay then. What does discipleship look like, and how are churches not doing it?

-CryptoLutheran

To me it feels like the Christian Church is being polarized, much like in politics and society. Centrist thought seems to be relegated to irrelevance as the two "prominent" wings of faith are becoming obvious: the traditionalist, very conservative part of the church (all Law, no Gospel) and the emerging, more progressive church which sometimes seems to downplay the role of following doctrine (all Gospel, no law).

It is increasingly difficult, I think, to find churches that actually do seem to look for a balance between God's infinite capacity for grace and God's expectations on our behavior. Some are doubling down on judgmentalism and exclusion. Others are going all in to an "anything goes" where God's love and grace are used as an excuse to justify almost anything.

ace of hearts said:

Yeah it does seem like all we have are extremes. Christians are supposed to look and act like the world (non Christians). OTH I don't think Christians are supposed to be so extreme they're not attracting people to Jesus.
It is increasingly difficult, I think, to find churches that actually do seem to look for a balance between God's infinite capacity for grace and God's expectations on our behavior. Some are doubling down on judgmentalism and exclusion. Others are going all in to an "anything goes" where God's love and grace are used as an excuse to justify almost anything.

Click to expand...

May I be so bold as to share a sliver of blinding light.... where we discover how to walk as real children of God, and to do so, not thru chiding or having imposed upon us set expectations of others, but because we truly want to please Him?

There is no doubt the church as we know it possess a name thst they liveth but they are dead. Having a form of godliness, but denying, by their lives, the power of it. Drawing near to Him with their lips, but their hearts? Their hearts are their own. Oh, some are more biblical than others, but God does not want us just biblical but fruitful.

But is the solution to simply tell them to wake up and do better? Here is what we are not seeing. God has given each one of His children a brand new nature and put to death our old carnal one, the one that loves to rule the roost,

So what is the problem? It profits us nothing until we put on this amazing new nature by faith. And here we hit the log jam. To do that, we must first put OFF our old nature. Like permanently. We must actually HATE our old man and his or her self-centered and fruitless lives and finally be convinced we cannot kill it, tame it, change it, tie it up, discipline it or transform it. It must die and we cannot do it.

No one is exempt from this awakening. And in these last days we will find ourselves in the valley of decision, where we find out who will reign and who will serve. Us must lose.

When we finally see that such a radical idea is not threatening, but the most wonderful place to be found.... in Him....kept by the power of God thru faith, every single true sheep will be awakened and light their lamps, and discover to their joy and amazement that God really does actually CAUSE THEM to walk as obedient children.

Our awakening is coming and everything that can be shaken will be. And it could not come at a better time.

blessings,

Gideon