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It really pains me when well-intentioned people are burdened by pressure other people place on them to do things not even commanded by Christ. Modern "churches" bear no resemblance to the New Covenant assemblies on record, for they are steeped in pagan and human traditions. One example is the...

This is a very good thread. Many good observations from scripture. John 12:49 is very important to keep in mind. Jesus relayed to his followers what his heavenly Father gave him to speak. In turn, Jesus' disciples relayed everything their Master taught them. Yet, there are Christians today who...

1 Corinthians 11:27 - 29 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without...

I haven't read the book Pagan Christianity, but I have read the holy scriptures -- and it's clear when I study the Christian assemblies of the NT and then look at "churches" in the world today, that what most who call themselves Christians practice today is steeped in pagan traditions. I agree...

People do try to rationalize human traditions by misquoting scripture, and also by comparing themselves to others. Members of the large, ornate Episcopal church (just as an example) on one side of the road may reason that God blessed them with their building because they were able to raise ample...

Someone here inquired about the origin of the collection or offering plate that many churches pass around during services. Some people refer to the weekly collection as a tithe, which is adapted from the OT practice of giving a tenth of one's flock to the priests. Hebrews 7 addresses the...

Thank you for this, Northwye! I've been studying the history of NT Christianity and have found much of the same. Despite so many people recognizing the discrepancy in translating "ekklesia" as "church", and that an ekklesia in the scriptures never referred to a building, people will use...

I'm sorry to keep adding to this thread, but I keep coming across other scriptures that contradict the idea of some Biblical imperative requiring a mandatory collection every Sunday and some Biblical basis for a collection plate being passed around the congregation as part of Christian worship...

~Respectfully snipped for focus~ I want to emphasize from the scriptures quoted here that, after the collection was taken up, certain disciples personally carried the contribution to Jerusalem to be distributed to the needy saints. It's possible the churches began collecting another...

I'm not sure what you mean when you say God knew about this (the future construction of church buildings?) and that it didn't make it past Him. If you're saying God must have approved of the construction of buildings for worship since he had foreknowledge, I'm sorry but I disagree. God has...

When I have left churches, I have let people know why only when they ask. I've found that, in both traditional and house churches, leadership do not care if you leave if you don't have deep pockets. They will bend over backwards, though, to get former members with deep pockets back into their...

Just wanted to say that I don't intend to offend anyone; I just want to give people food for thought because this is an issue that has been placed on my heart. There were times in my life I also believed that it doesn't matter where or how we worship God. But, I have seen how money corrupts the...

No one can make a decision for anyone else, but for those interested in what the scriptures say on the matter I hope these verses lend some guidance: ‘You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:28 Do you not know...

Bolded: Exactly the point--the Church is the body of Christ and not a building. But, if we deviate from Christ's teaching by omitting something or adding to it, we no longer belong to the body of Christ. To be a member of Christ's body, we must keep him as the head and recognize his authority...

Some people today claim that the early Christians did not erect buildings for worship because they needed to remain hidden due to persecution. However, New Testament scriptures show that Jesus and his followers were initially persecuted because they taught openly in the temple and synagogues. An...

The Jewish Christians continued to assemble in the outer courts of the temple (a public place) until it was destroyed in A.D. 70., but also met in private homes where they broke bread together (Acts 2:46). They taught and preached daily in the temple and in homes “the good news that Jesus [is]...

This is rather lengthy, so I'm dividing it into several posts. Please read all before replying. Thank you. Jeremiah 7:4 “Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’ 5 “For if you truly amend your ways and your...

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 7:16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is...