Fundamentalist Views On Protestant Churchless Christians

[TrutherAU]

In Christ it with hope and love is the important thing

There is not much of that being shown in this thread by anglo z or Tozer it is more about inflating their egos and point scoring!. Without love what is a christian, but hypocrite and nasty legalist

 

[FredVB]

Faith is personal in nature and in Christ it with hope and love is the important thing.

There is not much of that be shown in this thread by anglo z or Tozer it is more about inflating their egos and point scoring!. Without love what is a christian, but hypocrite and nasty legalist

Faith, hope, and love are the important thing for all God's people. This cuts all ways. None should be posting here without godly love, any more than posting without Christian faith.

 

[motherprayer]

Faith, hope, and love are the important thing for all God's people. This cuts all ways. None should be posting here without godly love, any more than posting without Christian faith.

Amen!

 

[bottomofsandal]

Wanted to get views here on what posters think of unchurched christians.

According to Acts, didn't the early Christians meet in their homes ?

This was the place of gathering before church buildings were constructed.

 

[lismore]

According to Acts, didn't the early Christians meet in their homes ?

This was the place of gathering before church buildings were constructed.

True true! Sometimes the Jerusalem church also met in the temple courts.

The meeting hall is not most important, the fellowship of believers is.

 

[anglozaxon]

you appear to hate me and my thread.

Oh Truther, I do not hate you or your thread and I am truly sorry if I have made you feel that way, but I cannot agree with all that you have said. You come from a position where you obviously dislike the traditional church intensely and condemn those people who are apart of it. I would urge you to reconsider, the church has still much to offer you and you have much that you could offer if you chose.

You are right as I have said before that the church is more than its buildings and it does not matter(within reason) where christians meet only that they do.

 

[Albion]

According to Acts, didn't the early Christians meet in their homes ?

This was the place of gathering before church buildings were constructed.

When I read "unchurched Christian" I think more of the person who says he doesn't need to worship or gather together with any other believers since he has his own Bible and beliefs, etc. If he goes to a house church or any other fellowship, however informal, I think that this is indeed a kind of church, even if it's not what usually comes to mind when we read the word.

 

[bottomofsandal]

When I read "unchurched Christian" I think more of the person who says he doesn't need to worship or gather together with any other believers since he has his own Bible and beliefs, etc. If he goes to a house church or any other fellowship, however informal, I think that this is indeed a kind of church, even if it's not what usually comes to mind when we read the word.

My bad bro !

I am still a little rusty...back after 6 months hiatus.

 

[Albion]

My bad bro !

I am still a little rusty...back after 6 months hiatus.

Well, welcome back!

 

[justhappeneduponthis]

Some in this thread are now talking about house churches. There's a thought. Eager, curious believers with their Bibles in hand gathering in comfort and with no time constraints to pray, commune, testify, wonder and inquire of God together. No doubt the movement is growing. But some say there is no headship, no seminary, no denominational rod and staff. Ah, but there is the Holy Spirit and an honest sense of reverent hunger, willing to spend good chunks of time, elbows rubbing together. Just as in the Book of Acts.

 

[Albion]

Some in this thread are now talking about house churches. There's a thought. Eager, curious believers with their Bibles in hand gathering in comfort and with no time constraints to pray, commune, testify, wonder and inquire of God together. No doubt the movement is growing. But some say there is no headship, no seminary, no denominational rod and staff. Ah, but there is the Holy Spirit and an honest sense of reverent hunger, willing to spend good chunks of time, elbows rubbing together. Just as in the Book of Acts.

The impulse to fellowship in that way works best if you keep it something like Bible study, not as a substitute for a "full service" church.

 

[justhappeneduponthis]

I am not talking Bible study or cell group. I am talking legitimate worship sessions in all respects in a home, perhaps rotating in several homes. In referring to "full service" aspects not otherwise covered, you must be meaning "marry 'em, baptize 'em and bury 'em". There is also the fact that the movement is somewhat secretive. No tall monument of remembrance at the corner, ringing its bell, and reminding the community that Jesus still matters in the mix. There is something to that.

Consider our ebook entitled Already Been Said:
ALREADY BEEN SAID

 

[Albion]

I am not talking Bible study or cell group.

I'm aware of that. I was giving "home churches" a measure of respect, but they really do have serious shortcomings. That's why I said that such gatherings are better saved for Bible study or other fellowship.

I am talking legitimate worship sessions in all respects in a home, perhaps rotating in several homes. In referring to "full service" aspects not otherwise covered, you must be meaning "marry 'em, baptize 'em and bury 'em".

No, I'm not, but there is -- in most cases -- a 'sincere but blind leading the blind' quality to most of these ventures. And BTW, the New Testament DOES specify clergy of several sorts. Church is not a do it yourself proposition. And if you yourself consider the movement "secretive," that's worrisome in itself, not because it's evil but because it necessarily works against the Christian outreach that almost all believers consider essential.

 

[bottomofsandal]

I am not talking Bible study or cell group. I am talking legitimate worship sessions in all respects in a home, perhaps rotating in several homes. In referring to "full service" aspects not otherwise covered, you must be meaning "marry 'em, baptize 'em and bury 'em". There is also the fact that the movement is somewhat secretive. No tall monument of remembrance at the corner, ringing its bell, and reminding the community that Jesus still matters in the mix. There is something to that.

Consider our ebook entitled Already Been Said:
ALREADY BEEN SAID

Yeah, I was more in line with your thinking on this...
The title is possibly ambiguous or perhaps I am just obtuse !!!:o



From the OP:

"Wanted to get views here on what posters think of unchurched christians.Clearly in an age when more and more true bible believers are leaving the ritual of going to fellowship in church building each sunday i wanted to know if posters here have adapted this growing reality or whether you stick to the rigidity of insisting on church attendance and consider anything less as backsliding in faith."



Sounds like believers defecting from churches (not all churches of course) where the world has taken over and the church and it's teaching have become apostate. A believer becomes UN-churched when (s)he simply opts out of mainstream 2012 churchiosity and uses the Acts model as a template for gathering, worship, and fellowship. This might appear to some as renegade or isolationism, but it sounds like "come out from among them and be ye separate".



That's my .02, which is worth about 1/2 a cent...

 

[Albion]

Sounds like believers defecting from churches (not all churches of course) where the world has taken over and the church and it's teaching have become apostate. A believer becomes UN-churched when (s)he simply opts out of mainstream 2012 churchiosity and uses the Acts model as a template for gathering, worship, and fellowship. This might appear to some as renegade or isolationism, but it sounds like "come out from among them and be ye separate".

To me, that seems like a non-sequitur. After all, if my barber gives me a bad haircut, I don't start cutting it myself. I get a better barber.

The idea that, in a society which has tens of thousands of denominations, anyone is forced into an underground or casual fellowship because some or any particular congregation/denomination has been found wanting just doesn't make sense. It actually sounds like an alibi.

 

[bottomofsandal]

To me, that seems like a non-sequitur. After all, if my barber gives me a bad haircut, I don't start cutting it myself. I get a better barber.

The idea that, in a society which has tens of thousands of denominations, anyone is forced into an underground or casual fellowship because some or any particular congregation/denomination has been found wanting just doesn't make sense. It actually sounds like an alibi.

I am not being contentious here Albion, sorry if I am "sounding" that way.

IMVHO, there is something legimate here regarding what is in the OP. If folks are spiritually starving to death, and the truths of The Kingdom are not being proclaimed and professed in their church building, they need to leave like Lot and not look back !!! If Jesus Christ is not being preached, then one is obligated to leave the wolves in sheep's clothing.

The question seems to be regarding the acceptabilty and/or authenticity of folks assembling in a home to worship God. If this congregation sings songs, has a sermon, offers The Lord's supper, and follows a conventional format, what law of God are they violating ? Is this lack of structure not pleasing to God ? Is God in any way offended by house churches ? Couldn't God raise up a preacher, annoint people, and have His Spirit move in this environment ? I think God can !!!


1 Corinthians 16:19
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

 

[justhappeneduponthis]

I propose a web site page to you folks:
https://sites.google.com/site/conversationabove/new-under-the-son
And a song that touches hearts about community in worship, Sing by Sanctus Real.

 

[Albion]

I am not being contentious here Albion, sorry if I am "sounding" that way.

No no. I'm one who thinks it quite possible to take opposite POVs and it not be a matter of competition. I was merely saying how I see all of this, for right or wrong.

IMVHO, there is something legimate here regarding what is in the OP. If folks are spiritually starving to death, and the truths of The Kingdom are not being proclaimed and professed in their church building, they need to leave like Lot and not look back !!!

But I agreed with that!

If Jesus Christ is not being preached, then one is obligated to leave the wolves in sheep's clothing.

Exactly. The question is entirely about what to do instead.

The question seems to be regarding the acceptabilty and/or authenticity of folks assembling in a home to worship God.

That's a red herring--suggesting that the building is the big issue. It's not. And remember that I was addressing one general answer. MOST such gatherings are, as I said, lacking. BUT also, I was careful not to be too categorical because these fellowships are not standardized and can vary, one to another, quite a lot. If we want to go more into the subject (which I didn't think was the idea a few posts ago), then we'll have to deal with specific assemblies.

If this congregation sings songs, has a sermon, offers The Lord's supper, and follows a conventional format, what law of God are they violating ?

I don't recall anyone saying that some law of God is violated. I certainly didn't.

What I said is that such assemblies--again, a general observation--have shortcomings...and I still think that's so. We could take them up, one by one, if that is your preference.

For example:

Couldn't God raise up a preacher, annoint people, and have His Spirit move in this environment ? I think God can !!!

God can do anything. But most of the time, home churches are not led by men with much formal education. These often are self-taught people who create their own congregations and make themselves the pastor. There are more than a few problems with that. Oh sure, a previously-ordained clergyman of a recognized denomination could possibly be approached by a small group of estranged Christians and petitioned to be their pastor, etc etc, but again, how often is that the case with a home church? How often does a layman claim that the Holy Spirit annointed him to be the leader instead?

 

[anglozaxon]

To me, that seems like a non-sequitur. After all, if my barber gives me a bad haircut, I don't start cutting it myself.

I did Lol!!!

 

[bottomofsandal]

God can do anything. But most of the time, home churches are not led by men with much formal education. These often are self-taught people who create their own congregations and make themselves the pastor. There are more than a few problems with that. Oh sure, a previously-ordained clergyman of a recognized denomination could possibly be approached by a small group of estranged Christians and petitioned to be their pastor, etc etc, but again, how often is that the case with a home church? How often does a layman claim that the Holy Spirit annointed him to be the leader instead?

I see what you are saying and agree whole-heartedly with a scenario that appears cult-like, and not practicing worship in Spirit and Truth. A guy invites a group of remedially advanced God-fearing, salt of the earth people to his ranch for "church". This could be catastrophic !!!


OTOH, a church that was once Rock-solid gradually over a certain amount of time due to new members, a new preacher or _____ , becomes lukewarm and cannot be admonished or rebuked, people would feel compelled to leave. Most of the leadership cannot be persuaded that a problem even exists, but there are a few who reject the new-fangled contemporary, secular, whimsical frivolities. Elders, deacons and congregants all leave. This is what would be called a church "split" in some circles. If these folks form a congregation that meets in a house...so be it.



Maybe this direction is not the intent of the OP. If the OP premise was that a church spontaneously forms outside the mainstream by it's own volition, that would be quite an accomplishment.