Is the Neighboring Church your Churches Enemy?

[Archivist]

This was said to me in another thread, that neighboring churches are the enemy of my church. This has not been my experience. A nearby church regularly joins my church in activities ranging from food drives to picnics to caroling. Likewise when the neighboring Catholic Church was under construction they held their services at my church. We regularly had joint services and joint activities, and continued to do so for many years after they were in their new building.

I was shocked to be told this on CF. So, are neighboring churches the enemy of your church?

 

[dqhall]

This was said to me in another thread, that neighboring churches are the enemy of my church. This has not been my experience. A nearby church regularly joins my church in activities ranging from food drives to picnics to caroling. Likewise when the neighboring Catholic Church was under construction they held their services at my church. We regularly had joint services and joint activities, and continued to do so for many years after they were in their new building.

I was shocked to be told this on CF. So, are neighboring churches the enemy of your church?

There was some competition to fill pews with worshippers. One church accused another church of heresy, greed, corruption and sin. I recently got a call from a lady I met in online dating who spent part of a day sending me links to videos attacking Benny Hinn as a prosperity preacher who created the illusion of false miracles.

On the other hand I lived in a city where the Catholics donated a property for a homeless shelter and soup kitchen that fed bread and soup to the poor. Seventeen churches of different denominations contributed towards its maintenance. In the same city there was a homeless men’s shelter operated by Baptists who brought preachers in to preach during the evenings.

 

[bèlla]

Archivist,

I've witnessed good relations with neighboring bodies. One of the churches provides space for the High Holy Day celebrations for a local synagogue. They accommodate the overflow and the services are held in the church. I attended a service and civil rights presentation at a synagogue which featured a Catholic choir and sermon delivered by a pastor. Groups work together for charitable projects which benefit the needy in the area. Overall, its been positive.

Yours in His Service,

~Bella

 

[Junia]

This was said to me in another thread, that neighboring churches are the enemy of my church. This has not been my experience. A nearby church regularly joins my church in activities ranging from food drives to picnics to caroling. Likewise when the neighboring Catholic Church was under construction they held their services at my church. We regularly had joint services and joint activities, and continued to do so for many years after they were in their new building.

I was shocked to be told this on CF. So, are neighboring churches the enemy of your church?

I

it is antichrist for churches to be in memory with one another. The true church is a worldwide unified body of the Elect

 

[Junia]

Emnity not memory. I hate autocorrect

 

[Archivist]

Emnity not memory. I hate autocorrect

Autocorrect is sometimes more trouble than it is worth.

I was shocked when someone posted in another thread that a neighboring church is your churches worst enemy. Very sad that someone would feel that way.

 

[SkyWriting]

This was said to me in another thread, that neighboring churches are the enemy of my church. This has not been my experience. A nearby church regularly joins my church in activities ranging from food drives to picnics to caroling. Likewise when the neighboring Catholic Church was under construction they held their services at my church. We regularly had joint services and joint activities, and continued to do so for many years after they were in their new building.

I was shocked to be told this on CF. So, are neighboring churches the enemy of your church?

Be aware that all CF members are independent oddballs and nobody speaks for anyone else. Yes, me too.

 

[Junia]

Be aware that all CF members are independent oddballs and nobody speaks for anyone else. Yes, me too.

Lol

 

[Archivist]

Be aware that all CF members are independent oddballs and nobody speaks for anyone else. Yes, me too.

I know that. I just wanted to see whether others shared this view.

 

[seeking.IAM]

Well, "enemy" is a strong word but this has both amused me and offended my sensibility of what I think Christian charity and brotherhood should be about. My church is one of three large downtown churches sitting on 3 adjacent blocks. Church A owns the back half of the block on which Church B sits and has turned it into a parking lot. The parking lot sits between Church B and my church. Church A periodically sends reminders to Church B and my church not to park in their lot. Church B and my church have very small parking lots that can't accommodate their congregants, some of whom must search for on-street parking and walk. Meanwhile Church A's lot sits empty every Sunday morning because Church A doesn't really need it to accommodate its congregants. Go figure. Somebody's mother didn't teach them to share.

 

[SkyWriting]

Autocorrect is sometimes more trouble than it is worth.

I was shocked when someone posted in another thread that a neighboring church is your churches worst enemy. Very sad that someone would feel that way.

Don'y be sad or shocked that some people don't match your disposition. We all know that is just a fact. Not 1% not 20% not 90%. It's just a fact.

 

[Archivist]

Don'y be sad or shocked that some people don't match your disposition. We all know that is just a fact. Not 1% not 20% not 90%. It's just a fact.

It isn't a matter of others not matching my disposition. It is a matter of Christians seeing their neighbors, also Christians, as the enemy. I thought the Bible said something about living your neighbor.