Choosing A Church

[Guest]

Is there some way to advertise what you're looking for? Maybe there is already a group looking for the same thing you are. My son's church started out with a pastor and grew and is growing. The growth took a lot of work but has seen the Holy Spirit bring them in.

[DaveW]

Why have you found yourself in this spot?
Have the "good" churches in your area strayed? Have you moved into this area and found no good churches? Something else?

If you can drive to a decent church a ways away, that is prOBably your best option.

After some time they may be willing to start an outreach near you and grow it to another church - but this week?????

Look anywhere within driving distance and check them out. It sounds like a commitment to travel is where you are at.

[AVBibleBeliever]

NOBody here is saying a building is the church.

the thread title is

Choosing A Church

 

and the topic going on are describing building and organizations not the true biblical doctrine of the church.

 

are you not seeing Dave statement of there are plenty of decent churches.  He is not =talking about people he is talking about an organization and a building,  Dont act so coy.

 

The more we keep calling the places of fellowship "the church" the more we promote the unbiblical doctrine of the roman Catholic church which says the building is the house of God.  Don't tell me you have never heard any pastor say welcome to the House of the Lord.  or some other misnomer.  Like aren't you happy to be in the house of the Lord today?

 

I have met plenty of people now seeing the falseness of this and other doctrines coming out of baptist, methodist and RC fellowships.  and because of it we are all meeting in a house and we are calling ourselves the church not the building.  We are free from Govt 501c, and other money grubbing men who see the church as a means to feed themselves and put money in their pockets.

[DaveW]

I think you are reading it wrong - I don't see anyone talking about a church building.
Of necessity a church must meet somewhere - you meet in homes. If someone is looking for your church what you tell them?
We meet at such and such an address.

Grace saved is looking for a church - not a church building.

There are a lot of people who talk about church and mean the building, that is true. But I don't think that is how this thread is speaking.

GS is looking for a church - an organized group of believers to fellowship with.

At least that's the way I am reading it.

[GraceSaved]

In "church" I am referring to a group of believers to fellowship with.  The nearest IFB church is two hours away.  I am not as concerned about the name of the church but if they are Biblically sound.  I appreciate all the suggestions.

[AVBibleBeliever]

So, to use an UNBIBLICAL term as a true bible believer is ok?

 

God's words are very important and as such so should our words.  The more we use it  to speak of a fellowship of believers, in reference to their building and location and denomination as the CHURCH, the more we promote a false doctrine.

 

Many of us would say that we need to be active like JW's in leading people to Christ.  And the JW's are a head of us in not calling the location or the assembly of believers building a church.  they use the unbiblical term "Kingdom Hall".  The term company and fellowship are biblical terms that represent the assembly.

 

Our group has decided that when it is time to get a central location to assemble and fellowship. 

1) We will do so by putting the building and lot in the name of a trust and not anyone believer or an organization.

2) there will be no sign, name or any symbol on the outside of the building identifying us with any sect or denomination (these are unbiblical as well).

3) The assembling believers will be responsible to take care of the building and grounds corporately. 

4) the Assembling believers will be responsible for building and land tax.  there will be no non-profit status and no openly/publicized/or preached collection of tithes and offerings (to do so puts you under the govt control as income and tax needs to be paid).  Also the assembly will be responsible to build and finance to build the building used for fellowship as God moves on their heart. 

5) There will be elders appointed to see to the ministry of the saints in the fellowship.  these elders are on the same level no one is over the other.  None will try to manipulate the others for personal benefit or control.  the decisions necessary for purchases of any equipment or for outreaches will be first cleared on by a majority of the elders and then it is taken to the fellowship, the church the members of the body of Christ meeting there for final vote and it will be done only by majority. 

6) Those with the gift of pastor/teachers shall be asked to teach and to pastor, those with the gift of ministry will administer, those with the gift of helps will help, and so on.  No person in the body of Christ will be denied the free exercise of a spiritual gift except if it goes against the clear inspiration of God's word.  And each person will do so with the consent of the whole body of Christ.

7) Any attempt by any member of the body of Christ attempting to cause division, self promotion, or in open sin will be rebuked.  If there is no repentance of such actions the assembly of believers will upon majority put that person out of fellowship. 

8) All teaching will be from the word of God and those who are teaching will study to show themselves approved, and their teaching will be both book by book through the Bible as well as topical. Those who are taught the word will communicate in all good things with those who teach the word as to supplement their lifestyle so that they can give themselves to the word and prayer. 

9) the larger the fellowship the more the members of the body of Christ will be used to teach, minister and help.

10) If people in another area want to have a fellowship with like standards we will recognize them as the body of Christ and will send teachers to them and they to us for teaching.  Also, a Bishop will be appointed to each fellowship to oversee that the fellowships are keeping to the above Biblical standards and means of teaching and practices.

[John81]

Wow!

[paid4]

Mike, your description of that church sounds much like about a third of the IFB churches in this area now. Unfortunately, most of the rest aren't too far behind in reaching that level of straying.

 

I have found around here that all the IFB churches that are turning away are not holding to the Fundamental part in the title.

They like to use the Independent part but they are far from Fundamental.

[John81]

That's the prOBlem here as well. For some reason they continue to call themselves IFB but they have certainly moved away from the "F" in their willingness to compromise, water down and loosen stands on separation and other issues. It's sad to see.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

There is only ONE Body of Christ that is made up of many members. That ONE Body is identified in the Word of God as the CHURCH. Christ only has one Body.

That said, there are also buildings called Churches in the Bible.

In Revelation, we see Jesus speaking to the angel that was sent to the Church at Sardis, to the angel at the Church at Ephesus, and to five ofther Churches in other geographical locations.

I believe those Churches in Revelation to be places of worship where members of the ONE CHURCH, the Body of Christ met. Individually, we are not separate Churches. Rather, we are all members of ONE Body, ONE CHURCH, of which every joint supplieth.

[DaveW]

I thought this was an independent fundamental Baptist forum?

Sounds like I was wrong.......

[AVBibleBeliever]

That's the prOBlem here as well. For some reason they continue to call themselves IFB but they have certainly moved away from the "F" in their willingness to compromise, water down and loosen stands on separation and other issues. It's sad to see.

for sure if they move away from true Biblical fundamentals you should avoid any fellowship with them.

[AVBibleBeliever]

I thought this was an independent fundamental Baptist forum?

Sounds like I was wrong.......

It all depends on what their fundamentals are? 

 

If their fundamentals are independence that could be a prOBlem seeing we cannot say to one part of the body your are not of the body because you are not IFB then that is a unbiblical fundamental.

[HappyChristian]

Ok, AVBB, enough.  We ALL know that a building does not comprise the Church.  But we all also know that churches have to meet somewhere....And the topic of this thread is not about what constitutes a church, but rather how to find one.  And that would include the body of believers, as GS has mentioned...how each individual church (and,yes, I dare use that biblical word) is run is up to the people who attend there as members.  But that is not the topic here, so let's get back to topic.  Without grousing...

[AVBibleBeliever]

Ok, AVBB, enough.  We ALL know that a building does not comprise the Church.  But we all also know that churches have to meet somewhere....And the topic of this thread is not about what constitutes a church, but rather how to find one.  And that would include the body of believers, as GS has mentioned...how each individual church (and,yes, I dare use that biblical word) is run is up to the people who attend there as members.  But that is not the topic here, so let's get back to topic.  Without grousing...

Ok I'll stop. But remember the church does not meet in a church (no bible verse for that).  you can find the church by turning to your saved spouse, child or neighbor.  church was never used in the bible as a place of fellowship.  My point was about using Biblical terms in Biblical ways, seeing everyone here claims to believe the Bible so why not act like it and talk like it.