For Christians...Is It Just Me or Am I Losing My Mind (page 5)

Deputy Dog

Robdar

D-dog, if I am a child of God, I AM the Church, no matter where I am or where I go. Think about it and try not to judge me because I do not go to a church. There are better things to do with your time than worry about where I am on a Sunday.

No you are not the Church! You may be part of the Church. Nor am I judging weather you are or are not! I hope XJW doesn't think I'm hyjacking his thread. It seems to me that worship should unite the body, not splinter it.

What you are saying is something like you (the hand) doesn't need the rest of the body or the body doesn't need the hand.

Romans 12:4

For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

1Co 12:14

For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

If you are a child of God as you claim, I need you! Regardless of where you are on Sunday.

Deputy Dog

truthsearcher

I don't think I expressed myself adequately before. What I meant is that there is a place for singing songs that tell others what God has done in our lives: that is "To God be the glory, great things HE has done..." as opposed to "To You, be the glory, great things YOU have done". I believe there should be a mixture of both perspectives. Do you disagree?

We can agree, if, no matter the "form" of worship, it glorifies God and God alone.

LouBelle

could church & temple be regarded as the same thing??

perhaps the poster is meaning he is the church / temple in the way Christ meant it : "tear this temple down in three days & I shall raise it up" he is not talking about the literal temple / church... he is talking about himself...

when Paul said he persecuted the church of god - he persecuted individuals.

I do feel individuals can be the ""church / temple"" for their creator.

Deputy Dog

LouBelle

when Paul said he persecuted the church of god - he persecuted individuals.

Yes, Saul/Paul persecuted many individuals. He wanted to kill all Christians. That's why Jesus asked: "Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?"

The many individuals make up the body of Christ/the Church.

LouBelle

I totally know where you're coming from DDog but well I was trying to see it from the other chaps view point - as I don't take scripture too literally. But since you answered back ... you mentioned: If you are a child of God as you claim, I need you!

why? I ask this because I was told I was being selfish by not going to a church and giving of myself, they said the church needs me

Deputy Dog

LouBelle

why? I ask this because I was told I was being selfish by not going to a church and giving of myself, they said the church needs me

I'm sure you have gifts that many of us don't have. Why not share them?

XJW4EVR

I have been thinking about much of what has been written on this thread. Most of the responses have been thought provoking for me, and others. Other responses, well, they are not deserving of a reply so we'll live that there.

My issue is that there is a constant attempt to hype people up, as if worshiping God was some sort of spectator sport, and this gets to me. Not to mention, and this seems to be a problem systemic within the church I attend, the use of the same songs over and over. Let me give you an example: Around October a song was introduced to the congregation entitled,"How Great Is Our God." I loved this song, however this song has been song at least once every service since then. Last Sunday, they sang it and the words were hollow. They no longer lifted my spirit as once did. I could go done the line with other songs, but I do not think that there is a need.

DD ask if I thought the worship in my church is man centered or God centered. This question has caused me to think harder on the situation. The answer is that it is man centered. Our worship appears to not be about lauding The Creator and The Savior of our souls, but rather it appears to be about attaining an emotion. This is something that I have discussed with my wife, who is a member of the worship team, and is currently being groomed to take over for the current worship leader who, will be partnering with her husband to start a church in Accra, Ghana. She is in agreement with me that things need to change, and hopefully things will be changing for the better soon.

One thing I wish to make perfectly clear is that I am not saying that it is wrong to have "happy" worship. I believe that worship should reflect that emotion, however, when that emotion seems to be the only one targeted, then I think there is a problem. It is almost as if modern evangelical worship is focused on happy, and never any other emotion. How can someone that is going through a dark period in their life stand happiness? I remember when my mom died, I would come to church late, because I just did not feel like rejoicing, and it was actually hurting more than helping to be involved in that sort of worship. Granted I do not think that every worship song should consist of woeful expressions to God, but there appears to be (and many of the posts here affirm it) no acknowledgment of the dark times ever.

jgnat, as far as revivalism goes, it was the Second Great Awakening and the teachings of the heretic Charles Finney that was the genesis of the problem that I am talking about. Finney wrote about what was needed for a revival, and one thing he never mentioned was the Spirit of God. Finney's version of "revival" was merely whipping up people's emotions in order to "feel conviction" for their sin, and then to get them to set at the "anxious bench" in order to be preached at directly. Finney was a master at using music as a means to get to his ends, "salvations" at the alter call.

Robdar, I am not against joy, but I am against manufactured joy, which is not joy at all, but something entirely different.

I have no issues with powerpoint displays of the song lyrics, in fact I recently attended a rather traditional church in which the lyrics of Amazing Grace, A Mighty Fortress, and It is Well With My Soul were displayed in such a manner. Nor am I against modern praise and worship. I honestly believe that just because it is old, it is good, nor am I a person who believes that the modern music has a new "annointing" that the older songs do not have.

Some songs that are written in the dark times, can and do minister to us. The first time I heard It Is Well With My Soul was after my mom had died, and that song was used by God to bring me through that dark period in my life. It Is Well was written by a man, Horatio Spafford, that suffered two tragedies in his life. First, he lost his only son in 1871. Which was followed by the great Chicago fire in which he was financially ruined. He then attempted to relocate to Europe, and booked passage on a ship. He was delayed do to some business matters. So he placed his wife and four daughters on board the ship, and promised that he would catch up with them. Sadly, that ship collied with another, and the ship the family was on sank. the daughters lost their lives, however his wife survived, and sent a telegram to Spafford that read, "Saved alone." As Spafford traveled to meet his wife, the ship he was on passed near the spot of the collision, and he was inspired to write that hymn. No other hymn or worship song I have heard since, has ever affected me as that song did. However, most modern churches will not play that song, as it is considered too dark.

Thank you for all your contributions. They have caused me to think.

XJW4EVR

Double post

Robdar

Ddog, I said that I am the Church. You said this: The many individuals make up the body of Christ/the Church. Well, I am an individual and a part of the body, therefore I am the Church. You yourself said it.

I am not a fundalmentalist. I do not interpret the scripture literally. Thanks for sharing the scriptures and your idea of what it means. If you think that you need to go to church, you do. I do not. And guess what? Me and the Lord get along just fine. He is within me and I am within him.

Hi LouBelle. I agree with the way you interpret the Scripture. BTW, I am a gal. Nice to make your acquaintance.

Deputy Dog

XJW

She is in agreement with me that things need to change, and hopefully things will be changing for the better soon.

I'd love to hear or see what happens. Keep us posted!

For Christians...Is It Just Me or Am I Losing My Mind

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