Christian Fellowship Community Group
A safe place for Christians who Love Jesus Christ to meet and ask for prayer and share scriptures from the bible. We value the posting of Christian music, poems, stories and also personal testimonies. Please let us know your needs, concerns and have some fun getting to know each other. We treat each other with respect.
I understand it's Thanksgiving Day and all, but I feel my heart is heavy right now with the burden to share this with friends on here at DailyStrength.
With the evil out there in the world and on our doorsteps, I believe in some instances the church has been unwelcoming with people who are desperate for spiritual guidance. I believe in my heart that there is a serious backlash within the congregation concerning the world around us--so much so, it's making me uneasy and leading to my heavy heart at this moment.
Before I continue, I want to address that the church SHOULD NOT allow the unrepentent sinner who will not change. However, I believe some churches has swung to the opposite extreme and are trying to close their doors to the outside and are getting into their "holy huddles" with just accepting family and friends in their midst while the rest of the world goes into chaos. They are rejecting what they inwardly refer as the "undesirables". Now, don't get me wrong, this is not universal, thank God! However, it's a problem that seems to be cropping up where outside problems are the worst.
To be honest too, there are more churches that seem to be opperating in the opposite extreme where they allow any kind of sin in without so much blinking an eye. The point of what I'm saying is that while Satan is having his way with the American culture, he's also having his way with the American church. The question on my mind is: Are we going to give in? Are we going to just hang around our family and be holy huddlers and forget about the world around us and the spiritual condition of sinners? Are we going to be so welcoming to the sin that we lose our ability to teach them the difference of right and wrong? When are we going to operate from the middle and accept the sinner and not accept the sin? When are we all going to show true love and true compassion? Does the outside world have true love and compassion? Do the holy huddlers have true love and true compassion? Do the conformists--the church who accepts both the sinner and the sin have true love and true compassion? The answer to the last three questions is NO. None of them do. Only true love and true compassion come from God and is performed from the heart by listening and acting upon what our church leaders preach.
I've been teetering and seriously debating whether I should continue going to my church after almost 11 years of attending services. Concerning me is that we seem to have reached a point as a local congregation to where we backlashed against our surrounding community. I don't want to go into the long details, since this post is going to be long enough. My point is that right now I'm kind of fed up with the state I live in--Oregon and if I were to move out now, I'd probably not look too far back and just start from a clean slate. I feel it's about time for me to move onward and upward.
Other than that, I thank you for your time reading that. I had to get off my chest and really, please enjoy your Thanksgiving Day. I will, especially now that I got this out in the open. Please let me know how you feel and share with me. Thank you and God bless.
With the evil out there in the world and on our doorsteps, I believe in some instances the church has been unwelcoming with people who are desperate for spiritual guidance. I believe in my heart that there is a serious backlash within the congregation concerning the world around us--so much so, it's making me uneasy and leading to my heavy heart at this moment.
Before I continue, I want to address that the church SHOULD NOT allow the unrepentent sinner who will not change. However, I believe some churches has swung to the opposite extreme and are trying to close their doors to the outside and are getting into their "holy huddles" with just accepting family and friends in their midst while the rest of the world goes into chaos. They are rejecting what they inwardly refer as the "undesirables". Now, don't get me wrong, this is not universal, thank God! However, it's a problem that seems to be cropping up where outside problems are the worst.
To be honest too, there are more churches that seem to be opperating in the opposite extreme where they allow any kind of sin in without so much blinking an eye. The point of what I'm saying is that while Satan is having his way with the American culture, he's also having his way with the American church. The question on my mind is: Are we going to give in? Are we going to just hang around our family and be holy huddlers and forget about the world around us and the spiritual condition of sinners? Are we going to be so welcoming to the sin that we lose our ability to teach them the difference of right and wrong? When are we going to operate from the middle and accept the sinner and not accept the sin? When are we all going to show true love and true compassion? Does the outside world have true love and compassion? Do the holy huddlers have true love and true compassion? Do the conformists--the church who accepts both the sinner and the sin have true love and true compassion? The answer to the last three questions is NO. None of them do. Only true love and true compassion come from God and is performed from the heart by listening and acting upon what our church leaders preach.
I've been teetering and seriously debating whether I should continue going to my church after almost 11 years of attending services. Concerning me is that we seem to have reached a point as a local congregation to where we backlashed against our surrounding community. I don't want to go into the long details, since this post is going to be long enough. My point is that right now I'm kind of fed up with the state I live in--Oregon and if I were to move out now, I'd probably not look too far back and just start from a clean slate. I feel it's about time for me to move onward and upward.
Other than that, I thank you for your time reading that. I had to get off my chest and really, please enjoy your Thanksgiving Day. I will, especially now that I got this out in the open. Please let me know how you feel and share with me. Thank you and God bless.
So glad you were able to get that out. I do hope you are having a good rest of the day with a grateful heart. Americans have so much to be thankful for and I know you know since you have been to Peru
I am an American not living within the 48 states. I have been out for about 9 years and have had 3 visits back in the 9 years. It is nice to hear from ones input and know that our thoughts are in the same thought. I have been seeing it for a long time. It might happen at different times in the different locations within the states. All I know is most Christians in America really need to get on their knees more and seek God. History is repeating it self over and over again. Where did the pilgrims come from and why did they come? Well America is on the verge to getting to that point of where they came from. We are no longer a Christian nation, even though people like to think we are. I am reading the prophets because it is coming to the end of the year of reading the Bible and I am seeing a lot of the same sins the Israelites did in our own country. So why would God not do unto us what He did unto them to get our attention. We have a Muslim president even though he not practicing his worship. I will not be surprised what is going to happen at the end of his term. I am not trying to put fear into anyone. I am just sharing that we need to come to terms personally in our relationship with God. Are we really being sincere in our relationship with Him or just playing around. How much time are we spending in prayer, praise and worship. Is it only for 15 minutes a day??? Is it only when we go to the House of Worship??? How are we leading our families spiritually?? There are things in our homes that have become our idols. God is jealous and HE will not let it keep happening if you know what I mean. Yes We have a Grace and Mercy from Jesus, but even Jesus got mad in the temple with the money exchangers.
Well I guess I have said enough. (smile) thanks for letting me air out my thoughts as well.
Did you notice that not too many people responded to this post? It's not by accident I'm sure. Sometimes it's difficult to admit that some of our Christian Churches are not practicing in line with biblical teaching. I don't know the details of your situations, but I've had experiences with some Churches that are clearly lead by the flesh and not the spirit.
Don't allow these experiences to deter you from your spiritual walk with God. We are human and even leaders mess up on their leading. Read your bible, pray and ask for guidance and discernment on the church God wants you to be at. You will never find the perfect church. There is no such thing. Just remember to keep the faith and He will lead you. Blessings to you my friend. I'm praying for you!
Mandy (your peruvian friend)
I agree with our pastor, how many adults who don't know Christ comes to church of their own accord, unless they have been invited. We spend several hours 3-4 evenings a week and Saturday visiting and doing volunteer work outside the church. Not everyone can spend every evening and Saturday working but at least a few of us meet at the church and go out almost every day. Our church which was almost dead before is now growing, and fast.