Why has the mainstream church become a powerless church?
- Thread starter stonesoffire
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Its part of the bait. They want people to talk about how this church that they normally would never set foot in does rock songs or has guitar solos. Lol. I know cuz I was enmeshed in it all. They then say that it's only for the purpose of getting a captive audience to preach truth too. My problem is I saw all the behind the scenes people behind the facade of it all.
Willie's "strangeness" is wisdom obtained from his love of God and people, and he's actually way ahead of the curve.
Case in point; Willie is on record as saying: "Being a Christian isn't always easy; sometimes you have to hug a drunk that just puked all over himself."
That, my friend, is the very essence of Jesus Christ.
Case in point; Willie is on record as saying: "Being a Christian isn't always easy; sometimes you have to hug a drunk that just puked all over himself."
That, my friend, is the very essence of Jesus Christ.
M
I have several ideas, the main one being that we have it too good in the west.
Why depend on God with so many technological and medical advances.
Why depend on God when our definition of poverty is having only one bedroom, one TV and
one car.
Why depend on God when we longer need to prayer into the possible, because 90% of what we
need can be achieved by our own efforts.
There is a reason why God picked the foolish and weak to confound the wise.
The wise and strong don't need God, they are too self sufficient.
Its been in times of impossible adversity, when I've been absolutely powerless and turned to
God with all of my being, that God has really worked and turned up, showing himself to be all
powerful and all sufficient.
The above applies to individuals and churches, 99% of churches would continue to function
even if God took a vacation. Sadly many wouldn't notice any difference.
Why depend on God with so many technological and medical advances.
Why depend on God when our definition of poverty is having only one bedroom, one TV and
one car.
Why depend on God when we longer need to prayer into the possible, because 90% of what we
need can be achieved by our own efforts.
There is a reason why God picked the foolish and weak to confound the wise.
The wise and strong don't need God, they are too self sufficient.
Its been in times of impossible adversity, when I've been absolutely powerless and turned to
God with all of my being, that God has really worked and turned up, showing himself to be all
powerful and all sufficient.
The above applies to individuals and churches, 99% of churches would continue to function
even if God took a vacation. Sadly many wouldn't notice any difference.
G
In a way -- at the center of all of this - is the core of the problem...
The true biblical approach is for a local assembly of "called-out" believers to "go out" into the world - preaching the gospel - getting people saved -- and then, bring them [ back ] into the [ fellowship of the ] church.
Today, people just want to "pack the house" so that the preacher can do-it-all-from-the-pulpit.
It was never intended that the church house be full of non-believers. And, certainly, not the membership.
Don't get me wrong -- there is nothing wrong with inviting someone to church so they can hear the gospel preached. What I am talking about here is an underlying "method and intent" - which is wrong, according to the-way-it-was-done in the first century.
The preaching in the church house - for the most part - is suppose to be for the edification of the church members; "getting people saved" is supposed to happen "out there" ( in the world ). We are not supposed to keep the church house full of unsaved people. This causes non-biblical ideas to "creep in" to the church. Ideally, everyone present should be Holy-Spirit-led. The church house should be full of born-again Spirit-led people. And, as a rule, we are only supposed to bring born-again Spirit-led people into it.
This is the main difference between first century churches and what we have today.
The 'power' of the 'church' rests in the purity of the 'intent' and the 'focus' of local NT churches to "do it God's way" no-matter-what...
If the Holy Spirit is going to 'move' in the congregation, there has to be 'truth' and 'sincerity'. By 'truth', I mean that people have to actually be "doing things God's way" according to the scriptures. By 'sincerity', I mean that people have to actually be desiring to "do things God's way" according to the scriptures. ( not just "playing church" )
The true biblical approach is for a local assembly of "called-out" believers to "go out" into the world - preaching the gospel - getting people saved -- and then, bring them [ back ] into the [ fellowship of the ] church.
Today, people just want to "pack the house" so that the preacher can do-it-all-from-the-pulpit.
It was never intended that the church house be full of non-believers. And, certainly, not the membership.
Don't get me wrong -- there is nothing wrong with inviting someone to church so they can hear the gospel preached. What I am talking about here is an underlying "method and intent" - which is wrong, according to the-way-it-was-done in the first century.
The preaching in the church house - for the most part - is suppose to be for the edification of the church members; "getting people saved" is supposed to happen "out there" ( in the world ). We are not supposed to keep the church house full of unsaved people. This causes non-biblical ideas to "creep in" to the church. Ideally, everyone present should be Holy-Spirit-led. The church house should be full of born-again Spirit-led people. And, as a rule, we are only supposed to bring born-again Spirit-led people into it.
This is the main difference between first century churches and what we have today.
The 'power' of the 'church' rests in the purity of the 'intent' and the 'focus' of local NT churches to "do it God's way" no-matter-what...
If the Holy Spirit is going to 'move' in the congregation, there has to be 'truth' and 'sincerity'. By 'truth', I mean that people have to actually be "doing things God's way" according to the scriptures. By 'sincerity', I mean that people have to actually be desiring to "do things God's way" according to the scriptures. ( not just "playing church" )
