Online church services

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Shpadoinkle

Guest
#1
#1
I don't know if Misc. is the right place for this topic, but it don't seem to fit anywhere else.

I like the idea of church, but I don't like going to church. I don't like being trapped in a room with a bunch of other people, and it irritates me when someone brings a baby to church and it gets all fussy and stuff. I'd like to just avoid it altogether if I could. Since I don't like the atmosphere of church, I haven't been going. I've been doing really good about reading my Bible and praying and I watch a lot of documentaries, but I know I'm missing out on something by not going to church.

Which gets me to thinking and to ask, what do you think about online church services? Say, like a webcast of a service? Do you think that would provide the nourishment for the soul or is it not good enough?

Sorry for the weird question. People just scare me and I don't like being around them so I keep my distance. I just don't know who I can trust in the world.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#2
Feb 7, 2015
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#2
A poor substitute for what God tells us to do, and should be avoided unless you have no choice due to health or circumstances.
 
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Shpadoinkle

Guest
#3
#3
Willie-T said:
A poor substitute for what God tells us to do, and should be avoided unless you have no choice due to health or circumstances.
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I see. Thank you Willie-T. Anybody else?
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#4
Feb 7, 2015
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#4
Just think about it. Wouldn't God have avoided all sorts of interpersonal hassles humans have with one another if He had simply told us to read a book about Him and stay away from other people? But He didn't do that. He said to mix it up with other humans by actually physically getting together and rubbing elbows.
 
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Ultimatum77

Guest
#5
#5
Shpadoinkle said:
I don't know if Misc. is the right place for this topic, but it don't seem to fit anywhere else.

I like the idea of church, but I don't like going to church. I don't like being trapped in a room with a bunch of other people, and it irritates me when someone brings a baby to church and it gets all fussy and stuff. I'd like to just avoid it altogether if I could. Since I don't like the atmosphere of church, I haven't been going. I've been doing really good about reading my Bible and praying and I watch a lot of documentaries, but I know I'm missing out on something by not going to church.

Which gets me to thinking and to ask, what do you think about online church services? Say, like a webcast of a service? Do you think that would provide the nourishment for the soul or is it not good enough?

Sorry for the weird question. People just scare me and I don't like being around them so I keep my distance. I just don't know who I can trust in the world.
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I totally agree, it is uncomfortable to get asked a billion questions by random people like "where do you live, what is your occupation" interrogation crap....I think it is fine to do webcast church services or listen to preachers.....good websites are

Christian Radio - Free Online Christian Ministry Radio Broadcasts
and
SermonAudio.com

I like listening to David Wilkerson once in a while on sermon audio and also unshackled on oneplace.
You don't have to drive anywhere, save money on gas, waste time getting ready for church and coming back (travel and prep time) and you avoid interrogation. E-church is the best....

People will tell you that you shouldn't, but I say go for it! It's the best...church does not save you, only your personal relationship with Christ which is not affected by going to church at all (ie your eternal security in heaven) church is a supplement, you can decide to take it like a vitamin to help your walk or if you don't need it you don't need to take it/go to church.

I stopped going to Church 3 yrs ago, and have not regretted it, I still walk with Christ pray and read and have a very strong relationship with Christ...better than most church goers who only spend time with Christ on Sunday I dare say :p

I once again highly recommend unshackled where they tell you a testimony in 30 mins and it is very encouraging!
Listen to Kennetha Gaebler - Unshackled! Radio Online

God Bless!
 
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Shpadoinkle

Guest
#6
#6
Willie-T said:
Just think about it. Wouldn't God have avoided all sorts of interpersonal hassles humans have with one another if He had simply told us to read a book about Him and stay away from other people? But He didn't do that. He said to mix it up with other humans by actually physically getting together and rubbing elbows.
Click to expand...

I do think about it and every time I think about being around other people my hands begin to sweat. I'm probably broken somewhere in my head, but I feel how I do and I need to find a way to have church in my life without having a panic attack to do it.
 
AbigailZeke

AbigailZeke

Beloved
#7
Mar 11, 2016
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abigail.pro
#7
Amen to Willie.

I tried to live in isolation (tried the online church thing, LifeChurch.TV), determined that I could have a relationship with Jesus without other people making my life miserable. Boy was I wrong! Those times are over now, though. And I'm glad.

It takes grace to go out and be vulnerable. Not saying, putting ourselves out there to be abused emotionally (there's a lot of learning, dealing with people, opening up your heart without losing yourself, and stuff like that). But to freely love others, not bound by our own inconvenience, and walls that we've built in our hearts, to love others in their uniqueness and state of madness, this is the love Christ called us to do; to love unconditionally.

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails xD
 
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sharkwhales

Senior Member
#8
Jan 31, 2016
280
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#8
I don't think it's so bad. It can be better than nothing in terms of social contact and involvement. God can definitely use the internet to bring people together in his name. However the 'online-ness' of it might still bring some superficiality and an easy way to shut people out. I think we have some rough edges that real social contact help to polish, or some coldness that being around others can melt over time. I do think real life contact is very important for that reason. Who knows, perhaps Holy Spirit can remove your angst and annoyances and give you a more relaxed attitude that releases those sorts of things from your mind.
 
AbigailZeke

AbigailZeke

Beloved
#9
Mar 11, 2016
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abigail.pro
#9
Ultimatum77 said:
I totally agree, it is uncomfortable to get asked a billion questions by random people like "where do you live, what is your occupation" interrogation crap....
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I think the root of this is that we have stopped believing that some people actually care.

There is no other way to display the love of God than by real relationships with people. No one can honestly call themselves Christians without spreading the love to other people. No amount of theology, and all the wisdom of the world matters.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#10
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
413
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#10
Shpadoinkle said:
I do think about it and every time I think about being around other people my hands begin to sweat. I'm probably broken somewhere in my head, but I feel how I do and I need to find a way to have church in my life without having a panic attack to do it.
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Perhaps, first, you might need to figure out why you have this problem. Obviously you don't go anywhere else where people congregate, right? No concerts, No sporting events. No restaurants. No movies, etc.
 
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Shpadoinkle

Guest
#11
#11
Willie-T said:
Perhaps, first, you might need to figure out why you have this problem. Obviously you don't go anywhere else where people congregate, right? No concerts, No sporting events. No restaurants. No movies, etc.
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No I don't. I can manage to go to the post office to get my mail and to the grocery store and such, but no I can't go anyplace where there are big groups of people.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#12
Feb 7, 2015
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413
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#12
Shpadoinkle said:
No I don't. I can manage to go to the post office to get my mail and to the grocery store and such, but no I can't go anyplace where there are big groups of people.
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If you live to be anywhere near my age, you are going to have a long, rough life ahead of you. There are getting to be more and more, and more, people on this planet all the time. And your generation will likely live even longer than mine.

Don't you imagine you may get so tired of having to be around people that you could smack one of the obnoxious idiots one of these days? Then guess what? You will find yourself locked in a very confined space with hundreds and hundreds of other offenders that you have absolutely no way of avoiding, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.... for several years, straight.

The time to do something was yesterday. So, you are already a day late in seeking help. Don't keep putting it off. The possibility of the scenario I just described to you is all too real... and maybe very imminent.
 
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Shpadoinkle

Guest
#13
#13
Willie-T said:
If you live to be anywhere near my age, you are going to have a long, rough life ahead of you. There are getting to be more and more, and more, people on this planet all the time. And your generation will likely live even longer than mine.

Don't you imagine you may get so tired of having to be around people that you could smack one of the obnoxious idiots one of these days? Then guess what? You will find yourself locked in a very confined space with hundreds and hundreds of other offenders that you have absolutely no way of avoiding, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.... for several years, straight.

The time to do something was yesterday. So, you are already a day late in seeking help. Don't keep putting it off. The possibility of the scenario I just described to you is all too real... and maybe very imminent.
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That's pretty bleak. Get used to people or go to jail.

May I flip this? Do you like being around people? If so, why do you? I'm not trying to put you on the spot, just trying to see things from a different point of view.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#14
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
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#14
Shpadoinkle said:
That's pretty bleak. Get used to people or go to jail.

May I flip this? Do you like being around people? If so, why do you? I'm not trying to put you on the spot, just trying to see things from a different point of view.
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On the whole, I find many people irritating and sometimes pretty hard to take. But I manage being around them 10 times better than I did years ago. But, I also have learned to really look forward to seeing, and being with about thirty or forty people I know. Those aren't bad odds.... compared to when I was in school, and only considered two or three people worth befriending. If I live to be 90, maybe I will have 60 or 70 friends.

If I intend to spend eternity in a place like we envision Heaven to be, I'm figuring there will be a few trillion people there. Now THAT is something to contemplate.
 
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Shpadoinkle

Guest
#15
#15
If, and it's a big IF, I get to go to Heaven, I am hoping I am cleansed of my social anxiety so I can share the space with others. Otherwise, if not, Heaven better be big enough I can find a quiet corner to call my own.
 
AbigailZeke

AbigailZeke

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#16
Mar 11, 2016
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abigail.pro
#16
Shpadoinkle said:
If, and it's a big IF, I get to go to Heaven, I am hoping I am cleansed of my social anxiety so I can share the space with others. Otherwise, if not, Heaven better be big enough I can find a quiet corner to call my own.
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Well, there's the root for you. :) Once you get that settled, social anxiety will be easier to deal with.
 
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Shpadoinkle

Guest
#17
#17
AbigailZeke said:
Well, there's the root for you. :) Once you get that settled, social anxiety will be easier to deal with.
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Well, that won't get settled until Judgment Day, so I've got some time on my hands until then.

*No, I don't believe accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior guarantees me a spot in Heaven. It's my belief and it's not up for debate in this thread*
 
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Shpadoinkle

Guest
#19
#19
I've got a few playlists on my YouTube channel that I keep adding to as I find sermons I like. I'm too lazy now to log in and tell you who all is on there, but I do know that none of the famous evangelists make my list.
 
AbigailZeke

AbigailZeke

Beloved
#20
Mar 11, 2016
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abigail.pro
#20
Shpadoinkle said:
Well, that won't get settled until Judgment Day, so I've got some time on my hands until then.

*No, I don't believe accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior guarantees me a spot in Heaven. It's my belief and it's not up for debate in this thread*
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Well, then, it doesn't make sense you're asking Christians what they think xD The only answers we (or most of us, at least, as this IS a Christian site) can provide you come from the perspective of people who Accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
 
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