CHURCH SHOPPING

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Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#21
Aug 13, 2014
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#21
Waggles said:
To me it is obvious that denominations in the U.S. are quite different to
what I know of here Downunder.
Baptist churches are definitely NOT Pentecostal in any manner.
Just good old fashioned Protestant types like Lutherans and Methodists,
but with an emphasis on full immersion water baptism.

I guess I am spoiled because in The Revival Fellowship we pride ourselves
on preaching and practising the same doctrine and worship at every single
location both in Australia and worldwide.

And your Oneness Pentecostal church is a pretty small choice here in
Australia. Didn't even know of them until I made the mistake of joining
up on an Apostolic Chat Forum where I was informed that I had lost my
salvation because I dared to believe in the Trinity.

What you Yankees call non-denominational churches I am pretty sure
we know em as Community Churches - they tend to rent halls and are
refuges of warm fuzzy feeling good places. No challenges.

Click to expand...
It is a pity not everybody is as perfect as you, and not every place is as perfect as where you live. :rolleyes:

And no, non-denominational sounds nothing like your Community Churches. And if you came to my Oneness Pentecostal church we would not be trying to beat your trinity-believing self into submission, although I get the impression YOU would be trying to do a lot of arguing about the matter.

Put away the broad brush. It's a lot easier to paint with, but it paints a lot of stuff that shouldn't be painted.
 
Beez

Beez

Senior Member
#22
Nov 27, 2017
463
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#22
Lynx said:
It is a pity not everybody is as perfect as you, and not every place is as perfect as where you live. :rolleyes:

And no, non-denominational sounds nothing like your Community Churches. And if you came to my Oneness Pentecostal church we would not be trying to beat your trinity-believing self into submission, although I get the impression YOU would be trying to do a lot of arguing about the matter.

Put away the broad brush. It's a lot easier to paint with, but it paints a lot of stuff that shouldn't be painted.
Click to expand...
He's an Aussie, we are from other places. We're just different. I don't think ​
this is his intention. He's just curious.
 
preacher4truth

preacher4truth

Senior Member
#23
Dec 28, 2016
9,171
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#23
Beez said:
Oh, Preacher. I am so sorry!! I cannot give that out. We have been both threatened and stalked over the @ 23 years I have attended there, and we are down the street from a militant organization. It has happened so many times, over the years, that it isn't even a subject brought up very often anymore, except in prayer.

We've been forced to move from building to building, sometimes for other reasons, but also for our safety. We can't even put our name on the building. The broadcasted services are for members only -- some of whom live out of town.

It's weird.
Click to expand...
Yes, it sounds weird for sure. :confused:
 
shittim

shittim

Senior Member
#25
Dec 16, 2016
13,653
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#25
Doesn't sound like something follows of Jesus would do, does sound like something the followers of the adversary would do.
Probably saved your souls by being excommunicated.
blessings
 
preacher4truth

preacher4truth

Senior Member
#27
Dec 28, 2016
9,171
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#27
Beez said:
If I'd heard of such a thing a few years ago, hate to write it, but I would have thought the speaker had a
couple screws loose.
Click to expand...
You mean if you heard your current sects teachings years ago you would have thought that?

What are these teachings? How do they differ from other teachings?
 
Beez

Beez

Senior Member
#28
Nov 27, 2017
463
83
28
#28
preacher4truth said:
You mean if you heard your current sects teachings years ago you would have thought that?

What are these teachings? How do they differ from other teachings?
Click to expand...
I intended that if I'd heard of a place of worship being threatened by a particular group of people, I would not have believed that the threats were a concern. Not in my America. If I'd heard that they were militant, I would have thought that a stretch of the truth. If I'd heard that they were seen walking around their compound, carrying large weapons, as has been reported, I would have thought the speaker was a ridiculous liar. NOT in my America. This is so ridiculous.

Regarding our teachings, we believe the whole Bible remains fully relevant, and none of the Commandments were never withdrawn.
 
preacher4truth

preacher4truth

Senior Member
#29
Dec 28, 2016
9,171
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#29
Beez said:
I intended that if I'd heard of a place of worship being threatened by a particular group of people, I would not have believed that the threats were a concern. Not in my America. If I'd heard that they were militant, I would have thought that a stretch of the truth. If I'd heard that they were seen walking around their compound, carrying large weapons, as has been reported, I would have thought the speaker was a ridiculous liar. NOT in my America. This is so ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Who are these militants?

Regarding our teachings, we believe the whole Bible remains fully relevant, and none of the Commandments were never withdrawn.
Click to expand...
I see. So it is Christ + keeping the law and you'll be saved?
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#30
#30
Beez said:


I was excommunicated from the old church organization of which I had been a member for 50.5 years, and I was glad to leave. (From reading your post here, Waggles, it was likely very similar to your church.)

So no, I would never go back to it in any town. For years, I have not been where I wish I was living, so the thought of going back to my home town was often on my mind, until recently -- even my husband has thought of moving to my old hometown, even though he'd never lived there. What keeps me here are that (1) I don't want to leave my children, (2) and I don't want to leave my place of worship.

However, if I did move back home, I would not likely attend anywhere. (I have thought that through many times.) There is no place of worship like mine in my little hometown -- or anywhere near it. I would stay home and watch my present place of worship on the Internet -- which is what I do when I'm sick.

Things just are not so cut-and-dried everywhere.​
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Just letting you know something you probably already know -- you going back to your hometown would be you leaving home.

Home is where are roots are now, not where we were born. And your roots -- via your husband, children and church -- is where you live now. You are home! At least home, until the next big home -- home with the Lord.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#31
#31
preacher4truth said:
Who are these militants?



I see. So it is Christ + keeping the law and you'll be saved?
Click to expand...
If you had militants trying to find you to destroy you, would you announce who they are online? I'm assuming they go online too, and an occasional reference to them on public pages would be something they'd look for.

It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you.
 
Beez

Beez

Senior Member
#32
Nov 27, 2017
463
83
28
#32
Beez

Beez

Senior Member
#33
Nov 27, 2017
463
83
28
#33
Depleted said:
Just letting you know something you probably already know -- you going back to your hometown would be you leaving home.

Home is where are roots are now, not where we were born. And your roots -- via your husband, children and church -- is where you live now. You are home! At least home, until the next big home -- home with the Lord.
Click to expand...
A few years after my first husband died, and his parents moved away, I had no strings attached to keep me where we lived. I packed up my children, and we moved home. I was so scared doing that for the very reasons you named. Also, it was my home, not our children's. But when we got there, it was home from the first day forward. This place! It is such a great place! We all loved it, earthquakes and all, and go back as often as possible. I don't know. Maybe I'm a dreamer. :) But it will always be home to me. It's just . . . different.

And no, with recent conversation, I don't want to say where it is. I am really regretting that I said anything about what happened where I worship. I've been very sick for @ 2.5yearsr, unable to even leave the house a few months this year until November. Since I had not been attending services, I asked my husband if the issue had come up there. He said no -- not at all -- except during prayers.

I used to worry, but I don't anymore. Worry produces nothing good. Besides, I refuse to allow such people dictate what I am allowed to do or to remove my freedoms.
 
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maxwel

maxwel

Senior Member
#34
Apr 18, 2013
9,416
2,489
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#34
Boy did I misunderstand this thread title...

I thought somebody was selling churches.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#35
#35
maxwel said:
Boy did I misunderstand this thread title...

I thought somebody was selling churches.
Click to expand...
Ah, man! If you were looking for one, too bad I didn't know that 15 years ago. Our church couldn't afford the building anymore, so it would have been nice if someone would have bought the building for us. lol
 
hornetguy

hornetguy

Senior Member
#36
Jan 18, 2016
6,657
1,401
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#36
I have not read the whole thread, yet... but my initial response to the OP's observation is that... if I had moved to my hometown as an adult, and wanted to go to one of "my" churches... I would have had to choose between more than 30 congregations (at last count).

This was in a town with a population of about 200,000.

So, church shopping would not mean I had "left my faith" and was looking for another denomination, it simply would mean I was looking for the congregation of my denomination that fit me and my family best.
 
shittim

shittim

Senior Member
#37
Dec 16, 2016
13,653
7,673
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#37
Right now HS has me going where He whats me to go to do His good will, I am at a fellowship and the first or second time I was able to pray for a lady who had been in constant pain from a surgery for years, HS took the pain away as we prayed in Jesus Name and spoke health and life over her, then spoke to the infirmity to be gone, again in Jesus Name, another lady there has a long time condition there as well and is showing improvement. Churches don't see there own problems, seems we get cozy and blinders build up to how got wants to move. From time to time He wants to do a new thing and we can miss it if we turn faith into something we do, a place we go, and not looking to Him to follow His leading.
I like to think of the verse in Isaiah 49-19 (?)- "Behold, I do a new thing!"
He is looking for me to be Bold, available and compassionate, Lord willing I will see my friend later today who has this year been delivered of tobacco after 40+ years and nearly free of Parkinson's, all from one outpouring of His healing and restoration, which He desires for all of us if we will be ask.
Another thing He is doing in my life is this right here, getting me up to spend time with Him at O-dark- thirty in the morning
and when I go back to bed He will give me great dreams of direction and teaching just as in John 16-13, the HS will guide, speak and show.
Blessings
 
shittim

shittim

Senior Member
#38
Dec 16, 2016
13,653
7,673
113
#38
Right now HS has me going where He whats me to go to do His good will, I am at a fellowship and the first or second time I was able to pray for a lady who had been in constant pain from a surgery for years, HS took the pain away as we prayed in Jesus Name and spoke health and life over her, then spoke to the infirmity to be gone, again in Jesus Name, another lady there has a long time condition there as well and is showing improvement. Churches don't see there own problems, seems we get cozy and blinders build up to how got wants to move. From time to time He wants to do a new thing and we can miss it if we turn faith into something we do, a place we go, and not looking to Him to follow His leading.
I like to think of the verse in Isaiah 49-19 (?)- "Behold, I do a new thing!"
He is looking for me to be Bold, available and compassionate, Lord willing I will see my friend later today who has this year been delivered of tobacco after 40+ years and nearly free of Parkinson's, all from one outpouring of His healing and restoration, which He desires for all of us if we will be ask.
Another thing He is doing in my life is this right here, getting me up to spend time with Him at O-dark- thirty in the morning
and when I go back to bed He will give me great dreams of direction and teaching just as in John 16-13, the HS will guide, speak and show.
Blessings
 
B

breezer

Guest
#39
#39
clears throat - ummm...








i needz new pj's, preferably - the fuzzy cozy kind...


gonna get a pair that says..


(promptly for Jesus or is it property of Jesus)














:)
 
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J

jb

Senior Member
#40
Feb 27, 2010
4,940
591
113
#40
CHURCH SHOPPING​
Click to expand...
I have found that individual churches within a denomination are not always the same, indeed the diiferance can be quite stark, one can have a wonderful Presence of God in the service, while another has no Presence, but just a lot of emotion and noise, so "church shopping" in my book anyway is no bad thing, I go to where His Presence is!

It is the Pastor / Teacher that either makes or mars a local church, so make sure that the church you attend regularly has Pastor(s) / Teachers(s) who are godly, prayerful, and spiritual, who can teach. 1Tim 3v1-7, Titus 1v5-9, James 5v13-18, 1Peter 5v1-11.

(Young) Christians need to have a good example that they can follow in their Pastor / Teacher. 1Cor 11v1.
 
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