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Author Topic: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?  (Read 8753 times)

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Offline natcat86

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #25 on: October 22, 2009, 01:39:23 AM »
Just curious, do any of you actually attend churches (congregations)?

 I attend an evangelical church which has the doctrine of ET (eternal conscious punishment infact-yikes!! :sigh:) in their statement of faith. They know that I dont believe in hell and that I believe that all will be saved. They except me, my hubby and mother who all believe in UR and although they think I'm very wrong they havent made it a problem. The thing is I really love them and love spending time with them. I think the main reason they believe in ET is because thats what they were told when they were saved and they have never questioned it. Their favourite line is, "Jesus spoke about hell the most". I've told them about Gehenna being the local dump and all that but  :BangHead:  :sigh:.

Anywhooo, they want me to get more involved in church life and before I read SYDWTGTCA I would have been like yipee! but since reading it my pride and vanity has sort of poofed away (thank you Lord) and now its a bit awkward. Its really hard for me not to walk out when I hear them preach on hell, it feels like they are insulting my Lord, they are I guess. But I love them and they have good intentions and its a great chance for fellowship. My husband feels obligated to stay as he plays in the worship band and we were both baptised there. But we both have some major problems with the church and churches in general. The wasted money maintaining a building that is empty most of the time, the politics, the fact that almost everything about it is aimed at our comfort and entertainment and not Gods glory.

We're in a quandry and dont know what to do. I know that God has it all in hand but in the mean time I feel very conflicted.

Sorry this has been more of a rant than anything but its on my mind a lot! We are looking into emmigrating to New Zealand in the next couple of years and I must admit that one of the things I am most excited about would be tht I wouldnt feel obliged to attend a "church" I could just get on and be it!

Rant over.....for now  :happygrin:


Nat
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Offline Cardinal

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #26 on: October 22, 2009, 02:27:28 AM »
 :cloud9: Do you think maybe your spirit is warring against your fleshly good intentions, maybe? Because usually when I feel conflicted it's because I'm not at peace with what it is I'm doing, and until I line up, it stays on me like a nagging thing. Once I make the decision, no more feeling conflicted. It's the see/saw of trying to weigh things that drives me crazy, LOL........Blessings.....
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Offline sparrow

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #27 on: October 22, 2009, 05:03:45 AM »
Quote from: Cardinal on October 22, 2009, 02:27:28 AM
:cloud9: Do you think maybe your spirit is warring against your fleshly good intentions, maybe? Because usually when I feel conflicted it's because I'm not at peace with what it is I'm doing, and until I line up, it stays on me like a nagging thing. Once I make the decision, no more feeling conflicted. It's the see/saw of trying to weigh things that drives me crazy, LOL........Blessings.....

So true and sometimes you don't know which is your spirit and which is the fleshly good intention.  :mshock:
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Offline reFORMer

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #28 on: October 22, 2009, 09:36:02 AM »
At this point I'm dropping a little post on this thread to be sure to be notified as others post here.  I'll try to be more relevant at a better time of day.
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I went to church; but, the Church wasn't on the program!  JESUS WANTS HIS BODY BACK!!  MEET WITHOUT HUMAN HEADSHIP!!!

Offline natcat86

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #29 on: October 22, 2009, 03:26:44 PM »
Thanks for the feed back guys.  :bigGrin:

I think your right that the conflict is between the spirit and the carnal. After thinking about it more, I think that staying at church I could reach more people with the victorious gospel but again its hard to know if its the spirit or carnal. I've already been planting seeds and especially the younger members seem open to the possibility of UR.

I think maybe we will just have to wait and see what God is going to do. Hopefully he will take the decision out of my hands.

Nat
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Offline jabcat

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #30 on: October 24, 2009, 11:49:54 AM »
Pray nat, and place it in God's hands to show you and make it plain to you.  Just ask Him to "like a shephard lead you".  I still attend with my wife most Sunday AMs as a bit of a "keep the peace" compromise.  But I felt God had me resign my official membership and stop any "official" denominationally-sanctioned activities (I was also in the praise band).  I've been thinking - I probably could participate more in a non-denominational, more univeral restoration type congregation - more of a "loosely" structured body of believers not run by some institutional headquarters somewhere.  But when you find one of those, let me know  :bigGrin:.
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Offline Cardinal

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #31 on: October 24, 2009, 12:34:33 PM »
 :cloud9: I found over the years, that He makes you to BECOME what you need, LOL......BE that loosely structured group of believers out of your own home. My  :2c: Blessings....
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Offline reFORMer

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #32 on: October 29, 2009, 05:50:20 AM »
I put the two posts with excerpts from the book and sent them in an email to various people in my address book.  I unintentionally sent it to someone to whom I would've otherwise not sent it.  The swift response was:  "nut job."
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I went to church; but, the Church wasn't on the program!  JESUS WANTS HIS BODY BACK!!  MEET WITHOUT HUMAN HEADSHIP!!!

Offline Beloved Servant

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #33 on: October 29, 2009, 06:11:49 AM »
Card and reFORMer are blessed to me.
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Offline Cardinal

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #34 on: October 29, 2009, 06:05:29 PM »
 :cloud9: Well, then we're all nut jobs. I say, we wear it proudly, LOL :tease: :angel4:
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Offline eaglesway

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #35 on: April 30, 2010, 03:57:13 PM »
I resemble that remark      :banana: :banana:
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Offline PaoloNuevo

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #36 on: November 16, 2010, 05:12:51 AM »
Well, I think its ok NOT to join any "systems" any more...

However, what Jesus said about 2 or 3 gathered in His name (Matt. 18: 20 ) still applies... I think we should only do it in a conducive environment where we can share the love of Christ with one another, confess one another our sins and help build each other up..

It doesn't mean we shun other Christians, in fact the command is to love...

But yes, I agree that the "institutionalized" fundamentalism that has all these rules, endless Bible studies (while excluding Scriptures that teach the REAL gospel ;)  ) don't help us grow... anything to make us grow in love, then that's where Jesus is..  :bigGrin:
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Offline Quaesitor

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #37 on: November 22, 2010, 09:28:09 PM »
Thanks for bringing that uo Paolo, it led me to read the book and boy was I blessed.
I understand why it's a sticky and it should be a must-read.
Incredible book!
Impacted me about as much as the shack.
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Offline PaoloNuevo

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #38 on: November 24, 2010, 01:27:07 AM »
A Christian friend accused me of not fellowshipping with them anymore...

The truth is I haven't been for years now because I sort of lost my zest for the faith because of the E.T. gospel...

but when I discovered U.R. my faith was restored in full. However I'm rather terrified that their church leader, the leader of my Christian friend thinks it is ESSENTIAL that I believe in eternal damnation again, otherwise I have welcomed a dangerous spirit...

Until the day I find personal contact with believers of the Victorious Gospel, its only Jesus for now that I am accountable to. And even when I do find those friends, it should always be Him at the center.
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Offline Quaesitor

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #39 on: November 24, 2010, 09:36:13 PM »
 :thumbsup:

My own fellowship is with anyone who is a member of Christ.
A lot in church are not and a lot outside church are.
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Offline PaoloNuevo

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #40 on: November 24, 2010, 11:49:53 PM »
That's inspiring Quaesitor!!

True, some practioners of Churchianity might accuse us of breaking the laws of Christ by not attending a traditional fellowship...

But even Jesus broke the rules! As Carlton Pearson put it.... Let's just be sure we're breaking these rules in the name of love.
 :bigGrin:

If people of the world persecute us because they don't want to repent, that's a given. But if "Christians" persecute us too?? Well, the more persecutors, the merry-er.. :grin:
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Offline Quaesitor

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #41 on: November 25, 2010, 01:07:53 AM »
Quote from: PaoloNuevo on November 24, 2010, 11:49:53 PM
That's inspiring Quaesitor!!

True, some practioners of Churchianity might accuse us of breaking the laws of Christ by not attending a traditional fellowship...

But even Jesus broke the rules! As Carlton Pearson put it.... Let's just be sure we're breaking these rules in the name of love.
 :bigGrin:

If people of the world persecute us because they don't want to repent, that's a given. But if "Christians" persecute us too?? Well, the more persecutors, the merry-er.. :grin:

 :nod:
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Offline urpilgrim

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #42 on: November 25, 2010, 09:30:06 PM »
My wife and I have been out of the IC for about 6 years now. We are part of a Home Church fellowship that meets in our home, we have about 10-12 folks that gather with us.

I read Wayne's book about 2 years ago, great book that pretty much reflects what our group is like.  Minus the John character  :grin:  Just living loved and loving others whether they are followers of Jesus Christ or not.

I don't miss the politicing and the power playing that goes on in the IC.

Nothing like being a free ranging bird.  :bgdance:

Has any of you read Frank Viola's "Finding Organic Church"?  But Like being with the UR group.. it is sometimes lonely... Hard to find others of like mind in the same area.

If you are interested in chatting with other free ranging bird, you should look up the Gj forum at www.thegodjourney.com

Grace and peace
Robert
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Offline WildernessVoice

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Actually, I enjoy church on occasion - as long as...
« Reply #43 on: July 02, 2011, 12:01:32 AM »
they leave the Devil's gospel out of it, and I'm not under pressure to conform, no problem :}
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Offline Lindy

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Re: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore?
« Reply #44 on: September 22, 2011, 12:38:29 AM »
Read this book a year ago, and it was another step in freeing me in my walk with my Father.  We are so conditioned in our society to be part of some organized group, maybe a throwback to tribal survival, don't know, but I just could not bring myself to attend any church. Too wounded still from things I've gone through, absolutely no trust whatsoever in churches, I've seen lives like mine destroyed by them.

For myself, if I am studying the scriptures, praying, considering, I'm in church wherever I am, for the Holy Spirit is with me, two or more gathered together, that's Holy Spirit and me, the math works. lol! I do enjoy the rare moments I get to discuss things with those of like mind, but I also tend to avoid getting into discussions with those who have no understanding of the vast depths of God's total reconciliation plan of love. The anger and sometimes actual hate they spew is incredible!
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