A CHURCH Church

[Chad]

A CHURCH Church

The church should be a healthy, fruitful vineyard that will bring honor to Christ, a church after Christ's own heart where He can look at the travail of His soul and be satisfied. Among the people should be a beautiful simplicity and a radiant Christian love so it would impossible to find gossips and talebearers. There should be a feeling of humble reverence and an air of joyous informality, where each one esteems others better than himself or herself, where everyone is willing to serve but no one jockeys to serve.

Childlike candor without duplicity or dishonesty should mark the church, and the presence of Christ should be felt and the fragrance of His garments smelled by His beloved. Prayers should be answered so regularly that we think nothing of it. It would be common because God is God, and we are His people. When necessary, miracles would not be uncommon. Is that, in the light of Scripture, unreasonable and undesirable to expect of a church? . . .

Is this impossible? Is anything impossible with God? Is anything impossible where the Lord Jesus Christ is? Is this unscriptural? No! The only thing that is unscriptural about this vision is that it is not up to the standard of Scripture yet. The scriptural standards are still high. If you answer, "No, it is not unreasonable, undesirable or impossible," then you are saying you believe in this. If you believe in this, if you would like to become the church that could begin this reformation, this change toward the better, this recapturing of the ancient power of God in the souls of people, then there must be a radical psychological break with the prevailing religious mood.

- A.W. Tozer

 

[jiggyfly]

Great post Chad. This is the church that Jesus is building. The other is a man-made counterfeit. You can be part of one or the other but not both at the same time. It's an amazing thing that so many start off in His Church but end up in man's church.

Revelation 3:14-22
14*“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the ruler* of God’s creation:
15*“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! 16*But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth! 17*You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18*I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. 19*I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference.
20 “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends. 21*I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. 22*Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

You can see in this scripture that they have shut Jesus out and He is trying to get them to invite Him back in. May God help us all to quit shutting Jesus out.

 

[jculver]

Great post Chad. This is the church that Jesus is building. The other is a man-made counterfeit. You can be part of one or the other but not both at the same time. It's an amazing thing that so many start off in His Church but end up in man's church.

Revelation 3:14-22
14*“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the ruler* of God’s creation:
15*“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! 16*But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth! 17*You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18*I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. 19*I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference.
20 “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends. 21*I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. 22*Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

You can see in this scripture that they have shut Jesus out and He is trying to get them to invite Him back in. May God help us all to quit shutting Jesus out.

I have been seeking that eye salve for a long long time in prayer. It is indeed so valuable I hope some day to afford it somehow Sincerely, if I could ask for anything it would be for discernment. I want to know what to do, how, and I want to see it clearly, but my eyes are all mucked up. I mean if you were able to know exactly what God wanted at all times without question, how great would that be? How well could you serve! I wonder how a person gets this eye salve. Seek and knock I know, but I have, and I think the answer is either wait, or no.

As far as that lukewarm church, I think it is probably a lot warmer than most churches these days. The church I am attending is really starting to grow I think. The preacher has always been pretty good at keeping peoples attention and sticking to a message, but his style is just not expository enough, and he didn't really do much "hard preaching". That seems to be changing, and the cost of discipleship is a hot topic lately, which is awesome. Someone said once, that the cost of Jesus is nothing, but the annual dues are everything.

 

[soul_drummer]

wow!! Chad, that post like, iono..got me heart pumping! i really really liked that. There are a group of some friends of mine, and we've been talking about that EXACT thing for the past...6 months or so. God's doing some crazy things in that town (i had to move away for college, but go back often). I think it's becoming more and more understood that something needs to be done in the Church as a whole. more and more people seem to be talking about it. that's what lead me to this post..lol^^. We all pray all the time that this becomes a reality instead of just some discussion topic^^
Peace
Bryce

p.s....what are yall's opinions on the idea of this "Emerging Church" movement going on? Pretty..iono..interesting^^

 

[gladstone]

Church

I am so glad I have found a great Church. We don't meet in a typical building, and it is all about worshipping the Lord. The people there are such a wonderful mix, and all there for the same reason. Still being quite new at this, I can't go this Sunday and really feel that I'll miss out. I've only been twice to services, (although have been going to a course for about 6 weeks there too) but I have such an eagerness to go and hear more, and sing and praise.

 

[soul_drummer]

i LOVE the idea of a Church gathering outside of a "church"^^. The Church was never meant to be trapped within 4 walls of a building...lol. i keep hearing a lot about people taking on this outlook and doing things like that. tis coool^^
Bryce