What do you appreciate about your local church?

Saints,

Often we speak of what we dislike about the state of the church, but I'm wondering, what do you appreciate about the local body of believers you gather with? I have a deep appreciation for the pastors of the church I gather with. They have a deep passion for the truth of the Scriptures, and applying it to the lives of those who hear them. It's also wonderful to gather with them in more informal settings and discuss the Scriptures.

With care in Christ...

hi, this might get windy... 50 years ago, the founder of our church started with 5 people. a baptist pastor of a large church .. kicked out because of getting baptized in the Holy Ghost... started in a home he could not buy...no real job... no members miracle... bought with miraculous supply to the penny. the first meeting a drunk knocked on the door and got saved.the Holy Spirit fell on a methodist stewards meeting and they came to bro roys home... afew months later the same thing happened at the baptist deacons meeting .. they bought an old building and moved it on the property. started with solid leadership who were givers... then the hippies and Jesus people started coming...giving 30% to missions this whole time. no membership.. no collections for the church... boxes at entrance... we now have between 15000 to 20000 that come. last year we gave over 3mil.to missions while having a building fund ... 30 to 60 get saved every week. all this and not many have ever heard of this church. the word is preached in love and power. we also have small groups and have started over 1000 churches around the world.i have seen many miracles there, and thousands saved...i saw a convent of nuns get saved and baptized in water...no longer nuns now...i could go on for an hour more. jimp ps the staff salary was for years the mein income of the tithers.

Jimp,

where is this?

hi, baton rouge la. if this was about what was wrong with your church we would have 10 replies by now... hmmm jimp

Greetings

I do not attend a church building(or Sunday based setting) here where I live. Instead I meet with other believers to walk daily with them in order to serve the Lord and further His kingdom. I appreciate the fact that these people love the Lord very much and that they are willing to lay down their lives and submit them unto the Lord. I also appreciate the fact that they are willing to deal with me honestly in love when I am in sin and to admonish me according to scripture so that I might pray and repent. There are many more things I could go on to list about carrying one another burdens, learning to become servants and helping one another, and working together to seek first the kingdom of God, but I think to some it up I am just so grateful for my Lord Jesus and the brothers and sisters in Him that He has given me to walk with daily, as well as a few here on SI:-)

God Bless
maryjane

I appreciate the wisdom and counsel of godly men who are mature in Christ.

I appreciate the children with open hearts to learn more of Christ and with honest prayers that glorify Christ.

I appreciate those who minister in the small things with a large heart.

I appreciate the opportunity to learn to look away from myself and unto Christ and others.

In Christ,

Ron

Patient selfless workers. A place of safe teaching for my family. A consistent legacy in the community.

Or pastor in addition to being a really qualified and able teacher, has demonstrated remarkably peaceful forebearance with all the various situations that can and do arise in a congregation! :)

This is a good thread topic, by the way.

Mike

Our fellowship began as a small group of believers who the Lord spoke to and said, "Go outside the camp", meeting in their homes and in other church buildings by permission at off times. No one had a thought of starting a "church" in a traditional sense, and still don't. My wife and I were drawn there two years ago, and have watched this small group meeting wherever and whenever grow to about 150 people who are connected full time.

I am so appreciative of the heart of the people who God has drawn to this local body. The people are hungry for more of God and willing to lay down their own lives to have His. The leadership is a fully functioning five-fold team who are committed to seeing God move in the city, to seeing the church in the city grow, and not at all interested in building an organization.

I appreciate wonderful attitude of grace among the leadership and people, and a powerful understanding of God's grace married to an understanding that this grace teaches us that denying unGodliness we are to live Holy unto the Lord.

I appreciate an attitude that there are no "great ones" in the body of Christ, but that leadership operates from a paradigm of serving the body in obedience to Christ to see the body equipped for the work of ministry that we are all called to.

Great post Taylor. It is encouraging to read what God is doing in the church.