My recent prayer request, and reading some recent discussions about church, made me curious about folks here. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind responding about fellowship - do you attend a church? home fellowship? small group? bible study? or no fellowship? or none of the above?
Again, I'm just curious where the Body of Christ is at and what the Lord is doing in peoples lives these days.
Fellowship is a key part of my faith, I attend church on wednesdays and sundays and most of my close friends are from church or I have brought them to church. I have a key group of guys who I always keep close at hand, especially in times of conflict for me. We are not designed to go through life alone.
I can start it off by saying, we began our journey, at the tail end of 2004, attending a Calvary nondenominational church in Austin, TX. After a couple/few years there, and being involved in various ministries, small groups, etc., we were called out of the church into house fellowships. We were then part of two home fellowships in Austin for a year or so, then we were led to move to Coleman, TX, and were part of a house church there. We also were part of a children's ministry in Coleman, as well as a "skating rink" ministry :) We were then led by the Lord to move to E. TN a year ago. Here in TN, there simply are no home fellowships really, at least none that we've found. We did attend one that's similar, but almost all of the attendees attend various regular churches, then go to the house fellowship after their regular church service.
...So we are waiting on the Lord to build His church and we fellowship together as a family usually on Sunday mornings. We miss being part of the Body of Christ though, but know that God is faithful.
We have attended 12-15 churches here to see what's going on with the Spirit. But it seems that we are to be where we are at for now. The Lord has blessed our time alone in the wilderness, He's been so faithful to feed us in fellowship with Him. We are also so thankful for this site, Greg & Brandy, as it's a place to listen to truth, to fellowship and to seek prayer.
I have several avenues of Christian fellowship. I currently attend a Park Free Evangelical Church Church and been there for 12 years. After every Sunday service, we have refreshments, good food and sit at Table that hold up to ten people, and we engage in Discussions, touching on Christian doctrine, world events, local events, our personal lives, news, our children, church events, etc.
I also keep in touch with many of my friends from my previous Church, The Grace Baptist Church.
For 20 years I had been involved with Christian Service Brigade, and as a Ranger I was certified to teach men how to influence and lead boys so that boys will become Christian Men. I worked with many boys over time, and I still run into them from time to time, and we talk. I've also took my two boys to Northern Frontier, a CSB camp for boys, over a 12 year period, and I also volunteered to serve as a Ranger overseeing boys in a Cabin at Northern Frontier, and I still keep into touch with the leaders, but not as much as I use to.
I had been a little league Manager for 16 years and 20 years I managed a Men Christian Softball Team, and i still keep in touch with several of the former players.
And finally, I have extended family, mostly Catholics, but I've shared the actual gospel of Jesus Christ, saved by Faith in Jesus, His blood atonement, the indwelling Holy Spirit, And I did so without condemning them for thinking they are still Catholics, but they do believe the gospel of Jesus. Like many Catholics, They were born Catholic, but do not go to Church.
I am also a member of Gideons and help distribute Bibles, and we have a fellowship.
My gut feeling from the short time I have been coming here, enjoying the wide variety of personalities and posts- is that a lot of people like me need to be fed from somewhere other than church. When all the preaching is done by trained professionals, spiritual hunger builds in people with other needs and questions.
We have come a long way from the New Testament model of small meetings in homes with multiple teachers- just regular folks with a little something to bring to the gathering. That is still my favorite way to do church, but at the present I don't have it.
So I found a church with a pretty good message, and the best part is that it meets on Saturday night. That way I can attend with my wife and daughter, then be free on Sunday morning to set out chairs on the sidewalk for Sunday School. (The weather cooperates nicely for that in Southern California.)
This morning a young man came by on his way to work and we had about 15 minutes- awesome! So confused, full of a desire to serve God and a load of sin to boggle the mind, but it was a conversation of the gospel he won't forget. He may come back- I'll be there.
Fellowship? Oh yeah, we got fellowship!
Like Fred Phelps, Darwin Fish, David Cloud and other great men of God, I could not find a church worthy of my apostolic presence, so I started my own gig. I am Archbishop and Overseeing Apostle of the Rushing Torrents of Living Water One True Church of God Joel's Army Training Center, Supreme Heirophant of the National Heresy Hunters Association, Consulate General of the New Millenial Earth Administration and Pope of Michigan.
Since Heaven has appointed me Chief Apostle over the end times church, I am compelled to take on all of these high leadership responsibilities myself, despite my sublime personal humility.
I also moonlight on the Christian hip-hop scene as Snoop Dogma Dogg.
LOL, PrimaDogma,
Love to have a cup of java with you from my Transponder 6000. Transponder 5000 will do in a pinch.
Personally, I talk with friends (saved or not) at work about Jesus, I talk with my family about Jesus and meet with some brothas and sistas once a week or more if I can make it and you guessed it, we talk about Jesus and what He is doing in our lives today. (not just what He did 2000 years ago).
I email friends and talk about Jesus and visit forums and talk about Jesus.
But most of all, I talk to Him and He talks to me.
:-)
Pilgrim
hi prima donna, i would love to meet the guy with all those who follow him.i have certainly run into many of your followers. i asked a new student at the bible col. where i live what he felt his calling was and his answer was sim. to your post.i told him that there was no biblical calling called Gods critic.enjoyed your wonderful humor.jimp
Pilgrim,
Despite my near-omniscience, I had to Google to find out what a Transponder 6000 is. I will have to set the camera at a considerable distance so that the full length of my papal raiment and miter can be seen, and at a low-perspective angle, denoting majesty.
I do not drink java because nowhere does the Bible permit it.
Historical note: The Catholic church prohibited coffee until the 19th century, when the Pope himself got hooked on the diabolical elixir and pronounced it holy.
jimp,
All those who follow me? Well, I must confess that, so far, I am the only member in each of the organizations I've founded, which are headquartered in my Mom's basement.
Ok PrimaDogma, my back is literally aching from laughing so hard and my husband spit out blueberries while I read your responses to him out loud. And I must say, it takes alot to make us laugh this hard at the same joke at the same time. Thanks for taking the time to give us a good jolt of long overdue humor brother! Are you in Michigan?
Bless each of you, I'm truly enjoying hearing where each of you are at and how you all fellowship. Keep the testimonies rolling, they are encouraging.
Yes, I am in Pontiac, Michigan, aka Vatican West, where I run a dojo and teach Combat Theology.
Anyway, this thread is a little too irenic for me. I am more at home in something like the "damnable heresy" thread, which I have left in smoking ruins.
hi, we all need what prima dogma has.
You have a good sense of humor PrimaDogma, LOL. Since I disagree with everyone on every topic, even those who agree with me, therefore I am most interested in your 'Combat Theology' course, when and where can I sign up? :)
You are just the kind of man we're looking for! I too am a Holy Warrior. I really only feel fulfilled when I am swinging the Battle Axe of Truth into someone's face.
Normally, weak men look on in awe and cower under my thunderous argumentation. But on this forum, the forces of heresy are virtually indestructible. I cut a heretic into a thousand pieces and every slice wants to keep arguing with me. I sometimes feel like Don Quixote: just as I am about to deal the final blow to a giant, some enchanter turns it into a windmill. If you want to be my sidekick, you might end up getting blanket-tossed like Sancho Panza.
Just letting you know what you might be in for if you join me on the Dogma Enforcement Squad.
You guys are singing a tune I like!
I have always been fascinated by that gospel phrase, the reference for which I am too lazy to look up right now, that says "men of violence take it by force."
I see Paul swinging that axe thingy in II Cor 5 where he says "We destroy arguments, and every proud obstacle that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ."
It is war, is it not? In War 101, the aggressor makes the rules. We have to be smarter, stronger, more committed- and above all be using better weapons.
I haven't been in Church since 2004. I fellowship here and there as the Spirit leads me, but it's not weekly. I am more of a hermit than anything. I have online friends that I fellowship. My work prohibits me from having anytime in Church as Sunday I do a double shift and during the week I work during the evening. I don't miss Church fellowship at all as I never really got anything out of it even when I had given into it, I was more a fly on the wall when I was there, but I did love being around Gods people even when I didn't join in, it was a delight just being around them. When I do see one here and there, we have a great time. I love in house fellowships and prayer meetings when they are available. I don't despise Church services, I just can't go to them at this time, beside, I wouldn't know where to go if I could go.
Thanks for asking the poll question.
hi, to answer the poll, i have been with 2 churches that have cell groups and i think these work very well in evangelism and helps in the areas that they are in. i loved the format of the large church and the small also.jimp
wendio wrote:
I was wondering if you wouldn't mind responding about fellowship - do you attend a church? home fellowship? small group? bible study? or no fellowship? or none of the above?Again, I'm just curious where the Body of Christ is at and what the Lord is doing in peoples lives these days.
The church I went to in Ohio meets in KY (3 hours away), once a month for Sat and Sun meeting and I always try to make the Sat night meeting! Also, I fellowship with the female inmates at our local county jail once a week (or twice) with music and teaching and I call that church and even they do to!
pilgrim777 wrote:
But most of all, I talk to Him and He talks to me.
God bless,
Lisa
dear prima dogma, i have finally found someone worthy to be my assistant and would train you here at the papacy of the south,baton rouge.
Wendio,
Since I hijacked this thread and then led it in no particular direction, it is my duty to bump it back up so that maybe you'll get some more responses. It is an interesting question.
jimp,
And what would my job title be, Vice Pope?
I have a feeling that our working relationship would be about as harmonious as a partnership between Attila the Hun and Vlad Drakul.
This discussion is locked.
