If you had no church and no other christians would you still practise being a christian

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deltadom Feb 28, 2006

This is a hypothetical situation but true for many believers in some countries as they do not have churches to go to. I am reminded of C S Lewis, Puddleglum says I wll believe in Aslan even if there is no sun and no overworld and there even is not a narnia because the things that are made up are alot more real than the things that are realWhat I am trying to get at is that you have had no human contact is there sufficient faith in you. I know from being banned from a few places that it really hit me hard. I had to continue on even thou noone was there because I believed jesus was more real than the circumstances around me. I just want to know what experiences people have had in this.What books do you have on your bookshelf?What music do you listen to? I personally think that every christian needs atime completly alone with Jesus as he is the centre and the only potentate.This is a question I have struggled with because the first time I was alone I had to worship god even thou there was no service.In china some christians do not see there brothers for months. I know this is a hard question and I fail on many of these questions but what christian are you when noone is looking?Jesus help me , what movies do you watchDOm

sermonindex Feb 28, 2006

Well, you'll get a big AMEN to this from me.Paul was 14 years alone, in order to be 'taught of God'.I'm sort of partial to that method myself and it wasn't by choice, but His decision for me and made it quite clear back 20 years ago or so. He impressed upon me, that whatever I believe or think, has to be formed between the Holy Spirit and me, and that when I stand before him, I won't be able to blame my husband or some teacher or preacher for what I believe.We should get the 'bottomline' of our beliefs the John 16:13 way and then we won't be tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils nor deceived in the end days, as we'll KNOW HIS VOICE among the multitude of voices out there screaming for our attention and MORE.The Word only says, Forsake not the Fellowshipping of yourself together as is the custom of some .... those are folks who don't WANT to fellowship, and not those who God calls away for a season or those in circumstances as you've mentioned.If we "want" fellowship (as even being here at a forum indicates), then we're fulfilling His Word on this.No where does it say, it has to be in a Church building with regimented order of service and liturgy.A couple of folks together in Him is fellowship.On the "book shelf" ... the Classics and Word Studies books.Music ... all Christian but not heavy Christian rock.We are to worship Him alone or our Sunday thing is rather regimented and only because everyone else is.I don't watch any movies but Christian ones, because the time is short and even if they are not sinful movies, they are still me catering to my lazy flesh and 'zoning out' ... becoming 'passive' for a while, when I could be sowing to the spirit instead.Did I miss any points that you wanted us to answer ?Love you brother Dom.me again

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abbiegrrl Feb 28, 2006

Good Q, brother! I believe that if you truly have the saving knowledge of the Holy Spirit living in you; if you have really met HIM of Whom the angels sing, then yes, absolutely you can and must be a Christian if you live for years w/o seeing or hearing another Christian. The Holy Spirit will build such an one up in their most holy faith....As far as the movies, music, books, et al, I was blessed to sit under an evangelist for a while, named Hill, and he said that if you can't bring a movie into the sanctuary and show it up on the big screen in front of the whole church, then you'd better not watch it. That is pretty simple to me, and God knows I need things simple. While I admit that I will listen to "old" music a few times a year, it's not for long, and I surely don't like it like I USED to...I feel convicted every time, b/c like someone said, the time IS short!!(I'm not even talking about "bad" tunes, even! Just NOT about HIM) ANd, I can feel the lack of substance in my spirit when I listen to the old stuff. Maybe it's partly to remind myself of where I came from---thank GOD I'm not there anymore. But I'd say that 99% of the time, I'm listening to ONLY Christian music, or teaching/preaching. I MUST keep my Spirit saturated with the WORD, and everytime I feed it junk food, I can feel myself getting kind of sick inside....and I thank GOD that I'm able to discern that today. That being said, if the Lord sent me to a place where the world's music was, then I guess I'd have to ask for more grace. I strayed before, and I remember clearly the emptiness.... I don't ever want to leave His pasture again. Garbage in garbage out. Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.We don't have time to be playing around, now do we? Thank you for the post, and it's gentle reminder. Are we soldiers, or are we defectors?Hm. :-(

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TaKa Feb 28, 2006

Oh, this is an easy one for me. I was without a vehicle for over a year and I live way out in the country, about 25 minutes from my church, and so I wasn't able to get there very often during that time, but I'm the loner type of person anyway. I like my quiet time, and I also agree with Keith Green who said that going to church makes you a christian about as much as going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger.So yes, if I had no church and no other christians I would still practice being a christian.

sermonindex Feb 28, 2006

Would I still practice being a Christian with no other Christians or no Church to go to? Of course, but I must be honest, it would be challenging. What books do I have on my shelf? A lot... I've got all sorts of fiction classics, mostly classics from the 1800's... I've got all sorts of poetry books, a lot of Shakespeare, etc. Also I've got a lot of Christian classics... got a lot of church history books, and I've got nature, sociology, and history books.What music do I listen to? Well classical music, I'll normally tune into the classical station when I go to bed and whatnot, but I like to listen to primarily Mozart and other various composers. Also I've found the old-fashioned gospel music is great to listen to on the radio.What movies do I watch? I don't watch many movies anymore as much as I used to... but when I do normally old classical movies found on the TCM Channel.I think a 'wilderness' time with God, where your cut off from everybody and alone with God is a great thing for a Christian to go through. I have not had one myself, but it would be a great way of having a 'vacation'! It doesn't have to be 3 years though, it could be 3 days, or 3 weeks... but it could be a decade, who knows... it's whatever God leads you to do. In either instance you will get closer to God, but I'd sure like to see someone coming out from hiding to get an anointing from God for three years like Paul and coming out... if the guy was genuine he'd turn the world upside down.Some people think it's an easy thing to get the anointing from God... but I believe it takes sacrifice, a lot of sacrifice, to the point of where you possibly are in a wilderness-experience for who knows how long.

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deltadom Feb 28, 2006

I was asking this question because I have really experieced this and know how hard it is. The reason that I asked about what media is in your house is because it is something that distracts you easily? from focusing on the Lord and also because god watches you and much as out from the church walls as he does inside the church walls.

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Graftedbranc Mar 2, 2006

ON the one hand, it would be difficult to "practice being a Christian without the church because most of the Christian Life is related to the church life. I mean, the meetings, the fellowship, the love of the brothers, being built up together, being one spirit, in one accord, loving one another, forgiving one another, etc are all related to the church life and our relationship to the other members of the body of Christ.And the issue of the Spirit of Christ who is within us is the church life. The Spirit of Christ brings us into fellowship with the body of Christ and equips us to become functioning members of the body of Christ. This is the Spirit's work within us and so without the "church life' the christian life has little means of expression.But, as some have been imprisoned for the faith and by God's soverign hand, been separated from the other members of the body of Christ, yet, they in prison (even as Paul) was one spirit with the saints, and still cared for them and exprierienced the abundant supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.On the other hand we can pursue and enjoy Christ to a certian extent on our own, but we never enter into God's heart's desire and that is not to have a lot of scxattered individual "spiritual" christians, but to have a corporate expression of Himself, the body of Christ as a practical expression of the Life of the Head as a testimony of Christ in a dark world.As an independant individual Christian, we will never fulfill God's purpose for us as members of Christ and members of His body.He baptised us in one Spirit into the body of Christ and made us members of Christ and members one of another. We are a corporate entity, a corporate Person, the One New Man, the Bride of Christ. And to the degree we have this revealtion by the Spirit in the Word, we will be brought practically into the enjoyment of it in our practical living and church life.All the eptistles were written to churches and the only ones written to individuals were regarding the churches and instructings conserning the churches.There is nothing in the New Testament written to an individual consering his individual christian life, except as it relates to the whole body of Christ.Graftedbranch

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paula4jc Mar 3, 2006

I believe one would be become a stronger Christian in the faith as long as he/she has a bible and turn to Christ as teacher. The Lord requires us to worship him in spirit and in truth, so true Christians doesn't need the crowds. It would be nice to be apart of a church or group that Christ is the true head, if not its better to be alone. I don’t go to the movie until, Passion. I don’t have a TV. I read only the bible and work related text books, although this year I started reading some Christians classic.