Church Backgrounds?

For the discussion of the distinctives of the various mainstream Christian denominations
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TK
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Re: Church Backgrounds?

Post by TK » Thu May 07, 2009 10:11 am

very interesting, Paidion.

I am currently reading the Journal of George Fox, but Mueller's is also on my "to-read" list.

TK

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thomas
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Re: Church Backgrounds?

Post by thomas » Thu May 07, 2009 11:35 am

Michelle wrote: Please come back and post here! I like reading what you write.

(Although the other Catholic posters seem to get pretty mad at us.)



Thanks for the invitation. Perhaps I'll write up why I've come to reject "sola fide" and come to agree with the Catholic view. All else follows from that.

Thomas
Dios te bendiga y te guarde

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Allyn
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Re: Church Backgrounds?

Post by Allyn » Thu May 07, 2009 12:19 pm

Thomas, don't take this wrong, please. I have often wondered how a true follower of Christ can jump into a denomination that seems to be so ritualistic and almost the same as pagan in their way that the saints of their choosing are venerated and prayed to. How does one go from freedom in Christ to bondage to a religion? Sincerely this is not meant as a slam but only an amazement I have concerning this.

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thomas
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Re: Church Backgrounds?

Post by thomas » Thu May 07, 2009 1:30 pm

Allyn wrote:Thomas, don't take this wrong, please. I have often wondered how a true follower of Christ can jump into a denomination that seems to be so ritualistic and almost the same as pagan in their way that the saints of their choosing are venerated and prayed to. How does one go from freedom in Christ to bondage to a religion? Sincerely this is not meant as a slam but only an amazement I have concerning this.
I've opened a new thread under Roman Catholicism. I don't take this as a slam. I've alredy been through the explanations with my sister the Nazarene and my good friend a Lutheran pastor. And we are still friends and talking.
Dios te bendiga y te guarde

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Homer
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Re: Church Backgrounds?

Post by Homer » Thu May 07, 2009 3:54 pm

Paidion,

Just curious what those folks make of:

1 Corinthians 11:28
"....let a man examine himself, and so let him eat....and drink"


I am reminded of the stern Presbyterian pastor of a small church on an island off Scotland. During communion he noticed a young lady who passed on partaking of the communuion elements. She sat there silently weaping. The pastor grabbed the elements, took them to her, and said "here lassie, its for sinners!

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RickC
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Re: Church Backgrounds?

Post by RickC » Thu May 07, 2009 4:20 pm

How y'all doin? I been kinda busy....

Grew up in: The Church of God of the Mountain Assembly (Jelico, TN, very similar to CoG Cleveland, TN).
Got 'resaved' after teen backsliding in a Fundamental Baptist Church (Jerry Falwell was gonna come but got the flu).
Spoke in tongues 5 months later, joined AG, went to their Bible college, backlid again...for about 18 yrs.
Re-Got-God 10 years ago, been visiting different churches, mostly Methodist.
Been going (on & off) to Ginghamsburg Church (UMC) for their "The Next Step" service since 2005.
Was out of work and became homeless Feb 20th.
Found place for the homeless (to live, run by Catholics!) near the church (now 7 miles away, as opposed to 25).
Got a job & own place now (a room in an old refurbished hospital, perfick for one!).
Currently taking 12-week long membership class, week 2 this week.
Ginghamsburg is a megachurch...but very personal! - to those who get involved!
God is Good: All the Time! :D

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Paidion
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Re: Church Backgrounds?

Post by Paidion » Thu May 07, 2009 6:31 pm

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. I Corinthians 11:27-28 RSV

Homer, Paul was writing to the Corinthian church, all of whom were supposedly members of the only church there is. Paul was addressing the disorder of eating the bread and drinking the wine in an unworthy manner. Previously, he had addressed the matter of the disorderly conduct in taking the Lord's supper (the love feast) prior to the sharing of the bread and wine. Some were wolfing down their supper without waiting for anyone else. They were attending the love feast only in order to have a free meal, and free wine.

In no way was Paul's instruction suggestive of "open communion". The taking of the bread and wine is restricted to disciples of Christ.

The "open brethren" allow anyone in the body of Christ to partake, but not non-disciples.

The self-examination of which Christ spoke referred to whether a person took the bread and wine in a respectful Christ-honouring manner, and whether he truly discerned the body of Christ. If one discerns the body, he is capable of distinguishing the body from those outside the body. That would surely preclude communion which was open to just anyone.

"Communion" means sharing. We can share in this way only with brethren.

I once heard an atheist boast that he could go and take communion in any church in the city of Winnipeg. He was wrong. There was a "closed brethren" assembly there. Would you feel comfortable sharing communion with an atheist? I think the "unequal yoke" principle applies here as much as in marriage. After all communion is meant to show forth the one Body of Christ!

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
Paidion

Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.

Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.

gregb
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Re: Church Backgrounds?

Post by gregb » Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:28 pm

ICOC - International Church of Christ since 2002
During the "study series" that a new Christian goes through in the icoc, they tell you to "be a Berean" and keep reading the Bible. Well, what they really want you to do is just check out their interpretations and see if these interpretations square with the Bible. And after you end the study series it is as though there are no further questions to ask and therefore you should just accept whatever they thow at you and then tow-the-line.
Even after I finished the study series I have never stopped "being a Berean" and have since come to many conclusions that dont line up to what the ICOC hold to. I see the cultlike mindset in the ICOC and cannot stand it. The "We are the only ones" mentality is rampant as we run around and act like the baptism police. This mentality is present even when people say it isn't there. I get looked down upon when I talk to "visitors" as though they were "one of us" as though I am being too inclussive. I don't like how the ICOC acts as though they have everything figured out and that icoc mebers have to doubt and question everyone outside of our group who says that they are a Christian.
~Greg

jaimassee
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Re: Church Backgrounds?

Post by jaimassee » Fri Jan 08, 2010 2:57 pm

gregb wrote:ICOC - International Church of Christ since 2002
During the "study series" that a new Christian goes through in the icoc, they tell you to "be a Berean" and keep reading the Bible. Well, what they really want you to do is just check out their interpretations and see if these interpretations square with the Bible. And after you end the study series it is as though there are no further questions to ask and therefore you should just accept whatever they thow at you and then tow-the-line.
Even after I finished the study series I have never stopped "being a Berean" and have since come to many conclusions that dont line up to what the ICOC hold to. I see the cultlike mindset in the ICOC and cannot stand it. The "We are the only ones" mentality is rampant as we run around and act like the baptism police. This mentality is present even when people say it isn't there. I get looked down upon when I talk to "visitors" as though they were "one of us" as though I am being too inclussive. I don't like how the ICOC acts as though they have everything figured out and that icoc mebers have to doubt and question everyone outside of our group who says that they are a Christian.
~Greg
Hi Greg. I am a pastor at a non-denominational Christian Church and our church is filled with former ICOC people. Most of them refer to it as "this cult I used to be in".

My denominational history is some early on and off again hyper legalistic Baptist upbringing before I came to Christ when I was very young. When I became a Christian no one told me about Jesus. I moved to Arizona and my community was heavily Mormon and half the kids in my neighborhood were trying to convert me. They kept telling me to read the Book of Mormon but instead it spurred me to try reading the Bible. The only ones we had in my house were a couple KJV and I started reading. Through this I eventually met God and started walking to a close Baptist church. I was 14 or so at the time. I heard of a youth group at a close non-denom Christian Church/Church of Christ and started attending there. I've pretty much been in that fold ever since. I don't agree with them on everything as I believe in the baptism of the Spirit and the gifts but I am very comfortable with their doctrines on salvation, election (arminian) and end times (amillenial). Every time we try something else as soon as I start hearing nutsy theology I end up leaving. Last time we tried something new we went to a service and they were starting a new series on "America in scripture". And the pastor said that whenever they refer to an eagle in Isaiah they are referring to the U.S..

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Homer
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Re: Church Backgrounds?

Post by Homer » Fri Jan 08, 2010 9:53 pm

Greetings Jaimessee,

I've been a member of independent Cristian Churches for close to thirty years. The one we attend now calls itself "Church Of Christ" but is actually an independent Christian Church.

Our view of baptism is the same as Alexander Campbell's actual view of baptism, not baptismal regeneration that his opponents accused him of. I have a recent book on Baptism edited by Thomas Schreiner (Southern Baptist). There is a lengthy section on the Stone- Campbell view of baptism and the author of this section actually stated that Campbell had been unfairly treated regarding baptism to this day. He also was critical of his own denomination, saying they actually practice "decisional regeneration". It appears that there is an growing movement toward reconciling old differences; I am very hopeful. The Baptists are not as ossified as I once thought. There is an old joke about how the Baptists never change but I can't think of it at the moment :D (there is a great number of them among my relatives and friends). Love those Baptists!

God bless and welcome! Homer

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