In the quest to find a more Biblical form of “church”, I am concerned that in that quest I will divide myself from the rest of the Body of Christ.
I worry that in seeking to meet more simply, more Biblically if you will, I am denying fellowship with other believers who don’t agree with the way I interpret Scripture. They probably won’t come to my home to meet and I probably won’t go to their traditional “worship service”.
For those of you who meet in a simple or house church type format, how do you maintain community and fellowship with other believers who meet in a more traditional church setting?
4 comments:
That's a very good question. I can see how what you fear can easily happen. However, some people meet in a traditional church setting and have little to no community or fellowship to begin with. Then the transition can't be all that bad.
Love the neighbor as we love ourselves. The other points of doctrine, well, they become great points for edification, discussion, and iron sharpening iron.
To hold a dialog with a person who has 'traditional' ecclessiology is not always a point of division for me. It generally becomes a point of genuine conversation.
Usually the result is an open bible, studying the word, to see if these things are so..
I love it.
Well we haven't had much contact with the members of the last church we attended. Not because we haven't tried but because most of them will have nothing to do with us. On the other hand, we have regular fellowship with other believers through the workplace, home school co-op, martial arts class and due to the fact that we live in the same neighborhood as many traditional church attendees. We maintain community by being involved in one another's life and looking for opportunities to serve. Just not during the hours of 9 and noon on Sunday ;)
Choosing to meet differently and in a different location because you think it demonstrates better obedience to the Lord is not division or divisiveness. Your connection to them is still intact because Christ has made you members of one another with them. A different location or moving toward greater obedience does not change that at all. Divisiveness would more be an attitude of rejection and alienation of some sort or trying to categorize saints in ways God has not instructed.
Invite them over for a meal. Include spiritual conversation that edifies. It doesn't have to look like a meeting as they would know it - it still is a meeting in the way you know it. I still meet for breakfast once a month with a brother from our previous group.
God connects me with others of these saints at Home Depot, Out Back, etc on His supernatural time table. I talk about the Lord's work and Word right there in the aisle. It's a great meeting. Once was meeting the executive pastor who had met with me, my wife and the chairman of the board to "confront" us about being "out of step" blah blah. (2Thes. 3) He had been fired by the church and was now working at Home Depot. I have had them turn a way, but not often. I go to them in spite of my fleshly weirdness feelings. I know it's what Jesus wants. Plan ahead with questions you might ask.
Join a Bible Study Fellowship group and have fellowship with men who are institutionalized. BSF is far better than the pew/pulpit thing.
Do a word study on divisiveness and you'll see it's not what you are doing. You are doing what is necessary to help end it. The Spirit will lead you in unifying ways and attitudes even though your bottom never meets the pew again.
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