How do I choose a Church?

[dover91]

What do you prophesy? And what power do you claim, and from whence did it came, and how was it received?

I do speak what God puts into my heart… I claim only the Power and Authority given to me by my union with Jesus Christ… It comes from Heaven’s mercy Seat… It is received by me stepping out into faith to receive the things of God…

 

[dover91]

Most Non-Catholic Christians would claim they are not Protestant Christians. They are, whether they like it or not. Most Protestants professed that the Bible Alone is the sole role of faith, and that we are saved through Faith Alone. Those are the marks of a Protestant.

God makes all things new through the death, and resurrection of his sin. Before Jesus entered into our world as flesh, much of the world held pagan beliefs, and only the chosen people of God, the Jews know God and had a Covenant relationship with him.

After Jesus life, death, and resurrection. He paid for our sins, and open heaven for all of mankind. That is why God made all things new.

This is not directed at me, but I will give my own opinions and views. It is good that God is using you. St. Francis’ song comes into mind. “Lord make me an instrument of your peace.”

In the Catholic Church, we have what is called the Mass. In the Mass, we partake in the Liturgy. The Word of God is read from the Bible both OT, NT, Psalm Readings, and finally the Gospel. We then have recite the Nicene Creed, offer prayers of the faithful (petition), bring the gifts (unleaven bread and wine) to the alter), Eucharistic Liturgy, which the priest consecrate the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Our Lord. We then say Our Father, and finally received Holy Communion. We partake in the sacrifice of the Mass.

The joy of the Mass is receiving Jesus Christ himself. The joy and grace is there. Every week, I await to received My God, and My Master.

Sola Scriptura or Bible Alone is the doctrine that all authority concerning faith and morals issues is found only in Scripture, or the Bible.

Catholics do not believe this. Catholics believe that Christianity is not the religion of the Book. We are a religion of the Word of God, which is incarnate and living. We are the religion of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.

Yes, the COG does believe that salvation comes by Grace throught Faith and not of works… lest one could boast… but that faith with out works is dead…

and what you call mass, we experience by coming together and inviting the Holy Spirit to minister to us in what ever way would seem good to God… a typical service includes:

introduction/welcome,
then the praise team takes over and plays whatever songs God has put on the heart of our Music Minister,
during Praise and Worship, many different things can occur… sometimes The Holy Spirit moves, and an alter call is given during Praise and Worship, Sometimes the Spirit moves and a prophetic tounge and interpretation is given…

and unless the Holy Spirit takes the whole service with praise and Worship, then the Pastor takes to the pulpit to deliver what God has placed on His heart…

and usually another altar call is given… sometimes directed towards a specific healing…

and the Praise and Worship Team take back over untill “all seems satisfied with the Holy Spirit” and service is dismissed…

however, we like to be obediant to the Holy Spirit and some services are just Praise, some are just Worship, some may just be Preaching… some may even just be Prayer…

But we “tap into the presence of God” in a different form than the Eucharist i guess is what i’m trying to say here…

and what the CC does at the Eucharist we usually do for dinner… not to lessen what you do… God moves in many ways… His ways are higher than ours, and who am I to question if he leads a certain congregation to reach out to Him differently…

and concerning “sola scriptura”… ummm… well we just make sure that what we do ‘lines up’ with the Word of God… (the Bible) and all previous revelation of God… so we are more alike maybe in that sense…

 

[DJgang]

Yes, the COG does believe that salvation comes by Grace throught Faith and not of works… lest one could boast… but that faith with out works is dead…

and what you call mass, we experience by coming together and inviting the Holy Spirit to minister to us in what ever way would seem good to God… a typical service includes:

introduction/welcome,
then the praise team takes over and plays whatever songs God has put on the heart of our Music Minister,
during Praise and Worship, many different things can occur… sometimes The Holy Spirit moves, and an alter call is given during Praise and Worship, Sometimes the Spirit moves and a prophetic tounge and interpretation is given…

and unless the Holy Spirit takes the whole service with praise and Worship, then the Pastor takes to the pulpit to deliver what God has placed on His heart…

and usually another altar call is given… sometimes directed towards a specific healing…

and the Praise and Worship Team take back over untill “all seems satisfied with the Holy Spirit” and service is dismissed…

however, we like to be obediant to the Holy Spirit and some services are just Praise, some are just Worship, some may just be Preaching… some may even just be Prayer…

But we “tap into the presence of God” in a different form than the Eucharist i guess is what i’m trying to say here…

and what the CC does at the Eucharist we usually do for dinner… not to lessen what you do… God moves in many ways… His ways are higher than ours, and who am I to question if he leads a certain congregation to reach out to Him differently…

and concerning “sola scriptura”… ummm… well we just make sure that what we do ‘lines up’ with the Word of God… (the Bible) and all previous revelation of God… so we are more alike maybe in that sense…

You know, I’ve been to your church…I don’t feel the Holy Spirit…(leaving my comment at that)…But at Mass, I see, feel and hear the Holy Spirit…

Quite a few posts back, I asked you if you had ever attended Mass? I don’t want to assume, but I will…since you are 16 yo…I am going to assume no…am I right? Would your parents allow you to attend Mass, just to see what it’s all about? I think you should give it a try.

 

[Don_Hepler]

I will pardon you because you are wrong. Many protestant “churches” might give out “communion” but it is not the real presence of Jesus Christ.

I’m sorry that you are deceived to believe what you just wrote.
Jesus did indeed mean that we are to EAT His Body and DRINK His Blood.

He commanded His apostles who are actually Bishops to “do this in commemoration of Me.” He gave orders to priests to give the perfect sacrifice and that is done in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. And we all know the perfect sacrifice, that is Jesus Christ, thee one & only Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We say that at every Mass every day.
We have Holy Communion, the Eucharist, every single day, not just on Sundays. Jesus is TRULY present in the Eucharist therefore I really do as He commanded us and that is to eat His body and drink His blood.
I thank God for the Mass and for His Priests! Without Priests we would not have the Eucharist!

If your “church” is against the Catholic Church or does not agree with the teachings of the Catholic Church then your “church” is PROTESTant. It does not matter the name of your denomination it is still protestant.

No that is not true. Just because a person is not Catholic does not make him protestant. You believe that since the Catholic church received its authority from Peter as in Mathew, then all other churches are a branch off of your church like Luther. However the Mormon faith does not claim to be any brake off. They believe that they are the restored Church of Jesus Christ. Now if I remember correctly from those missionaries. that the priesthood was taken away by God for rejecting Christ and killing off the Apostles. the divine authority ( priesthood) was taken away and was not passed on. And that it was foretold somewhere in Acts I think, that there would be a restoration of all things. Christians were fed to the lions. Then if i remember right the priesthood was restored to a prophet of God namely Joseph Smith They don’t claim the Catholic lineage because they never held the authority in the first place according to them, (I kinda agree with that), or are they a break off. So maybe dover91 is a member of that faith. You see according to these people your baptisms are in vain, God doesn’t except man authority, which he has claim on himself by some certificate he got from school, which is not divine, but man made. And to claim divine authority from the scriptures, as claiming Christ was going to build his church upon Peter the Rock is very unrealistic. First of all Christ in this chapter was not referring that Christ was going to build his church upon Peter. Quote Math 16:18 That thou art Peter, and (meaning not Peter) also, addition to his statement…upon this rock, meaning the rock of revelation, I will build my church, or another words, Peter, the way you received your testimony that I am the son of God is the way I will build my church upon, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it, Peter, is not an IT. GET IT. IT, is revelation, The rock is revelation, and hell cannot prevail against revelation. But hell can prevail against man, like Peter and hell did, Peter denied Christ, Christ said to him get behind me Satan. Now you see, the Catholic don’t have divine power and Protestant don’t have it being a branch of the mother church. You can claim all the authority you want but if you don’t have revelation from God you don’t have it. NO POWER to Baptize No power to teach the word we are all going to HELL This is what upsets me. I can only pray for the wisdom of God my Father, to teach me the greater LIGHT because, WE DON"T HAVE DIVINE POWER, I am sorry but to me, I cannot let man take this scripture and distorted it and base their religion on a verse that is misleading, and not sound reasoning. WE All claim something that we do not have. I have lost my faith in religious men, whom I once trusted to lead me, they have lead me no where. blind guides Christ called them. They know not the God whom they worship. We all have the bible and we all argue from it, We profess to know Christ, but do we, until you feel the prints of the nails in his hands we do not know him. Can I teach, and know that I could be leading men away from Christ his most profound teaching. You profess truth but lead men no ware. How can anyone teach truth if your truth does not lead you into Christ presents, while we are yet alive. I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of earth? Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord in that day, and say Lord, our works have been righteous works upon the face of the earth and that he will save you?

 

[awantz]

I’m glad all Protestants don’t disrespect our Lord in the Eucharist like that. It reminds we of what that heretic Jack Chick said in one of his anti-Catholic tracts: he called our Lord in the Holy Eucharist the “death-cookie” and said each wafer of bread had demons in it. Terrible blasphemy! And he also called our Lord the “Roman Catholic wafer-god.” I’m sorry, but, in my book, Jack Chick is a filthy apostate.

Whoever this Jack Chick is, he doesn’t sound like a Christian.

 

[awantz]

I readily agree that not all Protestants say this or believe it. I’m Catholic, awantz, so I have a point of view. Contrary to the view of some Catholics, I have a great deal of respect for the more fundamentalist protestants, which most non-denoms are. Truth be told, both they and the “hard core” Catholics share one thing of vital importance: Both actually believe, and both very seriously want to be united to Jesus Christ. Lots of Protestants and Catholics too, just sort of believe and just sort of want union with Christ.

Naturally, I think the Eucharist; the pivot point of the sought for union with Jesus, is, from time immemorial, and in an unbroken line, in the Catholic Church. But I fully respect the longings of Protestants for the very same thing.

I have said this before on here. I’m from the Bible Belt and consider myself a Southerner. I am very fond of the author Flannery O’Connor. (You would, I think, enjoy her writings if you don’t already.) It was her opinion that Southern Fundamentalists (maybe she didn’t know any northern ones) would be surprised to learn that they have more in common with Catholics than they do with classic Protestantism. I think she’s right about that.

I do not know who this author is, but she does sound like someone I might be intrested in. I think I sound like one of those fundamentalist, but a northern one.

 

[awantz]

And awantz:

I wish you the blessings of as many children as God chooses to give you.

Thank You

 

[awantz]

I apologize if my words offended you. I do acknowledge that not all Protestants refer to the bread and wine as cracker and juice.

Thank you for admitting that.

 

[Don_Hepler]

I do speak what God puts into my heart… I claim only the Power and Authority given to me by my union with Jesus Christ… It comes from Heaven’s mercy Seat… It is received by me stepping out into faith to receive the things of God…

I am misunderstood, what do you prophecy?
Yes you can only claim authority as thousands of others but did Christ appear to you and lay his hands on you and gave you authority or did you just get a feeling that you wanted to preach the word and took upon yourself to do this on your own “No man can take this honor unto himself except he be called of God as was Aaron” I am not interested in self appointed men I think you just expressed that. If you stepped out into faith, then explain FAITH to me, How it works, where it comes from, and how it was used in healing…

 

[IAmEdmund]

If I were to leave the Catholic Church for a “bible believing” church, how would I choose one?

Stop right there… your problem is resolved in your own question.

To leave the Catholic Church for a bible beleiving' church implies the Catholic Church does not beleive or promote the Bible. This is not so. (You DO realise that at eveyr Mass has the Liturgy of the Word, in which Scripture is read from the OT, Psalms, Letters of the NT and the Gospels?!) Having preached from a protestant pulpit, I KNOW from bible beleiving’ churches… the Roman Catholic Church is it!.. all others are pale ghosts and wannabe’s. To be sure, there are protestant churches who treasure the Bible greatly, but being outside the Catholic Church is like leaving a Porsche to drive an old used Chevy truck. The Chevy truck still runs, but the REAL ride… the real `Presence’ is in the Porshce… in the Holy Roman Catholic Church. ;]

I’d encourage you, rather, to talk to your Preist and see about getting a good Bible study going in your Parish. Daddy always said: Don’t mention the problem unless you’re willing to be part of the solution.

Get back into the Porsche, my friend.

 

[thirdn6]

Actually you only have two choices!

The Catholic Church who professes Divine Faith…or…any from
All the other churches (ecclesial communities) who profess human faith!

Divine Faith is based on divine truths revealed by Jesus to His apostles and handed over to the present church heirarchy by successions and sacred traditions. It is a gift.

Human faith is not based on that divine revealed truths but from various human interpretations of the bible. It is confusion.

Simple…

---

Be angry, and sin not… Give not place to the devil.
Ephesians 4:26-27 +

 

[nick_aksureh]

I am misunderstood, what do you prophecy?
Yes you can only claim authority as thousands of others but did Christ appear to you and lay his hands on you and gave you authority or did you just get a feeling that you wanted to preach the word and took upon yourself to do this on your own “No man can take this honor unto himself except he be called of God as was Aaron” I am not interested in self appointed men I think you just expressed that. If you stepped out into faith, then explain FAITH to me, How it works, where it comes from, and how it was used in healing…

This is a very solid foundation necessitating The Church. After all, radical militant Islamics “feel the will of God” in their suicide bombings, does that make them right?

 

[Hisalone]

Actually you only have two choices!

The Catholic Church who professes Divine Faith…or…any from
All the other churches (ecclesial communities) who profess human faith!

Divine Faith is based on divine truths revealed by Jesus to His apostles and handed over to the present church heirarchy by successions and sacred traditions. It is a gift.

Human faith is not based on that divine revealed truths but from various human interpretations of the bible. It is confusion.

Simple…

---

Be angry, and sin not… Give not place to the devil.
Ephesians 4:26-27 +

BUNK!!!1

 

[Hisalone]

I am misunderstood, what do you prophecy?
Yes you can only claim authority as thousands of others but did Christ appear to you and lay his hands on you and gave you authority or did you just get a feeling that you wanted to preach the word and took upon yourself to do this on your own “No man can take this honor unto himself except he be called of God as was Aaron” I am not interested in self appointed men I think you just expressed that. If you stepped out into faith, then explain FAITH to me, How it works, where it comes from, and how it was used in healing…

I thank God for Joseph who had a dream ot wed Mary and believed and obeyed. I thank God for Joseph who had a dream and took his wife and child to Egypt, he didnt consult with “Church doctrines” he believed and obeyd.

 

[nick_aksureh]

I thank God for Joseph who had a dream ot wed Mary and believed and obeyed. I thank God for Joseph who had a dream and took his wife and child to Egypt, he didnt consult with “Church doctrines” he believed and obeyd.

Me too, but he did consult with Jewish doctrine, and it took faith not to follow it literally, but to use his heart and conscience instead.

 

[thirdn6]

I thank God for Joseph who had a dream ot wed Mary and believed and obeyed. I thank God for Joseph who had a dream and took his wife and child to Egypt, he didnt consult with “Church doctrines” he believed and obeyd.

Was there a Christian church “before Christ” to choose from?

Surely, one can’t be truly Catholic if one can’t believe Church’s teachings and obey them.

Maybe my previous post wasn’t simple enough. How about this…

Two choices. Either you’re INSIDE or OUTSIDE of the One Holy Apostolic and Catholic Church.

If you’re IN, rejoice and be glad! You accepted a precious gift- The Divine Faith! …the mercy and grace of God is upon you.:extrahappy:

If you’re OUT, which denomination should you choose? Where in your list should you start? It is all but confusion and deceptions out there, my friends!:bigyikes:

Life is short. You can’t try them all…
The Holy Spirit is calling you home.

---

Be angry, and sin not… Give not place to the devil.
Ephesians 4:26-27 +

 

[kadesh]

what why would you want to leave the church this church in my humble opinion will bring you into closest communion with God i am still searching and questioning to find answers to believe that it is the True CHurch of God but let me tell you Dont become Jehovas whitness or moromon aka Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They completely misconstrude scriputure. And turned it into some fairy tale that every oe wants to believe:knight2:

 

[johnnydigit]

I thank God for Joseph who had a dream ot wed Mary and believed and obeyed. I thank God for Joseph who had a dream and took his wife and child to Egypt, he didnt consult with “Church doctrines” he believed and obeyd.

1 1 Empty and false are the hopes of the senseless, and fools are borne aloft by dreams. 2 Like a man who catches at shadows or chases the wind, is the one who believes in dreams. 3 What is seen in dreams is to reality what the reflection of a face is to the face itself. 4 Can the unclean produce the clean? can the liar ever speak the truth? 5 Divination, omens and dreams all are unreal; what you already expect, the mind depicts. 6 Unless it be a vision specially sent by the Most High, fix not your heart on it; 7 ** For dreams have led many astray, and those who believed in them have perished.**–Sirach 34

 

[johnnydigit]

“As long as they have Jesus, they’re ok!” says the protestant.

“As long as there’s love, we’re ok!” says the child couple wanting to get married.

they speak the truth, but there is so much more to it. Christ calls you to first become His “children”, but then to grow and become mature Christians “adults”.

eventually a child learns that there are rules, there is authority, and that there is ugliness in the world, but only one truth. the child learns this from history. the child Christian learns from Christian history to become an adult Christian.

“To be steeped in history is to cease being Protestant.” - John Henry Cardinal Newman

“It (Catholicism) is the only thing that frees a man from the degrading slavery of being a child of his age.” - G.K. Chesteron

 

[Lilyflower]

If I were to leave the Catholic Church for a “bible believing” church, how would I choose one?

If its a Bible-believing Church you want, then why not just stay Catholic?