How do non-denominational Christians pick a church?

[joe370]

Originally Posted by joe370 View Post
Believer, I am not gonna claim that you are wrong; I don’t have that right or authority. However, I would like to ask you a few simple questions:

Does God require me to go to your worship service, or the worship service of any church for that matter, as He did in the early church long before Constantine legalized Christianity? If not, then why do I need to even attend a church service?

Does it even matter which church we attend to worship our creator, like it did for the first 400 years of Christianity?

Could I start a church tomorrow (like many have done in the past) - and set the guidelines for my congregation, on how they are to worship God?

What if my way of worshiping God in my new assembly of believers differs from the way Jesus’ church of the first 300 years of Christianity worshiped God; does that NOT matter?

Surely the church (comprised of both teachers and pupils) - built by God, that preceded the 4th century, was guided by the holy spirit and therefore provided all Christians (there were no denominations back then) - with the bone-fide paradigm on how later Christians should worship God; wouldn’t you agree?

Does God reject the Catholic way of worshiping God? If so, where in the bible is this stated?

The CC has been worshiping God in the same way since the 1st century; if they are doing it wrong now, then they were doing it wrong then; were they doing it wrong then?

Did it take hundreds and hundreds of years for God to finally pass on to your church leadership, or any Protestant church for that matter, the correct way to worship God?

If you cannot prove that the members of the CC are wrong in the way that they worship God, and you cannot prove that the members of your church are right in the way that they worship God, then like you said, we are at an impasse.

Is there any chance that the answer to our dilemma could be found in the church built by God, of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th century, again, long before the Roman Empire reputedly injected into the pedigree of Jesus’ established church, a bunch of heretical nonsense?
Hmm… early worship was simply calling upon the name of the Lord. Genesis 4:26 says

And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

Then Genesis 24 says

26Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, 27saying, "Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives."

(I’ll cut to the chase and jump straight to the Book of John). Then we learn:

23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

So. You are saying there is but one worship? or a Genesis to Revelation worship?

The early Christian church, as I said: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries of Christianity. Not the Old Testament.

 

[Xavierlives]

The early Christian church, as I said: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries of Christianity. Not the Old Testament.

I’m really just saying that I doubt God’s concept of worship has changed over the years.

 

[1beleevr]

Believer, I am not gonna claim that you are wrong; I don’t have that right or authority. However, I would like to ask you a few simple questions:

Does God require me to go to your worship service, or the worship service of any church for that matter, as He did in the early church long before Constantine legalized Christianity? If not, then why do I need to even attend a church service?

Does it even matter which church we attend to worship our creator, like it did for the first 400 years of Christianity?

Could I start a church tomorrow (like many have done in the past) - and set the guidelines for my congregation, on how they are to worship God?

What if my way of worshiping God in my new assembly of believers differs from the way Jesus’ church of the first 300 years of Christianity worshiped God; does that NOT matter?

Surely the church (comprised of both teachers and pupils) - built by God, that preceded the 4th century, was guided by the holy spirit and therefore provided all Christians (there were no denominations back then) - with the bone-fide paradigm on how later Christians should worship God; wouldn’t you agree?

Does God reject the Catholic way of worshiping God? If so, where in the bible is this stated?

[The CC has been worshiping God in the same way since the 1st century; if they are doing it wrong now, then they were doing it wrong then; were they doing it wrong then? ]

Did it take hundreds and hundreds of years for God to finally pass on to your church leadership, or any Protestant church for that matter, the correct way to worship God?

If you cannot prove that the members of the CC are wrong in the way that they worship God, and you cannot prove that the members of your church are right in the way that they worship God, then like you said, we are at an impasse.

Is there any chance that the answer to our dilemma could be found in the church built by God, of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th century, again, long before the Roman Empire reputedly injected into the pedigree of Jesus’ established church, a bunch of heretical nonsense?

I never specifically said that the cc worships wrong, but it was a catholic responder who was challenging others worship I worship in Spirit and Teuth, as directed by my Saviour. Whether I choose contemporary Christian music, or hymns, as part of my worship; should not make a difference! Read the Psalms to see how often these people used cymbals, and other instruments to worship God! Believe it or not, catholics do not have the market cornered on “proper” worship

 

[1beleevr]

Clearly, sincerity is required for worship, but it is not enough.

It’s not enough in other areas of life, so why would sincerity be all that’s necessary in religion? Is it sufficient for your accountant to be sincere, or do you also want him to do his job correctly? Is it sufficient that your doctor be sincere?

]

You are the last person I would have thought would challenge my style of worship! If you aren’t there, can you say that myself, or who I worship with, are wrong? And if you are not sincere in anything you do, then you are just"going through the motions," as Matthew West says!

 

[jmcrae]

Hmm… early worship was simply calling upon the name of the Lord.

Not in the sense that you think that means. Observe, for example, how Abraham “called upon the name of the LORD.” He didn’t just recite a name or a few words with his tongue. He made a sacrifice of oxen, cattle, and various kinds of birds, and he burned incense. He saw God’s fire pass between the halves of the sacrifice that he had made, which ran long enough that God took from midnight until dawn to pass from one end of it to the other, to consume it.

When Jacob “called upon the name of the LORD” he sacrificed cattle and birds all night long, and the river of blood ran from Bethel all the way to the foot of the mountain, where he saw the angels ascending and descending from Heaven.

 

[PRmerger]

]You are the last person I would have thought would challenge my style of worship!

What does that mean?

Should I be offended by this comment?

BTW, I was not challenging your style of worship. You are correct-- I really have no idea how you worship.

I was merely commenting on your comment that “it doesn’t really matter as long as you’re sincere.”. That, I challenge. You can be sincerely wrong, as someone else on this thread pointed out.

Just because someone’s sincere does not make his worship correct. Just like you wouldn’t just want your accountant to be sincere–you just want her to do it correctly, too.

Again, I am not criticizing how you worship. Just that you believe that it doesn’t matter what you do as long as you’re sincere, (which, BTW, is not Scriptural).

 

[graceandglory]

Well, I don’t think I pick a church based on the music but it is always nice when Phillips, Craig, and Dean stop by to lead the music.

or Steve Camp, Randy Stonehill, Phil Keaggy,…

 

[1beleevr]

What does that mean?

Should I be offended by this comment?

BTW, I was not challenging your style of worship. You are correct-- I really have no idea how you worship.

I was merely commenting on your comment that “it doesn’t really matter as long as you’re sincere.”. That, I challenge. You can be sincerely wrong, as someone else on this thread pointed out.

Just because someone’s sincere does not make his worship correct. Just like you wouldn’t just want your accountant to be sincere–you just want her to do it correctly, too.

Again, I am not criticizing how you worship. Just that you believe that it doesn’t matter what you do as long as you’re sincere, (which, BTW, is not Scriptural).

]
Forgive me if I was wrong, but it soinded as if you were saying that my worship was wrong, because it is not like yours! And I was talking about the music part of worship, which I understand is not ALL of what worship is about! But, even Old Testament people worshipped God with some type of music(David, when the Ark of the Covenant was returned) Also, anyone can be sincerely wrong about anything

 

[1beleevr]

or Steve Camp, Randy Stonehill, Phil Keaggy,…

]

There are very many anointed Christian singers, but if someone got up, and sang the Lord’s Prayer, acapella, this too would be worship!

 

[1beleevr]

Thank you for that honest answer.

Here you are defending TRUTH, without a grounding in the truth yourself.

If I were your protestant mom or pastor, I would tell you to get grounded in your own faith.
You really need need to know what you believe and why you believe it. **Otherwise, it sounds like you just believe in music. ** (I know that isn’t true, but it is what you are defending.) And that would be as bad as worshiping a false idol. What makes your “worship” any different than Baal worship of the Old Testament?

This thread title is “How do non-denoms pick a church?”
For many years I too picked a church based on the music.
I got good music, but did not receive the truth.

]

So now you assume that I am not grounded in TRUTH(which to me is Jesus), based on my choices of worship music(love the old hymns too, BTW).And I am glad that you’re not my mother, or my pastor!

 

[1beleevr]

That shows a deficiency of understanding of annulments.

[SIGN1]No marriage can be annulled by the Catholic Church, 1beleevr.[/SIGN1] We do not have that power. Only death can end a marriage.

What the CC states, in a declaration of nullity, is that a sacramental marriage *never *existed. Thus, if it was a marriage, it cannot be annulled.

]

You see, this is what drives me crazy A catholic friend, hd been married for 16 years to a catholic woman! Then I saw him with another woman, who was wearing a wedding ring. I took him aside and asked him,“Where is your wife?” He said,“You just met her.” “But you’re catholic, right?” “Yes,” he replied, had my other marriiage annulled, and married Jenifer." So, who is right, do you all belong to the same religion?

 

[jmcrae]

]

You see, this is what drives me crazy A catholic friend, hd been married for 16 years to a catholic woman! Then I saw him with another woman, who was wearing a wedding ring. I took him aside and asked him,“Where is your wife?” He said,“You just met her.” “But you’re catholic, right?” “Yes,” he replied, had my other marriiage annulled, and married Jenifer." So, who is right, do you all belong to the same religion?

He misunderstood what happened, there. He could not have had his marriage “annulled” -rather, with the first woman, there was some kind of deficiency, and no marriage ever existed. (The most common reason is that the form of the wedding was improper in some way; perhaps the words “until death us do part” were not spoken, for example.)

His “new” wife is in fact the only real wife he has ever had.

 

[PRmerger]

Also, anyone can be sincerely wrong about anything

That’s exactly my point!

Just because someone is sincere–like a Hindu who’s sincerely worshipping Vishnu–doesn’t make his worship correct.

 

[MyRdmrLvs]

I would stop by churches in the area and briefly meet with the pastors and ask for a statement of faith. I would see what kinds of ministry opportunities there are that might fit with your needs or your gifts. then I would do a lot of prayer and start to visit the ones that fit and see how the congregation welcomes you. If you have kids then a good children’s or youth program should be a big priority. pray pray pray!

 

[MyRdmrLvs]

romans 14 answers this:

2One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.

5One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind

14As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean

so
4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.**
13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another.**

**17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. **

22So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves

You weren’t supposed to give them that verse. maybe God wanted them to think they are special

 

[MyRdmrLvs]

Not if you’re sincerely wrong.

Do Muslims worship correctly? Do Mormons worship correctly? How about Hindus?
Who is to say what is correct worship?

Scripture say we are to worship in spirit and truth.

Who defines TRUTH for you 1beleevr?

Actually God warned His people not to worship Him the way the pagans do.

 

[1beleevr]

That’s exactly my point!

Just because someone is sincere–like a Hindu who’s sincerely worshipping Vishnu–doesn’t make his worship correct.

]

We know that worship is between an individual and His God; whoever that may be! For those of us, who choose to condemn or question someone’s style of worship, music used, or any other aspect; would be wise to reread Matthew 7:1-7! And God is the ultimate judge of whether worship is pleasing to Him!

 

[jmcrae]

Actually God warned His people not to worship Him the way the pagans do.

The reason they are called “pagans” is that they don’t actually worship God at all so how could anyone ever be guilty of “worshipping God the way the pagans do”? That’s a totally nonsensical statement.

 

[PRmerger]

You weren’t supposed to give them that verse. maybe God wanted them to think they are special

Is that what atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, etc etc etc say about us Christians who say that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life?

That is, when you tell non-Christians that they must be Christians in order to be saved, is that you thinking that only you are special, MRL?

Or are you simply proclaiming the truth, and it may sound arrogant to non-believers, but it’s really just the truth.

 

[PRmerger]

For those of us, who choose to condemn or question someone’s style of worship,

There’s no style of worship you condemn, 1beleevr?