Is this an accurate definition of the American Protestant View of "Church"?

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The Church is secondary to the individual.

The Church is a voluntary association of like-minded individuals gathered together to promote the cause of Jesus.
 
This is an extremely broad definition. So broad that it really does not define much at all, yet it is not inaccurate.

I would say your first point was not always true, but seems to be generally accepted today under the guise of “religious tolerance”. Unfortunately, that attitude is not intellectually honest.
 
rpp said:
This is an extremely broad definition. So broad that it really does not define much at all, yet it is not inaccurate.

I would say your first point was not always true, but seems to be generally accepted today under the guise of “religious tolerance”. Unfortunately, that attitude is not intellectually honest.
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I totally agree and it is supposed to be broad.
 
I would say that is spot on. Seeing as Protestants aren’t and couldn’t possibly have been the Church started by Christ, they would have to compensate with saying that the Church is the invisible body of all believers. An abstract notion.
 
Lampo said:
The Church is secondary to the individual.

The Church is a voluntary association of like-minded individuals gathered together to promote the cause of Jesus.
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I don’t know whether it is secondary to the individual.

The Church is more than a voluntary association. Boy Scouts is a voluntary association. The Church is not Boy Scouts.

Let’s start out with the Church as being the Bride of Christ. That is more than a voluntary association.
 
mozart-250 said:
I don’t know whether it is secondary to the individual.

The Church is more than a voluntary association. Boy Scouts is a voluntary association. The Church is not Boy Scouts.

Let’s start out with the Church as being the Bride of Christ. That is more than a voluntary association.
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I don’t agree with the definition. I just thought it might be worthy of discussion.
 
Lampo said:
I don’t agree with the definition. I just thought it might be worthy of discussion.
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Yeah…but you were asking whether Protestants agree with that definition.

I can’t speak for all, but I do not either.

Then we both agree that we disagree with this definition.
 
mozart-250 said:
Yeah…but you were asking whether Protestants agree with that definition.

I can’t speak for all, but I do not.

Then we both agree that we disagree with this definition.
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Oh, yes. We both disagree with this definition. Do you think that definition is how most American Protestants view “Church”?
 
I have to agree with Mozart about this definition. The Church isn’t secondary to the individual and shouldn’t be. And the second part of this ‘view’ of church is so vague that it doesn’t say much at all about church. It almost sounds like a description of a campaign or something! Church is so much more than that, and it is the Bride of Christ, gathered together to worship and serve others (making Christ’s love visible in the community).
 
Lampo said:
Oh, yes. We both disagree with this definition. Do you think that definition is how most American Protestants view “Church”?
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I am sure that there are some who view church as just another social organization.

I would sure hope this “some” nowhere near approaches “most”, however I know of no polling data on the issue.

For example, I will be very surprised if any Protestant here raises their hand and agrees that definition is spot on.
 
What did Jesus mean when He said I will build my Church?

:bowdown2: :byzsoc: :gopray2:
 
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