Well, there's your problem, right there. You got some brain-eating parasite. Lol.
In all seriousness, why?
-
Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
Is the Church Irrelevant?
- Thread starter atpollard
- Start date
In all seriousness, why?
May I suggest a reading of 1 Chronicles 29 and John 12:1-8 to you?
Are you taking issue with the fact that I was baptized in a body of water, you know, kind of like how Jesus was?
By the way, there is a higher density of parasites that exist in the Jordan River than on the shore of an ocean.
I think both prove my point.
We are not required to build temples under the New Covenant, and Judas, like many so-called pastors today, doesn't really care about the poor.
I know you're from the UK, but certainly you must be aware of men like Kenneth Copeland and Joel Osteen.
I'm asking why you got baptized in the ocean. What led to that decision?
Yeah, right.
Last edited:
atpollard
Well-Known Member
He is probably correct ... salt water is harsh on parasites compared to fresh water. That is why you chlorinate a pool if it is fresh water, but not a salt water pool (the salt does the same job as the chlorine).
atpollard
Well-Known Member
A local church uses the Gulf of Mexico ... because it is there (and qualifies as "living" - moving - "water").
If you're asking why I got baptized, it was because I wanted to demonstrate my faith. If you're asking why I was baptized in the ocean, it was because I used to live in a small beach town, and that's where the church did it.
It's become increasingly evident that tradition and the lack thereof don't mix particularly well on this site.
Out of respect to several posters on this thread who took exception with my hardline stance, I will be removing my avatar of John Brown and will be signing off for the last time.
So with that, I take my leave of the Baptist Board. Au revoir!
Out of respect to several posters on this thread who took exception with my hardline stance, I will be removing my avatar of John Brown and will be signing off for the last time.
So with that, I take my leave of the Baptist Board. Au revoir!
Judas was the disciple harping on 'the poor.'
That's what I wanted to know. That wasn't so hard, was it?
Actually, i am incorrect when you think about it.
Some churches are apostate and that is per the plan of God at that time
Thats why the true church should be semper reformanda for Gods glory
Those who do not fulfill Gods will in their apostasy and in keeping others in the dark
Some churches are apostate and that is per the plan of God at that time
Thats why the true church should be semper reformanda for Gods glory
Those who do not fulfill Gods will in their apostasy and in keeping others in the dark
LOL. You may have read it right, but you're coming to the wrong conclusion.
Here's something else that will blow your mind ... where did the idea that Israel should have a king come from?
Not God. He allowed it to appease them
Kai
Member
I recognize that this poster announced on this thread that they were leaving, but I felt compelled to respond anyway because honestly, this is some of the most offensive material I've seen on the board so far. There's a chance they might come back and read this someday, and even if they don't, I think it could be helpful for anyone lurking.
To begin with, I think there is a pretty important biblical precedent being overlooked here. Consider the synagogue. The Jews were not commanded in the Old Testament to construct synagogues throughout the land. The Temple was the divinely appointed place of worship, while synagogues developed as places where Jewish communities gathered for prayer, Scripture reading, and teaching. Yet when Jesus came, He regularly taught and preached in the synagogues.
Matthew 4:23 says that Jesus went throughout Galilee, “teaching in their synagogues.” Luke 4:16 even describes Jesus entering the synagogue “as was his custom.” If the very existence of a man-made religious building was inherently idolatrous or a sign that people had ceased being the people of God, I would think Jesus would have addressed that. Instead, He used those places to teach the Scriptures. That doesn't mean Jesus endorsed everything that happened in every synagogue. Obviously He condemned plenty of religious hypocrisy. The point is that the building itself wasn't the problem.
I think the same principle applies to church buildings today. We can certainly become overly attached to buildings, traditions, comfort, or institutional structures. We can even allow those things to distract us from the actual mission of the church. Those are legitimate concerns. But that's very different from saying that Christians who construct a building for the purpose of gathering together to worship, pray, teach Scripture, and fellowship have somehow created an idol.
It's true that the early church met in houses, in the Temple courts, and in other places. But the fact that believers can meet in homes, rented facilities, or outdoors doesn't establish that they should only meet that way, and I don't see a command that prohibits them from owning or constructing a place specifically for their gatherings. The location wasn't what made them a church. The people were the church. A building is simply a place where the church gathers.
Regarding the stewardship concern, I agree that if a congregation is pouring enormous amounts of money into a building while neglecting people who are genuinely in need, then I think that's a legitimate issue for Christians to examine. Scripture certainly calls us to care for the poor and needy, and our resources should ultimately serve Christ's purposes. But just because a congregation has expenses whether it meets in a house, rents a facility, or owns one, that doesn't automatically mean that money is being diverted away from the poor. Sometimes owning a building can actually provide a congregation with a place to worship, teach, minister to the community, hold children's programs, provide food or clothing, and serve people throughout the week.
So I have a hard time accepting the idea that the construction of a church building itself represents a departure from biblical Christianity. If Jesus could enter a synagogue that God had never specifically commanded Israel to build and preach the Word of God there, I don't see why Christians today should be condemned simply for having a building where the church gathers. Yes, it's possible for a church to become obsessed with its building, spend irresponsibly, or treat the building as though it were sacred in itself. But the danger isn't the building. The danger is what we make the building into.
Last edited:
