A Place To Candidly Discuss Issues That Relate To Christianity

Is One Church Better Than Another? Or Do We Just Like To Think So?

In Church, Life, People on January 2, 2010 at 7:38 pm

by Elizabeth K

The Protestants believe they reformed the church gathering from its traditional roots enough to provide a more closely related biblical church.  But this protesting continues to branch off into further reforms throughout history.  Currently, there is a growing movement of house churches in Europe and America, that seeks to abandon many church traditions entirely, and some people are even going so far as to claim they are salvaging their faith by not attending church at all.

Is there one right way for the body of Christ to gather together?

If so, which one and why?

Should church divisions or groups of Believers be exclusive in their gatherings?

If not, how might they be more inclusive?

Could there be one  unique right way to gather together for every individual?

How important is the gathering together?

What does the Bible say or exemplify?

Is there a purpose for church divisions or it is a sign of something that has gone amiss?

What might be some other questions concerning the decision of which church to attend, if at all?

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The Vanity of Theologising

In Bible, Life, People, Theology on November 17, 2009 at 11:28 am

By Marc

I spend most of my free time reading, writing or thinking about matters theological. I listen to sermons, debates, even audio books or Bible chapters over and over again in the hope of better understanding the puzzles and riddles in the story the Bible tells and how this relates to my life and the world around me.

It was Elizabeth who first pointed out that all this activity, intriguing as it may be, is not good in and of itself if it does not lead to more and better love of God and those around me. This is a simple and obvious observation to anyone who knows the greatest commandment but I wonder if it doesn’t need restating and we don’t need to highlight this problem. I know of no passage in the Bible which says God wants us to synthesise as many Bible texts as we can before we die and produce the best and most water-tight theology or theory yet many people, myself included, spend our time trying to do this out of a deep-rooted and wide-spread conviction that good beliefs are more important than good lives. But surely, as Brian McLaren says, judgement will not simply be a case of God looking inside our heads?

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Oh For The Love Of Prejudice!

In Life, People on November 4, 2009 at 3:09 am

by Elizabeth K

I cannot believe the prejudice within me sometimes, and it’s like a predator that is good at hiding until it spies an unknowing prey.  The interesting fact is that I’m the person who speaks out against racism and segregation, not the one who lives by it.

Charity to me used to be defined as seeking out a foreign family in the neighborhood and dropping off all of my junk at their house, unwanted items that would have normally gone to the local thrift store.  These days I understand that isn’t charity at all, but it’s actually hatred, or racism.

I started to realize this when a Mexican family moved in next door.  Their extended family moved in with them.  I was scared of them at first and I wouldn’t let my kids play with their kids unless it was under strict circumstances.  But, being neighbors, we couldn’t help but get to know each other and I realized they are not much different than my American white neighbors.  Sometimes I give them stuff, but they give me stuff too, because we’re friends and we like each other.  Charity is actually love but that word has taken on a different contextual meaning over the years.

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