I belong to several Facebook groups for Christians who no longer attend a church. We each have our own reasons for leaving what some call the “Institutional Church.” But this morning I was thinking about what we do in these groups. We share experiences, we share inspiration, we share our struggles, and we share support and encouragement. But what I think most of it boils down to is this – as a group, we praise and worship God and Jesus. And then it struck me: We Are The Church! Each Facebook group is a type of church. And by “church” I mean God’s definition of church, which I believe is the collection of Spirit-filled believers. So though we’ve left the institutional church, I think we’re still in the true church. What do you think?
Reflections on a double life...
I'm just a wanna-be writer. What's it like trying to do serious writing while also being consumed with a full-time engineering job? Between the two, I sometimes don't get much sleep. But I love writing - it gets me out of bed when it's way too dark, just so I can do some work on my book before heading off to work.
I'm also passionate about the truth of God and Jesus, a truth that is not always visible in the outward view of the Christian religion. It's this passion that has pulled me out of bed to write for over 6 years now, still working on the same book, a book about truth. Will it ever be finished? God knows.
I agree. Seeking and glorifying the Lord. Edifying and praying for one another. Studying the Word. All these can take place and be effective outside of a traditional church building/gathering. What you describe sounds like church to me. The one thing I would miss the most by not going to church is live praise and worship. It can be such a powerful experience.
Been attending a “seeker” church recently, though I grew up attending Lutheran. I’m arriving at the crossroads of missing the “traditional” service & hymns we used to sing. Not to mention the messages. I’m not on fb anymore, but I’m discovering that the blogger family can be just as powerful.
Thank you for this post…
– Kenzel
December 4, 2015 at 7:42 pm
I agree. Seeking and glorifying the Lord. Edifying and praying for one another. Studying the Word. All these can take place and be effective outside of a traditional church building/gathering. What you describe sounds like church to me. The one thing I would miss the most by not going to church is live praise and worship. It can be such a powerful experience.
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December 4, 2015 at 7:46 pm
Yes, I do miss the Spirit-filled moments surrounded by other worshippers.
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December 5, 2015 at 7:45 pm
Been attending a “seeker” church recently, though I grew up attending Lutheran. I’m arriving at the crossroads of missing the “traditional” service & hymns we used to sing. Not to mention the messages. I’m not on fb anymore, but I’m discovering that the blogger family can be just as powerful.
Thank you for this post…
– Kenzel
LikeLiked by 1 person