Housechurch
Worship and worshipping
Under the Tags “Worship” and “Worshipping” you shall be able to find articles concerning adoration paid to a person a god or God as well as about the religious service of a person or community of persons.
The worship can be a profound admiration and affection, an act of revering or adoring, to glorify, a dignity,reputation, high standing.
The word “Worship” is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship
Paying high honours to some one or something, but also the act of performing acts of adoration or bringing honour, offerings and prayers to something or some one.
But in particular we shall talk here about the adoration to the Only One God and the religious service we can bring to Him to show our love, affection and adoration.
Each individual can give expression of his adoration or veneration for some one or something. He can react on his feeling and express himself accordingly on his own (solo) or in group. Often when the act of worship is not performed individually, in an informal or formal group, or by a designated leader, there is taken some order to do it or some people taking charge of the ‘service’.
A modern Western worship team leading a contemporary worship session. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Many religious traditions place an emphasis upon regular worship at frequent intervals, often daily or weekly. Expressions of worship vary but typically include one or more of the following:
Prayer, meditation, ritual, scripture, sacraments, sacrifice, sermons, chanting, music or devotional song, dance, religious holidays, festivals, pilgrimage, dining, fasting, temples or shrines, idols, or simply private individual acts of devotion.
The worshipping or act of bringing worship can be done in different forms, which shall be spoken of in different articles. It can be done in the house by a private person or member of the community or in a special built or purpose-built place of worship, like a church or meeting room, or in a public place or in the open. In the Christadelphian community we mostly call the Meeting Hall “Ecclesia House”, “Ecclesia building” or simply “Ecclesia”.
Under Worship we can find:
worship or keep service in honour
the veneration of a saint or higher rank: venerate, adore, veneration, adoration
the esteem and love: adore
Worship / adore a god or God
perpetual adoration
to kneel in adoration: Kneel in worship
Adoration of the Lamb
respectful admiration: worship, reverence
Veneration
Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy distinguish between adoration or latria (Latin adoratio, Greek latreia, [λατρεια]), which is due to God alone, and veneration or dulia (Latin veneratio, Greek douleia [δουλεια]), which may be lawfully offered to the saints. The external acts of veneration resemble those of worship, but differ in their object and intent. Protestant Christians question whether such a distinction is always maintained in actual devotional practice, especially at the level of folk religion.
Orthodox Judaism and orthodox Sunni Islam hold that for all practical purposes veneration should be considered the same as prayer; Orthodox Judaism (arguably with the exception of some Chasidic practices), orthodox Sunni Islam, and most kinds of Protestantism forbid veneration of saints or angels, classifying these actions as akin to idolatry.
Worship manifestation of Godliness
So under this “Tag” or the “label” of “Adoration” and “Worship” we will mainly focus on piety, and the exercise of that piety. It will mainly deal with the devout and pious by which a religious attitude is assumed to be faithfulness and submitting to God, Godloving, exalting, glorifying, idolizing and to extol a superior being.
It will essentially to be about God having in mind, to be submissive and to put Him high, treasuring Him, to serve God, awards, praise and bless.
These words will be eligible:
piety, “piety, fervor, unction, devotion, piety, religion, faith, god, community, communion, grace position, probation, resignation, resignation, quietism, spirituality, mysticism, mysticism, apologetics, religious fervor, zeal, though, zealotism, congregation, bigotry , bigotry, tartufferie.
godly, pious, iconoduul, holy, work saint, mystic, zealot, laborer, congreganist, faith hero, hero, church patron, zealot, zelator, zelatrice, church pillar, a saint, bigot.
Prayer
Under the tag “Prayer” we shall look at different form of words said to bring the adoration to something or some one. It is one part of the worship to bring devotion and which can be done in different ways.
Under the “Prayer” tag you may encounter:
prayer, church attendance, prostration, knee prayer, actus fidei, vocal prayer, meditation, consideration, praise, adoration, thanksgiving, intercession, invocation, lost prayer, routine prayer, morning prayer, evening prayer, night prayer, home exercise, table blessing , table prayer, church attendance, prayer cross, pilgrimage, shrine shipping, closing prayer, Triduum, novena, retreats, prayer series, answer to prayer, penance, prayer choir, psalmody.
prayer time, prayer meeting, prayer church time, matins time, praying, prayer place of worship, prayer house, retreat house, oratorio, pilgrimage, pilgrimage, grace place, place of grace, church, ecclesia
Under this tag we could discuss:
form prayer, prayer, cross, prayer, intercession, prayer for, exchange prayer, litany, deed, morning prayer, morning prayer, evening prayer, table prayer, grace, gratias, sigh, short prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father, the Lord’s Prayer, the rosary, the Hail Mary, the Ave, the Rosary, prayer beads, the psaltery Mary, the Angelus, the Salve Regina, the Regina Caeli, the Stabat Mater, Magnificat, Te Deum, Tantum ergo, the Itinerarium, year prayer.
liturgical prayer, church prayer, H. Mass.
A picture of a Lutheran pastor elevating the Eucharistic Host. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Breviary prayer, tides, matins, nocturne, lesson, the Laudes, Daily times, the hours, horce, prime, tertiary, sixths, ninths, Vespers, Compline, completorium, psalm, Vesper psalm, thank Psalm, penitential psalm, plaintive psalm, weeping psalm, the Miserere, De Profundis, the 15 Trap Psalms, hymns, church hymns, Cantica, invitatorium , antiphoon, responsorium, doxology, Gloria Patri, final chapter, the Hosanna, Alleluia, the great Hallelujah, Amen, the Libera.
It can be possible we shall look at:
prayer book, prayer book, Bible, church, communion book, communion plate, Hours, choir book, matins book, Breviary, prayer book, hymn book, psalter, psaltery, diurnal, anti phone book, antiphonarium, kyriale.
sacramentals, scapular, rosary, Beier, rosary bead, rosary cross, holy water, holy bread, Hubert bread, napkin, virtue rose, golden rose, palm, relic, shrine, pledge, gift, sacrifice image , votivefstone/tabel/gift.
Worship
For the term “Worship” we will look at carrying out the devotion and subservience to the exercise of prayer and work towards a superior, with particularity to God.
The worship or service to keep the worship of a god or Supreme Being in the Divine. It is the practice of religion.
That worship can exert a religious service or a keeping or holding church.
service provision, church keep reading church keep ministering, practice, or honour
Encloses a liturgical worship ritual.
liturgical, ritual.
And one can have:
worship, religion, cult, Mary Service, Mary worship, honouring saints, dulia, liturgy, ritual, rite, section, liturgic, ritualism, ritual, cart table, cart table list, church language.
religious practice, practice, service, church, ceremony, religious ceremony, church ceremony, religious use, church use, form of religion, church, Sunday worship service, Sabbath service, early service, matins, morning church. Morning, morning church, mette, morning service, lunch service, lunch church – afternoon service, evening service, Mass
evening worship, evening church, praise, foot washing, routine religion, psalm singing, sacrament hymns, Christmas songs, Easter songs, passover worship, passover sacrifice, last supper celebration, memorial celebration, remembrance meal, remembrance celebration
Protestant / Catholic worship, children’s church, reading church, covenant meal, dinner (s) celebration, dinner, supper celebration, night time, adoption service, supper bowl, supper wine supper table, linked table, communion bread, supper bread, communion wine, night-time singing, night song, breaking of bread, taking the symbols, remembrance meal, memorial, memorial worship
worshiper, dinner-goer, night time goer, minister atonement, sacrificial servant, mass celebrator, Eucharist keeper, memory keeper, Mass-goer, churchgoer
In worship we will proceed to the saying of prayers and spiritual texts usually recited or chanted. Many communities bring in their worship different variations and music and hold offerings in different ways.
A typical altar in a Latin Rite Catholic church — High altar of the Kapucijnenkerk; Ostend, Belgium.
For the Holy Mass or commonly called the Mass the Roman Catholics do have an Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites or in more up todate modern liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. The term is used also of similar celebrations in Old Catholic Churches, in the Anglo-Catholic tradition of Anglicanism, in Western Rite Orthodox Churches, in Lutheran churches, and in a small number of High Church Methodist parishes.
For the celebration of the Eucharist in Eastern Churches, including those in full communion with the Holy See, other terms such as the Divine Liturgy, the Holy Qurbana and the Badarak are normally used.
Most Western denominations not in full communion with the Catholic Church also usually prefer terms other than Mass.
For information on the theology of the Eucharist and on the Eucharistic liturgy of other Christian denominations, see “Eucharist” and “Eucharistic theology“.
For information on history see Eucharist and Origin of the Eucharist, and with specific regard to the Roman Rite Mass, Pre-Tridentine Mass and Tridentine Mass.
The term “Mass” is derived from the Late Latin word missa (dismissal), a word used in the concluding formula of Mass in Latin: “Ite, missa est” (“Go; it is the dismissal”). “In antiquity, missa simply meant ‘dismissal’. In Christian usage, however, it gradually took on a deeper meaning. The word ‘dismissal’ has come to imply a ‘mission’. These few words succinctly express the missionary nature of the Church” (Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum caritatis, 51)
Sacrifice or Offering
In the worship or service the offer is to present an act of devotion, homage, charity, etc. to express willingness, to hold out for acceptance or rejection.
To lay before one, to present to the mind.
To give, to pay, to perform.
The offering is the act of making an offer. That which is offered.
In the worship or sacrifice among the faith communities of the various religions can be found:
altar ministry, altar service, love food, agape, sacrifice, sacrifice, altar, church sacrifice, temple sacrifice, altar secret, oblation, atonement, reconciliation, sin offering, guilt offering, peace offering, victorious sacrifice, libation, sacrifice of praise, supplication sacrifice, blood sacrifice , bloodplenging, victim, hecatomb, meat sacrifice, animal sacrifice, bull offering, unbloody sacrifice, oblation, smoke sacrifice, incense, commemorative sacrifice, money sacrifice, libation feast, drink offering, prayer, sacrifice time, dinner, remembrance celebration, remembrance celebration, evening meal, remembrance meal, breaking of the bread.
To gather
To do the worship several religious groups do come together at a certain place. Worshipping should show your faith but also your connection: your connection with your god and with your fellow believers.
In several Christian communities we notice the members coming together.
regularly. The community coming together is part of the succession of
Jesus reminder to regularly get together and meet. The Christadelphians also do come together, either in private homes like the first Christians in what some today call a house-church. These meetings happen in the community of believers or at someone’s home
or in a custom or a public building that can serve as a ‘community
church’ or ‘Ecclesia’. The union of believers who would like to serve God is called
“the ecclesia” and the worship is simply called the “service” or when the
Supper is commemorated “the Lord’s Supper” or “Breaking of the Bread.”
That service can be simple or gloriously with songs. Yearly at the 14th Nisan or Pascha there is a special Memorial Meeting to remember the day Jesus had his last evening meal with his disciples and some close friends to commemorate the pass-over. At that remembrance day Jesus installed the New Covenant, before he was going to die for our sins.
The Religious part of the “Meeting” or coming together to honour and to praise God, and to build each other up more spiritual by the perusal of the Holy Scripture and by discussing the Scriptures, where in the service a lecture is given, a prepared text or ‘admonition’ or ‘reading’ for the instruction of the faith community is called “exhortation” .
In Christian communities there are also feasts of charity or agape meals. In worship sometimes bloodless sacrifices or animal sacrifices are offered.
Further under the tag “Worship” and related tags you shall be able to find articles on:
sacrifice, atoning sacrifice, sacrifices, smoking sacrifice, wine shed, burn incense, frankincense, (gum)thus, thurification, Celebrating holy mass (do, read, sing, celebrate), officers, combine and assist, consecrate, serve Mass, go to Mass, hear Mass.
altar ministry, altar service, love food, sacrifice, altar, sacrifice, temple sacrifice, altar secret, oblation, atonement, reconciliation, sacrifice, sin offering, guilt offering, peace offering, victorious sacrifice, libation, sacrifice of praise, supplication sacrifice, blood sacrifice , bloodplenging, victim, hecatomb, meat sacrifice, animal sacrifice, bull offering, unbloody sacrifice, oblation, smoke sacrifice, incense, commemorative sacrifice, libation, money, sacrifice, libatie, plengfeest, sacrifice, prayer, sacrifice time, dinner, remembrance celebration, remembrance celebration, fraternal meeting.
Note: in the Dutch articles you shall be able to find much more different words, which do have in certain instances also small or bigger differences, but have no equivalent word in English, or are not able to be found in translation dictionaries. Often also many words are very typical for certain Christian denominations, and are not used by the other denominations and often not know by the other denominations. They are part of the typical church language, which is quite common in Holland and Belgium.
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Dutch readers please do find:
Aanbidden, Aanbidding, Eredienst en Gebed
In the Categories: Breken van het Brood, Dienst, Ecclesia, Religie, Vergaderen | Tags: Aanbidden, Aanbidder, Aanbidding, Aanroeping, Adoration of the lamb, Afgoderij, Afsmeken, Agape Maaltijd, Alleluia, Avondmaal, Avondmaalsviering, Avondmaalviering, Beelden Verering, Bidden, Cultus Dulia, Cultus Latria, Devotie, Eredienst, Exhortatie, gebed, Gloria Patri, Godsdienstbeoefening, Islam, Judïsme, Kruisbeeld, Laatste Avondmaalviering, Liturgie, loven, Magnificat, Mediteren, Offer, Offerdienst, Offeren, Perpetual Adoration, Prijzen, Salve Regina, Smeekbede, Stabat Mater, Tag, Vereren, Verering, Vergaderen, Vroomheid, Worship
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Please do find also:
- Mass in the Roman Catholic Church
- Christian worship
- Anglican devotions
- Catholic devotions
- Church service
- Worship in different religions
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Related articles
- True Worship by Mark D. Roberts (trinityspeaks.wordpress.com)
If I were to ask you to envision Christian worship, I expect you would imagine your church gathered for Sunday services, or something like that. Indeed, when God’s people assemble to offer praise and thanks to God, this is an essential element of true worship. But it’s just the beginning! - Have We Excluded Something Important From Worship? (samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com)
Old Testament worship involved all five senses. - Christian Idol Worshippers (rosemichels.wordpress.com)
The very people who cling so tightly to their God-given commandments are often the very ones to break the first one. “Thou shalt have no other gods before thee.” Exodus 20:3 KJV
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What may make the situation of ‘following’ even more dangerous in our Christian walk is what we’re doing to those very Christian people we follow. As their popularity grows exponentially, so does their difficulty in dealing with something thrust upon them in what, oftentimes, seems to happen overnight. Just like us ‘regular’ people, they’re to maintain the balance of being in the world but not of the world. - Mystery Worship Eleven: A Missed Opportunity (barefootpreachr.org)
Traditional church bulletins are littered with headings like “prelude, doxology, Gloria Patri, benediction.” We toss around buzz words such as Sacrament, liturgy, soteriology, ecclesiology, sanctification, salvation, atonement, justification, pre-lapsarianism
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While worship must not be about our own comfort, it also takes place within a community. Often, but not always, powerful worship takes place as part of a connection of people who know each other, care for each other, push one another to greater godliness, and actively work together to serve the world - Enthusiastic Worship for All! (pastorjonev.typepad.com)
One Sunday morning, at roughly 10:12 am, during the middle of the second song, a person on the worship team began to sing and “move” with more enthusiasm than usual. This caused quite a commotion amongst the little girls in the front row. But I’m pretty sure that the outward commotion amongst the little girls was probably multiplied amongst the adults, only they kept it on the inside. This is what happens in a church where little enthusiasm is shown during corporate praise and worship.
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Worship is commanded. So is the physical, emotional act of worship. - God is entitled to our praises but Worship is always for our own sake (olungaotieno.wordpress.com)
Praise and worship is probably the most important aspect of the Christian walk. It is through praise and worship that we as Christians draw near to God. Psalm 100:4 says that we enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Psalms 22 says he that He inhabits the praises of His people.
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Worship is also for our own edification and strength. Worship helps us develop a God-like and Christ-like character. We become likened to those we admire and worship. When we worship God we tend to value what God values and gradually take on the characteristics and qualities of God, but never to His level. - Worship Him (achristianmeditation.wordpress.com)
We pray. We read the scriptures. We try to live for Christ. We serve in various ministries. These are all ways of expressing our level of commitment and love for God. But what God desires more than anything is our worship. - The Multi-Cultural History of Prayer Beads (foragingsquirrel.com)
Over two-thirds of the world’s population employ prayer beads as part of their religious practices. Prayer beads have a variety of forms and meanings, but the basic purpose is the same: to assist the worshiper in reciting and counting specific prayers or incantations. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism are the major religions that use prayer beads in important ritualistic roles.Beads have long been linked with the act of prayer. - Questions About Prayer (graceindallas.wordpress.com)
Prayer is an interesting thing. As Christians, we say we believe that the Creator of the universe invites us to talk to Him at anytime and in any place. Yet we rarely take time to accept this invitation. There could be numerous reasons why we don’t pray. - 5 Things People Want Their Worship Leaders to Know: Week 2 (aaronwilliamsblog.com)
”What would you like to say to worship leaders?” Week one had some insightful and funny answers. Week two is equally intriguing with more great insight and some outright honesty. - Worship Or Playing Church?Many seem to have the wrong concept of worship. After pondering on Worship, worship is not in the music of particular, it does not matter how old, new, fast or slow it is. God has open my heart and understanding that Christian music is a label we give in flesh. If someone was to play music without any words would you be able to tell if it is Christian music? No. God created music and He loves music. He gives each person their gift be it Rock, contemporary, or R&B.
We are to choose the words that are pleasing to God. He test us to see what we will do with our gifts. Will they be used for good or bad? Is it used to please God, or flesh?
Not bounded by labels but liberated in Christ
In the Christian communities these coming day should be very special. In some Christian churches they still take time to remember that special weekend something happened which changed everything for the world.
Though most Christian communities have brought the accent to the birth of Christ and celebrate it on the heathen feast of the goddess Light, we should see the real light in the world and look up at the man who gave his life on the 14th of Nisan some two millennia ago.
It is the moment by which everybody could come a new creation. Through having become to the faith in Christ, it is like old things are past away and in his name we have become a “new creation.”
Though we have the same body as that man from Nazareth and all the men around us, we can follow in the footsteps of the one teacher, rabbi Jeshua, who was loved but hated even more. Because of the action undertaken by that simple workers son some day in glory, we will trade this temporal, earthly body as tent for an eternal heavenly house build not with human hands. Meanwhile, though we live in the same old tent we had in Adam, we are by the 2° Adam new tenants, a “new creation.” As followers of Christ we should have taken on new clothes and though we may have the same old physical brain, we should have been transformed in a new being. Every day again we should be working on our new construction and should we learn to think an entirely new way.
¡Jesús María! (Photo credit: supernova.gdl.mx)
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim. ” (Romans 12:2 The Scriptures 1998+)
“For “Who has known the mind of יהוה? Who shall instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Messiah. ” (1 Corinthians 2:16 The Scriptures 1998+)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Messiah, he is a renewed creature – the old matters have passed away, see, all matters have become renewed!1 Footnote: 1Rom. 6:2-22, Gal. 2:20, Eph. 4:22-24, Col. 3:10, 1 John 3:9-10. ” (2 Corinthians 5:17 The Scriptures 1998+)
As Jesus told us to pray to his Father we should give thanks to the Only One Elohim, the One having qualified us for the portion of or, to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in the light, who rescued us out of the dominion of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the ‘Son of His love’, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. It is this remarkable man, born -4 CT who is the image of the invisible God who went walking through many villages, along the lakes, in the dessert and on the hills, teaching the people to honour his Father who provided a solution against the consequences of the first sin of men. In Christ Jesus Jehovah God did find the first human being who managed to stay without sins. Like we all are created in the image of God, this one man was the only one who would become the first-born of all creation, figuratively existing before all of Gods New Creation, because by this Jewish man all things were reshaped and everything from the past was destructed. He cruised the curse of death.
By Jesus his death on the stake he offered his whole being as a Lamb of God and final substitute for the payment of sins. As the payment for the sin of men was death, now live was given again to all who wanted to accept this ransom. The old guilt is replaced by new forgiveness. By Jesus his action there has come forgiveness over all of us. Consequently, there is now no condemnation to the ones who are willing to give themselves in Christ Jesus. But than they really should not keep on to tradition following the world and having to be bound to human organisations or institutions. They should be liberated. Perhaps they want to have a label on their head, but that should not be the main point. Each one calling himself Christian should withdraw from every one who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from the apostles of Christ. In case the one in front of us, calling from the pulpit is not speaking according the teachings of Christ Jesus and not according the Words of God we should not listen to him or her, but only take Gods Word from the Bible at heart. The focus of those who recognise the man who died at the stake should be to try to live as him and to walk about and conduct themselves not according to flesh like most of the human breed likes to enjoy life. No, we do have chosen to meet each other as brethren and sisters willing to live according to the Spirit. We should not follow Pantheism or Buddhism or a set of special religion, but the mystical union of the believer with Christ in the Holy Spirit. For we know that this will lead to deliverance for us, through our petition and the provision of the Spirit of Christ Jesus, according to our earnest expectations, our eager longing and hope, that in nothing we will be ashamed, but with all boldness we shall be able to stand underneath the wings of Christ in whom we have found confidence.
John MacArthur on Calvin's Pulpit (Photo credit: six steps )
“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of Elohim dwells in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Messiah, this one is not His. “
(Romans 8:9 The Scriptures 1998+)
“There is, then, now no condemnation to those who are in Messiah יהושע, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the Torah of the Spirit of the life in Messiah יהושע has set me free from the law of sin and of death. For the Torah being powerless, in that it was weak through the flesh, Elohim, having His own Son in the likeness of flesh of sin, and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteousness of the Torah should be completed in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the matters of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the matters of the Spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. Because the mind of the flesh is enmity towards Elohim, for it does not subject itself1 to the Torah of Elohim2, neither indeed is it able, Footnotes: 1Or does not obey. 2John 15:5, 1 John 4:4, 1 John 3:9, 1 John 5:18. and those who are in the flesh are unable to please Elohim. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of Elohim dwells in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Messiah, this one is not His. ” (Romans 8:1-9 The Scriptures 1998+)
As we have chosen to follow יהושע Jeshua / Jesus Christ the Messiah, we should not be concerned to have a human label, being baptised than having to be a “Baptists!”, being renewed or being reformed than having to be “Reformed“, trembling at the Word of God, but therefore not having to be “Quakers!” , following certain rules or methods, but not having to be a “Methodists”. Following the advice of Jesus to come together, to meet or congregate but not having to be “Congregationalists” we should come together as brothers and sisters in Christ. And the coming days we should even feel more united, because we should celebrate the moment Christ Jesus cut the chains of this world and liberated us for ever.
In the early days of Christianity there were congregations of believers, which came together to remember the moment that Jesus took the loaf of bread and shared it with those whom he called his brothers and sisters. United in Christ we have also become Brothers and Sisters in Christ (or Christadelphians) and remember the day Jesus died for our sins, to open the Gate to liberation for ever, to be able to enter the Kingdom of God as renewed bodies.
In our choice to follow Christ Jesus we have become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
“Shimʽon Kĕpha, a servant and emissary of יהושע Messiah, to those who have obtained a belief as precious as ours by the righteousness of our Elohim and Saviour יהושע Messiah: Favour and peace be increased to you in the knowledge of Elohim and of יהושע our Master, as His Mighty-like power has given to us all we need for life and reverence, through the knowledge of Him who called us to esteem and uprightness. ” (2 Peter 1:1-3 The Scriptures 1998+)
“So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the set-apart ones and members of the household of Elohim,1 Footnote: 1Rom. 11:17-24, Isa. 14:1. ” (Ephesians 2:19 The Scriptures 1998+)
Having obtained a like precious faith, let us come together and gather in the name of Christ and let grace and peace be multiplied to us and all around us by a knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Therfore let us not look to find a church formed by men to mens wishes, but look for a community formed and moulded by God to His Will. Like Abraham of old, we “seek a city, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb.11:10). That is to say, we hunger for a godly community in every sense of the word. Law and order, peace and justice, truth and goodness, love and mercy, freedom and creativity. In one word — godly.
Jesus made it clear that He came to start just such a community on the earth. “I will build My Church,” He said, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The word He used is ecclesia, meaning “the community of the called out.”
“What, then is it that we have been called into?” To be sure, it is a community like nothing this world has to offer. The Bible refers to it in such comprehensive terms as The House of the Lord, the City of our God, and the Kingdom of Heaven. It is both local and global, as well as eternal. It is not institutional; but relational. It is gathered in the name of the Lord, governed by the word of the Lord, guided by the Spirit of the Lord, guarded by the power of the Lord, and garnished with the glory of the Lord.
And there is only one way into this Community; it is through faith in the Lord Jesus, evidenced by love for His people, which springs out of obedience to His word.
Do you want to belong to the world or to that community which simply wants to follow Jesus Christ and his Father, as Jesus did, and honour his and our Father with full honour like the Supreme God of gods deserves?
Are you willing to come to this community that forms the Ecclesia as Jesus Christ wishes?
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Dutch version: Niet gebonden door labels maar vrij in Christus
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Read also:
- Our relationship with God, Jesus and eachother
- Called Christian
- Meetings
- Congregate, to gather, to meet
- What and why Ecclesia
- The Ecclesia in the churchsystem
- Brothers in Christ
- If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life be
- Salvation (soteria) deliverance and preservation wholeness or health.
- A Great Gift commemorated
- Manifests for believers #1 Sex abuse setting fire to the powder
- Manifests for believers #2 Changing celibacy requirement
- Manifests for believers #3 Catholic versus Protestant
- Manifests for believers #5 Christian Union
- Sense or nonsense of “Human Fragility”
- Christian fundamentalism as dangerous as Muslim fundamentalism
- Roman Catholic Church in the United States of America at war
- My faith
- Christadelphian people
- Christadelphian Beliefs What Do Christadelphians Believe & Teach?
In Dutch:
- Een groots geschenk om te herinneren
- Bijeenkomsten een Ontmoetingsplaats voor hen die de Bijbel beter willen leren kennen.
- Verzamelen of Bijeenkomen
- Parochie
- Congregatie
- Pleidooi voor broederschap tussen christenen
- Al of niet verenigen
- Publieke overdracht van Manifest Gelovigen nemen het woord
- Een Manifest voor Gelovigen
- Publieke overdracht van Manifest Gelovigen nemen het woord
- Manifestanten Protestant of Katholiek
- Manifest “Gelovigen nemen het woord”
- Manifest tot protestantse kerk
- Niet winkelend
- Sharia een kwaad voor Islam
- Louise Weiss gebouw en Torens volgens Babels Ziggurat
- Over Broeders en Zusters in Christus
- Gericht op God
- Navolgers van Christus
- Christadelphians over heel de wereld
- Gericht op Jezus
- Wat leren de Christadelphians Wat Geloven & Leren de Christadelphians?
- Intenties van de ecclesia
- Al of niet verenigen
- Verenigen
- Een samenkomst of meeting
- Toebehoren
- Parish, local church community – Parochie, plaatselijke kerkgemeenschap
- Verzamelen, bijeenkomen, samenkomen, vergaderen
- Kleine gemeenschappen voor geloofsvorming en verspreiding
- Congregation – Congregatie
- Maken van een kerk
- Wat en waarom Ecclesia Wat is de reden waarom wij ‘ecclesia’ gebruiken in plaats van ‘kerk’?
- Opbouw van een ecclesia
- Opbouw van een ecclesia en verbonden kosten
- Organistie van de Broeders in Christus
- Krachten voor de Ecclesia opbouw.
- Christelijk Leven
- Vrije keuze om te geloven
- Welk deel van het lichaam ben jij
- Leden in het lichaam van Christus
- Eenheid van het Lichaam van Christus
- Laat ons samen komen
- Het eerste op de lijst van de zorgen van de heilige
- Geketend zijn door de liefde voor een ander
- Karakter omgezet door de invloed van onze omgang
- Een Groots Geschenk om te herinneren
- Geen Wegvluchter
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Related articles
- Jesus begotten Son of God #16 Prophet to be heard (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- A Great Gift commemorated (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- Not making a runner (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- The Spirit Delivers from the Power of the Flesh Romans 8:1-11(thechristiangazette.wordpress.com)There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
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For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, - Christians Behaving Badly (faithcontender.net)
Don’t you hate it when Christianity is painted with a broad brush — that it’s just a bunch of televangelists with carefully coifed hair scamming vulnerable people for money, Pat Robertson claiming to speak for God and saying embarrassing things in the media, Westboro “Baptist Church” picketing funerals and claiming that God hates fags? - 2 Corinthians 4-6 (mybiblereadingplan.wordpress.com)
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. - The Christian’s boast is in Christ (alcplatteville.wordpress.com)
Christians are a peculiar people. They live in the flesh. They live in the world. But they are not of the world. They live by faith in Jesus Christ (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17, etc.). Jesus is their confidence. He alone is their boast and their glory.
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Instead of putting yourselves before God and His ways, like Peter who wanted nothing of a suffering Christ and who was rightly rebuked (Matthew 16:21-23), be mindful of the things of God, not the things of men (see also Colossians 3:1-4ff). Consider who you are in the light of God’s Holy Law—a sinner, a sinner in need of God’s salvation in Christ; a sinner for whom Christ died, willingly, that you might live. - Sunday Class Notes: April 1 (lifereference.wordpress.com)
People are frequently quick to condemn others, but who among us is without sin? Can we look around and condemn our brother when we too are sinners? Condemnation is God’s job; our job is to forgive and to encourage and correct with patient endurance, not to condemn. - 1 Corinthians 1-3 (mybiblereadingplan.wordpress.com)
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
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Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. - Galatians 2:11-21 (markallenwhite.wordpress.com)
Is your freedom in Christ threatened by your fear of man? - Sanctified in Christ Jesus (justificationbygrace.com)
we are sanctified through Christ Jesus, because it is his blood and the water which flowed from his side in which the Spirit washes our heart from the defilement and propensity of sin. It is said of our Lord, —“Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing.”
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Christ shall put an end to all our inbred sins, and through him we shall mount to heaven perfect even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect. - We Are Ambassador’s for Christ Jesus (codybateman.org)
- The “Between” Life(meetingintheclouds.wordpress.com)
Do we live BETWEEN the empty tomb and fellowship with the risen Christ? Are we still clothed with graveclothes – evidence of our old, sinful nature -
or do we wear the graceclothes provided by Christ.
Do we fellowship with Him, drawing strength from Him,
discovering His will for our lives, living in His presence and following Him?
- 2 Corinthians 5:17, “On The Old Overtaken by What is New” (brandondevotional.wordpress.com)
When we believe upon Jesus Christ, that is the Jesus Christ of theGod-breathed scriptures, the old self dies and we are “born again” as anew creation. This new creation lives in us now, but will betransfigured upon our death and resurrection. - Past Perfect (redeemedandredirected.com)
The feasts celebrated by His chosen people became and remain unique andunusual. The term “feasts” in Hebrew literally means “appointedtimes.” They are intended to be a time of meeting between God and manfor “holy purposes,” and they certainly reveal a special story to us asBelievers in Jesus Christ as our Messiah. This week, as Easter
approaches and we celebrate our risen Savior, I thought it would be the
ideal time to revisit the symbolism in three of the seven feasts given
in the pages of the Old Testament.
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Be Your Brother’s Keeper (bummyla.wordpress.com)
Apathy, detachment, disinterest, disregard… no matter what you call it, it’s not an option as a follower of Jesus.
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In the same way that You were intentional in the salvation of man, may I be intentional in ministering to those around me. - Clandestine Christian (tammykennington.wordpress.com)
Before Christ’s death, Nicodemus was a clandestine Christ-follower. He sought Jesus only under the cover of darkness in order to maintain a level of both spiritual satisfaction and social standing.
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Nicodemus seemed unafraid that his affiliation with Christ might damage his reputation.
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As one who claims the name of Christ, do I find myself hiding in the darkness? Am I unwilling to mention the word Jesus outside of church? Is social status of greater concern than boldly living out my faith? Or, do I willingly sacrifice my life as “the fragrance of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15) so others might come to know the Truth? - The Soul confronted with Death (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
Elohim proves His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah died for us.
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“Therefore, set-apart brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling, closely consider the Emissary and High Priest of our confession, Messiah יהושע” (Hebrews 3:1 The Scriptures 1998+)
Reasons to come to gether
In earlier articles you could already read that we find it considerably important to come together as Christian brothers and sisters.
We must assemble or come together to feel the solidarity with each other in connection with Christ in our meetings and in our daily live. Those believers that come together have to show expression of their belief and have to give a clear picture to others of their agreement.
On Christadelphians you can find an introduction to the Tags “to meet, assemble, congregate” and on “ecclesia”.
In the light of the Bible, we look at why it is so important to come together and to form together a community.
Coming together or assembling, has not only to come together to a place but also getting involved with each other. Coming together is giving an opportunity to talk with each other. It can give occasions to lead discussions and decisions over the order of a service. In meetings first there can be considered how we will realize the service and how we can give the belief community further growth power. The entire structure of the ecclesia can come part of the discussion in a meeting, but also the contact with the men outside the community of religious and between the religious mutually.
Bible Study, Image by jonmallard via Flickr
This coming together or gathering can be a sign of togetherness by which we brotherly unite, meeting each other but also getting the chance to bring new people to the union. Also it is not bad to have reunions or special meetings like Bible-study Weekends, Bible Camps etc. on regular moments to reunite with other Christadelphians.
To confer or hold congresses, or larger assemblies could also be fascinating enterprises that are worth considering and generally can contribute to the welfare of the local ecclesia as well as to the general larger feeling of solidarity. Bible-days, Bible weekends, Bible-weeks, Biblecamps and other more than one day events can give an extra dimension at meetings.
Already in the antiquity, one had the “municipality of the assembly of Israel [Hebrew: qehal ‘`adhath-Jis·ra·´el']“. (Exodus 12:6) and important and larger events were taken to hold special meetings. Organized groups of men as the “municipalities of Israel” (Leviticus 16:17; Joshua 8:35; 1 Kings 8:14), “municipality of the true God” (Nehemiah 13:1), “municipality of Jehovah” (Deuteronomy 23:2, 3; Micha 2:5), and “Jehovah’s municipality” (Numeri 20:4; 1Chonicals 28:8) came then with each other specially to allot time for God and the community of His supporters.
There were different kinds of meetings of men, as for religious goals (Deuteronomy 9:10; 18:16; 1 Kings 8:65; Psalms 22:25; 107:32), for the treating of administrative matters (1 Kings 12:3) but unfortunately also for warfare (1 Samuel 17:47; Ezra 16:40). Today we can concentrate us fortunately mostly on the peaceful activity and on the daily service of the local belief community or ek·kle’ si·a, the ecclesia.
Formerly the public assemblies (Gr. : su·na·go’ ge) found mainly place in the Synagogue where one generally assembled to meet, collect, and to bring men in contact with the Word of God. And that must also be the principal purpose of our meetings or assemblies.
Jesus has brought a lot of men up from their seat to collect around him and who met regularly with his disciples to give their spiritual instruction. As these apostles after Jesus’ death came together , as on the Whit Sunday in 33 C. T., when the Holy Spirit was poured out on those who were together (Acts 2:1-4) we in imitation of these examples have to call and to bring together disbelieving people together with Christians to meet, to study the Word of God and to clear viewpoints in this world and to take the right stand, concerning the manner on which we have to live according the Will of God and to what we are going to do with the world.
Regular meetings will give us the occasion to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; strong and unshaking to the hope we acknowledge, and will create occasions to move one another at all times to love and good works. This stirring up like a fire among ourselves compassionate affection and good works can stimulate the whole community, the congregation, the parish but also the rest of the village. Therefore we should not be giving up our meetings, as is the way of some, but keeping one another strong in faith; and all the more because we should see the day coming near. (Hebrews 10:23- 25)
Like these assemblies previously could take place in the sunagoge, synogue or in the ekklesia or ecclesia (Acts 7:38; 8:1; 13:1; 19:23, 24, 29, 32, 41; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 2 Corinthians:1) the meetings of the followers of Christ could also find place in the house of a fellow believer (Romans 16:5; Philemon 2). Today we also can assemble in each other’s houses, public places or especially for that reason built buildings. But we may certainly not postpone the assembling because we would not have a special building or churches. No, we can build up at flaw of a church our ‘church’ in a usual living room or even in a cafeteria or a restaurant or in a conference hall. The assembling in a private house is natural the most simple and the cheapest way. The coming together in a living room brings a domestic atmosphere to the belief community that can make there then also a full house church .
In small groups, we can form then separate Christian municipalities or “municipalities of God” (Acts of the apostles 15:41; 1 Corinthians 11:16) that can grow into full church communities. In older Dutch translations sometimes the word “church” becomes used in Scriptures, in relation to the Christian municipality, as in 1 Corinthians 16:19 (KB; Leu). Since many people think more of a building think where religious services are held, by the word “church” then of a municipality that practises her religion, the translation “church” can be misleading. Therefore we, as brothers of Christ, give preference to use the word ecclesia as it was used before. The association of the “Church” with the Roman catholic Catholic churches with cross constructions and church tower must become put aside and the Church must be seen as the Body of Christ made up by the collection of religious people. The meeting religious people form together the church. They must feed the church community and make it really happen.
Read more > Congregate, to gather, to meet
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 3 so far )The Ecclesia in the churchsystem
Structure of an ecclesia and connected expenses
If one wants to form an ecclesia or church community we are dependent on several juridical and worldly matters and are not able to avoid particular expenses.
Today the time is ripe that we should let people come in contact with God’s Word and show them what is really written in the Bible.
We have come to a turning point in Christianity, because of the many scandals today in the Roman Catholic Church. Care has to be taken that those who leave that church do not lose their fate in God. They now ought to see that the moment has come to turn the tide. For those Catholics who leave their church it is not easy to leave their familiar surroundings to walk and in a quite new world of religion perception of a lot of smaller denominations in Christianity. Those who flee their own Roman Catholic Church, we should offer a springboard to a fresh warm church community in which they can feel themselves at home. We should show them that all Christians ought to form one unity under the wings of Christ Jesus. We as Christians ought to be part of the limbs of Christ which form the Church. We should let them see that all of God’s people make up the church. We are the church together. ‘Church’ is people. That is the view the earliest Christians had of themselves. ‘Church’ is loaded with so many connotations. Let we therefore get them to see that the basic unit of the church in the first three centuries was the ‘household’ or ‘oikos’ (Greek). Oikos refers to the ‘household’ rather than just the building. Households, in New Testament times, included wider family, slaves, servants, clients and in fact one’s ‘sphere of influence’. We as brothers and sisters in Christ should feel bounded together and should not feel that there are any differences between us in rank, colour, and age. Everybody in the community should have the same value. Our binding element should be Christ Jesus, who died for us all. Important is that as his followers we should be like being his brother or sister and should share the love with others as he showed his love for all those around him, and others should be able to notice and to feel that. Jesus went into different houses and showed in them how people could come to his Father. In one upper room he also showed the apostles how they should continue his work and have a meal together with other believers. Around the table he asked them to do in remembrance of him a breaking of the bread and a sharing of the cup of the New Covenant. Jesus did not do that in the temple, but in a hired room in a normal house. We also can either hire a room, use an open or public space or better still, use a living or other room in some ones house. Jesus was reared in a home in a family and as a family man he loved also the atmosphere and fulfilled his ministry often in homes. The house was, as today, the place where the basic unit of society lives – the family. Note the many times we read of Jesus eating with His disciples and with others – in homes.
Disciples were sent out on a door-to-door mission and Jesus also told them to continue their way in case they were not welcome at a certain place. After Pentecost, Christians met in houses. In Romans 16:3-5 and in several other places in the New Testament, reference is made to the church that meets in a home. Work and ministry in homes was part of Paul’s mission journeys. So people of today should get away from that picture of that gothic church building with a church tower, they should see that there are other forms of churches.
We should warm up people to study the Bible. And now when the big buildings, cathedrals and tower churches are left empty for most of the time we should try to bring the people together again to study God’s Word and to worship our Father in heaven. Today the time has come to show who we want to honour. We should take steps and follow in the footsteps of Jesus and his apostles. We have to go out and spread the Good News, but we also have to meet with each other and give honour to the One and Only God, Jehovah/Yahweh. A house church will offer more the occasion to feel part of a group than a big institutional church building or cathedral. There one is more quickly concerned by the event. Being church can more easily become experienced because everybody is concerned more closely.
Soufrière Catholic Church - Image by waywuwei via Flickr
In Jesus name, we can ask God to be able to build up a church community. He will give us support and also bring us in contact with the right men. But He let us also feel how we still are a part of the world. The worldly worries, concerns and troubles will remain circling the municipality. We always are hanging or fixed at the worldly standards and expectations. Where one stands or goes must one pay something. Stay load, gas and electricity, expenses for materials, moves and so more.
To start off in a village it’s possible to do that just with two or three friends – have a meal together, and share your vision. Plan to encourage one another, share you lives, pray together to seek God’s way forward to be and to do what He wants for you as a gathering and for the community around you.
In our small community it is important to be open to new comers. But we always do have to be aware that we all come from many different experiences in our Christian journey. The ecclesia does not have to have many people; it is more important that those who are present are people who want to share the Good News and want to serve God. However small it is important that they are willing to encourage one another, share life, pray together, read the Bible together, seek, find the truth ans stick to it, and enjoy God and one another.
We must let newcomers know that it is not necessary to have a set ritual or Mass with a missal. We do not need a book containing all the prayers and responses necessary for worshipping God throughout the year. Perhaps a certain order can be seen in the timing of a service. Like having first a welcoming moment, an opening, next a centre part with lots of time to be taken for the Word of God with Bible reading and exhortation, the Breaking of the Bread and then a closure. But there should be no strict format you have to follow or for everyone to agree on minor matters of doctrine for this to happen. It just can be inspiring to have every time a different service. Also we should avoid any regular uttering of preformed repeating texts. For newcomers it can be strange that we should not have to be afraid to create prayers or moments of meditation on the spur of the moment. Having such inspirational moments can bring perhaps some texts that would not be brought fluently enough when it is not a set text, but members should look over that and hear the message. Members of the community should be sympathetic to anybody who dares to open his or her mouth. Understanding has to go out to all those who bring something into the service. To speak out or to sing should be welcome for everybody. Sharing ideas, praying and singing together can make the fire burning in the persons present. And it shall construct of the way of feeling and being part of the church. A worship service has to be one of action and everybody in the ecclesia should be part of that action. All, young or old can contribute.
We must have consideration for the fact that many from the institutional churches often felt at ease because they were not noticed in the mass. In a certain way it is easier to be somewhere in the shade in a big church or behind the pillar in a big building. Sometimes people do not want to be active and we certainly may not force any activity on a newcomer but let him see slowly that as real pupils of the Messiah we should know that we have to follow the master’s example. Though if they do not have the desire to put oneself under the power of a “king” or an institution they should want to belong to the body of Christ, which is the ‘Church’. But we should let them see that the Church of Jesus is not one of keepers of tradition and not one of holders of the worldly thoughts and Hellenistic ideas. The desire to hold faith in a way that allows greater celebration of one’s real life is what should keep together those who form and come to an ecclesia. A hunger for whole-life spirituality. (A wonderful Puritan value.) A hunger for expressions of Christian spirituality and ways of operating that should engage the particular strengths of all those who want to have the feeling to be part of the same body of Christ.
We all should have the desire to explore more deeply aspects of our faith-heritage beyond the particular basis-of-association of a particular church, and to draw upon other traditions and ways. The desire not to be sucked into patterns of displacement activity in the face of a clearly focused “Great Commission”.
The experience of the Risen Lord was an ever-present vibrant reality within the individual and amongst the followers of Christ as they encouraged, blessed, taught and enabled one another, and as they joyously spread the Good News of the Gospel from household to household. Today is should not be different. We all should spread the word and that beautiful message of the Good News the New Covenant and the coming of the Kingdom of God.
By coming together in one place or other we can give each other a moment of blessed time. For us it can create an opportunity to build one another from the teaching we received from the time we could have free to read in the Bible. We should be aware that not everybody has the same chances to spend the same amount on reading the Word of God. Also not everybody has the same gifts to read and understand easily. So we all should help each other to see the light. We should give each other the possibility to bring forward some questions on all sorts of matters. All the questions brought forward can then be answered in the light of God’s Word. By bringing forwards different interpretations everybody can see and hear how others think and understand certain phrases in the Bible. Everybody can also share the experience of the ways of God in each person. Teaching and admonishing one another, all can look at and share prophecy, tongues and other gifts.
Christadelphian Ecclesia
All those different gifts of the many different characters in the community should be carried by faith that is rooted in the obedience to the teachings of Christ without parenthesizing whole tracts of Christ’s commands and abdicating their obedience to the professionals! All members of the Christian Community are members of the church and are the Church. So all present should have, in their right the same say. Except that there has to be made a certain order to have the service, or other activities, created in good order and to avoid chaos.
Giving way or opening up an ecclesia is a way of faith that recovers the priesthood of all believers and the church-hood of the believing family.
We should not be afraid that every worshipping service is different. What happens arises from the experience of God that each member has. Growth happens as the encouraging and enabling one to another takes us further on the journey as individuals and as a group. In the ecclesia we should enable and encourage the gifts of one another for the building of the Body. And this is easier to do in a smaller community, so it may not bother us that we are such a few.
To come to the growth of an ecclesia it not to bad to have a policy plan. Together conferring which way one want to go is there the big concern. We must hold in to account the general un-churching and the disinterest for God, but it may not discourage us. Greying and secularization are individual characters of our environment which we must hold in mind. To have eyes for the current situation of this world is essential for the surroundings. But we may never wish to sacrifice the individual character of our belief to come towards the time bound position of men in the neighbourhood.
In first authority a neutral meeting place is indicated best, but furthermore house meetings are ideal. The house church is the mostly close-fitting with the Christian tradition. Meetings of formation and equipment must become foreseen. Provided that the members who come to our beliefs community mostly did grow up in this believe, we must see the difficulty to bring them round from their community in which they grew up, so far to get it that they also want to visit our ecclesia once in a while. For this purpose it becomes important that they feel themselves welcome and that they also become aware that we are a community of men of this time.
Unworldly things must in every respect be avoided. And those things that at first sight look strange, especially with the eye on the accepted affairs, must be clarified on the first view with the Word of God. The Biblical explanation must lie on the foreground. Visitors have to be aware that for us the Word of God stand on the first place and is our most important guide. For some men can that well appear peculiar that always is referred to Bible verses, but that those Bible quotations are considerably important to bring the understanding of God’s Word.
The church has to show others that it is part of this world and that they themselves already are anchored in a particular culture. The church or ecclesia can show that they stand open for contemporary influences and trends. In some affairs, the community can go along but it may not disavow with it its own individual character. In the Church it must be possible as in the society having cultures live together and lead churches together. That variety can only feed the church community, when everybody holds them self to Gods Laws and follows the teachings of Christ Jesus.
If the church will wring itself into different positions to grow then the church becomes in danger. We can see this in the institutional churches who twisted them self in all sorts of curves to bring about that growth. And that can have unwanted effects. The attention for ‘outsiders’ can swallow so much attention that the care for the members of the municipality with it shatters. One can go so far in adapting the ecclesia to what one thinks that outsiders expect or wish that members of the municipality become hit and get a feeling of alienation. Many institutional churches became crooked and many churches become empty. One has given too much attention to serve the others to their wish so that the individual character of that church went up and down as a yoyo on and changed as hygienic men change of underpants. This was however not the manner to hold the Church clean. Purity in the belief community can be there only as it holds clear belief points and keeps to them.
Each Church community her future stands or falls with the extent in which the church there will succeed in the future in come closer to the spiritual needs of the younger generation without that the older generation gets estranged. Therefore it can be important to bring the discussions or subjects considerably in line to points of interest for both parties.
We however may not forget that it always is considerably important that we let our neighbours see that we are inspired are through the story that God is committed with men and has for them a solution in store. The Plan of God lies affirmed with us on the furrow plan and in the bringing to existence of the ransom or peace offering of Jesus Christ in which we got the hope of the New Covenant. That Story goes for thousand years, and still each day million men are inspired by it. It tells us of a loving God that gives security to men in this seeking world. It tells us also of Jesus Christ, who brings reconciliation in a world fully wounded and hurt men. It tells us of the Holy Spirit, the Power of God, that our men – and this world – can renew. This Story is the origin of the church in her many figures, the ground under her feet, her largest joy and fixed hope for the future. We must at the outside world let see that we believe in this and also find the power to share together and to go forward together to go in this world full discomforts making it so more bearable for everybody.
The Holy Scriptures, the texts from the Old and New Testament give us courage and summon us to seek what connects us actually in the meeting with God and with each other. From the hope that we can get from the Bible we must get the power to bring others to God, from love for them. This love for them must we let them feel them also. If they are conscious of our, without wrong intentions, openness and love, and our honest inspiration we can perhaps convince them. Through our words and acts, we must be an example and worthy to be called Brother of Christ. Not only vocal must we let it come to expression, but the onlookers must be able to find it also in our meetings and celebrations, in which we want Gods errand to be known. From the inspiration of the Story, we experience a pressing need in this time visibly to out ourselves and to be of meaning. As a community, we must direct therefore to the outside and have to be hospitable.
Our activities must be easily accessible but have really to try to involve everybody by the service, there that is one of our individual characters that we together make service and that everybody is equal. Therefore we should try to involve everybody to read together the Word of God and to discuss it. We must let feel everybody that how small their contribution would be that this would be a valuable one and be welcome by the whole community.
In each meeting or celebration must be preserved a time to have an active participation for all members, and time for reflection and silence. At the participation of municipality members all those members should be open to any other member, accidental visitors or invited ones. Everybody must be made sensitively to seek renewed and to have an eye for the interpretation form men outside the church. All must want to learn to come forward for our belief to become so an animated and recruiting community. In which we want to be careful as a community, self concerned round destitute people, nearby or far away, and prepared to stand up to them and to help them.
As believers who want to go together on the way it is important that we want to share the Good News with each other and want to show others that we make all part of it. That means that we want to know each other, not only recognize. Hereby is it necessarily that we work at our self, to form a right character and to get the right attitude. So we do also have to work on our respect for the whole belief community, show respect for other opinions and show that we want to listen to each other. Through showing to others that our brotherly love is not feigned but from sincere concern or sympathy, can we them brotherly take up in our community that we want to put open as a spot of reflection were men can discover who they truly are and what God of them asks.
It comes there on to build at a feeling of unity. Let us hope that everybody that holds a warm heart to the belief shall be able to work together. Each can and should contribute a stone, and that can be on all sorts of manners. They that can find no time to invest actively can perhaps feel happier by contributing financially. And how one turns it, we cannot do it in this society without pennies. Money is now a time a necessary wrong.
One of the problems which the municipality encounters is her invisibility. For many is the church no interesting and contemporary conversation partner. If the community want to do her missionary task, it must seek to start this conversation herself. Not only through getting her own activities better be known by these groups, but also through associating with other activities of the municipality or village. To operate well in the field, equipment is necessary: the municipality must well keep for eyes that the conversation with men, of little Christian belief, begins with a reflection on what belief itself has to offer in their life.
Men see today the church more as a provider of services than as a community of which one shares and take part of. Though it is important that we convince that giving love to one another and realizing that we all want to belong to Jesus is our main focus to the way to god and His coming Kingdom. We should try to get everybody involved to become devoted to one another in brotherly love, to edify each other and to build one another. (Romans 14:19; 15:2) Now the time has come to make every effort to be at one and at peace with one another (Ephesians 4:3; Colossians 3:14, 15). Jesus has given us the task to teach one another (Colossians 3:16) and to admonish one another with wisdom (Colossians 3:16). In such a meeting when we take time to study the Word of God we can do that. It is also an excellent occasion to do the same things as the first Christians did at their study and gathering together moments. Singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God one with another brings life in the house and let each other feel that they can be united. (Colossians 3:16)
The municipality shall have to receive the outsiders with hospitability without to disavow the own character of belief community. We must therefore examine in which extent we can accommodate. Being aware that identity gives security we should try to cloth our community with a clear identity. Every ecclesia has the freedom to choose its own form or identity, but it has to keep to the Biblical teachings in all ways. We cannot avoid that men in this post-modern time is more directed on relations. Churches have to form a community. The dividing of the meal is just as important as the listening to a sermon. But for us Christadelphians the Word of God is the most important and the Word part or reading of chapters from the Bible should take the most time of the service and be the central focus. All the texts in the meeting can be centred on the Bible chapters that are read for that day.
Men of this time have difficulties to be quite or to listen for a long time. Therefore it is most advised that each member of the community also is actively involved with the service, a.o. by reading each some verses from the daily reading. They are no longer been directed on the listening to a long sermon through one person, but the reader of the exhortation could try to have it enlivened with examples and changes in his voice. It can also help that when an exhortation from somebody is taken that all the members read successively. Men can sometimes learn more in a service through to participating more active and more creative.
To Plan for and to realize an ecclesia in a village or town a good communication is necessary between all the concerned, and for the belief community it is best as the entire community would become involved by all the projects. Together we must make it happen. There may not be ‘solo-tripping’, collaboration in teamwork and close cooperation can give possibilities to reach the goal.
Working together
Concerning the expense plate it should come to it that everybody can have a ready view on the worldly worries of an organization. Everybody should have a good eye for the worldly obligations to organize a church community. All have to look at the accompanying obligations in the right perspective. Tasks can be divided and those that are skilfully in a certain task can take that up. Every member can offer his professional guidance.
There is so much to do in an ecclesia. One can contribute to furnish it; taking care of the flowers, hall decoration, keeping clean the common meeting rooms, foreseen of the delicacies for after the service, etc . It are all, even sometimes likely small tasks which would become too much for one person to do, that must be done in the community, and where one mainly must count on voluntary co-workers.
Any occupation practice, that can be subservient for the church community can be shared with that ecclesia. Expenses can be saved in that way, through putting yourself to disposition for the community. So it will be ideal when someone that has a large space where he or she can receive men would put this to disposition for the expansion of the belief by giving it to be used by the believers on particular days to have their Bible study or to hold a house church service.
In particular churches there one counts on it that the members of the church community from their own conviction voluntarily give up a tenth (tithe) of their wage or earnings at the church community, as contribution to the expenses of the church community so that the costs of the congregation can be covered. By some churches, this (tithing) is seen even as something obviously and then we no longer can speak of a voluntary contribution but of a tax collection on the income. This collection or ‘Tenth’ becomes then used to pay the priests, pastors, ministers or preachers and to support the religious establishment. But we should persons, coming to our services and asking for our services, let them know that we receive freely from our God and that we also should give freely. Nobody in our Christadelphian community is paid like in the institutional churches. Because we are doing the work for our Lord we may not obligate people to give a financial contribution. But because we cannot do without the money to cover the costs we can leave the free choice to people to give some financial support as they wish.
For us the mostly suitable form for financial contribution is a collecting-box or basket behind or on an inconspicuous spot were anybody that wishes, can discreetly give a voluntary financial present. Or to make it possible to the members to present a gift by money transfer or by direct debit.
Only also through gifts within the church community, the ecclesia or parish can on her turn then again contribute to the commune, the town or environment. Churches have shown a long tradition in showing them in the middle-class commune. In the Anglo-Saxon countries we can find the custom that churches offer (offered) all sorts of people’s activities through the year. In our regions we do not have such a tradition, except when you take into account the renting out by the Catholic church of the parish house where then all sorts of eat festivities and other affairs are offered and local people meet.
But there have always been churches who try to be to the disposition for the needy and try to offer help where it can. For that lasting presence, also called ecclesiastic presence, according to some men professionals are ‘indispensable’. For them it is too much asked of the volunteers to have to do all that work in the districts alone. And actually is that well so, only one person cannot do this all, but in mutual cooperation of the church members that will well possible to have a roll of duties. Together all members can, under a particular leadership, spend attention at the problems in districts. Any respecting ecclesia should try to do the full task Jesus has given us. Helping others outside the believers group is also one and the role that the belief municipalities can play to improvement of those problems of its surroundings is an important contribution it has to play.
Were former parishioners quite narrow concerned on the ecclesiastic life, now it has become difficult to be find volunteers. Many people can find no time to invest with activities in the church community. For them, the financial contribution appears the easiest manner to support the church community.
When you are interested however in belief, you cannot escape to fix your relation unto the developments in the church community. Everybody on this earth must come till self research. Asking yourself: in what do I (want to) belief, what do I want to do with my belief, for what do I need the church community and which contribution can I furnish that church community? Because belief and church are not obviously anymore, it is also difficult to receive answers to these questions. We as Christadelphians should try to reach out our hand and be prepared to try to give sufficient answers and to give people a place where they can come together and feel at peace.
God needs men. He needed Jesus of Nazareth. But also does He need us to give ourselves to the world, giving the love hands and feet. In our actions should it be able that God’s Light can break through has been expected. This besides is what is expected of Jesus his supporters, that they spread and carry out the gospel further but also that indispensable love. Each other giving life… that can we! That we do by walking away from our own world and by giving each other attention, to take each other serious and listening to them, to their stories, their requirements. By letting each other feel our commitment: I am sympathetic towards you.
By coming together on several places every believer can carry out his or her belief and be support and crutch for others. The social contact that can be given in that community of that belief group then becomes of very large interest, a contribution not to be neglected.
For small belief communities, especially those who are not under institutional churches, it is more difficult to stay upright, to remain and to be able to cover the expenses. Because they already have lesser means to live on they are limited by what they can do. The mutual solidarity between men in the small belief community can certainly remain – how small in number the community also is, if this is been built on true belief. It there then becomes important for those small groups that they can remain enthusiast and that they remain searching to forms which suits their making church together.
As local believers we only can hope that by more men more understanding will come that the different part activities to service stand for the structure of one community and her mission. That more people would become more concerned and actively involved by the structure and the maintenance of the church community and may realize that a ‘large’ number of small branches are necessarily to bring everything to fulfilment. Everybody in the beliefs community must be self conscious that the church community must fulfil a positive striking and at the same time recognizable role in the towns community and that activities and projects of the church community can give a larger acquaintance at the belief community through which on her turn the community also again will be able to grow and so on her turn will get a good return.
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