We went to Bradbury Mountain for what Damien referred to as a "Mountaintop Experience". Renee has some pictures and her thoughts here http://www.tougas.net/node/1115.
We did a lot of talking and walking. We broke bread at the summit and shared our feelings and thoughts about what things Christians do when the gather. Sharing needs, Communion and the Lord's day were some to the topics we discussed. It was a great day for laughter and sharing. I have to confess that every time we get together, my heart hungers for more of Christ and his people. The kids were a great blessing to all. There was a wrestling incident that involved tickling and piling on an Innocent adult. It's great to not send children off to some basement room for "proper instruction" but rather for them to learn the love and fellowship of Christ in a bright, airy, sunny place.
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
What makes God tick?
What is it that drives God? I know what motivates me, but what motivates God? I think the answer may be found in a familiar passage of scripture; John 3:16. In that verse it is stated that the reason God sent his only Son was because he "so loved the world". Could it be that the God of infinite complexity has one simple motivation? Simply love. This is what lies
behind all that God does. I don't understand the ways of God, but I do understand the whys.
As we seek to share life together, motivation becomes very important. All attempts at community will fail if we are not motivated by love. In the U.S. we are all about success and for most success is defined by wealth and influence. It is no different in the religious world. Success is how many people we had last Sunday, how much money was raised for our new building and how modern our facilities are. This kind of thinking leads to wrong motivation. We become motivated by the desires of the eye, pleasure and pride. It becomes all about the show, all about what makes me feel good and what makes my chest swell. If these things motivate us, it will poison the well of fellowship and drive us back to what we are coming out of. We will become just another group with an agenda.
To be motivated by love is to seek the welfare of another, at your own expense. It cost the Father dearly to love us. Every stripe laid on the back of Jesus is a testament to the immense love that God has for us. It will cost something to be motivated by love. It will cost pride, ambition and self preservation. It will cost all that we have. The wonderful thing is, that when we are cativated by the glory of the Fathers love, there seems to be no cost at all, only reward.
This is not something we can muster on our own. We need a Divine intervention, a new heart, a new life. This is the life that the Father wants to fill our hearts with. The life of his love. This is the life we live by, the life of faith in Christ Jesus. "It is not I that lives, but Christ who lives in me." The only way that I can truly be motivated by love is to abide in Him and He in me. I know what makes God tick and he is changing what makes me tick, so what makes you tick?
behind all that God does. I don't understand the ways of God, but I do understand the whys.
As we seek to share life together, motivation becomes very important. All attempts at community will fail if we are not motivated by love. In the U.S. we are all about success and for most success is defined by wealth and influence. It is no different in the religious world. Success is how many people we had last Sunday, how much money was raised for our new building and how modern our facilities are. This kind of thinking leads to wrong motivation. We become motivated by the desires of the eye, pleasure and pride. It becomes all about the show, all about what makes me feel good and what makes my chest swell. If these things motivate us, it will poison the well of fellowship and drive us back to what we are coming out of. We will become just another group with an agenda.
To be motivated by love is to seek the welfare of another, at your own expense. It cost the Father dearly to love us. Every stripe laid on the back of Jesus is a testament to the immense love that God has for us. It will cost something to be motivated by love. It will cost pride, ambition and self preservation. It will cost all that we have. The wonderful thing is, that when we are cativated by the glory of the Fathers love, there seems to be no cost at all, only reward.
This is not something we can muster on our own. We need a Divine intervention, a new heart, a new life. This is the life that the Father wants to fill our hearts with. The life of his love. This is the life we live by, the life of faith in Christ Jesus. "It is not I that lives, but Christ who lives in me." The only way that I can truly be motivated by love is to abide in Him and He in me. I know what makes God tick and he is changing what makes me tick, so what makes you tick?
Monday, August 13, 2007
Meeting Report 8-12-07
Eight of us had brunch at the Tougas' house. Each brought food to share. We began with the bread and wine, during which we reflected on various images of Christ and His people. The Vine and Branches, Shepherd and Sheep etc.. There was a lot of laughter and camaraderie around the table as we broke bread in Jesus name.
The table was cleared and the kids went to play outside, while the adults got into some deeper sharing. We met Tim from Mexico ME who shared his own desire to meet simply in the Lords name. We talked a lot about money. How to spend it, give it and earn it in the light of the kingdom and in the Spirit of Christ. Renee shared a song the Lord laid on her heart. It ministered the presence of God to all. We had no set format for the meeting. We just let it unfold as we and the Spirit wished.
We are planning the next meeting for Sept. 2nd at a place yet to be determined.
The table was cleared and the kids went to play outside, while the adults got into some deeper sharing. We met Tim from Mexico ME who shared his own desire to meet simply in the Lords name. We talked a lot about money. How to spend it, give it and earn it in the light of the kingdom and in the Spirit of Christ. Renee shared a song the Lord laid on her heart. It ministered the presence of God to all. We had no set format for the meeting. We just let it unfold as we and the Spirit wished.
We are planning the next meeting for Sept. 2nd at a place yet to be determined.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Meeting Report 08/04/07
Renee has already done a great job with a report on this meeting see her post http://tougas.net/node/1090.
I'll only add that we were indeed an intimate group and enjoyed the conversation greatly. We are having a hard time with finding words to describe what it is we are doing. For now we are kind of stuck on "House Church". Though I'm not really happy with it.
I'll only add that we were indeed an intimate group and enjoyed the conversation greatly. We are having a hard time with finding words to describe what it is we are doing. For now we are kind of stuck on "House Church". Though I'm not really happy with it.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
The Declaration of Dependence
When in the course of human and heavenly events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the spiritual bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of earth and heaven, the separate and more powerful station to which the King and His Kingdom entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind require that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold the Word of God as The Truth. The Truth was given to all men that they might have life, liberty and the freedom to pursue their God. That to secure these truths, a government exist among men and angels, deriving its just power from its Creator and King, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to declare and decree a new government, laying the foundation on the Word of God.
We declare and decree that the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; And he shall reign for ever and ever.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Might God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Richard H.
We hold the Word of God as The Truth. The Truth was given to all men that they might have life, liberty and the freedom to pursue their God. That to secure these truths, a government exist among men and angels, deriving its just power from its Creator and King, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to declare and decree a new government, laying the foundation on the Word of God.
We declare and decree that the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; And he shall reign for ever and ever.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Might God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Richard H.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Meeting report - 6/30/7
We had a "meating" at the Tougas' home with some 11 or so folks from a couple of house-churches. We started with sharing wine and bread and moved on to some serious eating. 
The kids (15 of them) had fun playing together outside in the garden. The weather was pleasant so we shared our meal outside. Each family was given a cup for communion and we passed around a loaf of sweet challah bread. The fare was vegetarian, though not be design. After eating the brothers kind of gravitated to the garage where we shared our thoughts on church as well as our personal stories of our adventures in Christ. We moved into the house for a more formal gathering in the living room.
We shared music, read scripture and prayed for those in need. It was great to ask questions of others doing house-church and to swap stories. We are just starting this journey together. Not sure where it will lead but excited by the possibilities.
The kids (15 of them) had fun playing together outside in the garden. The weather was pleasant so we shared our meal outside. Each family was given a cup for communion and we passed around a loaf of sweet challah bread. The fare was vegetarian, though not be design. After eating the brothers kind of gravitated to the garage where we shared our thoughts on church as well as our personal stories of our adventures in Christ. We moved into the house for a more formal gathering in the living room.We shared music, read scripture and prayed for those in need. It was great to ask questions of others doing house-church and to swap stories. We are just starting this journey together. Not sure where it will lead but excited by the possibilities.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Foundations
1 Corinthians 3:1-15
Brothers, I couldn't speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat; for you weren’t yet ready. Indeed, not even now are you ready,for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren’t you fleshly, and don’t you walk in the ways of men? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you fleshly?
Carnality will keep us from understanding spiritual things. As long as we live in division from each other, we will not be able to handle anything of spiritual substance. We will be perpetual babies in need of having the truths of God feed to us second hand. Never coming to know the reality of the Kingdom but only the shadow. What shame is brought to the body of Christ by those who are actually proud of the fact that they are followers of men. One says "I'm a Calvinist another says "I'm of Wesley", aren't we fleshly?
Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed; and each as the Lord gave to him? I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it.
Paul, unlike today's preachers, refuses to take the center stage in the lives of believers. This was Paul's chance to seize power. All he had to do was tell those carnal Corinthians that he, Paul, was the one who first brought them the Gospel and they should therefore be loyal to him. Instead he blows his chance and tells them that he is only one of many workers. He recognizes his role as a "wise master builder" was to lay the foundation while another will build on it. Rather than living off of the church he laid the foundation for, he moved on to make room for others to build on it. He was only one part of an ongoing process.
But let each man be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble; each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is. If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.
Brothers, I couldn't speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat; for you weren’t yet ready. Indeed, not even now are you ready,for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren’t you fleshly, and don’t you walk in the ways of men? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you fleshly?
Carnality will keep us from understanding spiritual things. As long as we live in division from each other, we will not be able to handle anything of spiritual substance. We will be perpetual babies in need of having the truths of God feed to us second hand. Never coming to know the reality of the Kingdom but only the shadow. What shame is brought to the body of Christ by those who are actually proud of the fact that they are followers of men. One says "I'm a Calvinist another says "I'm of Wesley", aren't we fleshly?
Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed; and each as the Lord gave to him? I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it.
Paul, unlike today's preachers, refuses to take the center stage in the lives of believers. This was Paul's chance to seize power. All he had to do was tell those carnal Corinthians that he, Paul, was the one who first brought them the Gospel and they should therefore be loyal to him. Instead he blows his chance and tells them that he is only one of many workers. He recognizes his role as a "wise master builder" was to lay the foundation while another will build on it. Rather than living off of the church he laid the foundation for, he moved on to make room for others to build on it. He was only one part of an ongoing process.
But let each man be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble; each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is. If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.
There is only one foundation for the church and that foundation in Jesus Christ. We are only building on a foundation that others have laid. Many have built on the foundation, but they have used inferior materials. They build with memberships, programs and money. These are temporal things that will only be burned up in Judgement. The precious materials are harder to come by. They involve faith, hope and love. Things that last forever.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
What Simple Church Looks Like
Acts 2:42 - 47
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people.
And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
This passage provides us with a great overview of what the early church looked like. It provides for us the original model for the community of believers.
Four Devotions
They devoted themselves to these things on a daily basis.
Apostles Doctrine (teaching).
fellowship
Breaking of bread and
prayers
Effect on the World
Awe and wonders
Day to Day life
Together with all things common
Daily public gatherings and breaking bread in homes.
The Lord added daily.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people.
And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
This passage provides us with a great overview of what the early church looked like. It provides for us the original model for the community of believers.
Four Devotions
They devoted themselves to these things on a daily basis.
Apostles Doctrine (teaching).
fellowship
Breaking of bread and
prayers
Effect on the World
Awe and wonders
Day to Day life
Together with all things common
Daily public gatherings and breaking bread in homes.
The Lord added daily.
True to God, Yourself and Others
Being genuine before God.
We must be honest before God. Honest about words, our thoughts and our actions. The redemption we have through Christ allows us to enter this place of honesty with God. If God has forgiven us, then there is no reason to be false with Him. We live in the knowledge that He loves us where we are. There is truly nothing to hide because his Love has been given to us by the Holy Spirit.
Being genuine with yourself.
The one person we lie to the most is ourselves. We think one thing and do another. This disparity between thought and action robs peace from our hearts. It is hard to be truly bold before God, if we are accusing ourselves inwardly. First we must be honest with God about ourselves. This will bring us to honesty with ourselves. When we accept Gods assessment we can begin to find peace.
Being genuine with others.
We put up false fronts before others because we care what they think about us. To some degree this is healthy and normal. After all we don't want to bring offense without cause. On the other hand if we find that we are putting up a persona to others that dose not reflect our true selves then we will find ourselves in a great difficulty. The difficulty is this; are we putting up a false persona or is the false persona a real one? To put it another way, if we have been faking it, then what does that say about our real self? The way out begins with finding our selves in God.
Accepting God's assessment.
We must accept the person God has made us and realize there is a person He is making us into. If we think we are shy, it may be to show the meekness of God. If bold, His fierceness. However He has made us, let us accept His assessment and live genuinely before Him. This genuineness with God naturally leads to honesty with ourselves and others. Be who you are before God inwardly and you will be who you are before others.
We must be honest before God. Honest about words, our thoughts and our actions. The redemption we have through Christ allows us to enter this place of honesty with God. If God has forgiven us, then there is no reason to be false with Him. We live in the knowledge that He loves us where we are. There is truly nothing to hide because his Love has been given to us by the Holy Spirit.
Being genuine with yourself.
The one person we lie to the most is ourselves. We think one thing and do another. This disparity between thought and action robs peace from our hearts. It is hard to be truly bold before God, if we are accusing ourselves inwardly. First we must be honest with God about ourselves. This will bring us to honesty with ourselves. When we accept Gods assessment we can begin to find peace.
Being genuine with others.
We put up false fronts before others because we care what they think about us. To some degree this is healthy and normal. After all we don't want to bring offense without cause. On the other hand if we find that we are putting up a persona to others that dose not reflect our true selves then we will find ourselves in a great difficulty. The difficulty is this; are we putting up a false persona or is the false persona a real one? To put it another way, if we have been faking it, then what does that say about our real self? The way out begins with finding our selves in God.
Accepting God's assessment.
We must accept the person God has made us and realize there is a person He is making us into. If we think we are shy, it may be to show the meekness of God. If bold, His fierceness. However He has made us, let us accept His assessment and live genuinely before Him. This genuineness with God naturally leads to honesty with ourselves and others. Be who you are before God inwardly and you will be who you are before others.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Advice for Wannabee Missionaries.
Here are some very good points regarding missions. I found this while surfing. Check out the link to see a full series of articles based on each point.
1. Skip Bible school; instead learn how to plant churches in real-life.
2. Engage with the culture, but dare to be authentically foreign; don't imitate the locals.
3. Count the cost and learn the language.
4. Get a job that helps you meet lots of people, and join a club.
5. Forget about targets and 5-year plans; get a (family) life.
6. Resist the temptation of forming a holy bubble with other missionaries.
7. Beware of support with strings attached; stay financially free to be able to move with God.
8. When you plant a church, don't stay on as a pastor; your best gift to the church is to move on.
http://www.simplice.net/en/artigo.php?cat=&id=595
1. Skip Bible school; instead learn how to plant churches in real-life.
2. Engage with the culture, but dare to be authentically foreign; don't imitate the locals.
3. Count the cost and learn the language.
4. Get a job that helps you meet lots of people, and join a club.
5. Forget about targets and 5-year plans; get a (family) life.
6. Resist the temptation of forming a holy bubble with other missionaries.
7. Beware of support with strings attached; stay financially free to be able to move with God.
8. When you plant a church, don't stay on as a pastor; your best gift to the church is to move on.
http://www.simplice.net/en/artigo.php?cat=&id=595
Monday, April 02, 2007
Toward a Biblical Church Model
The model of the church presented in the scriptures is quite different from the one we see today.
The primitive church survived, even thrived, without most of the things many would consider necessities for a successful church. Comparing the early church to our present day model and we will discover some interesting facts.
1. She did quite well without a centralized leadership structure. The leadership of the early church was quite democratic for its day. Decisions were made by the Apostles, elders, brothers and anyone else who had a stake in the topic at hand. We read of elders being given responsibility to oversee the congregations. Elders in the New Testament are almost always spoken of in the plural. There was no head or senior elder. There was just Elders and the church.
The pastor as we know him today does not exist in the New Testament.
2. She had no order of worship. There is not one example of a standard liturgy in the NT. Not one. None. Nada. Zip. The only order of worship was whatever the Holy Spirit should direct.
3. They had no church buildings. Church buildings did not begin to emerge for 300 years after the time of the Apostles. A simple gathering in the home or public place was all our early brothers and sisters needed to carry out their mission.
4. They did not run programs. No support or affinity groups. No special interest meetings. How did they do it?
5. There was no official statement of Faith. Theology was unheard of. In fact theological debate was discouraged. Something they called "Truth in Love" was the main theme of those early years.
After comparing our model with the early church, I have to wonder how did they do it? How could they possibly hope to succeed without strong pastoral leadership and a well written vision statement? How could they have reached the lost without radio or television? They could not even give everybody a bible! These poor ignorant souls did not have Bible colleges, seminaries and universities to train Pastors. They lacked the technology to do marketing studies to determine the best strategy to reach their core demographic. How could they operate as a church without a building, pews or even a pulpit? Let's take a look at the early church model, perhaps we can learn something from these primitive unlearned people.
1. They were a community held together by a common faith in Jesus Christ.
2. Each gathering directed it's own affairs without centralized leadership.
3. The Holy Spirit had a direct influence in their meetings.
4. They lovingly watched over each others spiritual welfare.
5. Christ was held up as the head of the gathering of believers.
6. The gospel was simple and easy to understand.
The primitive church survived, even thrived, without most of the things many would consider necessities for a successful church. Comparing the early church to our present day model and we will discover some interesting facts.
1. She did quite well without a centralized leadership structure. The leadership of the early church was quite democratic for its day. Decisions were made by the Apostles, elders, brothers and anyone else who had a stake in the topic at hand. We read of elders being given responsibility to oversee the congregations. Elders in the New Testament are almost always spoken of in the plural. There was no head or senior elder. There was just Elders and the church.
The pastor as we know him today does not exist in the New Testament.
2. She had no order of worship. There is not one example of a standard liturgy in the NT. Not one. None. Nada. Zip. The only order of worship was whatever the Holy Spirit should direct.
3. They had no church buildings. Church buildings did not begin to emerge for 300 years after the time of the Apostles. A simple gathering in the home or public place was all our early brothers and sisters needed to carry out their mission.
4. They did not run programs. No support or affinity groups. No special interest meetings. How did they do it?
5. There was no official statement of Faith. Theology was unheard of. In fact theological debate was discouraged. Something they called "Truth in Love" was the main theme of those early years.
After comparing our model with the early church, I have to wonder how did they do it? How could they possibly hope to succeed without strong pastoral leadership and a well written vision statement? How could they have reached the lost without radio or television? They could not even give everybody a bible! These poor ignorant souls did not have Bible colleges, seminaries and universities to train Pastors. They lacked the technology to do marketing studies to determine the best strategy to reach their core demographic. How could they operate as a church without a building, pews or even a pulpit? Let's take a look at the early church model, perhaps we can learn something from these primitive unlearned people.
1. They were a community held together by a common faith in Jesus Christ.
2. Each gathering directed it's own affairs without centralized leadership.
3. The Holy Spirit had a direct influence in their meetings.
4. They lovingly watched over each others spiritual welfare.
5. Christ was held up as the head of the gathering of believers.
6. The gospel was simple and easy to understand.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Church Models - Introduction - The Current Model
A model, as we are using the term, refers to a prototype design. It's a sort of cookie-cutter approach to building things. Consider the model that most homes in the U.S. ,perhaps the world, follow. They have a front door, a place called a living room, a bedroom, some kind of heating unit and so on. These are all things required by most human beings to live comfortably. Looking at it from this perspective, we could say most houses are pretty much the same. The differences are mostly cosmetic. A model is a preconceived idea that acts as a pattern of design.
The Current Model
There are hundreds of denominations that call themselves Christian and there must be tens of thousands of smaller churches with all kinds of distinctions. (1) It would seem that they are all different, but in fact they almost all follow the same model. If you strip away the externals of dress, language and culture you will come down to the same basic structure.
1. They all have a person, usually specially trained and paid, to do all the holy things. Some of the titles used for this include pastor, priest, bishop, teacher, elder, apostle, prophet, teacher, facilitator, leader etc. Whatever you call him or her they perform essentials the same priestly or pastoral functions.
The Current Model
There are hundreds of denominations that call themselves Christian and there must be tens of thousands of smaller churches with all kinds of distinctions. (1) It would seem that they are all different, but in fact they almost all follow the same model. If you strip away the externals of dress, language and culture you will come down to the same basic structure.
1. They all have a person, usually specially trained and paid, to do all the holy things. Some of the titles used for this include pastor, priest, bishop, teacher, elder, apostle, prophet, teacher, facilitator, leader etc. Whatever you call him or her they perform essentials the same priestly or pastoral functions.
- Officiate at weddings, funerals and other milestones of life.
- Present a sermon, teaching, talk, lecture on a weekly basis.
- Serve communion, baptize, anoint and perform other rituals.
- Oversee the other ministries in the church
- Visit, pray for and comfort people
- Represent the church to the community
- In many churches this person will act as the CEO of the board
- This person may also be responsible for the upkeep of the facilities, the oversight of the finances and various other mundane administrative tasks
- Opening prayer (invocation)
- congregation singing
- A special performer may present a song
- An offering and announcements
- The specialist gets up and speaks
- Closing prayer (benediction)
They may have a thing called "Communion" or "the Eucharist", sometimes monthly and sometimes weekly. This is a cracker of some sort and a bit of juice. Some even use real wine and or bread.
There are many variations, such as the day of the week they meet or kind of songs they sing, but they are essentials the same in structure. Speaking of structure....
3. A building is nearly essential to most churches. In fact the very word "church" invokes in peoples minds the image of a white building with a tall steeple. This piece of holy architecture usually contains an area called "the sanctuary" where "the Service" is held. Some will call this building "The House of God". This is kind of sad, since most people only visit God in His house once a week.
4. They all run meetings and programs. There are programs for everything under the sun and most of them take place in the holy building. Programs for dads, moms, kids, singles, couples, addictions, and on and on and on. It's possible, in many churches, to be out every night of the week, participating in a program. It would seem the solution to every problem can be found in the right program.
5. They all have a statement of faith and practice to distinguish themselves from other groups. Some have to baptize with immersion, others sprinkle, some require a certain kind of dress, others are casual. The list is endless and the degree that people are required to follow them vary. This one thing is true about all of them; they have rules and you had better follow them if you are going to be a good Christian.
Next we will look at the model of the church presented in the New Testament.
1. Wikipedia
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