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Originally Posted by donfriesen1
Funny that. You say I see everything wrong in church. But yet, here I am - writing only about one thing - Ro14 - and not about the 'everything wrong' you say I see. That I resist your baiting, to change the topics of discussion, shows I do not wish to talk about every wrong. Funny that. This shows you wrong. If I would rant and rave about everything wrong at church you might hear of it here in my AFF writings. But yet you don't, do you Dom? You don't because it is a figment of your imagination. You make stuff up about me and tell it here like as if it is truth, don't you Dom? The elders and the pastor God bless them is my constant prayer, but I don't bless any who distort the interpretation of scripture. I leave that up to you because you do enough for both of us.
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This is coming from the man who claims we "should" read between the lines? Don, your posts since the first one in the thread bleeds about what you feel is wrong with the church. Your whole scenario of Pastor Doe and B.Smith is an altercation between leaders and members.
Quote:
Originally Posted by donfriesen1
The last time I checked, I saw that the church was a body of believers.
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Don, that would be the entirety of Christians throughout the world. What you and I are talking about in this thread. Where Pastor John Doe and B. Smith abide, is a local congregation. This is where a group comes together with elders. Could be a living room in a home, a home where the pastor lives. Could be a building where there is a pastor and a church board. Bills get paid by the leadership and the congregants. You can either get on board and join the team, or not. I understand that you want to see this all as the First Century A.D. but that's not exactly reality. You are dealing with a building (in most cases) and the group inhabiting that building. Last time I checked, Jesus and His apostles didn't have anyone sign visitor cards, or sell peanut brittle to help fix the A/C.
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Originally Posted by donfriesen1
Every part must take its proper functioning place. God has no place for big dogs who take the credit when they say 'this is my church, my building, my platform, my pews'.
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Sorry, if I'm not waxing philosophically with you here. But that is ideologically wonderful. You are correct, God wants us to all be one with only Himself as our head. Yet, we are in churches, those churches are either in living rooms, basements, attics, or small buildings to huge beautiful buildings. People run the services, and make decisions on everything from cleaning toilets to who will preach on certain nights. That's pretty much the nuts and bolts of it. The man in charge is most likely the one who preaches all the time, and the one who is sitting on the platform. Also the one everyone goes to for spiritual guidance. He is usually the one who pays all the bills, fixes all issues with the property which the pews are located. So, while you and I could wax philosophically concerning God's wants and needs concerning the Body of Christ and how everyone is fitly framed into the Body. We have regular good old bread and butter beans congregations with regular guys and gals running the show. Again, you can either get on board, or go find another group who believes along the lines you do.
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Originally Posted by donfriesen1
If I am a singular macrophage cell who has discovered poison in the blood stream, and want to point it out to the rest of the body, then I do the job which God created the macrophage for. If I don't do it, I show I have no purpose and the designer of the body will arrange to remove it.
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Readers? Was I ever wrong about what conclusions I came to from Don's thread? Don, this is what you are all about. You see I don't have to accuse you of anything. You add your own ammunition. You start the fire and I just pour on the gasoline. You see, if B. Smith is a macrophage cell, then he will always be looking for infection. If he then sees Pastor and Sister John Doe as an infection of the Body, then he will go after them. Point it out to the rest of the Body? Sounds like that macrophage cell has become an Absolom macrophage cell? Don, you aren't Martin Luther nailing your 95 Theses on Pastor John Doe's forehead. People can get delusional start seeing themselves as a religious reformer wanting to free the saints from their leadership. When the barebones truth is that the people are in that congregation for multiple reasons way too numerous for just this post. They may even see the same problems B.Smith is seeing, and have the very same issue. But when the time comes to overthrow the powers that be, they aren't willing or even care to do so. All that happens is chaos. B.Smith eventually moves on to his next show, and Pastor, Sister John Doe, and the elders end up picking up the pieces left behind. Worst thing in the world is ecclesiastical delusion. B. Smith needs to bring his thoughts and ponderings to the leadership. Do it with a sincere heart to present his case in love, salted with peace. But if he gets rejected, then take it like a champion. Either sit down, smile, and wave, or leave in peace.