Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquila
I visited an Apostolic church this past weekend. It used to be on fire. Tongues, interpretations, prophecies, devils cast out, healings, words of knowledge, etc. were flowing like a mighty river.
It's dead today.
I had invited a friend because I was so wanting to show them the "power of Pentecost". I was so glad my friend couldn't make it. Because the saints seemed tired, dazed, frozen in time, the music labored, the worship "eh". Very little emotion, weeping, running, dancing, etc. And there were those same old faces sitting in the same old pews they always sat in, just a little grayer. Very few new faces. In fact, it seemed the membership had dropped. At one time, they had filled a downstairs sanctuary and nearly half the upstairs balcony. Now you could fit the entire church on the first floor of the sanctuary, and perhaps if you had them scoot in close, they all might have fit in just one half of that first floor of pews.
I was really in shock. This wasn't the church I remembered. It was dead. D-E-A-D. Dead. So, I returned last night. It was even "deader". And as the preacher preached, it seemed over half of the people were preoccupied. It was bad. You know that slight "ring" in the air when a room that big is far too quiet? It was almost louder than the preaching and worship. I plan on going perhaps two more times. Why? I'm praying that it is just a dry spell. But they were talking about how, "This is wear it's at." That, "This church is alive and filled with power." When the minister leading worship said that, it was almost like his tone revealed not even he really believed it. I expected to hear that one solitary "Amen", followed by the popping of bubble gum.
It used to be red hot. On fire. It almost made me cry. I don't know what happened. There wasn't a church split. No salacious gossip of sin was flying around. No misconduct that I could see on anyone's part. Honestly, I can't say there is anything wrong with this church. I just don't know what happened.  |
God saw you coming for a visit?
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Could you elaborate? In my neck of the woods the churches just seem tired and spiritually dead. I'm not even seeing any gifts to grieve my spirit.
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I want to try to balance my post. There is one church that I know personally in my vicinity that is on fire and red hot. There used to be more "on fire" churches around my community. I just don't know what happened.
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So, all the churches in your area are dead. Oh, but wait, on second thought, there is ONE church that's "on fire and red hot."
But, for some reason, you aren't hanging out there? Why not? Or is that the house church?
Aquila, with the things you've posted, you'd seriously fit right in with a "new wine" charismatic "River" church. Try the local Vineyard church, you can be the next Rodney Howard Browne.
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