Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple
Lets talk about fellowship. I have experienced LESS in fellowship in Apostolic groups than anywhere I have been. I remember the first one I went to when I came into Oneness. They would greet each other coming in and say Praise the Lord see you next time going out.
I talked to the Pastors son in law about getting together for fellowship. He said ok and we went to their house one night. After a bit of small talk he said to us "Would you like to play some board games"?
I was a bit surprised. In the Jesus movement that I had come to Christ in our fellowship would be grabbing a stack of tracts and going out on the street witnessing and praying for people.
Afterwards we would meet together and talk about what we had seen the Lord do. We would pray and talk about the word for hours into the night.
It was so sad they had no understanding of Biblical fellowship. While a member and Elder in that Church I asked the Pastor about getting together for fellowship outside Church. He invited us and we went. We invited him and he came. One time.
Outside of the Church meeting that was it for fellowship. Years ago at another Church we went to we were never asked if we would like to come and fellowship and get to know the Preacher. One day when he finished preaching for about an hour and a half he stopped and said "Arent we having sweet fellowship in the house of God"?
To HIM that was fellowship! But I have seen this again and again among Apostolics. Even when there are "home groups" saints are given a "theme" of what they should talk about, not just free flowing fellowship from love.
Now several Apostolic home Churches I was part of actually did have fellowship and get to know each other as friends. I'm not saying Apostolics never have fellowship just my experience among them is that what they call fellowship basically means listen to the sermon and get behind the Preacher. Fellowship among saints does not seem to be encouraged.
But again there are THOUSANDS of Apostolic Churches out there. Again just going by experience.
A few years ago I met an Apostolic brother on Paltalk from a well renown Church in Wisconsin. After we talked a while I asked him how fellowship was in the Church.
His initial comment was "We have great fellowship at those campmeetings!" As we talked I could tell he meant talking for a while before and after the campmeetings but nothing about at his Church.
I pressed him about this and I think he told me at Church they had a pot luck dinner once in a while but no real fellowship. He even went as far to say he had closer friends that were not saved than in the Church.
So....how many of you have been to your Pastors house? Has he been to your house? Do you have friends in your Church that you actually fellowship with OUTSIDE Church?
Or does fellowship mean listening to sermons?
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One UPC we went to we regularly visited the pastor and his wife at their house. The next UPC we went to, same thing.
The apostolic house church we were with? Same thing, including visiting multiple members at their homes. We hung out, talked Bible, as well as whatever else people might talk about, with the Lord always present in our thoughts and conversation.
Briefly visited a Gospel Chapel (Sowderites, aka two-ness) church in OKC. After every Sunday service the sisters served up a huge meal and everybody ate and visited with each other for a couple hours. Plus, our neighbors were members so we occasionally hung out with them at their house (only a couple times, though, then we moved).
Then, we were at an independent oneness pentecostal church. We were invited by the pastor and his family to fellowship with them. Wound up staying at their house till sometime around midnight, talking Bible and such. This happened several times, including non service days.
Spent several afternoons at a Russian pastor's house as well, talking Bible and ministry and politics and everything else, and learning about authentic east European food as well.
But then again, I live in Dixie so people might just not be as friendly up where you live.
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