Church Fellowship

We have Lovefeast tonight at our church and I am wondering how many of you do this at your church? We begin with a fellowship meal followed by the washing of one another’s feet and communion. It’s a wonderful time to remember and to reflect and be grateful for what Christ did for us.
We do this to "serve one another in love".

The Church I been attending has foot washing and communion.
I don’t participate in foot washing, but I believe it is scriptural.

What would be the main reason to go to church or to belong to a church? Spiritual growth can be attained by reading scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I need some insight on this one fellow brothers/sisters. I feel deep down that I should seek somewhere to congregate but I can’t explain the reason why? Please help!!!! God bless you all!!!

There are many reasons attending church is essential.

First, you mentioned reading scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, so I assume that you are of the belief that ALL scripture is used for "teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness." 2 Tim 3:16.

If so, then at least one reason to attend church is that God wants us to:

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Heb 10:25

God wants us to encourage one another.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 2:43

While "just" fellowship may seem trivial to us, it is clearly important to God as he puts it as a cornerstone of importance for believers. He places fellowship on equal ground with discipleship, communion, and prayer. This makes it clear that God finds it important.

Lastly, but certainly not least (and there are MANY more reasons that church attendance is important, but the longer the answer, the fewer the readers), the Church is the "Body". Each of us has been given a gift some apsotles, some teachers, healers, administrators, helpers, etc. Not everyone was given every gift, so as we are each a "part" of the body, not the entire body, we MUST be together to function as God intended.

"But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other." 1 Corinth. 12:24b-25 (for all 12:7-31)

So, if you are feeling a desire to congregate, it is likely God’s influence speaking to your heart.

Somebody posted this question about going to church. Is this an accurate description? (The reason I’m asking Christians is because they will know what they’re talking about, more than someone else might.)

<<<
"Want to know the truth about Christianity?
…then why not come to church and find out for yourself? There are friendly Christian congregations almost everywhere!

Church is about worshipping God, not judging other people. No one in the world is perfect, and no one is "better" than anyone else. By God’s amazing grace–proven in Jesus’ death and resurrection for our sake–His awesome love, forgiveness and healing are available to each and every person on earth. He turns no one away, ever!

A church fellowship is also about building strong communities, connecting with neighbors, and making new friends. In addition to the familiar Sunday-morning worship and children’s programs, many churches offer extra worship services, Bible-study groups, youth activities, community service, volunteer opportunities, outreach programs, and other ministries throughout the week.

If you’ve been to church before and thought Christianity wasn’t for you, please keep trying. You may need to visit several different churches before you find the right one for you. True peace, joy, freedom, love, happiness, and fulfillment are rare jewels in today’s world. To gain these jewels, and the ultimate treasure of eternal life, we must seek them patiently and persistently.

Won’t you join us this Sunday? We’ll be happy to see you, and–more importantly–you’ll be pleasing Someone who already knows and loves you!

Thanks for your respectful replies. God bless you!"
>>>

So, Christians, what do you think? Is that true? Would you take away or add anything?

Church denotes the whole body of the redeemed, all those whom the Father has given to Christ,

Church is unity. God has ever had only one church on earth. We sometimes speak of the Old Testament Church and of the New Testament church, but they are one and the same. The Old Testament church was not to be changed but enlarged (Isa 49:13-23; 60:1-14). When the Jews are at length restored, they will not enter a new church, but will be grafted again into "their own olive tree" (Rom 11:18-24; Eph 2:11-22). The apostles did not set up a new organization. Under their ministry disciples were "added" to the "church" already existing (Act 2:47).

Its perpetuity. It will continue through all ages to the end of the world. It can never be destroyed. It is an "everlasting kindgdom."

Mat 18:20 For where two or three gather together because they are mine,* I am there among them.

We do not have many people at our church,and our building has an upstairs fellowship hall that makes it difficult for most of the senior citizens to go up,so we are in need of a down level building to accommodate them.

Would the installation of an elevator be a better short-term solution than a new building or building addition? Elevators are not cheap, but certainly less expensive than a new building.

My church has a wonderfully historic upstairs that was used for some minor functions, and we recently installed an elevator. Our seniors and handicapped folks really appreciate it.

Hi, I’m backup drummer for my churches praise and worship band and we’ve been all asked to come up with at least one name for us. Our churches name is Emmanuel Bible Fellowship Church which is apart of the Bible Fellowship Church (www.bfc.org). Anyways, I’ve been trying to rack my brain but I just can’t seem to be able to come up with anything too interesting. We are looking for something very catchy (like Building 429, Hillsong or Desperation Band) that would draw people into praise and worship and have scriptural basis. So whatever you can come up with to help me out would be greatly appreciated.

How about Banding Together?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjJnUbofRDVIhRzZ2dv988kezKIX?qid=20060823093755AA4gBoK

I consider myself to be a Christian, and I will NEVER go to another church again in my life! I have had terrible experiences with all of them. Mostly a bunch of people who want to say they are perfect and point out your faults. I think God is in your heart. Peace.

I think church is for those who want to fellowship with others and want to be taugh more. I have plenty breakdowns of the bible and books about the bible. And so long as i do what i am suppose to, do i really have to go to church? I can watch it on t.v too. Just like the church pays the offering thats suppose to go to God when it really goes towards the church bills. It can go towards my house bills, don’t you think?

If you really need a church to keep your ‘faith’ up then you are either extreemly weak or insecure.

I would appreciate honest and COGENT comments, no rants please. My atheist friends are welcome to take your shots, just know before hand I have been there and done that.

First, let me say congratulations and welcome to The Kingdom.
Now, I don’t know where you are, but let me give you this piece of advice about churches….don’t join a church because of who the members are. Join a church where the preacher’s message speaks to your soul. You’ll know what I mean when it happens. Like a previous poster advised….try different churches. The Lord will lead you to a good church. Whatever church you join, don’t be afraid to question things that you don’t understand and research things for yourself in the Bible.

ok, we all know that there are many denominations of new testament churches. and i know that many of these different denomination have churches within them that try to teach the bible as best they can. as long as a church teaches salvation through jesus then it has hit the minimum requirements. but what i want to know is does a church need the hand of fellowship from a true church in order to be a true church. and by true church i mean the bride of christ, the church that jesus set up. without the consent of jesus’ church, is it ok for someone to just start a church simply because they dont agree with what another church teaches?
basicly does the bride of christ consist of any new testament church or is it only the church that he set up and those that have been started with his original church’s permission?
please do not refer to your particular denomination as the true church unless you can give reference to where it was started by jesus and UNCHANGED since then. a church started by a government is not the true church that jesus set up it is also nothing like the church that jesus wanted. their are saved believers and then there is his church. but is it the hand of fellowship from his church that makes a church right or is it just that they teach the bible without taking away or adding to it for their own personal wants?
with all due respect to catholics, all other new testament churches did not split from catholic. the catholic church split from christ’s church when emporer constatine threatened to destroy them if they didnt unite with his government. then later many catholics realized the err of their ways and tried to go back to the church they came from and this is where the protestants came from. but the church that the catholics branched from is still around and still operates, is this the one true church (and i dont mean the building) or are the other churches that started via the protestancy true churches also?

You are right. There are many different denominations of New Testament churches. Probably far more than there should be. For most denominations were began, because they didn’t agree with some small detal which was being taught in another denomination; or maybe in some cases, it may be big details which they disagreed with. But most of all, they should all be making every effort to teach the entire Word of God; including salvation through Jesus Christ as their main concern to be taught. In order to be a true church, a church should first of all have serving God in every way as their main goal. The bride of Christ, or God’s church, is a content of all of the Christians throughout the earth; regardless of what earthly church they may be a part of. It is impossible for a true Christian to not be a part of the Bride of Christ. If a body of believers, or a church, does not believe that they are a part of the Bride of Christ, then they are totally ignorant of the Word of God concerning the Bride of Christ. Or their eyes are totally blinded. For they are the Bride of Christ! And personally, I do not believe that people should be running around just trying to start other churches, simply because they do not agree with every detail of the church that they are attending. If a church is not teaching the Bible, the best thing to do is to leave it and find one that does teach it; not just try to run and start another one. We have churches on every corner of every street almost. And this would not be happening if Christians were living their lives as Jesus would have them to live them. We should be trying to come together; not getting mad at one another and splitting up every time someone hurts our feelings.

I have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, I Bible read that I am suppose to and go to Church and have fellowship with believers. Why what I am doing is a religion to some? I am not religious I am in a personal relationship with Christ.

Its not a religion…a religion is a belief system and certain criteria must be met for that system to be called a religion.

Many people have a "personal" relationship…or believe in Christ…but choose to have no formal religion. Sadly there are those who worship a religion or the Bible and do not know God at all.

For some of us we have both, the personal relationship and the identity of a religion. These are the more mature believers and the more intellectual types who have made a conscious choice to move their beliefs to a higher spiritual level. This is not the church on Sunday only bunch, lol.

The Ol’ Hippie Jesus Freak
Grace and Peace
Peg