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| Topic: Should religion be personal or congregational? | |
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Though most of the major religions teach the practice of devotions in a congregational form, but sometimes, we are faced with some contradictions or misrepresentations that make us not fully comfortable with the practice in our chosen congregation! Do you think stepping aside to practice your faith as a personal matter between you and your Creator serves you best in this kind of situation? Or do you think it is simply COMPULSORY to worship in a congregation?
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Why the false dilemma?
There is a difference between participation in group worship and agreeing with everything that comes out of a preacher's mouth. |
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Ain't much of a dilemma :-) But if you don't especially agree with the Preacher's way of doing things, don't you think you simply wouldn't flow with the service on the same wave lenght?
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Edited by
Ladywind7
on
Mon 08/13/12 07:36 PM
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Though most of the major religions teach the practice of devotions in a congregational form, but sometimes, we are faced with some contradictions or misrepresentations that make us not fully comfortable with the practice in our chosen congregation! Do you think stepping aside to practice your faith as a personal matter between you and your Creator serves you best in this kind of situation? Or do you think it is simply COMPULSORY to worship in a congregation? |
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My Grandaddy always said he didn't feel a need to go to church because he had a personal relationship with God. Made sense to me plus he could wiggle his ears. He had to be connected......
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My Grandaddy always said he didn't feel a need to go to church because he had a personal relationship with God. Made sense to me plus he could wiggle his ears. He had to be connected...... |
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My Grandaddy always said he didn't feel a need to go to church because he had a personal relationship with God. Made sense to me plus he could wiggle his ears. He had to be connected...... Exactly why I don't give out my phone number.....
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Yep. But I care, tis the difference.
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God rejoices when we join together to sing his praises.
But you should always have a personal relationship. Don't blindly go where some sheperds would lead you.... |
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Edited by
Dodo_David
on
Mon 08/13/12 09:34 PM
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Ain't much of a dilemma :-) But if you don't especially agree with the Preacher's way of doing things, don't you think you simply wouldn't flow with the service on the same wave lenght? When did group worship become dependent on an individual preacher? According to the book of Acts, whenever the Apostle Paul established a congregation, he appointed a group of elders to rule the congregation. When a congregation is ruled by a group of elders, just as the 1st-Century congregations were ruled by, no individual preacher can be a dictator. I stay away from those religious dictatorships that have the form of churches. There is a saying that is popular among the Reformed congregations: In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity. Pastor John Samson writes the following: Christians need to allow their brothers and sisters room to hold differing positions on some issues without breaking fellowship with them. This takes a great deal of maturity.
Church history shows us that the Body of Christ as a whole has not been very good at this. We tend to disassociate ourselves from Christians who don't have the exact same understanding of the spiritual gifts, the end times, Divine election, or even when a child is old enough to be baptized. These are important issues, of course. In fact, there is only one true biblical position on these issues - not everyone is right! There is a right answer and a wrong answer. In fact, there are many wrong answers. God is not confused on these issues, even if we are. We should note too that God doesn't ever give us the right to believe false doctrine. If there are two people with differing positions on an issue, at least one of them is grieving the Lord in terms of what they believe. Yet the point is that both people can believe that, disagree on a certain issue with a fellow brother or sister and yet believe the best of the other - that if the other person could be convinced by sacred scripture concerning the truth of the matter, they believe the other one would change their beliefs immediately. But disagreement on these important but non-essential things should not divide us, if we are united in the Gospel. |
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Unity is great. Sometimes you just have no common ground with religious people though. Jesus has set me free and I refuse to be back in bondage again for the sake of fellowship. Thankfully I have found an amazing fellowship.
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Yep. But I care, tis the difference. Yeah but can you wiggle your ears? Just sayin.....
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Edited by
msharmony
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Mon 08/13/12 11:02 PM
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Though most of the major religions teach the practice of devotions in a congregational form, but sometimes, we are faced with some contradictions or misrepresentations that make us not fully comfortable with the practice in our chosen congregation! Do you think stepping aside to practice your faith as a personal matter between you and your Creator serves you best in this kind of situation? Or do you think it is simply COMPULSORY to worship in a congregation? I think both are important. Our personal relationship with God needs to remain personal, but our journey back HOME needs fellowship and support to reinforce our strength in times of weakness and/or confusion,,,, the WORLD is all around us trying to confuse, distort, and distract us from our Walk,,,it helps to have congregation with those who will help us to focus and overcome those distractions and temptations,,, |
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Yep. But I care, tis the difference. Yeah but can you wiggle your ears? Just sayin..... 
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Though most of the major religions teach the practice of devotions in a congregational form, but sometimes, we are faced with some contradictions or misrepresentations that make us not fully comfortable with the practice in our chosen congregation! Do you think stepping aside to practice your faith as a personal matter between you and your Creator serves you best in this kind of situation? Or do you think it is simply COMPULSORY to worship in a congregation? I think both are important. Our personal relationship with God needs to remain personal, but our journey back HOME needs fellowship and support to reinforce our strength in times of weakness and/or confusion,,,, the WORLD is all around us trying to confuse, distort, and distract us from our Walk,,,it helps to have congregation with those who will help us to focus and overcome those distractions and temptations,,, Yes, fellowship and support is so important. |
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I personally agree our personal connection to God is a one on one relationship which we have to build and nurture ourselves, but having the right fellowship around us in our journey through life is also of great importance.
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