Sorry, I was trying to say no record of memebers could be good or bad. On one hand you may get to just restart based on attendees and memories. On the other hand the conference could say you don’t have your stuff in order and deny disaffiliation all together
Lovely
Who knows what they will do. I have a hard time trusting the DS Sam powers myself. Shortly after our vote to begin the disaffiliation process we had our annual charge conference with him. Naturally it was tense. But one thing that stuck out to me was when pushed on what would cause the conference to not allow a church out he mentioned it could be because a particular church was “acting out”. When asked what that means he responded by saying “you know, giving your DS a hard time for example”
Are most church denominations structured this way, or similar? I knew Catholic of course, but didn't know that the parent body of others typically owned the individual churches. Interesting.
Southern Baptist churches are all independent entities. There are state organizations, and a national body, but they are only for support and assistance, such as theOklahoma Baptist Disaster teams.
Yup, I can only speak to our SBC church but we own the church, parsonage and adjacent land. We also as an individual church make all the decisions of our church ie financial and employment including the pastor.
Churches of Christ are also not under any kind of regional, state, or national "headquarters." Each congregation is its own entity and owns or leases places to worship. Each congregation hires their own preachers and staff, and all contributions stay with each congregation.
Each congregation operates under a system where there are Elders that are essentially the ones guiding the church, and there are deacons (unpaid) that help with ministries and other functions of the church. Each church can decide their own ways of worship. For instance, some congregations don't believe in having Bible study for the kids. And, while most congregations do not use musical instruments in the worship, we did encounter a few in Indiana a couple of years ago that did use instruments. And speaking of instruments, we only refrain from using them in worship, and many of our members are quite musical in their own right. Thus, we aren't totally against musical instruments in our daily lives. (In my case, I play a very mean radio.)
The words of Jesus as I see them applicable to this subject.
John 10:11-13 paraphrasing
I am the good Shepard, who would lay down his life for them. He who does not own the sheep, but is hired to protect them, See's the wolf approaching and flee's so that the flock is caught and scattered. The hireling cares only for the money and not the sheep.
I am the good Shepard, and know my sheep, and they know me.
John 10:11-13 paraphrasing
I am the good Shepard, who would lay down his life for them. He who does not own the sheep, but is hired to protect them, See's the wolf approaching and flee's so that the flock is caught and scattered. The hireling cares only for the money and not the sheep.
I am the good Shepard, and know my sheep, and they know me.
The Lord is taking Names and numbers.
If a church follows the word of God it will flourish. By that I mean preaching the unadulterated scripture, saving of souls and a follow up of those that are saved. You don’t get people saved and forget them!
A church needs a knowledgeable preacher who has attended a Bible College or seminary and who believes in an outreach and the preacher must be above reproach, a man of God, having one wife and controlling his family as in the book of Timothy.
No opinion of man changed the word of God, it is was relevant now as it ever was and It’s more important today than yesterday. The signs of the times indicates we are getting closer to the return of Christ.
I might add that simply because someone attends church is no guarantee of salvation nor if one does not attend an established church does not mean that they are unsaved.
One’s relationship with the Lord is not a performance relationship, it is a personal relationship. And no man can question one’s relationship with God, that is between the person and god… not one’s friends or neighbors.
A church needs a knowledgeable preacher who has attended a Bible College or seminary and who believes in an outreach and the preacher must be above reproach, a man of God, having one wife and controlling his family as in the book of Timothy.
No opinion of man changed the word of God, it is was relevant now as it ever was and It’s more important today than yesterday. The signs of the times indicates we are getting closer to the return of Christ.
I might add that simply because someone attends church is no guarantee of salvation nor if one does not attend an established church does not mean that they are unsaved.
One’s relationship with the Lord is not a performance relationship, it is a personal relationship. And no man can question one’s relationship with God, that is between the person and god… not one’s friends or neighbors.
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