every church has it's problems and it's shortcomings, but a GOOD church preaches the Word of God and reaches out to its members in a friendly caring Christian way so you don't feel uncomfortable. personally for me a good church preaches from the King James only, and not these new world hocus pocus translations. it's in revelations that in the last days people won't be able to fellowship one with another properly because they won't be quoting from the same bible anymore. so i don't like it.
the other thing is, we certainly ARE to gather in HIS name. we ARE to worship IN THE BODY, meaning TOGETHER. certain men absolutely ARE ordained to teach preach and minister. but not every guy with the fire in his soul is supposed to go into a preaching ministry and start building a church BUILDING. that's not what God said to do.
all that being said, it is definitely GOOD to go forth and find a church that you like, one you feel comfortable at, one that you feel is feeding and growing you spiritually. some say not to find fault with any church but to keep going because maybe God has something for you to do there. some can say that because they already have a good church. so that would apply if you have a good church you are being fed spiritually at and feel comfortable praying with people or asking people questions or approaching the pastor without having the wife give you dirty looks. and if your church is doing something you don't like or you think they shouldn't be doing, then i say grab your king james bible and run for the hills.
not going to church is better than going to one that is doing unbiblical things. unless a person has influence and is connected it would be wise to find another church, period.
people all over the place will say God told me this and God told me that. if God tells you something, guess what, IT's JUST FOR YOU. that's not what you preach to other people. what men should be preaching is the WORD OF GOD, period.
it's in the bible, there will be NO MORE PROPHECYING, it is done, the prophets in the old testament did all the foretelling that the people need, and that was to tell about the coming of our Lord and Savior. then when Jesus came He didn't preach HIMSELF. Jesus didn't go around preaching "The Gospel of Jesus" He WAS the Gospel of Jesus! Jesus came and preached the "Gospel of the Kingdom of God in Heaven" Jesus preached about His Father and the ways of Heaven. there are 3 Gospels. GOSPEL means TRUTH. and there are THREE TRUTHS.
The Gospel of Jesus -(what anybody even comes close to preaching about, if we're lucky)
The Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven -(which Jesus preached and told us to preach as well)
The Gospel of the Godhead -(which is the TRUTH that a triune God exists in the form of the FATHER< the SON<and the HOLY GHOST)*
there are THREE Gospels because THREE is God's magic number for completeness.
if we look at Gods word and take it for what it says God said in His OWN Words, that He is CLEAR about what He says. it is the serpent of hell that makes things have more than one or two face value meanings to them. When Jesus taught in parables, Jesus clearly stated He would be teaching in parables so the people knew what to expect. Jesus never called them metaphors, MAN calls them metaphors and makes metaphors out of everything. that is the work of satan. IF there is any point at all that God wants us to know more or reveal something to us or give us knowledge about something, it is intended for YOU and YOU only, AND it is revealed TO you BY His Holy Spirit. you can share it with other Christians, but you can't preach it to people and expect them take it as sound doctrine. it creates a stumbling block to new believers who need to build their faith on a strong solid foundation of established TRUTHS. All God wants from us is our FAITH*
we are to hold bible studies in our own homes with neighbors friends or anyone who wants to learn the bible, we are not to make our churches a place where people can be excluded by such practices that can deem ourselves superior to others by the appearance of our actions to be more righteous than non church goers. these activities are exactly why people DON'T want to go to church or try going to one for the first time. worshipping the Lord in song and Praise and reading from His Holy Word and clapping and being friendly are what brings people in to churches. anyone could come in and feel comfortable and sense the presence of God in such a place that is singing of God's goodness and saving Grace.we are not to soil the temple by feasting and carrying on like the heathens. this includes potlucks and taking communion too often. church isnt social hour where people can feel left out if they arent accepted. church should be a place of acceptance, prayer, forgiveness, friendship, singing, praising, clapping, shouting, dancing, loud amens, Godly teaching to our young people. if events are to be held they should be open to the public and posted for other times than church times and not held at the church. these other events should be held in other places so people can either come and have fun and meet christians, ask questions, receive ministering or prayer and BE INVITED to attend a worship service. there shouldn't be any such thing as a church family, church families by it's very moniker excludes anyone who isn't in the family. this creates a body of believers who begin to feel exclusive and superior and when an outsider walks in they tend to not be as welcomed because they would upset the usual practices of the already established church family and that is anti christian behavior. christians are to ENCOURAGE, EDIFY, and LIFT UP. ANYONE SHOULD come and be allowed to worship in ANY church, and the pastor or minister or preacher should absolutely welcome them, pray for them, invite them back, have a conference with them to see where they are on their walk with God if the person is interested in doing that, be sensitive and sincere to the believer or new believer or curious person as Jesus did for people so they will feel comfortable growing in a place where a most Mighty and Powerful God is worshipped. it is after all ABOUT GOD.
but we all know this never happens. if it does Praise God, i'm glad about that. but this should be the norm not the exception. i think there are some churches out there that come close to being really good. but God Himself knows the church is NOT perfect, it's full of more evil IN the church sometimes than elsewhere. and in this day and age we are living satan does some of his best work INSIDE the CHURCHes.
as a matter of fact the church is slowly dying and the state and government which used to separate not only from each other but also the church are now passing so many laws and restrictions and policies that church can't even really be church anymore, it's more like a business, satan's business. this is what the socialists and communists already knew..
should we give up? of course not. God knows HIS TRUE CHURCH, the Bride of Christ, is made up of ALL BELIEVERS in Christ Jesus and His finished work at the Cross* ,,it's all part of the plan...
what we as believers NEED to know for these last days are only a few things as God wishes our burdens to be light :
1. NEVER take "the Mark", no matter what..
2. continue to believe God's promises, no matter what..
3. JESUS doesn't wear a SUIT & TIE...JESUS WILL be wearing ROBES and coming DOWN from Heaven..amen..*
4. we are in the "Last Days",,every war being fought is over whether or not to REbuild the Temple in Jerusalem,,WHEN, not IF, (because it's in the bible) WHEN the Temple is done being built, the FIRST DAY of the END TIMES will be at hand and the Antichrist will appear on the scene..
5. ANYONE, believer or not, who reads REVELATIONS WILL BE BLESSED,,(one of God's Promises, and God NEVER LIES)* :)~
Matthew 6:34 (King James Version)
34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
