Disappointed in church cancellations

[NE GA Pappy]

Are you denying that one of the biggest appeals of church services to most Christians is the socializing aspect? Careful before you answer that, I was raised by a preacher and about everybody I know is a churchgoer. I think if you're honest with yourself, that is a huge part of it. I am 100% certain of it. Not the whole reason, but a big percentage of it. Church is a social gathering for the most part.

yep, you are right Steve. To a lot of people, it is no more than another chance to meet with the right people to enhance their business, or to impress the man across town that they can't stand to be around. Some go to church because it is the 'social' thing to do, kind of like attending the high school reunion.

I have wondered for years if people really consider why they go to church. Then on the other hand, I see people who gather because they truly want to learn. They truly are grateful for the blessings that God has given them. They yearn to draw close to God. Those are the ones I want to be around. The ones who can encourage me in my walk. The ones I can confide in, and the ones I have given permission to speak into my life, and tell me were I am screwing up.

It was once called 'equipping the saints for the work of ministry'

 

[Madman]

No, not too much dependance on Christ. Too much dependance on gathering in a public assembly. You're the one who made the comparison of it to manna. Not me.

I didn't compare gathering to manna, I compared the Mass, that is the Eucharist.

 

[Madman]

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

Churches can meet again and are under the same restrictions as Walmart and liquor stores! The governor's order quashes all existing municipal and county orders, and only requires that folks maintain the social distancing requirements!

 

[4HAND]

Gov Desantis did not include churches in his "stay at home" executive order.

However, we need to use common sense & social distancing.

 

[Havana Dude]

Are you denying that one of the biggest appeals of church services to most Christians is the socializing aspect? Careful before you answer that, I was raised by a preacher and about everybody I know is a churchgoer. I think if you're honest with yourself, that is a huge part of it. I am 100% certain of it. Not the whole reason, but a big percentage of it. Church is a social gathering for the most part.

With God as my witness, I can assure you with 100% accuracy, I do not attend church for the social gathering. We have attended our church for approx 15 years. There are plenty of folks in there I have never spoken to or vice versa. I have zero issue with that. I make no claim to be a saint, I’m a sinner, saved by Gods grace. Not by any man, or his like or dislike of me. We actually avoid social gatherings as much as possible. We partake in homecoming activities, and the occasional dinner on the grounds. I occasionally help the pastor out with a menial task, here and there by request, and generally prefer that no one else be around. The social aspect of church is of zero importance to me.

 

[4HAND]

I'm pretty sure if it was just for the social aspect folks wouldn't be so concerned about not attending.

I really miss it. We're doing drive in church but I really miss meeting together in our Sanctuary.

I think because of our freedom to worship I may have taken it for granted. It was just normal to attend church on Wed & twice on Sunday.

I sure won't do that anymore. I'll be so thankful when we get back to being able to have church in our Sanctuary again.
I expect the first service back in will be a really good one.

 

[NE GA Pappy]

Churches can meet again and are under the same restrictions as Walmart and liquor stores! The governor's orView attachment 1010525

the way I read that, you could have one family sitting all together, if they live together. and another family seated 6 ft away from them. It doesn't look like there is a limit on the number of persons in the building, as long as these family units stay 6 ft from any other family unit.

I gather those assumptions from the line that says 10 persons to be gathered in a single location if such gathering requires persons to stand or to be seated within six feet of any other person.

Is that how you read it?

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

the way I read that, you could have one family sitting all together, if they live together. and another family seated 6 ft away from them. It doesn't look like there is a limit on the number of persons in the building, as long as these family units stay 6 ft from any other family unit.

I gather those assumptions from the line that says 10 persons to be gathered in a single location if such gathering requires persons to stand or to be seated within six feet of any other person.

Is that how you read it?

I agree.

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

No, not too much dependance on Christ. Too much dependance on gathering in a public assembly.

A year ago, many here argued that fellowship in non-church contexts and getting all of one's interactions outside their household from online sources was "too little" appreciation for the importance of public assembly.

From the church meetings I've attended in the COVID-19 era, I'd estimate less than 20% of the normal attendance was present, probably closer to 10%. As a matter of Christian liberty, shouldn't our brothers and sisters in Christ be free from our accusation if following their own faith and conscience in continuing to meet in such small numbers. Especially since they are in careful compliance with social distancing guidelines and there is much less risk of transmitting COVID-19 in their church meetings than at Walmart or the gun counter of the local gun store?

One bears false witness against one's neighbor by claiming they are endangering us simply by continuing to assemble.

 

[SemperFiDawg]

One bears false witness against one's neighbor by claiming they are endangering us simply by continuing to assemble.

Jeez man! It's only false if it's untrue, which it's not. What exactly about that do you NOT get.

It's those with that mentality, and it only takes one, that have the capacity to become super-spreaders. So I guess infecting 1000s and potentially killing 10s, 100s of "you brothers", is the cost everyone pays for your ego.

 

[BeerThirty]

One bears false witness against one's neighbor by claiming they are endangering us simply by continuing to assemble.

I'm sorry, I have respected your stance on this as a fearless Christian warrior, but I'm going to have to disagree with you here. You are the one, in fact, who is straight up bearing false witness, by accusing someone else of bearing false witness when they are actually not. It doesn't take God, a Christian or a rocket scientist here to agree that social assembly of any kind is a risk right now. To make what I'm saying absolutely crystal clear: You are calling someone a liar because you don't agree that social assembly amplifies the risk of spreading a virus that is scientifically proven to transmit in congregation. Facts say that you are endangering others, not lies.

Your blind faith here is reckless.

 

[SemperFiDawg]

Churches holding services now, in light of what we know about the virus, is about the best way I can think of to make a secular society appear more moral that the church.

Tell you what, instead of bowing up to fight some perceived tyrannical government outreach. Why don't we all just take the time Sunday that we would have spent in church, giving OUR PERSONAL testimony to a close friend or family member who is not saved. Tell them what God has done for you personally.

It's a winner on all fronts. It's about the highest form of worship I can think of. It is fulfilling the Great Commision. It will show your concern now in a time when everyone could use a little reassurance, and most people are really more appreciative than ever for someone to converse with. And for those to who it applies, you can tell your ego's that you were so smart you found a way around the tyranny.

If everyone does this, you could have a church who's membership grew during a time of trial and ain't that what God's so good at: turning trials into blessings for His namesake. Don't you think this is right up his alley so-to-speak.

This is what I'm committing to anyway.

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=244645340049136

 

[gemcgrew]

Churches holding services now, in light of what we know about the virus, is about the best way I can think of to make a secular society appear more moral that the church.

Churches holding services now, in light of what we know about the virus, is about the best way I can think of to show a secular society the moral superiority of the church.

Now what?

 

[BeerThirty]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=244645340049136

The enemy is the coronavirus. I don't think it knows what the church is.

 

[Israel]

Who or what is enemy?

How is this determined most especially in what is called "the church" if it is acknowledged such is. If there be such as some contend, an assembly called out to God through Jesus Christ (in Heaven and earth) that is born of and abides in the testimony that Jesus Christ is the abiding Lord (they knowing their abiding is all and only in consequence to His being the abiding one) how is enemy identified?

Will the world tell them? Will they even tell themselves, deciding for them self in each or every situation? And if either they collectively, or they individually hold a poor recognition of friend, who He is, how He is, and of what ability and power He is, of nature and character that are His, even to giving light and sight to the blind, who will know friend from enemy or enemy from friend?

If there be no acknowledgement that it is alone in His authority to determine nature of each and every thing, the man will easily think he is to himself...his own best friend.

The matter that:

"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil."

Speaks only to the thing's ability to change itself. But we do not deny a rod can become a serpent, the dead can live, and even what has once held only motive perceived as evil, can be turned for good.

Can a thing be made to hope in eager expectation for what it has been told will come when it does not expect? Surely, not of itself.

If the "church" that is, (that is, that there are a people of God), do not believe that at any moment of their perception whether individually as members (of one another!) or given in "corporate" vision, as being even more peculiar than they know, that Christ is always yet more than we know, that life is always more than we yet know of it, there can be no hope of change, nor any hope to be found in change. That is of course...unless we ourselves...are changed.

And this we will neither do, nor can, of ourselves.

What does anything hold in excess of this:


All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore...

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of he11 and of death.


I will not neglect how that my poverty creates a pull, a demand, a supplication...even when unuttered of myself. Seeks supply. But it is seen, and known...in spirit, and ministered to.

My brother Glenn gave me something, or better, something was given through him that the Spirit saw of my need. For the Spirit Himself makes intercessions for us in groanings too deep to be uttered.

In the "all things"...of which God is able to cause to work for good is also included another "all things"

Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

I often, perhaps always, do not know what is missing, lacking, or moving behind gauzy perception as only shape and shadow...is it friend? Enemy? Gift?

Death is a gift to me in Christ. It is not a thing to happen, not a thing of which yes and no is to be attached...but...a gift, no less in all of what is given of God through Christ. I never saw it so, really. It, as has been my experience with anything promised, always came in first vaguest of form...tiny even, like a point of light shining in a dark place. Till apprehended.

It is made clear there is a boldness born of desperation to have. A woman will gladly submit to taking the label of dog in trade for her..."nevertheless"...

A man might even be told repeatedly by God he is blind and knowing nothing in all his doing, needing rebuke at almost every turn, yet still find a surprising place where there is a space provided to say "nevertheless, it doesn't matter to me, Lord, I still need you and to see you..."

 

[SemperFiDawg]

Churches holding services now, in light of what we know about the virus, is about the best way I can think of to show a secular society the moral superiority of the church.

Now what?

“Moral Superiority”???? Is that what you think you are called to, or have somehow acquired through your faith? I’m gonna let you rethink that one, before I comment further. I will only say this about the “moral superiority” of the Church in the context of this pandemic: if it was anywhere near where it was called to be, a church wouldn’t need to create a spectacle of itself to show it. It would have been self evident long before.

 

[Israel]

“Moral Superiority”???? Is that what you think you are called to, or have somehow acquired through your faith? I’m gonna let you rethink that one, before I comment further. I will only say this about the “moral superiority” of the Church in the context of this pandemic: if it was anywhere near where it was called to be, a church wouldn’t need to create a spectacle of itself to show it. It would have been self evident long before.

Do you know what a sucker punch is?

 

[SemperFiDawg]

The enemy is the coronavirus. I don't think it knows what the church is.

That was disturbing on a number of levels. As a pastor he’s worked up enough to go online and post a political rant regarding his concern over the loss of his rights. I can speak only for me, but as a very poor semblance of anything Christ-like, I hope I never place MY rights or the concern over My rights, over those of others. God forbid MY right to peaceably assemble or worship be placed over some else’s at the expense of their health. Doubly so if they are unbelievers, for in doing so I would not only be putting them in physical danger, but because of their unbelief, possibly expediting their spiritual end. When I read the Gospels I come away with the impression of a Messiah that always puts others first, no matter the costs, no matter the circumstance; a humble man who constantly yielded to government, religious, and public pressure. His harshest words were for the “church” leaders of his day who were so focused on the worship of God that they crucified him. They had their priorities upside-down. Do we?