Lack of harmony within the church

[Equipped_4_Love]

I vociferously believe in the church of Jesus Christ, that it is the mechanism through which Christ operates to reach the world.

That being said, I often wonder about the lack of harmony that exists in the church today. It seems as though different ways of viewing Scripture, hurts within the body, and even sin, are the main culprits.


I have also found that spiritual lethargy often contributes to this, as well. So, I guess my question is this -- do you think that the church is fragmented because people are not walking in the Spirit like they should?! Maybe the fact that a lot of Christians aren't really walking in the Spirit is the main culprit.

The Biblr says that we are all baptized in one Spirit, and that it is the Spirit that unites us in love. Love covers a multitude of sins...It is also the mechanism which brings about unity in the church. We may have doctrinal differences, but unless they are major, they should be secondary to our role in the world, and us fulfilling the Great Commission.

I'm really not trying to be judgmental here. Just trying to get some clarity.

[Boo]

We don't go to church to worship the living God the way we should. We use the one or two hours per week to meet our heavenly obligations and then go back to business as usual. We cannot have harmony within the church because their is too much "me" and not enough God.

We set up the stage for this within our church by all the different programs that we create.

We set up a Sunday School where classes are compared to each other. This sets the state for competition.

We set up special singing groups where people get a chance to "show their stuff" and be "the best." Again, it becomes a competition.

We have programs like AWANAs where their are material rewards for learning scriptures - somehow not in line with the way that Jeses taught - and it becomes competition.

We forget why we have cerain things, like giving, kitchens, hand-out programs, etc. We use our wordly egos at church and that lets worldly attitudes and ideas run rampant. We forget that it is all about serving God and worshipping Him.

Yes, it is because those in church do not walk in the Spirit. We somehow forget to allow God to control our lives and let the Spirit lead us. Our churches forget to base their programs around glorifying God and let them glorify the individual. We are so used to it now that it seems normal and my ideas may seem radical.

Jesus is radical.

[Neanias]

The church has been set up to please people, and the world, and the government. Because of this, people who do not wish to be disciples come in, and the church then wants to please them because they need their money.

Sounds like the times in the OT when the prophets would cry out against Israel and her sins, and judgment was imminent. We are in such times as these. If God cut off Israel according to the law, the chosen people, we should not think he will spare us if we do not bear the fruit he called his people to bear.

We have dire need of leaving behind all these traditions of men, big buildings, one man speaking at the front, etc, and come back to the apostolic way.

[Boo]

The church has been set up to please people, and the world, and the government. Because of this, people who do not wish to be disciples come in, and the church then wants to please them because they need their money.

Sounds like the times in the OT when the prophets would cry out against Israel and her sins, and judgment was imminent. We are in such times as these. If God cut off Israel according to the law, the chosen people, we should not think he will spare us if we do not bear the fruit he called his people to bear.

We have dire need of leaving behind all these traditions of men, big buildings, one man speaking at the front, etc, and come back to the apostolic way.

I am actually trying to do that with the Bible Study group that I have been blessed to form within my church. We have no "teacher" other than the scriptures. We have questions and a format for doing scripture research. Everyone has the week to discover the answers to one question and then we reform up to discuss what we have found. Now, all of us are reading our bibles and discovering that; while we may be looking for one truth, we find many along the way. Feedback on this method, so far, has been inspiring.

It is an event that actually captures my attention and makes Bible Study day a time I look forward to with great anticipation.