I usually lurk and just read these threads, but every once in a while...
It is indeed strange that the door-knockers can't grasp the true unity of the body of Christ. Have had the visits from the guys with the 'Elder Soandso' name tags and from some other group that says they are witnesses of something or other and it seems that sooner or later they want to talk about what church I go to and then suggest that I'm not doing it right because there are so many different church names out there while they (whichever 'they' it is that day..) are the true way because they are united, bigger, have new revelations, have the real Bible and/or all of the above...
It is distracting that the Body of Christ has managed to find ways to put different names on the sign in front of their buildings. It is true that attending any one of these buildings does not make you a Christian any more than going to McDonalds makes you a BigMac. It is also true that not everyone who attends any of the various buildings for worship is a true Christian. It is even more true that from all the various 'church' groups that say they are followers of Christ there are those who know, as Godzilla said, the One who has called us and gives us salvation through His grace, they are the true Church.
One of the activities that I have been attending yearly (since 1983) is something called the Creation Festival, a four day outdoor music and teaching event that is held in the middle of Pennsylvania (here on the right coast) and now also in George, WA (on the left coast.) It is an event for Christians of any and all denominational affiliations.
I bring this up because some years ago now I was doing youth work at a Baptist church and my friend was youth pastor at an AoG church. Our groups would do things together and one of the events we combined on was the Creation Festival. It happened that whichever one of us would send in for the tickets would name the group for that year under his or my church name. We both found that in the course of promoting that year's event we would run into people who reacted strangely to either the Baptist or the Assy of God name. We both found that to be upsetting since the group that attended with us was not really exclusively from our two churches. People were getting hung up on the name of the church rather than what we were trying to accomplish. About 15 years ago we decided that the church name, whichever one we used, was more a hindrance than a help so we changed the name of our group to the name of a band we once were a part of.
Now our group includes people from three states, various denominations (we have Presbyterian, Reformed, AoG, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic represented in the core group) and we enjoy the time each year getting together with other members of the Body of Christ to worship and fellowship without the confines of the man-made barriers called denominations.. Why? because I have more in common with a Baptist, a Presbyterian, a Lutheran, or a Roman Catholic who really knows Jesus than I do with a lot of people who just sit in a pew...
So, Elder Soandso and those people who think they witnessed something can come and ring my doorbell, but if and when they do, they can try to talk about whatever it is they are selling that day but we will talk about the Name that is above every name, and they can try to talk about believing the Bible as far as it is rightly translated, but I will talk about the One who wrote the Book, and they can try to tell me that God is an exalted man like me because the Bible talks about the finger of God and the eye of God and the hand... (you get the picture..) but then I will just have to mention that by that logic God could also be a great big chicken because the Bible also says He will cover us with His wings...
So, Godzilla, right on... The only Name we need know is not the one on the sign out front of whatever building is is we worship in, it is the only Name under heaven given among men where by we must be saved. Jesus is all sufficient..
I will just have to mention that by that logic God could also be a great big chicken because the Bible also says He will cover us with His wings...
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LOL
Have to remember that one...
Amen.
Great post! And that festival looks like a huge joy in the spirit.
It is true that attending any one of these buildings does not make you a Christian any more than going to McDonalds makes you a BigMac.
Although I heard once you are what you eat - and some may resememble that remark LOL
Coincidentally, the Christian Church (DOC) was established at approximately the same time as the mormon church.
Thank you for your testimony at number 91.