House Church Talk - Re: Yet another newspaper article...

[RoyalHeirling at aol.com]

I have to admit that this is not the most comforting of news.

With people leaving the churches to worship at home as families--is this 
organic, or are we seeing the ultimate division of the body into the least common 
denomination. (A play on words). This way, every person can believe however 
they choose. Religion personalized. And, they are accountable to themselves 
only. No duty to a church body.

It used to be that when people in a church couldn't agree they would split in 
half. Now we are splintering into families. This cannot be totally the 
churches' fault. 

I am truly sorry if I am unable to see justification in why many people leave 
their church families. I can't find any examples of people leaving their 
church family by choice in the scripture. I read about a lot of them that were 
cast out for preaching Jesus and I know about a time in the 1800's when many were 
thrown out for preaching about Jesus' second coming. Even Martin Luther, the 
great reformation leader, was stunned to be excommunicated from the church he 
loved. 

Please help me understand why this is happening? Is it healthy for the body 
to be disjointed? Can the body function when the members are separated from 
each other? Can it rightly be called a body when parts are missing? Perhaps a 
severed piece of flesh, but a body? I can understand home churches in a country 
such as China where open worship is forbidden. And, I even know about 
corruption in the IC. But I don't understand "just leaving." 

I am confused and not sure this is all of God, since God is all about unity 
and not division, and organization not confusion. Please set me straight, 
gently...

Jeff Logan in Richmond

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[God’s] heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even 
by our utterances of them. Take to Him everything that 
perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, 
for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the 
universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is 
too small for Him to notice.
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