House Church Talk - Practical HC Question....

[Paul Cox]

Dear Brother Dan,
In reading your post this morning, one sentence jumped out at me:  "In
trying to please everyone sometimes no one is pleased."  My heart goes
out to you.  I know exactly what you are feeling.  Sooner or later
though, we must be delivered from the notion of trying to please anyone.
II Corinthians, Chapter 5, verse 9 (NAS):  Therefore also we have as our
ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

It's been my personal experience of sitting in a new meeting and feeling
that, "these people are just off".  My feeling was based upon my own
past experience in the Lord, which of course, couldn't possibly be off
the mark.  Right?  Now think of a living room full of people each having
similar thoughts in their own little universe.  Each feels that they
know exactly what type of church life God wants based upon where they
have been or (more often than not) their own natural inclinations.  In
reality, everyone needs the cross.  The problem is that not many would
take the cross.  So they come and go.  Some stay a while, and then
leave.  Some stay longer and then they leave also.  If our heart is to
try and hold on to a certain number to maintain the church life, it will
be broken every time.  

Sometimes being ambitious to be well pleasing to the Lord can just be
lonely business. I recently appreciated a message from
www.austin-sparks.net called, "Alone? - Not Alone!"  You might want to
check it out.

At the same time I do believe that where there are true seekers of the
Lord, He would have those of like burden to come together and be built
up into a local expression.  We stand with you, brother.  


Paul Cox


-----Original Message-----
From: House Church Talk -bounces at housechurch.org
[mailto:House Church Talk -bounces at housechurch.org] On Behalf Of Dan Beaty
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2003 7:56 AM
To: House Church Talk
Subject: House Church Talk -  Practical HC Question....

Hello everyone!

Maybe some of you have experienced this situation. From the beginning it
seems like we have such varying opinions on the meetings. Certain ones
want
no structure, others more. Some continue to compare us with the other
churches in the area.

In trying to please everyone sometimes no one is pleased. Now one couple
is
talking of going to the local Vineyard Church for "teaching" and
"worship."

If I sound like I am whining, rebuke me, or correct me, or something.
But
the concept of my wife and I was always that each of us obeys the Lord
and
brings something to the meeting for the edifying of the church.

But I have been going through this cycle for about 8 years now. Any
suggestions?

Dan Beaty

     
    
    --- Info and subscription management at: https://housechurch.org/talk
---