Name 3 things that the local church does FOR you

[Neil D]

I was contemplating the contrasts of traditional and contemporary SDA churches and people....

I was wondering that if there were things that each of these churches that you attended, provided something for you....if so, what is it?

Since I am a contemporary person, I don't think the traditional churches in my area are able to meet my needs.....

What about you?

[karl]

I think a much better subject to examine would be:

Name 3 things you do FOR your local church.

[Outta Here]

This is one of the very sorts of things my local church does for me. It avoids the questions I ask, and seeks to place blame on me for asking--instead of answering the questions and seeking to find solutions for problems that arise.

Make a new thread, karl if you wish to examine that question.

Now, back to the original question:

The local church provides a place for me to worship corporately on Sabbath mornings.

The local church provides an atmosphere where I can make life-long corporate friendships.

The local church provides opportunities to outreach for Christ in a corporate manner.

[karl]

The local church provides a place for me to worship corporately on Sabbath mornings.

The local church provides an atmosphere where I can make life-long corporate friendships.

The local church provides opportunities to outreach for Christ in a corporate manner.

And it "avoids the questions I ask, and seeks to place blame on me for asking--instead of answering the questions and seeking to find solutions for problems that arise."

[phkrause]

I think a much better subject to examine would be:

Name 3 things you do FOR your local church.

I for one have to agree with Karl on this. The church is the people and not the building. But Karl maybe dgrimm is correct about a new thread for this.

So the 3 things my church building gives to me are

1-a place to worship with fellow believers

2-a great SS class

3-a roof over our heads, in case of rain, snow, etc. But when its sunny out its great to be outdoors.

pk

[Outta Here]

Originally Posted By: Aubrey

The local church provides a place for me to worship corporately on Sabbath mornings.

The local church provides an atmosphere where I can make life-long corporate friendships.

The local church provides opportunities to outreach for Christ in a corporate manner.

And it "avoids the questions I ask, and seeks to place blame on me for asking--instead of answering the questions and seeking to find solutions for problems that arise."

My apologies in advance to Neil for taking this off-topic.

I guess my response wasn't clear enough. Karl, your response to Neil's question is problematic. It is very similar to the sort of responses I typically get of the questions I ask in my SS at church, and on the boards, and in the pews. Karl, your response avoids the question being asked and attempts to place blame on the one asking the question. Either answer the question that he initially posed, or start a new thread if you think there is a better question to be asked.

I will try to remember to address you more to the point in the future--spelling out specifically the intent of my post, rather than assuming you will understand a less-direct approach.

Back to the original question.

[Liz]

I agree with Aubrey. While the church may be the people and not the building, people still need to be fed. One cannot give give give without getting something in return; if that happens eventually it leads to burnout. So Neil's question is a valid one.

I can't come up with three just two:

(1) A pretty good SS class.

(2) A really good Pathfinder club.

[Woody]

1. Loves and Supports and encourages me.

2. Reminds me that we are all God's children and have different quirks and attributes. Not one is perfect. But we can gather together and share joys, sorrows and concerns and doubts.

3. Helps me to perform the mission given to us as a church ... to meet the needs of my community.

[Dottie]

--It gives me a chance to be with others who believe as I do.

--It provides my child a chance to spend time with regular children.

--It gives me strength to go through the week.

But I, also, believe that we should not attend church for what we get.

[Gerr]

I think a much better subject to examine would be:

Name 3 things you do FOR your local church.

A HUGE AMEN to that Karl!!!

To paraphrase a famous line: Ask not what your church can do for you, ask what you can do for your church.

[Gerr]

I agree with Aubrey. While the church may be the people and not the building, people still need to be fed. One cannot give give give without getting something in return; if that happens eventually it leads to burnout. So Neil's question is a valid one.

I can't come up with three just two:

(1) A pretty good SS class.

(2) A really good Pathfinder club.

"Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Lk 6:38 NLT

[Outta Here]

So...

Gerry, why don't you start a thread that covers THAT topic?? I would do it for you and Karl, but I am not privileged enough to start topics in Townhall. I can only respond to them. I'm certain that if you would start a topic titled, "Name 3 Things That You Can Do FOR Your Local Church" someone will respond.

It just takes ACTION to start a new thread.

Or...

There is also the option of answering the original question in this thread.

Or...

You could run a search on ClubAdventist to find a thread that ALREADY addresses the topic of what people are doing for their local churches.

[Neil D]

I think a much better subject to examine would be:

Name 3 things you do FOR your local church.

When a person sees this question, it produces guilt if one can not do for the church...I am not seeking to produce guilt, but rather hold the church accountable to do something for it's members...I am asking the church members what relevancy their church really is...

If the corporate is not doing what it needs to feed the individuals, then what good is it? It is like poisoning itself with little amounts of poison. At some point, it is too much and it will kill you...In this case, if the local church is just a building with some self-centered people in it, who seeks to control all aspects of their lives, why would one want to bring new members into that building?

And as a segway into my next subject, is your church such that it is safe to bring non-SDA friends to your church? IOWs, do you think that your non-sda friends can come to your church and feel safe there?

[Gail]

I attend 2 churches at the moment. One is traditional, one is contemporary.

I won't say which, but one of them provides me with a blessing every time I enter the doors. The other, well, I need to pray that God helps me focus on the reason I am there, and that is to render to God my praise. I am not as blessed there for some reason. I've had to learn how to face the same experience as those who say that church is not relevant. And I am not grumbling about it (or I try not to). I am using this experience to tackle the reaction in myself and grow through it.

Quote:

And as a segway into my next subject, is your church such that it is safe to bring non-SDA friends to your church? IOWs, do you think that your non-sda friends can come to your church and feel safe there?

Yes, yes, yes! I think so at both the churches I attend, but because their styles are so different I would ask an invitee their preference. The people at both places are welcoming and easy to get to know.

[Gerr]

That was my answer to the question.

[Outta Here]

Ah.

[Dr. Shane]

I attend a contemporary church in Texas and a traditional church in Mexico. Both minister to me. The pot-luck and small group studies actually minister to me more than the actually Sabbath-morning divine worship services do. Different people are different. We attend the Sabbath morning services but I get more blessings out of the small groups and pot-luck conversations.

What do I get out of my local church?

• Gives me a place to bond with other believers.
• Gives me a place to sing and use and improve my musical talents
• Gives me a means to participate in the celebrations and rituals of the church (baptism, child dedication, communion, foot washing)
• Provides a structure for me to minister to others, (prison ministries, health ministries, men ministries, Pathfinder leadership, teaching Sabbath School)

[GreatLakesGramma]

Our local church feels like family. That's why we go there. And there would be no problem taking non-Adventists there. In fact, we do get non-Adventist visitors fairly often.

[Cosmin M.]

(1) Well, it doesn't do it necessarily directly at me, but I still get some profit from it!

What I am talking about is that my church buys oranges/flour/sunflower oil/etc and they go to members of our church who are either ill and can't work/widows/etc, people who have problems. And they give them a lot o that stuff, and lucky for me, I have 2 widowed grandmas, lol. I ate a lot of oranges that day.

(2) They let me stay at the adult Sabbath school classes.

(3) Lots of fun people. :D