[CS-FSLUG] Congregations struggle in aging, decaying churches

[Jon Glass]

On Mon, Jul 19, 2010 at 11:55 AM,  <davidm at hisfeet.net> wrote:
> What a far cry todays "churches" are from the biblical pattern. Not once
> in the entire New Testament do we see the people of God building, or
> owning any real estate. There never was a case in the New Testament of
> more than one church in any town. And there never was a case of
> professional clergy of any type.

It is one thing to say "in the New Testament" and another to say "in
Acts." Yes, in Acts, we see no real "professional clergy, as in
pastors who received temporal remuneration, but this is clearly a
principle of the NT, and Paul, even, received monetary support, and
worked primarily because he had to, and as a missionary, did not wish
to be a burden to the churches he planted. Secondly, I think there are
verses in Corinthians, at least, the certainly can be understood to
understand that churches were already meeting in buildings set aside
for congregational meetings, and the archeological record is that such
buildings existed, if not in the NT period, then shortly thereafter.
As to multiple congregations in one town--well, there is so much one
could say on that point that it is beyond the scope of this forum!

> Instead, "the Lord added to the church such as should be saved". Jesus was
> the only head of the church, and the church was His body on earth with
> every member involved.
> What a simple concept! And they "turned the world upside down." Their one
> mission was the great commision, and they did it in their generation (see
> Colossions chapter one. Probably no generation since has done that .
> certainly not ours. It is Jesus' command.  Wouldn't it make sense for us
> to do first what He commanded? (since we call Him Lord!). AT least reach
> the world with the gospel, before we invest in "houses of worship".
>

There is a difference between a meeting place and an edifice. Careful
how broadly you paint with your brush. ;-) (btw, I am no fan of the
mainline denominations, and am a church planter who has no desire for
our fellowship to go out and buy or build a building, and come from
some of the most conservative/fundamental circles you probably know
of. ;-) )

-- 
 -Jon Glass
Krakow, Poland
<jonglass at usa.net>

"I don't believe in philosophies. I believe in fundamentals." --Jack Nicklaus