I'm unable to attend worship while we're in lockdown. I'm making do with our church services broadcast on the internet, video chat, and catch up up with people over the phone during the week.
This situation won't last indefinitely.
I'd say that in normal times websites like this are not an adequate replacement for church. We can chat and pray for each other, but there's no system of mutual accountability, no expectation of discipline, and it's not easy to have the close connection of I expect in church fellowship.
That's not a criticism of TalkJesus, or of anyone here, just that this is a different thing to church.
Greetings
Fellowship by what ever means is important, face to face fellowship can never be replaced, we can write and type as much as we want to, we will never communicate as we would face to face. If I read what you say I could mis interpret what you actually meant when you said it, when we type we write a message, and do not get an answer until we have added everything we aim to say and posted the message. Face to face is different, whilst you talk to me, I watch your reactions, how you say it, body language, gestures etc. You may type 3 or 5 paragraphs to me before I read what you have put, but face to face after hearing your first statement I could say hang on a minute brother, or I agree but, or Amen brother. I may even acknowledge without saying a word. That is true fellowship, Jesus went out amongst the people.
But at present it is not possible to meet in groups, so we have fellowship other ways. That said there are many people, profoundly deaf, disabled, bed bound, terminally ill, etc who cannot get to a place of worship in normal times, or are to deaf to hear what is said even with an induction loop system.
God created us and allows for all these things, we can talk and have fellowship anywhere in the world, or across the world from where we are. PTL.
The point of my post above was not that the Internet can provide fellowship we do not need a church, it was to confirm that what we think is a church, ie the building, is not a church at all, not according to scripture. The Roman Catholic Church introduced the word kuriakon to call the building a church, scripture only uses the word ekklesia for Church, and the ekklesia is the body of born again believers.
People say I go to this church or that church, they say 'MY' church is St this or St that or 'MY' church is this name church, come to MY church we do this and that! There are two errors here. One is the building is not scripturally a church, two we do not have a church, is born again we belong to the ekklesia, the Body of Christ, His Church, His bride.
In the early Christian Church, saved souls came together in each others houses for prayer, worship and fellowship. Some may say yes they did but they didn't have a church building! The point is they were saved souls that came together, where ever they came together, they were part of the ekklesia, our Lord's Church.
Buildings built specifically for worship started slowly at first, but increased more from the time of Constantine, when the Church became Roman Catholic, state and church linked! I am sure they sat and discussed what the building should be called in the early years, someone must have said let us call the building the church, I am sure another will have said we do not have a word for church as a building, so they made one, not scriptural, it was Catholic Church created. Most people of that time couldn't read or write, most of the services were in Latin, it was brought in it was accepted, but it is important we know it is cannot be found anywhere in scripture and how it was brought in.
The let us look at the difference between the first Christians and now, as a church. The saved met in each others houses, they were the ekklesia, part of the worldwide ekklesia, the Body of Christ. How does that compare with today. One thing for sure is there are many church (kuriakon) goers, but only a percentage are part of the ekklesia, some are lost souls, and as we know some ministers are not born again. It was never like that that in the early Church.
I am in no way condemning the church today, I do not say Internet is the only way to have fellowship, I like you brother believe face to face fellowship has far more meaning, but it is not always possible, in these times or outside these times.
Scripture is clear, we must be born again, if we are not we are not saved, we will NOT SEE the Kingdom of Heaven, we belong to sin, the world and the devil, we are not part of the True Church, the ekklesia even if we are church goers (kuriakon).
It is important we understand what the True Church is, the ekklesia, and we share that Truth with others.
I have noticed a few changes recently of notice boards outside places of worship, the Spirit is moving...
Some are rightfully stating...
The Church meets here on these dates.
There may still be none believers amongst them but they are making clear,
The Church, The Ekklesia, meets here in these dates.
It is them the responsibility of the pastor and the flock to preach The Word... If you are not born again you will not see the Kingdom of Heaven, you must be Born Again, if you are not you are not part of the ekklesia, you are not yet saved.
What happened with the early church is important
Acts 2:46-47
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple (ex-Jews),
and breaking bread from house to house (they were nowChristians, followers of Christ),
they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.
And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Church Greek Strongs 1577
Greek Word: ἐκκλησία
Transliteration: ekklēsia
Phonetic Pronunciation:ek-klay-see'-ah
Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.
An assembly of saved believers, a congregation of born again believers.
Blessings
