tracy said:
Talk Jesus forums is not meant to be a replacement of your local church but a replacement of any online ungodly place that Satan may lead you to.
Thought Id put this in so you dont think Im a miserable old whiner , Im just not a churchy person but do like to come here and read the threads
No problem sister. However, it is a good idea to find a local Bible based church to attend. You see, the Church is there for a reason. Christ is the Head of the Church, we are the body. Do you wish to remove yourself from the Body of Christ?
Colossians 1:18
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Colossians 1:24
Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
Ephesians 4:11-13
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
[portion below taken from gotquestions.org]
THE CHURCH DEFINED: The word church comes from the Greek word "Ecclesia" which is defined as "an assembly or congregation of free citizens summoned or 'called out' by a herald in connection with public affairs." As you can see, the root word is not that of a building, but of people.
Why is church membership important? Church membership is a way of officially identifying yourself with a local body of believers. Church membership is a statement that you are in agreement with that local church and are a representative of it. Church membership is also a good way of determining who is allowed to vote on important church decisions and/or who is involved in official church positions / functions.
[end portion]
Ephesians 1:22-23
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
1 Corinthians 12:13
For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Acts 2:42-47
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
