Lone Wolf Christianity

[bigmoose]

Heb 10:25 Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Since the virus our small gathering disbanded. Since then 4 households have been meeting at an elder's home weekly for study, worship, breaking of bread, and fellowship. We look out for each other... last week a 5th household came. When some were in hospital, or on travel even just 2 households wanted to meet! That was inspiring for me. No automatic "let's skip a week."

It is really simple. God gave us the directions. We don't necessarily need big buildings, amps, lights and ornate stuff. Just need hearts turned to Him and His Word. If you are alone, try to find a friend or family member that is like minded and begin to meet weekly for study, worship, breaking of bread and fellowship. The journey will be amazing!

 

[Work4Peanuts]

I want to emphasize that even though I am fortunate in my church, I do believe that it is essential to meet in person with other believers in some form of weekly service of prayer and worship with a godly well-educated pastor at the head. This doesn't have to mean a traditional church building. When my family was searching for a church, I would research different places beliefs, and sometimes we held church at home, praying and worshipping, then listening to a sermon online by a solid pastor.

 

[ShilohRose]

So, what do you really know about me? You don't even know my real name. When was the last time we all came together and sang praises to God? What missionaries are we supporting as a group with our offerings? I'm not saying this forum isn't a form of fellowship, or that there isn't prayer here, or even that it isn't good, but it's not the same as going to church. It can't replace it.

Three years ago, I had a problem with one of my teeth. I had a low-paying job, no dental insurance and a broken tooth that was causing me pain, and was going to cost me a fortune. A member of our church noticed that I was in pain and told the elders at our church. They contacted me and helped me set up an appointment with a Christian dentist in our area who agreed to accept less money than she would normally charge. The church then paid for my bill. They've prayed for me during hard times, and I've also done my part for them. We support each other. When there was a young lady in our church, and it became obvious that she had been sleeping around, the elders went to her and talked to her about her sin privately. She repented and was welcomed back without judgement. Today she is married to a good Christian man and is happy.

That's a good church, but those are unusual. Also, this kind of service tends to come with being a longtime church member, or being very involved in the church. As for the young lady, most churches seem to ignore that behavior. Parents and families of young people engaging in premarital sex would be offended and leave the church.

 

[Work4Peanuts]

That's a good church, but those are unusual. Also, this kind of service tends to come with being a longtime church member, or being very involved in the church. As for the young lady, most churches seem to ignore that behavior. Parents and families of young people engaging in premarital sex would be offended and leave the church.

If the parents supported their child's immoral behavior they would be welcome (probably invited) to leave. My church isn't perfect, though. No church is. They hold to a mid-Trib rapture, which I obviously disagree with, but in essentials, they are true to the word (salvation is by grace through faith alone in Jesus.) It's also a smaller church, with an older southern pastor that is involved in his flock's lives.

 

[soundingthealarm]

My wife did the same to me. Drinking was more important than being married and our two sons. Suddenly I found myself divorced with custody of my two sons, cut off from the church when I needed them the most due to a few busybody women who thought the man had to be the problem. She later had an affair with the music director and caused another divorce in the church. Unfortunately she recently passed away from liver damage due to alcoholism at age 62. But I met the love of my life and thanks to her and her daughter I became born again, started a new life with Christ, and have peace and security of my eternal state. The rejection by my church hurt as much as the rejection of my wife. I see now I had to go thru that to be where I am now.

Oh wow, my ex wife passed away just in the last couple of months at age of 50. Very similar experience indeed!

 

[GotGrace]

I’m very blessed to be in a bible believing teaching preaching church.

During the pandemic watching the services online just wasn’t the same. My mind would take off wondering about the things I needed to get done. I am much more focused on worshipping the Savior when in corporate worship. For me knowing my brothers and sisters in Christ will be praying for me during the week is comfort in this wild and crazy world.

 

[Rogar]

Revelation 3 speaks to and warns the lukewarm church in the last days. We are in those days. I left my church because they became all about experience, production, and the seeker sensitive movement. Months of sermons passed without the pastor even cracking open the Bible. When he did, he cherry picked verses out of context to create a narrative to support his ideas. Worship was about flashy production values. Sermons were nothing but new-age, self-help, be a better you, pep talks in over-sized coffee shops. No meat of the word. Doubtful there was even milk.

Years later I have yet to find a local church that hasn't gone down the same road. They have become cults of personality where the pastor becomes a hip/edgy/woke celebrity, and worship becomes a concert. People go to the church because of the charisma of the pastor, for a standup comedy routine, or for light show, not because of the word. And when the chips were down this past year, every one of these "churches" bowed to the political pressure and fear and closed.

Yes, I miss fellowship with true believers. But, given the choice to drink from a fountain of poison that seems to be flowing from many of today's professional churches, or be a lone wolf, I would choose lone wolf. Going into the times of persecution that are coming, I believe the true body of Christ will be in small home fellowships and maybe even underground churches. Churches that look for the blessing of the state over the blessing of God, are beholden to the state instead of God and will be spit out by God.

 

[kathymendel]

I have always believed that as we move into the end times, and churches become Laodician, the true believers would end up going back to the systems of
the early church. We will leave the buildings, the false teachings, and gather together in home groups, as the disciples and early church members did. I think
as time goes on we will see more of this, should the Lord tarry. I also believe that in those small groups, whether it be two or three people - or more - there
will certainly be accountability. Also, a far greater reach as individuals to help and share and encourage each other in those groups. Certainly more support than
we see in the churches today. And, everyone involved will be really cracking their bibles open and digging deep into the Word, instead of letting a false teacher
choose what to preach about or to distort the Word. I also believe that day is upon us, and because of the pandemic, and current world affairs, nepharious world-wide politicians, etc. God is calling a lot of Christians out of those dead buildings......... so, I would not condemn anyone who has made that choice. Altho, I don't have a small group here physically, since leaving my totally mis-guided church, I have many personal friends who are believers that I am incontact with on a regular basis and we discuss the signs we see, and we worship and praise God at a distance, and I have RF to come to, to find fellowship that I need and crave.

 

[Umbrella Girl]

I've attended several churches over the years, and I never fit. I have often sung in the choir, but there is no fellowship with anyone. I'm always on the periphery. I finally decided that I'm an odd duck, and the fault is in me. If I'm ever allowed to attend church again, I'll go anyway, remain on the outside, and not worry about being ignored. The church I belong to is okay on doctrine, if some of the younger women don't ruin it with their choice of apostate teachers.

Sounds very similar to my Biblically sound, yet “milk toast” church. But there are no “remnant” churches that I can find. Everywhere I look, it’s all about the “social gospel.”

 

[Umbrella Girl]

I think the OP article was just trying to encourage those who sit out just because they want to sit out of church. So, don't take the article personally. I think it was trying to encourage people to meet with other like minded believers which we all know is good for us. But I don't think it was directed at people who can't find a good church as we all know that false teachings and apostasy is growing in the churches at warp speed. For some small cities, etc. there are only so many churches in town. It would be better in my mind to sit at home, participate in a parachurch setting like RF, than to go in and sit under a false teacher in a church spreading apostasy. JMHO.

RF is a “para church.” True, and I like that term for it.