Describe Your Perfect Church

If I were to create a new church, it wouldn’t, I repeat, it wouldn’t follow any existing religious doctrine.

In a word, it would simply be based on, integrity.

Bless you all. Notice, I didn’t say God bless you.

John

haynes9 you have hit close to the truth.

Church is an attitude , a feeling, a sense of belonging.

Church is not a building, an entity that needs to be fed, or a forced system of supposed faith.

Belong to the creator and stand in awe of his creations, then give thanks that you "are"....

This does not take some organized, hand in your pocket, controling group of folks to accomplish...

Take control of your own beliefs, be at peace with the creator.

Well GOD bless you! God IS and thats all there is.

Yep,

Modern 'church-ianity' has gotten SO far of the mark.
Church should NOT be a self-preserving or self-perpetuating institution.
But all too often that is where people get trapped.

But, I do beleive there always was and will be a need for church, as a community of believers. A community to encourage, counsel, support - a grouping of likeminded individuals bonded in sin and salvation, an oasis in the world.

Unfortunately, too few churches rememeber that is the focus.

I too am closer to God in a pine wood that a man-made cathedral. Actual church is often a distraction for me for so many reasons. But it is arrogant of me to say I don't need other Christians. Humans are pack animals. It isn't good to separate ourselves too much. Christ knew that. He sent the disciples out in twos for a reason.


Hey, Johnny and God Bless You! Gotta love you man.

Thank you Elspeth, you just saved me from responding to Nova Scotian.

You know, it’s become obvious to me that this religious debate is a waste breath.
So if you all don’t mind. I’m just gonna get on with trying to live my life as honestly as I can, right here on earth.

Elspeth, forgive me for getting off subject, but when I looked at your painting. They made me feel like I seeing through the eyes of a child, which was a goal of Picasso’s.

Keep at it girl, you got the makings. Johnny

I think my perfect church would be in a grove of ancient oaks. Their limbs and branches canopied overhead and a blanket of fallen leaves carpeting the ground.

One with no people in it and as soon as I joined I would ruin the perfection and harmony of it all

And maybe you would add to the perfection because I bet you can sing harmony really, really well.

My perfect Church? ........... The Perfect Church will only exsist in the future and that can only happen when:

1 Corinthians 15:51-57 (NIV)

51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.


I think I'll let the author of the Book of Revelations describe the perfect Church and site:

Revelation 22:1-5(NIV)

The River of Life
1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever


(MacE wanders away whistling "When the Roll is Called up Yonder")

Because we are not perfect, we need the Church and each other. Has anyone ever seen a Canadian Geese flying alone south for the winter. I'm sure it can be done but it would take a geese flying all alone a lot longer.

Recognising that there is no perfect church this side of glory.......

mine would be celtic, (of course) gaelic and english speaking, in a beautiful stone chapel, maybe on Iona, obeying the scriptures, honouring the sabbath, preaching the word, with all the men in kilts.

dream on...but we can can't we?

You are very kind Elspeth