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Featured How Far Away Should a Person Live .....

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by ktn4eg, Jul 22, 2014.

  1. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    ..... from his/her church for it to still be considered his/her LOCAL church?

    Most church covenants have a statement in them to the effect that once a member moves to another area, that member promises to unite with another church of like faith and order.

    My question is this: Exactly how far away does the member have to be located for him/her to start looking for another local church to join?

    In these days it's not uncommon for a person to drive some 20 - 30 or more miles one way to reach his/her place of employment. That being said, exactly what should be the distance criteria for a person to begin considering moving his/her membership to another local church?
     
  2. plain_n_simple

    plain_n_simple Active Member

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    No more than a sabbath day's journey on foot.
     
  3. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    lem'see:

    when I was in Maryland, we lived 12 miles away from our local church.
    now, there were members who lived 75 miles away.

    in Virginia, we were 35 miles away from our Maryland church.

    here in California, our local church is 40 miles away, and we have members who come from Sacramento, California, which is about 105 miles away, and they're in church practically every Sunday.

    now, my wife and I plan to move to Casper, Wyoming this year, Lord willing, and if we do, well, we'll probably go to church in Denver, Colorado, which is 5 hours away, and about 270 miles, more or less.

    and it'll still be a "local" church for us.

    we're sticking to the customary thing: find a church of like faith and practice.

    I guess if our health permits, as well as our billfold, we won't mind traveling 1000 miles to and fro, leaving on a Friday and staying overnight with members before the ride back home.

    if we can't, then it'll have to just be me, my wife, the Great One-in-Three, the angels in heaven, and the cloud of witnesses spoken of, and we'll worship every day that way.
     
  4. HeDied4U

    HeDied4U Well-Known Member
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    Wow, I'm sure glad the church I belong to doesn't feel that way. I've invested a lot of time in that church over the past couple of years, as well as they have invested a lot in me. Sure would have hated to have to hunt up a new church when I moved back to Indiana.
     
  5. JamesL

    JamesL Well-Known Member
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    I think if we look beyond the United States, we might find new insight for our local mindset. In other places, it is not uncommon for people to walk several hours. The "place" that we call church is just a gathering place. But Christ, and His church, are wherever we are. He is in us.

    As for me and my son our church place, and his school, are the same. So it only makes good sense that we live close (5 blocks away) because we are there six days a week in one capacity or another. But this is where God led us, housing and all.

    And where we were before here, we lived six blocks from the church place, and his school was 1 block away from there.

    But we had a transition which took months, where we lived there and I drove him 45 minutes to school here. Then we moved here, and drove the 45 minutes there to gather. Then God told me it was time to be one art of this assembly, and it was complete.
     
  6. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Here is a good rule of thumb- If you invited your next door neighbor to church, how far would he be willing to travel to attend church with you?

    Why not start a new local church?

    Dr Bob is pastor of a church in Casper!
     
  7. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    Does it really matter?

    I think if the person desires to attend a fellowship and doesn't mind driving whatever distance involved to get there, it is their choice. IMHO!
     
  8. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Even if its a BAD choice?!
     
  9. pk4life

    pk4life Member

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    It is different person to person.

    I can't believe any church is going to deny membership due to distance of driving alone.

    I have been to churches where people have driven 1 hour to get to our services.

    My wife and I tried driving 45 minutes to a church, and it didn't work out at all.

    Any church I have ever been to has looked at attendance and service. If your drive affects those, that's when they might mention something about your drive.
     
  10. pk4life

    pk4life Member

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    Also, if you look for a church that is accommodating to 'snowbirds' (people with 2 residences who may be gone for long periods of time), then you can make your drive even longer, and just show up once every 6 months.
     
  11. Servent

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    I drive 15 miles one-way, there are about 6 church that I pass on my way there and I have tried most, but none compare to the one I attend.
     
  12. glazer1972

    glazer1972 Member

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    We drive about a mile now. Previous church was about 4 miles. I would say for it to be local it would have to be in or near the community you live in. Having said that drive as far as you want.
     
  13. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    Where we live, close to several major thoroughfares, we encourage people to be involved with a church that is 20 minutes from their house on Sundays. That is a pretty big circle for us, but this works out pretty well.
     
  14. Sapper Woody

    Sapper Woody Well-Known Member

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    I believe that the "local" in local church refers to a physical church as opposed to universal church, not a proximity to your house. With that being said, drive as far as you need to to grow spiritually. But don't drive farther than you need to. The farther the church, the harder it will be to get involved.
     
  15. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Exactly-----
     
  16. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    I am of course talking about SBC churches. And I'd only adhere to my statement if it was a church where I was being fed and allowed to grow at my pace, and His pace, and not judged but general membership!
     
  17. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    I do that now....God bless you Tim:jesus:
     
  18. thisnumbersdisconnected

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    As far as he/she is comfortable driving to get there. We've got church members that come from Blue Springs, which is about a 30- 40-minute drive from here. If they want to drive the distance, who cares?
     
  19. corndogggy

    corndogggy Active Member
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    Food for thought - if you dedicate your life to whatever flavor of faith your local and convenient church is, you are contributing to the problem this world has with geographically isolated religious beliefs, meaning your religion (or sub-religion like denomination) is primarily dependent on where you were born. Some of you guys are literally encouraging this and I for one don't get it at all.
     
  20. thisnumbersdisconnected

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    There's a word for that conclusion.

    Let's see ... what is it?

    Oh yes ...

    HOGWASH!

    I knew I'd think of it.
     
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