1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Are Para-church Ministries Biblical?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Tom Butler, Sep 4, 2009.

Top Posters
Page 4 of 4
  1. Alive in Christ

    Alive in Christ New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2008
    Messages:
    3,822
    Likes Received:
    1
    Parachurch ministries are a great part of the body of Christ here on earth.

    Of course the "Church" here on earth consists of all born again believers, all over the world.

    That is "The Church", or...the Universal Church.

    Most christians are able to gather regularly together for fellowship, teaching, worship, etc etc.

    That is the "Local" Church....in contrast to the Universal Church.

    Both are very much needed regarding Gods witness and influence on this planet.

    When I was 1st born again back in the 1980's I spent who knows how many hundreds of hours soaking up good solid christian teaching via radio ministries. (J Vernon McGee, Chuck Swindoll, Chuck Smith, Jack Hayford, John McArthur, etc etc)

    There is no way that one or two sermon teachings and a bible study once a week at my local Church could give me the volume and depth of teaching that all of these excellant radio ministries gave me on a daily basis.

    Praise God for the parachurch ministries!
     
    #61 Alive in Christ, Nov 8, 2009
  2. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2005
    Messages:
    9,031
    Likes Received:
    2
    Just exactly what is the "Universal Church" needed for? It does not gather, it does not fellowship, it does not teach, it does not worship. Nor does it witness, send missionaries, give financial support, feed the poor or anything else. For what purpose does it exist? Just askin'.
     
    #62 Tom Butler, Nov 8, 2009
  3. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    May 30, 2006
    Messages:
    20,914
    Likes Received:
    706
    Doing the work of Christ on earth. Worshipping God in spirit and truth, proclaiming the Gospel, baptizing believers and whatever else He wants done.

    Of course He uses individual churches because I can't do much in Cuba - but those in the Cuban church are absolutely my brothers and sisters in Christ and we're part of the true church of Christ.
     
    #63 annsni, Nov 8, 2009
  4. Alive in Christ

    Alive in Christ New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2008
    Messages:
    3,822
    Likes Received:
    1
    Tom Butler....

    I appreciate you "just askin' "

    I'm just going out the door to go to the evening service, but when I get back I'll do some "answerin' " at that time. :wavey:


    :godisgood:
     
    #64 Alive in Christ, Nov 8, 2009
  5. Alive in Christ

    Alive in Christ New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2008
    Messages:
    3,822
    Likes Received:
    1
    Tom Butler...

    Well, I thought I'd be back sooner, but when we thought we were winding up our evening fellowship, we found out that God had other ideas. :thumbs:

    I love it when that happens.

    On to your questions....

    Among other things, the evangelism of the entire world, all the time, 24 hours a day. Something that no local church could possibly do.

    Sure it does. I just came back from "gathering", and millions of other members of Gods universal church gathered as well. Some are still gathered. We did that at our local church...as one small part of Gods universal church.

    All of those things take place 24 hours a day, all over this earth, as Gods universal church temporarily gathers together for those purposes...as vital participants in Gods universal church world wide.

    The universal church is vitally involved in all of those things, as I have showed you in this post.

    Hopefully, as I have been answerin', you now have understanding regarding Gods universal church.
     
    #65 Alive in Christ, Nov 8, 2009
  6. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2005
    Messages:
    9,031
    Likes Received:
    2
    Sorry, you're confusing the church with the Kingdom, made up of subjects of the King.

    No, the Universal Church does not gather. But the local church does. One of the distinguishing marks of a local congregation is that it assembles.

    Where did the Universal Church meet? Who preached? Who took up the offering?

    I do have an understanding of the Universal Church, which, of course, is not the same as yours. My understanding is that it is a delicious, but useless fantasy.

    Jesus established a local congregation during his earthly ministry. He empowered a local congregation. He gave the Great Commission to an assembled group. He called out missionaries and evangelists from local congregations He committed the ordinances to the local church. He shed his blood for your congregation and mine.
     
    #66 Tom Butler, Nov 8, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 9, 2009
  7. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2006
    Messages:
    13,977
    Likes Received:
    2
    Please give it a rest. Every time someone comments on the previous posts, it brings it to the front. This thread had sat dormant two months before others not involved started commenting. Let it go. The subject started in a Calvinism thread, and somehow got attached here. The disagreement has nothing to do with the subject in this thread. It also has nothing to do with anyone else but two or three people.

    Now, back to the op. I agree 100% with Tom on this subject. What practical application does a universal church have on this earth? Discipleship, evanglisism, care for the needy, Bible study, worship, fellowship, the ordinances, reaching out to the lost locally, involvement in the local community, and giving is all done through the local church. At times, there is cooperation amongst other local churches, sometimes even different denominations.

    The universal church does exist here on earth, it just has no function. What it does do is like a sharp knife, cut across every existing church roll on earth and weeds out every lost name that is printed. We all know the rolls are chalked full of them. Most haven't darkened the door in decades, while others who do are using the local church as a social club, or a place to stop by for a free meal. One thing for sure, when the Lord decides it is time for the sheep and the goats, everyone on that final church roll will be saved.
     
    #67 saturneptune, Nov 9, 2009
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 4 of 4
Loading...