I'm interested in hearing what you think...post your answers to the comments for the following questions: all, some or none...well, I hope you'll answer some!
1. Do you have a large number of close friends or do you prefer to keep your circle of close friends to a small amount? Why?
2. Do you go to a traditional church or to a contemporary church?
3. Is church for the believer or those who don't believe yet?
4. Are you too busy? Do you have time for relationships?
Feel free to email your response to tuckerspeaks@gmail.com
Thanks!
Written by,
JAMES AVERY TUCKER at Sometimes Hallelujah
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Hi, James!
ReplyDelete1. I have a small circle of friends, simply because I don't know how to make nor keep a large amount. I am content with my small circle, though I enjoy getting to know new people.
2. My church is its own brand. :) It's a mixture of Charismatics, EmergING (not EmergENT), Arminian/Wesleyan, Calvinists/Reformed, blend of Christians that actually works pretty well.
3. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42
Church is for believers. Church IS the believers. Our gatherings are a time to come together to be refreshed with and fed the Word of God, to hear the Gospel, to fellowship, to have communion, etc. Unbelievers are welcome; but the Church is not FOR them.
The Church is to serve its unbelieving neighbors, and more than that, to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins in Jesus name, to baptize men and women in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and to make disciples of all nations. Then, the unbelievers become believers who encompass the Body and are to receive the ministry of the Church.
Great questions! Here are my 2 cents...
ReplyDelete1) I don't have many intimate friends. I'd say I have two or three that truly know me, that I can relax and just be me with, you know? I find that is about right for me. Intimacy needs time and space to happen, and it's hard to have that kind of time and emotional investment to have a larger inner circle. Outside the few "intimate" friends, I have another 3 or 4 that I would consider "close" friends. They're definite treasures...but we're not at the stage where I can say anything, do anything, and absolutely know they will be there for me on the other side. Outside of that, there is a larger circle of "friends" that I enjoy connecting with from time to time just to have fun.
2) I go to a contemporary church, but I guess you know that. :) I grew up in a traditional church, and I see the beauty in both kinds. As long as they lift up the risen Christ in teaching and in action, hey, I love it!
3) This is a terrific question. As I was looking for a church, I tended to look for one that had the most for "me". I was pretty self-focused. I've landed at a church that has a very evangelical, outreach mindset. For a long time, I didn't feel connected, and I wasn't sure it was for "me". I'm started to partner with this church more in meaningful service and outreach, and I'm finding more fulfillment than I would ever have expected or hoped for. So I guess my answer is...the church is for both the believer and for those who don't believe. But I'm learning how much the "believer" can receive and grow and be empowered by having an outreach mindset and partnering with others who have the same. Kind of like when Jesus, in his last instruction to us, said "Go, teach, baptize...". We receive so much in giving.
4) YES! I am way too busy! I'm prayerfully trying to clear what isn't important to make time for what IS important - and that's relationships - most importantly, my time with Jesus, and then with other friends, both old and new!
I love your idea to pose questions to your readers. I will probably steal it if I ever get back to my blog. Yeah, it's the time thing. I'm way to busy. :) Gotta go now!
From Rose:
ReplyDelete1. Do you have a large number of close friends or do you prefer to keep your circle of close friends to a small amount? Why? Have a lot of facebook friends but my close friends are few and very special I fear getting close to anyone cuz every time I do they move away. But I still love them and miss them
2. Do you go to a traditional church or to a contemporary church? Contemporary due to great music and not pomp and circumstance
3. Is church for the believer or those who don't believe yet? Both the believer for the fellowship and the non believer so they may come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior
4. Are you too busy? Do you have time for relationships? I am busy but relationships are important to make time for.
1. Though time alters this reality on a whim, I prefer to have a small group of very intimate friends and a slightly larger group of close friends. I am a transparent person but save the "process" for the safety of my intimates. I need people close enough to let me talk so that I can figure out what I feel. It is important to not give away the treasure of my heart to those who have no regard for it. Matthew 7:6
ReplyDelete2. I tend to go toward a more traditional church now. I would prefer a no-holds-barred, crazy, Charismatic, long and spontaneous times of worship and prayer AND lingering altar calls. However, what I've just described also creates a more transient environment of people seeking something fresh and new and, at times, this makes it harder to connect and to establish healthy disciples. (my opinion) The more traditional environments allow me to make a plan, find sitters, and seek out ways to connect with other believers.
3. I think that church is for THE CHURCH...it is for believers. I think that believers are for the unbelievers.
4. I am not too busy. I am too isolated and a little inflexible. I do have time for relationships.
1. Close friends? I have some. Probably have a few very close and a larger group of generally close. I like having a larger group to have fun with, but I'm choosy when it comes to sharing my heart. Men and women are included, but topics are chosen based on length and transparency of relationship.
ReplyDelete2. My church--same mix as Julie above. I love its diversity in background. I love how they work at loving each other no matter what's going on personally. I love how we love our children.
3. Oh, we're for the believers, but anyone is welcome.
4. Too busy? Try not to be, but sometimes I get too focused on the temporary. Trying to branch out in relationships outside my safety zone right now. :)
LaDonna said...
ReplyDelete1. I have a small circle of friends. Other people I talk to I deem as associates. I have a large number of those people in my life. We are cordial to each other, but don't spend much time together.
2. I attend a contemporary church. I attend Eagle Heights Church. The worship is awesome and yes, my pastor wears jeans to church all of the time.
3. Church is a hospital for those who are sick. We do not discriminate and say we won't accept someone who is not saved. Yes, the primary reason is for believers to fellowship together and to be equipped to go out and reach those who are lost, but those who are not saved can learn more about God and the Christian walk.
4. Yes. I am about to enter a doctorate program and I am not going into debt for school so I will be working hard trying to get my debt paid off.
Karen said...
1. I have 4 circles of friends. Inner circle are the very few that I can tell anything to about my life….anything. The 2nd circle is my close friends that I love to spend time with. Like invites for my party, there were SO many I wanted to invite, but we couldn’t invite EVERYONE. We had to finally set a number. The 3rd circle is all those others that didn’t get invited, but if I had the money and space, they all would have been invited. And then there’s the 4th circle, people that I like, that like me, we speak, but I probably wouldn’t go to a movie with them. That would be weird. LOL
2. I go to Cowboy Church. It is FAR from traditional but not really contemporary either. You come as you are. If you feed cattle in the morning, that’s okay, come as you are. We are slightly Baptist and have Baptist background, but its used very loosely. We aren’t about religion. We are about RELATIONSHIP.
3. Church is for the believer to fellowship, build relationships with other believers, and learn how to have a relationship with Christ. Church is for the non-believer to see what they’re missing and to realize being a Christian is not boring but fun. It allows them to truly see Christ in others.
4. I am ALWAYS too busy!!! I have to MAKE time for relationships, but when I do, it’s well worth the return.
Lynn said...
ReplyDelete1. Do you have a large number of close friends or do you prefer to keep your circle of close friends to a small amount? Why?
I have many people I call friends, but I only feel intimate with a small number of them.
2. Do you go to a traditional church or to a contemporary church?
I go to a traditional Church that thinks it is contemporary.
3. Is church for the believer or those who don't believe yet?
The Church is not a place or institution, it is a spiritual organism called the Body of Christ made up of people who have given their lives to Jesus.
4. Are you too busy? Do you have time for relationships?
I always have time for people! But although I also am very busy, I am never too busy for people.
1. friends...i have never met a stranger....i am fortunate to have several really close friends but sadly, i'm realizing i have never truly let anyone in....see the real me....and learn to love me for who i am.
ReplyDelete2. contemporary...whoever finds GOD...
3. we are the church and are meant to fellowship with one another, encourage each other and hold ourselves accountable as well as lead unbelievers to CHRIST.
4. always too busy but i am learning to make time for what is important...work should not be at the top of my list and has been. i now realize how critical relationships are - they must be the top priority; starting with JESUS.