floridasteve

floridasteve
2002-06-30 13:13:52 (UTC)

ch-ch- church-h

CHURCH: (per the cambridge dictionary)

noun; an official Christian organization

verb; the organized meeting of a group
of Christian people

Alternate #1; the official Angelican meeting in England
(anglican) who's formal leader is the king or queen

Alternate #2; the part of the Christian religion which
(catholic) is ruled by the pope

Alternate #3; an all inclusive term typically used to
(the church) refers to the belief that the \"church\"
should not interfer with politic's

Alternate #4; refers to the part of the anglican church
(Episcopal) that is in Scotland and the USA

Church....humm..what else do I know?
I know that historically Constantine I is recognized
as the individual who formalized and organized the
\" church \" ..........

Constantine I....
born Feb. 27, after AD 280? , Naissus, Moesia [now Niš,
Yugos.]
died May 22, 337 , Ancyrona, near Nicomedia, Bithynia [now
Izmit, Tur.]

byname Constantine the Great, Latin in full \"Flavius
Valerius Constantinus \" the first Roman emperor to profess
Christianity. He not only initiated the evolution of the
empire into a Christian state but also provided the impulse
for a distinctively Christian culture that prepared the way
for the growth of Byzantine and Western medieval culture.

IN SHORT OUR FIRST POPE.

I also know from reading the Bible that after the death of Christ
people formed groups which apparently meet on a frequent basis in
each others homes. The Bible infers that they shared their material
goods on a voluntary basis which each other. There was an occasion
when a couple did not give what they had promised to give and
consequencially were put to death by God. These groups sheltered
other believers of Christ as they were traveling through their
towns and it appears they were in comunications with each other
all over the globe. They did have a structure which in some way
was tied to the 12 disciples and there were many distinctive
individuals within them. The bible also indicates that there were
seven main "churches" at the time. The "church" at that
time was
evangelical, meaning it was an outreach type organization thats
main focus appeared to be speaking and spreading the Gospel to
all peoples all over the world. It also appears to be an organization
that edified and helped its members to mature and grow in faith
within their individual groups. Another distinctive characteristic
was their devotion to prayer, their sense and acknowledgment of
the spirit of Christ, and their love for Jesus Christ.

What else.. well everyone knows that the Romans persecuted the then
"church"..ie-feeding the christians to the lions. This was due
to
the fact that the Jewish leadership of the time did not want the
christian faith to spread. They wanted it crushed and destroyed.
They used what influence they had and encouraged the Romans to wipe
out the christians. The Romans not wanting a group of people to be
organized (thus posing a possible threat )went along with this
and the "Roman's feeding the christian to the lions was born..
it actually did become a popular "sport" during those times.
(sport..yeah right) And it was Constantine I who saw the possible
benefits of uniting church and state, unfortunately his motive
was purely for polical gain and inceased power.

Skipping past a bunch of years and unglamorus history we arrive
to the day that the pilgrams sailed to the new world seeking
religious freedom. They were tired of being controlled by a church
that was by the goverment and wanted a place to worship
Jesus (God) in peace...thus eventually birthing the USA.
Yes our country was founded in Christianity...and sadly it is
losing that foundation in leaps and bounds on a daily basis,
if this continues I believe it will bring the downfall of the
USA as a Nation, God will crush it onto nothingness.
(sorry - I had to throw that in there)

Loosly speaking..the above is the historical outline of the
"church" since the death of Christ. But does it define
the word "church"? Does even the definition given define "church"?
To me..no it does not. The word church, the desire for church,
the need for church has been twisted and corrupted to the point
that its true meaning is lost to us as a culture.

So what does church mean to me..
Well I think it best to let Jesus speak.
He summed it up best....
"The hour now is when neither on this mountain
nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
True worshipers worship the Father in spirit and truth,
for such the Father seeks to worship him.
God is spirit,and those who worship him must worship him
in spirit and truth."

What is church? ...a place of worship
The place of worship? ...in the spirit
Where is the spirit? ... in your heart,the very center of your being.

So I say you want to go to church? You want to find God..
then look deep inside of yourself and cast your eye's to
the heavens above..seek God and Jesus will come, he will hold you
in his arms.....his arms of truth and love.




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