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The Fundamentals 
A Shatterproof House of God (Yesuthass)
Isn't the Church just that.... (p j john)
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The Bible says that Jesus is the cornerstone and that the apostles and the prophets form the foundation of the Church. The 5-fold ministry (Eph 4), is given to build the Church into a spiritual house for the inhabitation of God (1 Pet 2). Interestingly when you look at a structure, you see that the any particular stone is supported by at least 2 stones below. Is relating to at least 2 stones to the side and is supporting at least 2 stones above. Hence the need to be a living stone, lest they crack and break and compromise the entire structure. So, the Church, has got to be built by individual people who are relating one to another. We need to be related to at least 2 spiritual fathers, relating to at least 2 spiritual friends and aspiring to relate as a spiritual father to at least two other people. And this relationship is not one of Heys and Hellos but covenantal. Covenant is very loosely used in Christian circles. But covenant really is made of 3 parts 1. Vow, 2. Ratified with a Sacrifice 3. Remembered and obeyed for the lifetime. Good examples of covenantal fathers and friends are Elijah-Elisha and Jonathon-David. So what Bruce is trying to say is that the Church of God (meaning the people), have to come together because of relationships and not because of projects/programmes or even services/meetings. That God is the author of all relationships and that man is the author of all fellowships. I feel that the entire emphasis of the Church has got to change from being goal oriented (how many people do you have?) to one of being relational. Instead of helping to fulfill the vision of one man, we should be fulfilling the vision the Lord has for us, and in doing just that, help to fulfill the vision of another person. So whether house church or not, we have to be a relational Church and not an institutional church.
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Yes Yesuthass by Ivan, 2001, Nov 30
Request... by Forum Master, 2001, Nov 30
New e-mail by Yesuthass, 2001, Dec 01
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