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Best of both worlds?? 
church in Jurong West vicinity 
City Harvest (Liz R.)
Sorry, City Harvest is not Traditional Church, Lolz...eom (Emmanuel)
The true City (Ivan)
Impressive (RTC)
What great feats of men to turn the wasteland into a holy masterpiece sanctuary of God! (Ivan)
Reasons??? (RTC)
I believe every building of a new church is a testimony of the members' faith in a great God (Ivan)
I can see that, but can you see this? (RTC)
In times like these (Ivan)
Living in the Old? (RTC)
The Old and the New (Ivan)
reply (RTC)
I am... (Ivan)
What about my questions? (RTC)
I try... (Ivan)
Place of worship???? (RTC)
I think... (Ivan)
It is heartening.... (Ivan)
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Yes it is a good thing that there are churches that wants to preserve the intimacy of small fellowships, encouraging the development of such groups. However, it is not really the best of both worlds. Firstly, I take it as your admission that the early church met primarily in homes. Secondly, cell groups have a surface similarity to house churches as far as the meeting place is concerned, but usually that is all. Thirdly, the paradigm between those in the cell groups and house church are radically different. Fourth, the proliferation of cell groups leave one of the most fundamental problems unsolved and untouched, the hierarchical structure of church leadership and the separation of clergy and laity. In short, think of it this way. Picture a line below: Old Covenant __________________________New Covenant On the extreme left side are everything relating to the old covenant way of doing things, temples, priests, tithes, imposed rules and regulations, institutionalism, rigid structure (the RCC would fit well into this extreme, though I would not consider them Christian because otherwise there won't be a need to reach out to them). Many traditional churches would also fall near to the left side. On the extreme right are the organic house churches, the kind that 1 Cor 14:26 speaks about and the NT describes. Many churches today are mixing the two, holding to the old covenant practices (and I'm not talking about the sacrificial rituals) and trying to adopt the New covenant practices. In fact, they should leave the Old Covenant and fully embrace the New Covenant. By not doing that, they not only fail to enjoy fully the new covenant implications, they also suffer the hindrances and limitations of the old covenant practices. I don't see how that can be the best of both worlds. |
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Messages
Outline:
RTC: Return To Christ by Ivan, 2002, Jan 01
Already have by RTC, 2002, Jan 02
On "house of God" by Ivan, 2002, Jan 03
No house of God by RTC, 2002, Jan 03
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