Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
... it may be hard to find active believers who are not in churches... [but] the Bible assumes that the believers are together in fellowship. Interactions between believers seem to fill every page of scripture.
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I lucked out. I church-hopped for quite a few years post-LC, usually telling them about the superior theology I posessed, and passing along appropriate literature to demonstrate. Eventually, I stopped meeting anywhere, even wondering whether I was a christian anymore. God just seemed awfully remote to me.
When I eventually began to turn and seek God again, I found the most amazingly spiritual person at work. He was like a child: he was constantly astonished and amazed by God's goodness, kindness, wisdom, and blessings. From him I got no theology, just sincerity and joy. It affected me profoundly, and not long after I started seeing christians pop up everywhere. Today I am blessed with multiple "ekklesia", or meetings, or gatherings, or fellowships, or whatever you want to call them. I found that if you just honor the christians that God has placed near you; and feed them with whatever crumbs of food you have, God will also minister to you. The fields are truly white for the harvest.
If you don't have anyone, ask the Father. If necessary, demand it, loudly and repeatedly(Luke 18:1-8; also Matt. 11:12). Stamp your feet. Ask, where is our family? Where are Your people? He will give you someone.
One christian that I speak to regularly today, he goes to his church and tells them about things that have impressed him from our conversations. Once when his pastor asked him where he heard something, he said, "Oh, some guy I know." He's never told them my name, nor have I ever asked the name of his church. But when we speak together, often I sense God opening up for us the scriptures.
Whether this building work will endure "in that day", I do not know; but I do know that the sheep can hear their Master's voice. Nothing else matters, but to hear His voice. Then, I am satisfied. If anyone out there doesn't have satisfying interactions with other believers, ask God; He will surely give you that experience. Just let go of your concepts about what that is supposed to look like. Let God surprise you.