tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21117204.post114288420594556529..comments2007-04-12T03:12:19.286-07:00Pastor Leo A. Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09301210474935040708noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21117204.post-1142975968842067032006-03-21T13:19:00.000-08:002006-03-21T13:19:00.000-08:00Your absolutly right concerning "holding a service at home" being constituted as the church... However many are doing just that instead of seeking where God would want them to plant. <BR/><BR/>As far as "personal preference" is concerned I believe we have to becareful because our preference may go against what God has and where He wants us... Example: Jonah's preference was to go to tarshish when God wanted him in Nineveh. Complete rebellion on jonahs part. I also do understand that different churches offer different enviornment as well as vision, so people will choose to align themselves with what more suits their desire as well as direction. However we should still be actively seeking God on where we are to be planted as 1st Corinthians 12:18 reminds us that "God sets the members, each one of them, inthe body just as He pleased."<BR/><BR/>More on this will become clear in the post following concerning "what is the Church?". So I also hope it draws comments from those who read it...Be BlessedPastor Leo A. Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07083180235884747827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21117204.post-1142962132892654882006-03-21T09:28:00.000-08:002006-03-21T09:28:00.000-08:00Pastor Leo,<BR/><BR/>Great topic for the blog. Hopefully, it can create some dialogue regarding how important church is for Christian character and development.<BR/><BR/>You wrote:<BR/><BR/>"so many today are out of church because they have been deceived by “every wind of doctrine”. They haven’t studied the Word for themselves or are rebellious in nature and against God’s ordained government called the Church."<BR/><BR/>You truly hit the problem squarely on the head with this observation. Many Christian leave church for all the wrong reasons, and each of those reasons revolve around "I don't like..." We see it so often in the bouncing of Christians between one church and the next.<BR/><BR/>Now, some will say a personal preference is just fine, and I will not argue with that. But, personal preference does not justify turning one's back to the church.<BR/><BR/>Now this means that holding a service at home does not constitute a church!<BR/><BR/>Write on brother!Pastor Dean Goneauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00383497440771284518noreply@blogger.com