Attending Church-The Body Of Christ

[mjmselim]

Thanks for the welcome and encouragement. I find that the church as God's present kingdom is just as the Lord described in the parables of the grain of mustard seed and hidden leaven. In reading of the various experiences in others journey in life in [/font]Christ or God, I found myself reflecting on my own. As a new believer I was with the Missionary Baptists (Landmarkism) and the IFCA (Fundamentalists) baptized by both. I preached Christ as many new believers do in joy of knowing Him Who knows all, filled with joy and thanks--saved! Others persuaded me to enter the ministry, by license and seminary, but that soon was exposed as insufficient in God's will for me. Withdrawal from seminary, rejecting license and ordination, denial of Baptist distinctives and uniqueness brought about excommunication. Several years were spent among other type of Baptists and visiting many other denominations and groups. Certain churches influenced and attracted me, I recall Plymouth Brethren, Local Church, Calvary Chapel, and others. But the main Christian influence that the Lord used outside the Scriptures were certain Christian leaders and scholars in their writings. Graves and Bogard among Baptists; Bullinger and Schofield and Darby among Dispensationalists; Edersheim and Ginsberg among Hebraists. In time, as with other Christians my world was enlarged. I did not find ability to enter formal membership from the initial rejection, and tried on several occasions to no lasting avail. I am not a Charismatic as some are called, though I fancy in Christ I too have some gifts and graces. My wife is altogether a Charismatic as well as some of my daughters. For their sake I abide with them in that circle, often as a visitor. The group at present claims some 3,000 members, of which I make no merit good or bad. I think of churches along the line of Paul's words that heresies must exists to manifest the approved, or least to test their metal.

Mt 13:31 Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Mt 13:32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Mt 13:33 Another parable spake He unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.


1Co 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
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