Profitable Christian Meetings

jaywill writes:This is not a legal matter. It is a good principle. "We start at this time. We fellowship for this amount of time. We say goodbye for another good meeting on another day."

Faith writes:God gifts individuals as He wills and it's never ALL who receive a particular gift.

Stile writes:Come to the meeting to think and talk and focus on Jesus Christ.
Act as Christ-like as possible during the meetings (don't scream and yell or put down other people, don't swear, don't be a jerk...)
All people have the right to speak, all voices have the right to be heard, be respectful of other's thoughts and experiences about Jesus Christ.

Faith writes:I associate that kind of glorious immersion in the things of Christ with revivals, which is why I've been praying and hoping for revival for a long time.

Stile,to jaywill writes:Ha ha, I did not intend the athletic example to be taken so literally.I especially didn't want to start anything over who's ego is more excited about their rejoicing either... such a thing can only be determined by each individual.My only point with the athletic example was to show that some people react to excitement differently.
You seem to understand this.

Early on in my "believing" life, I went to church partly because I had "gotten saved" and partly because I felt an obligation to attend. I was too insecure in myself and in my personal faith to think for myself. I recall the early days:I would attend meetings where the Pastor would attempt to get everyone whipped up into an emotional frenzy--at least, thats how I perceived the meeting to be. He/she would say something like "Isn't God good? Turn to your neighbor and say 'God is so good'!! Turn to your other neighbor and say 'all the time'!!"Most of the audience would obediently do as the speaker suggested. I perceived a bit of fakery. I myself always preferred being honest rather than putting on a cheesy smile and responding like what Buzsaw used to call "a Sheeple". [cheesy smile] [/cheesy smile]My point is that everyone at any meeting should honestly feel joyful from deep within and never force a given behavior to happen.

jaywill writes:I would say that the MOST genuine one, the MOST sincere one, and the MOST real one is Jesus Himself. What we want to move toward is living in union with Jesus, the REAL one - the truth. Then when we come together, we overflow something of our enjoyment of living Christ.

jaywill writes:Could that sometimes involve tears or sorrow? Yes. We may be in the midst of a sore trial. Christians are not exempt from any of the misfortunes which befall unbelievers. Our growth in life necessitates that we suffer things which drive us out of spending our own resources but being supplied by His (Spirit/wisdom/resources)