Vicki,
         The church has always been hampered by the damage that people
insist on inflicting upon it.  What is amazing to me is that Christ still
sees her as His bride, even with all the flaws.  We all get bruised in the
process as our sinful natures bump up against one another as we try to rid
ourselves of them to become more like Christ.  Unfortunately, there are
those who like their sin better than the becoming more like Christ part,
but there you have it.  If someone else's sin can help you become more
patient and loving, then that's not necessarily a bad thing.
         Also, I agree with you that everyone should have a ministry in the
church, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it is the church's job to be
the creative party and come up with all the ideas.  When our people come to
us with an idea, we say, go for it.  It's amazing what a church can do when
it supports someone's calling rather than make everyone conform to a
minority's idea of what the church, "should," do.
         Oh well, enough of my soap box.  Who knows when I'll see your
response to this one!  GRIN!  Did you know that it is 60 in Florida!
Kathy


At 05:41 AM 1/23/2005, you wrote:
>Have recently been thinking that I have some what of a jaded attitude.  Was
>just thinking last night of the years I have loved going to church and felt
>I was there for the right reason for the most part.  Oh there were those
>times, that all of us have, of course.  but now I find it's difficult to
>attend.  I've been attending a church for the last almost year and a half on
>a regular basis, and am not managing to fit in anywhere.  Though I love the
>sermon, and the music, and worship of the Lord, I seem to be just warming a
>bench.  I can do that much easier at home and have a cumffy chair in
>addition.    Experiences with churches in the last couple of years have
>caused me to search my heart to see if there is any unforgiveness for church
>leadership who really inflicted pain on me.    Having re-visited those
>experiences, asking the Lord to show me any unforgiveness, I feel that area
>is settled as far as I can settle it.  But in a properly functioning church,
>should there not be a place of service for every member of the body of
>Christ?    And what about the verses in Hebrews 10:24-25.  New Living puts
>it this way.
>
>Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.
>
>And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but
>encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming
>back again is drawing near.
>
>I like that outburst of good deeds.
>
>We won't have that perfect church until heaven, but the church today is
>severely hampered, and misses out because members of the body aren't in
>their places erving, sharing their God-given gifts, ministering and being
>ministered to..  I'm not just talking about the up front people that we
>might see every Sunday like the pastor or the worship teams.  But so that I
>don't get on a soap box, wonder what others of you think?
>
>I'm sure glad that we can assemble here on the net.  The physical assembly
>is still, however, important.
>
>
>
>Vicki