Do you read Acts to find when and where they're meeting?
Doug, gimme a break, you go to a church with people, it has "principles and beliefs" and meeting times and services, it raises money and pays bills, rent or mortgage, it has business meetings and meetings to decide how things are to be done. It's ORGANIZED. If you're not a "member" then you're only fooling yourself and cheating them on their rolls.
I'm well aware that many considered Worldwide a cult and that some today, by extension, believe that United is similar. However, the only things really the same is some of the doctrine.
Not a cult to me, but "new" and based on the teaching of Garner Ted Armstrong in the last 20-30 years or so. If it helps you fine, but you're not getting anywhere telling me it's "old time Christianity."
Catholics believe that they have the authority of God to make any and all changes they want… Personally I want to follow the biblical examples…
This right after you tell me the "variations" on passover celebration your church has made with their "authority."
You didn't dream this up, Doug, it's Armstrong's. You don't go find some random group of "body of Christ," you go to the UCG, an organized group of like followers of the teachings of Garner Ted Armstrong, that's your authority.
Again, whatever helps you in your path toward a closer walk with God - is fine with me.
But don't tell fellow Christians they're too "new," too "organized" or acting without proper authority .
You are too vulnerable of that criticism to project it on others, so why would you want to; it comes back on you so easily? Why not just wish all members of the Body of Christ come together in love and awe and gratitude of Our God.
best wishes to you and yours on this Holy Day.
I don't think you understand what I'm saying and I'm not sure why you're having a problem. I'm assuming it's because you don't see a difference between a church organization and the body of Christ...correct?
Not a cult to me, but "new" and based on the teaching of Garner Ted Armstrong in the last 20-30 years or so. If it helps you fine, but you're not getting anywhere telling me it's "old time Christianity."
Incorrect. It's based on the bible. Herbert Armstrong didn't come up with anything new. All basic doctrine he expoused had been expoused by others in the past and all had its origins in the pages of the bible.
This right after you tell me the "variations" on passover celebration your church has made with their "authority."
I'm a little puzzled. The Passover service I described varies little from how Christ commanded it be kept. The basic elements are the bread, wine and foot washing, all commanded by Christ to be done on Passover. Now I will admit that the reading of scripture and the sermon are traditions for the service based on biblical examples. We could just as easily lose them as they are not essential to the service.
But don't tell fellow Christians they're too "new," too "organized" or acting without proper authority . You are too vulnerable of that criticism to project it on others, so why would you want to; it comes back on you so easily? Why not just wish all members of the Body of Christ come together in love and awe and gratitude of Our God.
I think members of the body of Christ exist in all organizations, but no organization is composed wholly of the body of Christ. This isn't radical. As Christ said, there are tares among the wheat. This is true in United as it is in Catholicism. I'm sorry if you're offended by this attitude. I certainly wish all members of the body of Christ to come together in awe and gratitude of our God, but that doesn't include compromising on the doctrines that God set forth in the bible and that Christ taught us to observe.