Churches that accept everyone

[nobspeople]

Where I live, there are several churches (non-denominational) whose doors are open to everyone and preach love and acceptance. They don't teach (again, as far as I can tell based on what those who have attended tell me) sins like many other churches do. For example, they are open to people who have changed genders, gay couples and singles, unwed mothers, those with substance abuse issues and those whom have been in prison and are out, trying to make their lives in to something more than being a felon for example.
They do teach sins like stealing, hating, killing, etc are bad/sinful, however. The churches themselves are in large, old, architecturally significant buildings, but the congregations are small and they bring in little money (aka not a mega church). They seem to be very much like Jesus is said to have been in the current Christian bible.

What's you personal opinion of churches like this?
Are they biblically correct in their teachings?
Have you been to any and if so, did you like it?

[Dimmesdale]

Certainly there are churches that are not based on the Bible or who take the bits of the Bible that they like and concentrate on them while dismissing everything else in God's Word. They are usually founded by people wishing to promote their own worldview in a religious setting.

All churches have to do that. The question is if they're honest about it.

Matthew 7:13-14 and John 3:16 can't be harmonized without doing violence to one or both. Salvation is either a gift or a reward and either Matthew or John was wrong. Pretending that they can both somehow be right is no more biblical than picking a compromise. As far as I'm concerned, the only truly biblical way to understand the New Testament is to recognize that all four evangelists meant exactly what they said, even when they conflict irreconcilably with each other.

What if the gift is the gift to persevere, and to reject the gift is to reject the means to win the crown?

There, harmonized.

I am not a Christian (Lord knows I've tried - I believe in God otherwise) but there are ways of seeing the world that are partial and incomplete, and I recognize that. One reason I prefer to see the world KALEIDOSCOPICALLY - through the infinite angles of vision that reality is nested in.

[Dimmesdale]

Where I live, there are several churches (non-denominational) whose doors are open to everyone and preach love and acceptance. They don't teach (again, as far as I can tell based on what those who have attended tell me) sins like many other churches do. For example, they are open to people who have changed genders, gay couples and singles, unwed mothers, those with substance abuse issues and those whom have been in prison and are out, trying to make their lives in to something more than being a felon for example.
They do teach sins like stealing, hating, killing, etc are bad/sinful, however. The churches themselves are in large, old, architecturally significant buildings, but the congregations are small and they bring in little money (aka not a mega church). They seem to be very much like Jesus is said to have been in the current Christian bible.

What's you personal opinion of churches like this?
Are they biblically correct in their teachings?
Have you been to any and if so, did you like it?

I remember back in my college days I attended a number of Bible studies at two different campus churches, one of which was definitely non-denominational. I made it clear I was a non-believer, and they were kind enough to take me on board and answer questions. One man I even spent multiple Bible studies with, and we discussed a ton of philosophy. Looking back, he must have had exceeding patience, together with a lot of others who I kept company with. Really, I respect Christians like that a great deal, because they are invested in helping others move towards truth and taking out time out of their day to help out. I really wish more people were like that.

About sin: I know that this is a difficult concept. I do believe in something like sin, but calling out people for it is a whole other ball game, one that I myself am not proficient in at all. I think we can come to a consensus that some things are wrong though, and that moral actions have consequences just like chemical reactions have consequences in the physical sciences. About sexuality and drugs, I think we definitely need to be careful while remaining firm to our philosophical foundations, if that makes sense. I don't believe in prejudice, but I do believe in standards. How to navigate that is a balancing act which I have unfortunately little experience with. But I think we are bound to find a solution so long as we continue to try our best.

[Difflugia]

What if the gift is the gift to persevere, and to reject the gift is to reject the means to win the crown?

According to John, belief is enough. Those that don't believe are judged by their deeds (or "works" in Paul's parlance), but those that believe aren't judged at all. Whatever their deeds were, are, or will be, the Son has freed them from sin. One could argue that salvation is the reward for believing, but I'd say that's just pointing out my imprecise wording without really changing the meaning of it.

According to Matthew, the kingdom is an exclusive club for those that do the will of God. "For narrow is the gate ... and few are they that find it."

John, on the other hand, says many times in different ways that belief in Jesus removes all sin. Those that fail to believe will die in and by judged for their sins, but without qualification, all who believe are free of their sins and will have everlasting life. "If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed!"

[Dimmesdale]

What if the gift is the gift to persevere, and to reject the gift is to reject the means to win the crown?

According to John, belief is enough. Those that don't believe are judged by their deeds (or "works" in Paul's parlance), but those that believe aren't judged at all. Whatever their deeds were, are, or will be, the Son has freed them from sin. One could argue that salvation is the reward for believing, but I'd say that's just pointing out my imprecise wording without really changing the meaning of it.

According to Matthew, the kingdom is an exclusive club for those that do the will of God. "For narrow is the gate ... and few are they that find it."

John, on the other hand, says many times in different ways that belief in Jesus removes all sin. Those that fail to believe will die in and by judged for their sins, but without qualification, all who believe are free of their sins and will have everlasting life. "If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed!"

I always heard that works are the fruit of faith, but, ok, I won't argue.... I'm not a systematic theologian and I'm more or less done with Christianity... but I'm sure you wouldn't hear the end of it from at least ONE Christian..... Peace.

[JehovahsWitness]

Where I live, there are several churches (non-denominational) whose doors are open to everyone and preach love and acceptance. .... For example, they are open to people who have changed genders, gay couples and singles, unwed mothers, those with substance abuse issues and those whom have been in prison and are out, trying to make their lives in to something more than being a felon for example.

Yes, anyone should be able to attend public church services as long as they do not represent a danger to anyone in attendence. That is the case in my own religion (Jehovahs Witness). Our building are not generally large or old (I don't know what architecturally significant means).


JW

[JehovahsWitness]

They don't teach (again, as far as I can tell based on what those who have attended tell me) sins like many other churches do.

I think it is wrong to depart from the teachings of Christ and the bible. We Jehovahs Witnesses accept all 66 book of the bible canon so this means that certain actions are deemed inacceptable for those that wish to please God.

Any church that offerts spiritual instruction without teaching bible truths is doing people a disservice.

JW

[bluegreenearth]

I think it is wrong to depart from the teachings of Christ and the bible. We Jehovahs Witnesses accept all 66 book of the bible canon so this means that certain actions are deemed inacceptable for those that wish to please God.

Any church that offerts spiritual instruction without teaching bible truths is doing people a disservice.

Is there any evidence you would accept that would cause you to be even slightly less confident in your assertion above? What would that evidence have to be?

[Difflugia]

I always heard that works are the fruit of faith, but, ok, I won't argue....

That comes from trying to reconcile James (particularly 2:17, "Even so, faith itself is dead if it doesn't have works.") with the Pauline epistles ("...by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."). The argument goes that if the works aren't themselves the justification, but are instead merely an outward sign of having received grace by faith, then both James and Paul can be right at the same time. The wrench is that both Paul and James use the same example (Abraham's righteousness) to make opposite points. Paul says that Abraham was justified by faith apart from works, but James says that he was justified by works which "made his faith perfect."

[JehovahsWitness]

I think it is wrong to depart from the teachings of Christ and the bible. We Jehovahs Witnesses accept all 66 book of the bible canon so this means that certain actions are deemed inacceptable for those that wish to please God.

Any church that offerts spiritual instruction without teaching bible truths is doing people a disservice.

Is there any evidence you would accept that would cause you to be even slightly less confident in your assertion above? What would that evidence have to be?

I suppose you could prove there is no God. And then that the bible is not his means of communicating with mankind.


JW

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GOD, TRUTH and ...RELIGION

[Difflugia]

We Jehovahs Witnesses accept all 66 book of the bible canon...

Unless that "truth" is in 2 Maccabees or Wisdom of Sirach...