Comments on: The Spirit Has Left the Building—More Thoughts http://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/09/the-spirit-has-left-the-building-more-thoughts.html Looking for the 1st century Church in 21st century America Tue, 22 May 2012 03:53:34 +0000 hourly 1 By: John Tapscotthttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/09/the-spirit-has-left-the-building-more-thoughts.html#comment-30746 John Tapscott Mon, 01 Oct 2007 21:13:52 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/09/the-spirit-has-left-the-building-more-thoughts.html#comment-30746 "The Spirit Has Left The Building" I can think of no apter description for a church building in the town where I work. It's (was) a beautiful cement rendered building with stained windows and spires. Today its windows are broken and it's home to about 10,000 (hyperbole, I haven't counted them) pigeons. Their droppings are climbing up the walls and I can only guess at the depth of guano inside. It goes without saying that no-one worships there any more unless I'm maligning the pigeons. Nevertheless every time I pass that building I reflect that the Spirit does not inhabit buildings but a body. He inhabits the Church as the Body of Christ and believers individually as members of that Body. When considered in that way buildings become irrelevant. My wife and I have been members of a number of different "churches" in our travels around the country. We have always had the joy of fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ regardless of the denominational tag attached to the building. Our "home church" belongs to the Presbyterian denomination. In the town where we work we attend an Anglican church. We also plan to join in with the brothers and sisters of the People's (indigenous) Church and we have been involved in taking Sunday School to 2 local indigenous communities. It is beyond me why people strive to attain the New Testament Church ideal or the Acts formula. In Biblical times the Church was no more ideal than it is today. I think people need to get on with the business of being the people they were born again to be, that is, themselves. If one is born again the Spirit is living and working in one's life. We live, then by faith and not by sight. Paul has told us that when that which is perfect has come then we will see clearly and not as through a glass dimly. We will know even as we are known. We will see Him face to face. What do you think? “The Spirit Has Left The Building”
I can think of no apter description for a church building in the town where I work. It’s (was) a beautiful cement rendered building with stained windows and spires. Today its windows are broken and it’s home to about 10,000 (hyperbole, I haven’t counted them) pigeons. Their droppings are climbing up the walls and I can only guess at the depth of guano inside. It goes without saying that no-one worships there any more unless I’m maligning the pigeons. Nevertheless every time I pass that building I reflect that the Spirit does not inhabit buildings but a body. He inhabits the Church as the Body of Christ and believers individually as members of that Body. When considered in that way buildings become irrelevant. My wife and I have been members of a number of different “churches” in our travels around the country. We have always had the joy of fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ regardless of the denominational tag attached to the building. Our “home church” belongs to the Presbyterian denomination. In the town where we work we attend an Anglican church. We also plan to join in with the brothers and sisters of the People’s (indigenous) Church and we have been involved in taking Sunday School to 2 local indigenous communities.
It is beyond me why people strive to attain the New Testament Church ideal or the Acts formula. In Biblical times the Church was no more ideal than it is today. I think people need to get on with the business of being the people they were born again to be, that is, themselves. If one is born again the Spirit is living and working in one’s life. We live, then by faith and not by sight. Paul has told us that when that which is perfect has come then we will see clearly and not as through a glass dimly. We will know even as we are known. We will see Him face to face. What do you think?

]]> By: Oxysmoronhttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/09/the-spirit-has-left-the-building-more-thoughts.html#comment-30374 Oxysmoron Thu, 20 Sep 2007 06:06:17 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/09/the-spirit-has-left-the-building-more-thoughts.html#comment-30374 Enjoyed reading this " the Spirit has left the Building". Only makes me want to cry more. I have felt the presence of the Lord Jesus more in my room than I have ever felt in the church I attend. No matter how the routine goes I leave with this haunting thought 'what are we doing?" There are times when the overdose of pride is too much for me to handle...I have to get up and walk out the door to breathe. I tell myself over and over again " persevere through it... things will change for the better"... then after awhile I start saying... "maybe I better check the door to see if Icabod is written on there". Well, if this is His church she is really in need ... GREAT NEED!, but if it isn't His church, then we have an awful lot of tares and hardly any wheat assembling together each week. It really is vexing. Enjoyed reading this ” the Spirit has left the Building”.

Only makes me want to cry more. I have felt the presence of the Lord Jesus more in my room than I have ever felt in the church I attend. No matter how the routine goes I leave with this haunting thought ‘what are we doing?” There are times when the overdose of pride is too much for me to handle…I have to get up and walk out the door to breathe.

I tell myself over and over again ” persevere through it… things will change for the better”… then after awhile I start saying… “maybe I better check the door to see if Icabod is written on there”.

Well, if this is His church she is really in need … GREAT NEED!, but if it isn’t His church, then we have an awful lot of tares and hardly any wheat assembling together each week. It really is vexing.

]]> By: Happyhttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/09/the-spirit-has-left-the-building-more-thoughts.html#comment-30371 Happy Thu, 20 Sep 2007 03:43:35 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/09/the-spirit-has-left-the-building-more-thoughts.html#comment-30371 Becca - I hear what you're saying! I feel pretty stuck in formulas a lot of the time too. Becca – I hear what you’re saying! I feel pretty stuck in formulas a lot of the time too.

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