My last post received a lengthy reply.
Here is my lengthy reply to the lengthy reply.
Dan,
I did not specifically mention the church because it isn't a unique problem to your church or any other specific church in the community. The way we do church is an ailment of the majority of churches in America. I am not alone feeling that way. Nor do I believe I am inactive in trying to change it.
We did go to church on Sunday. It just happened to be a different one than yours. If there was a divine appointment with a lost person, I would've still made it unless God sent them to the church I wasn't going to for it. During our hunt we did miss church some, but I would say that we were in church a great portion of the time. My prayer was that a simple church would form as a result of our prayers and conversations with like-minded believers. That didn't happen, but it is still my hope.
Diagnoising me with spiritual depression? Maybe, but I don't think so. I think qualifying my thoughts as depression would just give an easy way to dismiss them.
Also, I don't think what I've done since I've been living in the Antwerp and Hicksville communities would fit with your idea of depression. I'm not going to list a resume of the things I have done of spiritual significance and the impact, hopefully lasting, on those around me, but I do not believe my spiritual life has not been futile. I will concede that my spiritual actions within a local church have been close to such, although there might be some glimmers here and there. My inactiviy in formal Christian community frustrates me because I believe so strongly in the local church and its role in the life of the larger body. However, I do believe we have strived (and successfully achieved) great community with other Christians. The people, including you, that meet in our Friday morning book group would be in that group, but they are only for me as a male. There are others that my wife has. We have many people (some who read this) that we would consider great Christian friends. Our fellowship might not be as regularly as weekly, with some it is, but with others it is less frequent.
I also visited the prayer room you mentioned. I also found it very uplifting, and I pray that all of the prayers will be answered. It was also encouraging to see all of the growth and prayers; however, it didn't scream to me that this is the local church God wants me at. Nor does my logic lead me to such a conclusion. I wish it did.
"God has called You to be Christ to others, not to just tell others how they should be Christ to someone else."
I try to do that in real life. The problem is that the internet is really only a forum of thoughts, so you will only hear my thoughts when you come here. Here my words speak. My actions are silent. Nor will I list my actions as a resume on here or in real life.
Thanks for your thoughts Dan. But as seems to be frequent among us, I will have to disagree. I don't wants my thoughts on ecclesiology to just be discarded because of "spiritual depression". I do have to learn how to better communicate them.
My main problem is choosing how to settle on convictions that I have. Should I or how do I lessen a few convictions in order to be part of a body that doesn't share them? And which convictions are those.
Watch out for the potholes.
