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TSR Christian Society

Reply 1880

Redpanda91

15

Magnum Opus

Hey

how has your first year been at Leicester? I hope you've enjoyed it :biggrin:

have you found a church there? :hugs:

I'm a bad mod, 4 posts in a row :emo:

edit: yes, score, only 3 :ninja:

Hey =) My first year at Leicester has been pretty awesome, I have loved mostly everything (except writing essays :p:

) and I have found a great church and made lots of good friends there. They even do student lunches every week, so you get to know the various hosts fairly well and obviously other students. I can't wait to get back!

How is your uni life going? Are you even still at uni? *Feels bad for not knowing* :hugs:

Reply 1881

sparklysparkles

Magnum Opus

I want to ask a couple of questions actually, if I may :ninja:

- What does the Holy Spirit mean to you?
- What does the Eucharist mean for you?

Holy Spirit - third person of Trinity; God; his presence is the "firstfruits" (Romans 8) of the inheritance promised to us by God. Helps us, intercedes on our behalf with the Father, can enable us to have spiritual gifts.
Eucharist (although I would say communion) - commemorative ceremony (I don't believe in the literal transformation to body and blood) so we think of Jesus' sacrifice. My church only has it 4 times a year; think it'd be better to have it once a week but then I suppose it'd lose some of its specialness.

Reply 1882

+ polarity -

21

I like free things. :woo:

Reply 1883

+ polarity -

21

Holy Spirit

Eucharist

I think that was everything I wanted to say. :colondollar:

Reply 1884

marille

Magnum Opus

I want to ask a couple of questions actually, if I may :ninja:

- What does the Holy Spirit mean to you?

I think the Holy Spirit is an analagous way of understanding the way in which God interacts with us on a day-to-day basis. The thing that calls to us and drives us and allows us to have a direct relationship with a being so far beyond our comprehension. Not separate from God, but his gift of interaction with us.

Magnum Opus

- What does the Eucharist mean for you?

It's a sacrament - a visible sign of something invisible. I prefer the Greek term, actually - mysterion - which acknowledges that we don't really know the technicalities of what's going on. :p:

I think it's meaningless to talk about whether it is or isn't Jesus' body and blood, because whatever is happening is more complex than that. The Eucharist involves us spiritually and emotionally and it's a ritual that leads us to communion with each other and with God. On a personal level, it's a physical act that refreshes my relationship with Jesus.

What about you, what do they mean for you?

Reply 1885

poppleton1

Terms starts soon again for the medics and I stumbled across this post. Seems like a good list of the main student churches in Manchester. I've been going to the Plant for the last five years (doing a six year medical course :-S) and it's helped me to grow dramatically in my relationship with Jesus. The Plant is a church plant (lol), and so the leaders were able to rethink everything from scratch when it started six years ago. The Bible teaching is great, the music pretty cool, and people there are really loving and supportive of each other (a real church family). The style is also really informal and accessible, so it's easy to bring non-Christian friends/coursemates along and they wont feel confused/out of place. Each church meeting also has food together as part of the service, and often people go for food/to the pub after the service (students often get to nab any extra food from the service to take home :-) ). Also, adding to the family feel, the meetings are kept relatively small so that you can get to know the people you go to church with. When a meeting gets too big, they start a new one! The pastors are really friendly and servant hearted and very eager to help people at the church. There's also a website with a discussion forum and loads of extra resources. I'd really encourage you to check out the website and to pay a visit!

Also, I'd really recommend checking out the Christian Union in Manchester. They will have a stall at the freshers fair and a small group in most halls of residence. I learnt a lot from these guys!

lol, please do get back to me with any thoughts/comments about church, Manchester, or student life in general!

A Shining Light

Ooo I graduated from Manch Uni last year, so I know a bit about the churches there. I went to SMFC (not to be confused with SMCF :P). What kind of church are you looking for? These seem to be the main churches that students go to:

•

SMFC- This is a New Frontiers Church, so it's quite charismatic. Worship is mostly modern songs but there are usually some older songs too. Teaching is pretty good too & the pastor is very funny :P. The church is smallish & it's ideal if you wanna get to know some none-students too. The cell group I went to actually had a lot of people that didn't go to our church, as the cell group leader (Mike Spencer) heads up Manchester Navigators. I highly recommend getting involved in the Navs; I have grown a lot through it & a few of the Navs are still good friends of mine :smile: .

•

SMCF- This church has loads of students even though it's quite a trek to get to it. The worship is quite lively & modern. I quite liked it, though I found it a bit too big.

•

Holy Trinity Platt- This is an Anglican church. It's actually quite free for an Anglican church, though I still found it too traditional for me. I've heard the teaching is very good.

•

The Plant- The teaching is in the format of a bible study rather than a sermon, which appeals to some people. I found the worship rather traditional.

•

Manchester Vineyard- The worship is quite modern & lively. I quite liked it.

•

Hope Church- I've not been to this church but I know a few people who went there. It seems quite similar to SMFC, as it's also a New Frontiers church.

If you get involved in CU then you'll get a lot of help with church hunting. Hope you settle into a good church soon!

Reply 1886

NJA

20

A Shining Light

... I prefer the worship to be more 'free'.

It may surprise you to know that God is very particular on how he wants to be worshipped.

Back in Genesis 4 Cain offered to God what seemed good to him but later saw it was a waste of time.

The worship God wants is to minister to his people, and those that are "on the outside looking in". God himself doesn't need anything from us but he wants us to be the channels for the best of his love & glory.

For that you need to:
(1) receive His Spirit (evidenced by speaking in tongues) - Acts 2:4, 33, 39

(2) get with a church that operates his gifts and ministries in an orderly way (1 Corinthians 14)

Reply 1887

tassacharlotte

NJA

It may surprise you to know that God is very particular on how he wants to be worshipped.

Back in Genesis 4 Cain offered to God what seemed good to him but later saw it was a waste of time.

The worship God wants is to minister to his people, and those that are "on the outside looking in". God himself doesn't need anything from us but he wants us to be the channels for the best of his love & glory.

For that you need to:
(1) receive His Spirit (evidenced by speaking in tongues) - Acts 2:4, 33, 39

(2) get with a church that operates his gifts and ministries in an orderly way (1 Corinthians 14)

Oooooh be careful there friend. Speaking in tongues is not the only evidence of the Spirit of the Lord withing you. What about the friuts of the spirit. When you bear the fruit of the spirit, this is a way of worshipping God. (Galations6:22-23)

Sorry it's just i feel very strongly about people putting tongues on a pedastal. All God's gifts are equal. (1Corinthians12) You can fall into the trap of idolising a gift if you're not careful. Believe me- i've done it before!

Much love

Reply 1888

Magnum Opus

18

tassacharlotte

Oooooh be careful there friend. Speaking in tongues is not the only evidence of the Spirit of the Lord withing you. What about the friuts of the spirit. When you bear the fruit of the spirit, this is a way of worshipping God. (Galations6:22-23)

Sorry it's just i feel very strongly about people putting tongues on a pedastal. All God's gifts are equal. (1Corinthians12) You can fall into the trap of idolising a gift if you're not careful. Believe me- i've done it before!

Much love

Indeed, you're perfectly right, there are so many verses which exemplify how the Holy Spirit is a gift through many forms, none of which take precedence.

1 Cor 8-12

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

This tells us how the church of Christ is only made perfect and complete when you recognise how each individual gift is equal, and each gift is a part of that perfection, which can only be achieved by using the gifts we are given in equal conjunction with each other. The following passages makes it even clearer:

1 Cor 10-16

10Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. 12So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

13For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand[a] say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?

1 Cor 14:26-28

26What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.

Sorry if I've inundated with passages here, but I feel it's very important to make clear that tongues are not something to place on a pedestal or play with.

Reply 1889

tassacharlotte

Magnum Opus

Sorry if I've inundated with passages here, but I feel it's very important to make clear that tongues are not something to place on a pedestal or play with.

Agreed

Reply 1890

+ polarity -

21

tassacharlotte

Oooooh be careful there friend. Speaking in tongues is not the only evidence of the Spirit of the Lord withing you. What about the friuts of the spirit.

Reply 1891

NJA

20

tassacharlotte

Oooooh be careful there friend. Speaking in tongues is not the only evidence of the Spirit of the Lord withing you.
What about the friuts of the spirit. When you bear the fruit of the spirit, this is a way of worshipping God. (Galations6:22-23)

You get the whole package, or nothing.

The fruit (not fruits) is all those attributes of God, not man's love, joy etc.
Many people wrongly assume that a love for God is the love of God and a happiness about God = "the joy of The Lord".
If you read Acts 10 (Cornelius) you will see he had a love for God, but God told him he was not saved yet.

You can only bare this fruit by first receiving the new life (whereupon you speak in tongues, just like a baby cries when it is born... John 3:8, Galatians 4:6).

Please read this from Acts 8v5 onward:
"Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them.
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing
and seeing the miracles which he did.
For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them:
and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
And there was great joy in that city.
they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God,
and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."

Joy and faith are both listed in the Galatians 5:22-23 - so, do they now have the Spirit within?

You would obviously say yes.
If not how do you know?
- what do they not have that your non-tongue-speaking "Christian" friends have??

It continues (v13)...
"Then Simon (the sorceror) himself believed also ... when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them...)"

How did they know?

tassacharlotte

Sorry it's just i feel very strongly about people putting tongues on a pedastal. All God's gifts are equal. (1Corinthians12)

I'm not even talking about "the gift of tongues" which refers specifically to the meetings-use (2 or 3 only, not all) of what they all have for private use.

In this context all gifts are not equal, it specifically says that:
"covet earnestly the best gifts" (12:31)

tassacharlotte

Much love

True love, the love of God:
"rejoices in the truth ... believes all things"
not just the bits that please the natural man.

Reply 1892

tassacharlotte

NJA

You get the whole package, or nothing.

The fruit (not fruits) is all those attributes of God,

yeah my bad

You can only bare this fruit by first receiving the new life (whereupon you speak in tongues, just like a baby cries when it is born... John 3:8, Galatians 4:6).

Yes a baby does cry when it's born, but it doesn't talk does it? It must learn to talk. Some Christians recieve the gift of tongues when they are still babies, becasue it is right for then. Some recieve it when they are more mature in their faith - because it is right for them :wink:

[QUOTES]Joy and faith are both listed in the Galatians 5:22-23 - so, do they now have the Spirit within?

You would obviously say yes.
If not how do you know?
- what do they not have that your non-tongue-speaking "Christian" friends have??

yes i would say yes.
The non-tongue friends you seem to think i am talking about, would be... me :smile:

I have neevr spoken in tongues, but if someone were to tell me that i don't have the Holy Spirit in me as a Christian I would just laugh in their face. I have fallen in the spirit when i've been praying for tongues. I have wept with God's compassionate heart... when i have been praying for tongues. When i finally realised that i was idolising the gift, i could relax in church meetings. i didnt feel rejected by God. I know that i will recieve the gift when God says the time is right for me. I believe tongues to be a way of communicating with God the prayers in your heart, without the Devil being able to listen. Well I know that God knows the desires of my heart, and as long as i pray over my heart, and ask God for the strenght to live in the spirit, then for now i am happy without Tongues.

It continues (v13)...
"Then Simon (the sorceror) himself believed also ... when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them...)"

How did they know?

Have you ever looked at someone and they just had a little sparkle? You couldnt put your finger on it, but something was different about them? THen you get chatting with them, and find out that they are a Christian. The sparkle that you see is the Holy Spirit within them. When someone changes because of God everyone can see it - everyone knows.

Even so, maybe they fell in the Spirit? Maybe they danced or jiggled or laughed hysterically? Tongues is not the only visible/audiable maifestation of the Holy Spirit.

Much love

ps - if my ideas are incoherent i am sorry :/ I can get too excited, and then lazy to edit lol!

Reply 1893

Magnum Opus

18

I can only agree with everything tassacharlotte has said thus far. I'd like to add a question (for anyone) though, what is/are tongues to you, exactly? Both in practice, and meaning.

Reply 1894

NJA

20

tassacharlotte

Yes a baby does cry when it's born, but it doesn't talk does it? It must learn to talk.

You miss the point, there is a cry, the first sign of life.
As indicated by Gal.4:6, Romans 8:15-16 & John 3:8.

Also there was a voice heard when Jesus was annointed, he didn't speak in tongues because he was under the old covenant, but he was a sign of things to come.

tassacharlotte

Some Christians recieve the gift of tongues when they are still babies, becasue it is right for then. Some recieve it when they are more mature in their faith - because it is right for them :wink:

You have missed the point about "the gift" of tongues.

Acts details people becoming Christians, not the gifts passage (1 Cor. 12-14)

In Acts we never read of some receiving "the gift" of tongues when, or sometime after receiving the Spirit.
What we do read is that all knew precisely when they received God's (invisible) Spirit - by the sign of speaking in tongues.

You should get right back to the start of The Church, Acts 2, put yourself there and present God with a clean slate to be taught on.

tassacharlotte

yes i would say yes.
The non-tongue friends you seem to think i am talking about, would be... me :smile:

... I have fallen in the spirit when i've been praying for tongues....

What do you have that the believers in Samaria didn't have to make you sure you have the Spirit and they didn't?

I never read of "falling in the Spirit" anywhere in the bible, my bible tells me that the fruit of the Spirit includes self-control, not the opposite!
Jesus caused people to gain physical and mental strength and self-control, not lose it!

You have missed the right way and followed wrong ways that don't glorify God or help you.

... and who told you to pray for tongues?
- another wrong idea! You thirst for a relationship with God not tongues - you will speak in tongues as neccessary means to that end.

"for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maks intercession for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:26-27)

Reply 1895

NJA

20

Magnum Opus

I can only agree with everything tassacharlotte has said thus far. I'd like to add a question (for anyone) though, what is/are tongues to you, exactly? Both in practice, and meaning.

Personally I wouldn't agree with someone when I wasn't sure what they meant by the words they used.

Tongues is a miraculous unlearened prayer language(s) that God leads people in when they receive His Spirit. (1 Cor. 14:2, 4; Romans 8:26-27)
It allows Him to minister his love to the soul (Jude 20-21).

Reply 1896

Magnum Opus

18

NJA

Personally I wouldn't agree with someone when I wasn't sure what they meant by the words they used.

Tongues is a miraculous unlearened prayer language(s) that God leads people in when they receive His Spirit. (1 Cor. 14:2, 4; Romans 8:26-27)
It allows Him to minister his love to the soul (Jude 20-21).

Do you think it's a literal language? :holmes:

Reply 1897

Redpanda91

15

Magnum Opus

Do you think it's a literal language? :holmes:

Someone told me it could be any language, like you could suddenly find yourself speaking Spanish or something.. I find it really strange but I guess only because i've never experienced/witnessed anyone experiencing it!

Reply 1898

sparklysparkles

Redpanda91

Someone told me it could be any language, like you could suddenly find yourself speaking Spanish or something.. I find it really strange but I guess only because i've never experienced/witnessed anyone experiencing it!

Ditto never having experienced or witnessed it... I think there are two types - you've got the gift of languages (I knew of someone who knew of someone who suddenly called out something in an unknown language which turned out to be a warning to move to people standing on a block of ice which later disintegrated and would have killed them, and also at the start of Acts) plus you've got the heavenly prayer-language for which you need someone with the gift of interpretation.

Reply 1899

NJA

20

Magnum Opus

Do you think it's a literal language?

Yes, there have been instances where bi-lingual people have recognised a gift of tongues when they came to one of our meetings, and of course there is Acts 2 where the languages were recognised by bi-lingual jews from all over the known world.

Some people jump to the wrong conclusion that tongues is for preaching to people, it isn't, it is a sign to them, not a substitute to preaching to them in a common learned language.

If you ever visit a Church that actually runs meetings according to what God wants (most don't!), you will hear 2 or 3 gifts of tongues, each followed by an interpretation (also from God, not the speaker's mind).

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