Religious Question - What church (or religious institution) do you attend and what makes it different?

Green Lawn Church of Christ in Lubbock, TX. What makes us different is that the Church was founded by God not man. After Jesus ascended into heaven, Peter preached the first sermon. After he had finished the people ask "what must we do"? Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. That day three thousand were added to their number. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

We do not speak in tongues for God tells us in I Corinthians 14:15-40 God tells us to speak so all can understand us. Verse 23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad:

We do not have instrumental music in our worship. Ephesians 5:19 tells us to sing and make the melody in our heart to the Lord. We partake of the Lords Supper on the first day of the week. God did not have to put the word in every first day of the week because the first day of the week comes every week.

I Corinthians 11:23-27 The Lords Supper and our command to eat the bread that represents his body and drink the fruit of the vine which represents the blood he shed for us.

Should the Church be called by the name of the one he died for us. Romans 16:16 reads Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

I am a non denominational Pentecostal, born again, Holy Spirit filled, speaks in tongues as the Holy Spirit gives me utterances using my vocal chords.

I believe in the Trinity which is scriptural. I believe Jesus is God.

I walk in Faith by the word of God and stand on it for those things that the Lord has already told us is ours in His word.

My church is a Spirit filled Christian Fellowship in Orange County, California

Woodland Hills Church, St, Paul, Minnesota. It is no denomination but of the Anabaptist thread of theology. The biggest apparent difference from the bulk of Christendom is that of the people. They follow Jesus, act like Jesus and sacrifice like Jesus.

You know mine.

I am fulfilled, my cup runneth over.

Don't get me wrong life still has its challenges, it's not fun.

But overcoming these, are my battle scars, my trophies.

Jehovah's Witness. They are very kind people and live their beliefs.

I belong to a non-denominational church (Colmar Manor Bible Church). What makes us different is we all carry our Bibles with us to church because we actually use them (this was not meant to be mean or sarcastic just stating a fact). Pastor teaches us a book at a time verse by verse. He gives us Greek words to clarify the meaning that the author is conveying to his audience. He always tells us not to believe everything we hear but to check it our for ourselves (be a Berean).

Our church link: http://www.colmarmanorbible.org/ Please check us out ... the truth is taught here.

What I/we believe to be the truth ...

1) The Holy Scripture

We believe in the verbal, complete, infallible, unlimited inerrancy of the Old and New Testaments in the original autographs. The scripture is the final absolute authority for the Christian faith and church order, and infallible with regard to moral, spiritual, historical, and scientific facts. Each man will be held responsible for the truth contained therein (Matt. 5:17-18; Jn. 10:34-35; 16:12; II Tim. 3:16, 17; I Jn. 1:1-4; II Peter 1:21; 3:15-16).

2) The Godhead

We believe that there is only one God, but in the unity of the Godhead there are three eternal and coequal Persons, the same in essence but distinct in subsistence. However, for the glory and good pleasure of God, and the salvation of sinful men, God has established a chain of operational command, with the Father loving and commanding the Son, the Son loving and obeying the Father, and the Holy Spirit obeying and glorifying the Father and Son (Gen. 1:26; Ex. 3:14; Deut. 6:4; Josh 3:10; Ps. 2:7-9, 90:2; Ps. 102:27; 104:30; Matt. 3:17; 28:19; Jn. 1:1-4; 3:16; 6:38; 8:54; 10:31-33; 14:26; 15:26; II Cor. 13:14; Gal. 4:4; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:2-13; Rev. 1:1).

3) The Person and Work of Christ

We believe that that Jesus Christ is God, is eternal and was never created. He was sent from the Father, conceived by the Spirit, and born of a virgin, to become the Son of Man. He revealed the grace and truth of God, providing eternal redemption to all sinful men. He became a man; without ceasing to be God (Isa. 9:6; Luke 1:35; Jn. 1:14; 4:25-26; 5:18-19; I Jn. 1:1-2; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 2:14-17; 10:19-20; Rev. 1:5).

The Scripture teaches that our salvation has been purchased by the shed blood and death of Christ on the cross. He became the second Adam by living a perfect life, and dying on a cross in order to satisfy God’s righteous demands for mankind’s salvation. This death was substitutionary, all sufficient, and vicarious. He is our peace, having reconciled us to God by His death, and has secured our justification by His life. The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ ensures our final salvation. It is in Him that we enjoy the fulfillment of all the promises of God pertaining to this dispensation of Grace (Jn. 3:36; Rom. 3:24-25; 4:24; 5:1-2; II Cor. 1: 20; 5:16-21; Gal. 3:13; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; I Tim. 2:5; 3:16; Tit. 3:5; I Pet. 1:3-5; 2:25; Rev. 1:5; 5:9).

The Scripture teaches that our Lord Jesus Christ has ascended to heaven, giving spiritual gifts to men, and also ministers at the right hand of the Father as our Mediator, High Priest, and Advocate. He will one day return to earth and establish His Millennial Kingdom (Acts 1:9-10; Rom. 8:34; Eph. 4:7-12; I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 4:14; 7:25, 9:24, 10:12; I Jn. 2:1-2; Rev. 20).

4) The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit to be no less personal than the Father and Son. He has feelings, emotions, and a will. The Holy Spirit’s task is to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and help guide mature believers though the Word of God. The Holy Spirit has spiritually regenerated us, indwelt us, and sealed us. By Him, we have been baptized into the Body of Christ, at the moment of conversion, for that day of final redemption. He leads us, bears fruit though and in us, and fills us for victorious living (Matt. 28:19; Jn. 4:36; 16:8-13; Acts 5; Rom. 8:9; 14-17; I Cor. 12:12-14; II Cor. 3:6; Gal 5:22-23; Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; Tit. 3:5; I Jn. 2:20-27).

5) The Total Depravity of Man

We believe that man to have been created in God’s image and likeness being crowned with honor and given dominion over the earth. However, Adam disobeyed God and sinned which resulted in the human race inheriting a sinful nature of rebellion, and losing control over its own destiny. Man is born in sin, totally depraved, under the power of darkness, and cannot please God. Except for God’s divine intervention, man is doomed to eternal condemnation (Gen. 1:26-27; 5:3; 9:6; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3; Col. 1:13; Heb. 2:7-8; Jas. 3:9; I Peter 4:3).

6) Salvation

We believe that our salvation to be a free and unmerited gift, which God desires to impart to all men, but it is only received by a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. A Christian’s works will demonstrate the genuine nature of a man’s faith, yet no amount of works could ever merit salvation. The acceptance of God’s gift, which is the Lord Jesus Christ, by placing faith in His finished work results in salvation (Lk. 23:42-43; Jn. 1:12; Acts 16:31; Rom. 4; 6:23; 10:8-11; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; Col. 1:14; Tit. 1:1-4; I Pet. 1:18-19; I Jn. 2:1-2; 5:13).

7) The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

We believe all of those placing their faith in Christ receive a salvation both unchangeable and eternal. They are held securely by the promise and power of God on earth and throughout eternity. They are held in the hands of Jesus Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and no force, angel, or being has the power to remove them (Jn. 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8; I Cor. 1:4-8; Eph. 1:13-14; Phil. 1:6; I Pet. 1:5; Jude 24).

8) The Two Natures of the Believer

We believe that the saved individual has received a new nature in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. However, the believer does not lose the old nature, and this old nature (the flesh) will wrestle with the Holy Spirit until the believer is delivered from his original body. Until the day of the final physical redemption, when the saved will be like the Lord, we are commanded to live blameless, holy, and righteous lives, as He has given us the means for victory over our sinful tendencies by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:11-13; 8:12-13; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:10; I Jn. 3:5-9).

9) Separation

We believe that the saved should glorify God by their life and conduct, and that our Christian liberty should not be a deterrent to the Gospel nor a reproach to our Lord’s name. Believers have been called by God and should take that calling seriously by clinging to what is good and abstaining from evil. I also believe that the saved should not live in sinful pleasure or condone, by association, doctrinal heresy and apostasy. Even though believers will wrestle with sin, God has given them victory over sin, which they should embrace in the sanctification process (Lk. 5:30-31; 15:1-7; Rom. 12:1-2; 14:13; I Cor. 10:31-33; II Cor. 6:14-7:1; II Tim. 3:1-5; I Pet. 1:13-17; I Jn. 2:15-17).

10) The Church

We believe that the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ to be the saints, the Body of Christ, and that all true believers of all individuals churches are united by the Spirit into one dynamic spiritual organism. The churches assemble themselves together to promote the preaching and teaching of the Word, and the maturity and stability of the believer. Christ is the Chief Shepherd and builder of His Church as well as the Head of the Church. The early Church met each week to glorify God, edify each other, and to be instructed in the Scriptures (Matt. 16:18; I Cor. 12:12-14; II Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 3; 5:25-27; I Tim. 3:14-15).

11) The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts

We believe that God has given the gifts of service and leadership, through the Spirit, to the local church for the perfecting of the saints, and work of the ministry. Some gifts were distinctively for the Apostolic Age and have since passed away. These are tongues, sign miracles, apostleship, and prophecy. However, the remaining gifts should be used for the ministry of the Church in order to glorify God (Acts 1; Rom. 12:1-16; I Cor. 12:4-11; 13:8; II Cor. 12:12; Eph. 2:20; 4:7-12; Heb. 2:3-4; I Pet. 4:10-11).

16) The Eternal State

We believe in the physical resurrection of all men, those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of Life to eternal life with God, and those not contained therein to the Great White Throne Judgment and to the punishment of the everlasting Lake of Fire, according to their works (Matt. 25:46; Lk. 12:46-48; Jn. 3:36; 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-13).

The Scripture teaches that saints, at death, are with the Lord Jesus spiritually and consciously, awaiting the bodily resurrection of the rapture. Those believers who are alive at the time of the Rapture will receive their glorified body instantly. Those saints who lived before the church age will not be resurrected till the Tribulation is over so that they can enter the promised Millennial Kingdom. The eternal body consists of a reunited body, soul, and spirit in gloried form (Isa. 26:19-21; Dan. 12:1-3; Lk. 16:19-31; 23:43; II Cor. 5:1-8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; I Thes. 4:16-17).

non-denomination

None.

When Christ was on the earth He set up His Church, with apostles and prophets as its foundation. “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” Eph 2:20.

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” Eph 4:11-14 Note that foundation of the Church was for “the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” and that they should be there until “we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God… That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.” Christ chose His twelve apostles, Luke 6:13, and said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you. ..” John 15:16. Christ chose twelve and gave them power to act in His name, they did not go to school to get a degree, or decide to go into the ministry own their own, but were call of God and sent out by Christ to teach. Heb 5:4-5, Rom 10:15. When Judas killed himself, the eleven met together and choose another to be ordained to keep a foundation of twelve. Acts 1:24-26 When Paul saw Christ on the road to Damascus, Christ did not give him authority or ordain him as an apostle, but told him those with authority would tell him what to do. Act 9:6, 17-18. Others of the twelve either died or were killed because Paul and Barnabas were later ordained apostles. Acts 13:2-3, 14:14 Note that each time someone is called and ordained to an office in the Priesthood it is done by the laying on of hands by one that has the authority. Acts 6:5-6, 8:17-19, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.” 1 Tim 4:14, 2 Tim 1:6. And the scriptures are clear that one must be ordained and given authority of God to act for God. Acts 19:13-17

Which Church has twelve apostles as the foundation, apostles that have priesthood authority that can be traced by the laying on of hands by those having authority all the way back to Jesus Christ?

Catholics claim that the first Pope was Peter and that Christ gave the authority to him, and that authority has been passed down from Pope to Pope until today. Matt 16:18. But there is no real history of any Popes before 300 years after Peter. Protestants claim that the Catholics went astray and were teaching false teachings not agreeing with the Bible, so they broke away from the Catholics. If the Catholics were wrong and did not have the authority to act for God. The Protestants could not get the priesthood authority from the Catholics if they did not have it and if Catholics did have authority they would not give it to a Church that broke away from them. Some Protestants claim that they have a line of authority outside of the Catholics, but none can show a history of an unbroken line of laying on of hands by those having authority.

So which Church has the Priesthood authority of God and a foundation of twelve apostles? There are many verses in the Bible that tell that there would be an apostasy or falling away from the faith that the Apostles taught. Thess 2:3,“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” Matt 21:43, 23:34-39, Mark 13:13, John 15:18,20, 16:2, Acts 20:29-30, Rom 16:17, 1 Cor 1:10-13, 2 Cor 11:3-4, 13-15, Gal 1:6-7, Col 2:8, Thess 2:2-12, 2 Tim 1:15, 3:1-7, 4:3-4, 1 John 2:18-19, 3 John 1:9-10, 2 Peter 2:1-3, Jude 1:4-5, 18, Rev 2:2,, 3:16, Amos 8:11-12. And many have gone from listen to prophets of God and have trusted in the doctrines of man like the creeds that came from a committee of men chaired by a Pagan and not from a prophet of God. “Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:5. If God were do give us strong doctrine like the Trinity it would be given to us by a Prophet of God, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7

God said that He would restore all things, His Church and the Priesthood authority. “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:19-21, Matt 17:11, Rev 14:6, Daniel 2:44, Isaiah 2:2. 29:13-14, Mal 3:1, 5.

Christ has restored His Church and Priesthood in these the last days. The resurrected John the Baptist returned and by the laying on of hands restored the Aaronic Priesthood. Peter, James and John came down from heaven and restored the Melchizedek Priesthood by the laying on of hands. Twelve apostles were chosen by Christ and the Church was again restored to the earth on April 6, 1830. As in the Church during Christ day the restored Church has apostles and prophets as its foundation and other officers as were in His Church, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”

Every member of His Church that holds the Priesthood of God can trace his Priesthood authority from the one that laid hands on him all the way back to Jesus Christ.

The Church of JESUS CHURCH of Latter-Day Saints is the restored Church of Jesus Christ in these latter days and has twelve Apostles as its foundation and through revelation to our Prophet, Jesus Christ guides the Church as the Chief Corner Stone.

I know of no other Church that has the Priesthood authority of God, with a foundation of apostles and prophets, and led by revelation from Jesus Christ, or that has such claims.