What happened to the Christian church?
- Thread starter Danoz
- Start date
It formed. The End.
My aunt attends a Baptist mega-church in competetion with the sister megas in the Houston area. I'm willing to bet that the praise and worship, heavy on Lincoln Brewster this year, is a lot more rock show at my 75 families church then hers.
Are major efforts go to the Central African Republic, Mindinao, Mongolia and finally to the men living on the infield of Santa Anita Horse Racing Track.
When Katrina hit that mega was able to instantly set the Astrodome evac center into operation. Meanwhile little churches like mine where suddenly trying to partner with others which slowed responce just as the federal government was slowed down.
Both mega and micro exist. IMO they both have a role in the Kingdom. We must guard that we hide our jealousy that we are not as popular as them behind jokes about them. I admit sometimes I wonder if our Praise and Worship sounded as good as Israel Houghton and New Breed we would draw some of those who perfer a Lakewood type church to the neighborhood model.
Are major efforts go to the Central African Republic, Mindinao, Mongolia and finally to the men living on the infield of Santa Anita Horse Racing Track.
When Katrina hit that mega was able to instantly set the Astrodome evac center into operation. Meanwhile little churches like mine where suddenly trying to partner with others which slowed responce just as the federal government was slowed down.
Both mega and micro exist. IMO they both have a role in the Kingdom. We must guard that we hide our jealousy that we are not as popular as them behind jokes about them. I admit sometimes I wonder if our Praise and Worship sounded as good as Israel Houghton and New Breed we would draw some of those who perfer a Lakewood type church to the neighborhood model.
My dad calls them "Six Flags over Jesus", too!
Worship any way you want, but that megachurch-entertainment stuff is not for me.
It was the Pope. Pope reasserts salvation comes from one church
Well, if Protestants "came along", then Catholics "came along", too, since they took their own route because they didn't like what the Orthodox Church did.
But, if you ask me, Christianity in its true meaning was done the moment it became an institution like the Church, opressing dissent and using violence against others, long before the first schisma.It is tragic to see that those who claim to follow Christ would often understand so little of his teachings.
Well, in the US at least. In the rest of the world, Protestants aren't like that at all. They're pretty traditional for the most part.
I'd be quite appalled by the kind of church the OP described. I prefer more traditional music and liturgy. Also I think that sermons are really important, especially if you want to attract new people. Sadly, they're often lacking, at least that's my experience. But if you don't have anything substantial to say why should people bother with Christianity? Why should anyone try to immerse himself into a religion if its representatives don't have anything to say?
I think alot of Christian Chruches are not very good. Jesus was poor and told people to store their riches in Heaven and not on Earth. These huge churches that rake in millions each year and whose pastors are living the good life are an abomination, in my opinion to God. For instance that one dude, I forgot his name, but he is young and he preaches about how God wants you to be rich. His wife just got in trouble for slapping a stewardess on a plane. God wants a person to serve Him and bring others to Christ, not amass millions of dollars.
It is an embarrassement seeing thise preachers showing off their multi million dollar lifestyles. When I see this I am reminded of the end of "Schindler's List" when he is telling the Jews that if he had sold his car or his watch he could have paid off the Nazis and saved more of them. If these preachers had lived frugally and instead of living like millionaires, give that money away to the poor then how many more people could have risen from the depths of poverty?
I am a Christian and the church I attend is a good ol fire and brimstone church. The pastor is about my age, but he doesn't sugar coat the truth. He blasts people in the congregation (not by name). He kicked out an associate pastor for telling kids there was no hell. He is a true man of God and doesnt mince words to make people feel good. He doesnt believe in abortion or gay rights, but he also targets republicans for failing to help the poor and he targets the dems for their stand on abortion and gay rights yet he prays for whoever is the president that God may guide him.
Now his is a good church and I wish more Christian chruches were like it.
It is an embarrassement seeing thise preachers showing off their multi million dollar lifestyles. When I see this I am reminded of the end of "Schindler's List" when he is telling the Jews that if he had sold his car or his watch he could have paid off the Nazis and saved more of them. If these preachers had lived frugally and instead of living like millionaires, give that money away to the poor then how many more people could have risen from the depths of poverty?
I am a Christian and the church I attend is a good ol fire and brimstone church. The pastor is about my age, but he doesn't sugar coat the truth. He blasts people in the congregation (not by name). He kicked out an associate pastor for telling kids there was no hell. He is a true man of God and doesnt mince words to make people feel good. He doesnt believe in abortion or gay rights, but he also targets republicans for failing to help the poor and he targets the dems for their stand on abortion and gay rights yet he prays for whoever is the president that God may guide him.
Now his is a good church and I wish more Christian chruches were like it.
Sounds like a fucking asshole, but I digress, at least he's a non-partisan asshole.
I just wish there were fewer churches period. I hope that America follows the lead of western Europe and Canada and sees its church attendance plummet to the point where churches are closing.
FordSVT, Actually he will give you the shirt off his back if you ask him. He just doesnt believe in babying sinners to make them feel good about their sins like other churches do.
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Amaris
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Well, if Protestants "came along", then Catholics "came along", too, since they took their own route because they didn't like what the Orthodox Church did.
It is tragic to see that those who claim to follow Christ would often understand so little of his teachings.
Well, in the US at least. In the rest of the world, Protestants aren't like that at all. They're pretty traditional for the most part.
I'd be quite appalled by the kind of church the OP described. I prefer more traditional music and liturgy. Also I think that sermons are really important, especially if you want to attract new people. Sadly, they're often lacking, at least that's my experience. But if you don't have anything substantial to say why should people bother with Christianity? Why should anyone try to immerse himself into a religion if its representatives don't have anything to say?
I agree. I only mentioned that because sometimes people here make it seem like Catholics just kind of muscled their way in after everyone else was here, and that's just not true. I also believe the churches here in the U.S. are more hardcore, and that's because of our puritan upbringing as a nation. It affects everything we do or say, whether it's about sex, money or the weather. There are many devout churches in Europe who would be seen as scandalous by most churches here, because they're more relaxed and open about the faith. Again, Puritans got angry that the immoral, godless heathens wouldn't submit to the authority of their church and came here to start new, bringing their strict, inflexible, close minded and hardened theology with them. I'm sure there are many churches over there who see me as strict and conservative as a Christian.
J.
Europe has churches with open bars and a post-worship orgy every Sunday?
I'm living in the wrong country...
Considering you've single-handedly convinced me to rethink every opinion and preconception I have about the religion and Christians in general, to call you strict and conservative, that would have to be the case.
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Amaris
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Its a law of the internet. If any discussion talks about religion sooner or later someone will log in to say all believers are stupid hicks to believe in fairy tales. I guess the theory is just the mention of religion is the same as forcing them to open that particular thread. Read at least one post. Hit reply, write their profound opinion and then pretend that the purpose was to inform and not to insult.
My church isn't a megachurch by any stretch of the imagination, and I like it. It is mostly contemporary worship. I don't have a problem with the sermons or anything of that sort with the biggest church in town which is Calvary Chapel of Albuquerque it's in the top 20 in terms of size for megachurches in America I think. Generally I listen to it on the radio on my way to my church. It's pretty much a God oriented church based on the Bible.
In any case, Danoz, I think it's terrific that you're trying to find a church.
In any case, Danoz, I think it's terrific that you're trying to find a church.
Thing is when most talk of megachurches they are talking the nondenominational charismatic pastor who runs his own shop. The style of the Calvary Chapels to teach the Bible starting with verse one of Genesis and working methodically all the way through to Revelation 22:21 goes against the so-called Christian lite message the big churches suppositly make. Just because Osteen, Warren and all our popular doesn't have to mean the message is lite.
I'm not aware of any church that makes people feel good about "sin" (whatever the sin of the day is), but anyone who casts judgement and tries to use threats of "fire and brimstone" is an asshole in my book. Good for him, no doubt all KINDS of people are flocking to his church ready to hear the GOOD WORD about how 95% of us are going to burn in hell.
