CIVIL RELIGIOUS DISCUSSION: All things Christianity

[ChristianPatriot]

checkmate, theists

You had one job......

 

[indiucky]

Churches aren't losing worshippers because of the quality of the band that plays in the sanctuary during service, that's...well that's absurd.

Churches are losing worshippers because the core message doesn't resonate with people who aren't fully immersed in the tradition, and the world they inhabit looks nothing like the one being described to them.

Furthermore, the continual scandals are ripping a chasm open between your audience and yourself. The Catholic sex abuse scandal and its subsequent cover-up, the Fundamental LDS and their "Spiritual Marriages", the young-earthers, and the rapture cults, the faith healers, the prosperity gospel preachers...these things obscure the message, and turn people away from your faith. In other words, the everyday business of Christianity(tm) isn't very Christlike...those you wish to bring into the fold see this.

If you want to gain new followers you have to prove to them that your core message has relevance to their lives. People are getting more savvy to confidence schemes and the con men that run them. People recognize the traits of a con, and they steer away.

Your faith offers eternal life from an invisible man, but only after you die. If people want to learn more they can join your group, where you will solicit them for money, time, and loyalty...is it really that hard to believe you're setting off people's internal "scam alarms"?

You have an uphill climb here, guys. Seriously. It isn't a good latte or a hot band that's keeping people away...it's that your emperor is naked.

I'm sorry. I'm not trying to offend anyone, but you have to be honest with what you're really up against here.

What Jetta said...Minus the whole "invisible man" thing......I rarely attend church for that reason...

I keep it simple.....

 

[JettaKnight]

Lots of good stuff in there.

Ghandi has a good quote, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

............OK...I have to.......

What grinds my gears is when agnostics and such (incl. mainline / liberal Christians) accuse us of not being Christ-like because we don't just "be loving". Don't get me wrong, we've done a ****ty job at loving the widows and orphans, but Christ also came to condemn the sinners. Without the knowledge of condemnation, there is no repentance, and therefore no salvation. Your view of Christ doesn't match scripture. He didn't come to make things all happy-happy here on earth. If he did, he would have overthrown the Romans instead of getting himself killed. He came to redeem mankind. Ghandi (probably) saw Christ as an inspiration figure or maybe a prophet, or maybe one of the thousands of gods they have. He certainly didn't see him as the LORD and he certainly didn't pay attention to any of Christ's crazy rantings about being the "only way". I don't want to be hated by the world, but I certainly am not going to pull any punches to garner praise.

If PaulF doesn't like the church because we seem like anachronistic meanies, well, that's because he's gotten to a place where he doesn't want to worship the god he's read about in the Bible. I respect that and I respect him. But I'm not going to change my message, or "get with the times". Why should anyone respect a truth that keeps changing based on what society wants?


With out that truth, we just become a group of really nice and super-helpful people with some motivational sermons and happy songs... like Unitarians... nothing offensive..... a place PaulF might enjoy.

https://babylonbee.com/news/man-god-can-judge-tattoo-suddenly-realizes-god-can-judge/

https://babylonbee.com/news/brillia...-entire-bible-into-two-word-facebook-comment/

 

[JettaKnight]

What Jetta said...Minus the whole "invisible man" thing......I rarely attend church for that reason...

The church is full of hypocrites. I should know - I am one, and that's why I go to church.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

The church is full of hypocrites. I should know - I am one, and that's why I go to church.

Me too. There's never been a "church" full of people that weren't hypocrites, doubters, sinners, liars and back-stabbers. Look at the 12 apostles for examples. If you're not going to church because of all of those types of people are there, well...they've always been there. Iron sharpens iron. That's why I go. I used to not because---lots of reasons. I've found I get out of it what I put into it, like many other things in life.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

Christ also came to condemn the sinners.

Ok....I have to....

I’m gonna give you the benefit of the doubt that you misspoke, but that’s a false statement.

John 3:17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

And I’ll pair that with verse 18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

It was the Law’s job to show us how woefully inadequate we are in ourselves. Galatians 3:24 “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

 

[HoughMade]

We use the term "music leader" and "music team" as a way of conveying that worship is more than music.

One of the things that has annoyed me a little over the past 15 years is the transformation of "music" to "worship"...when they mean "music".

It's not a big enough deal for me to causa an issue, but you are 100% correct.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

By the way I whole-heartedly agree with everything else you said Jetta. Just so nobody thinks I’m singling you out or that I have a bone to pick with you.

 

[JettaKnight]

Ok....I have to....

I’m gonna give you the benefit of the doubt that you misspoke, but that’s a false statement.

John 3:17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

And I’ll pair that with verse 18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

It was the Law’s job to show us how woefully inadequate we are in ourselves. Galatians 3:24 “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

Yup... I totally misspoke, thank you for pointing this out. I think it's more accurate to say that those he spoke to directly (e.g. the woman at the well), had heard those things all their lives. Nevertheless, they new that they needed saved.



I'll go say twenty Hail Calvins.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

Yup... I totally misspoke, thank you for pointing this out. I think it's more accurate to say that those he spoke to directly (e.g. the woman at the well), had heard those things all their lives. Nevertheless, they new that they needed saved.



I'll go say twenty Hail Calvins.

I think the regulars in this thread, including me, knew what you were saying. Just wanted to clarify in case any other heathens happen to stroll through.

 

[T.Lex]

I'll go say twenty Hail Calvins.

I LoL'd.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Glenn Beck......Glenn Beck's Blaze announces mass layoffs | Fox News

The circling around the drain is in increasingly tightening circles for Glenn if the story is accurate.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/glenn-becks-media-empire-implodes-again

 

[printcraft]

 

[T.Lex]

 

[Bartman]

Get thee behind me Satan

 

[indiucky]

One of the things that has annoyed me a little over the past 15 years is the transformation of "music" to "worship"...when they mean "music".

It's not a big enough deal for me to causa an issue, but you are 100% correct.

[video=youtube;ZfTjcz7ys7I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfTjcz7ys7I[/video]

 

[T.Lex]

Get thee behind me Satan

Err... what?

 

[JettaKnight]

[video=youtube;ZfTjcz7ys7I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfTjcz7ys7I[/video]

Yup... that's exactly what that place is like.

Not a church I've been to, but this is what passes for "church" at a place in Northern Indiana:

[video=youtube;nGrbQd7Jcn4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGrbQd7Jcn4[/video]

 

[Bartman]

Err... what?

No offense meant. When assessing my own shortcomings, the young lady pictured and those of her profession are near the top of my to-do list.

Well, not like THAT...

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Something for evangelicals to take note of. It's not a done deal, but it's one step closer to a possible challenge to Roe.

Supreme Court Justice Kennedy is Retiring - INGunOwners