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Old 02-26-2009, 12:00 PM
 
288 posts, read 955,847 times
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Honestly guys, I know a good bit of people that go, and its really funny too, half of the chicks I know that go use to be strippers, so, yeah, ya never know who you might meet there.

 
Old 02-26-2009, 04:33 PM
 
7,845 posts, read 20,744,599 times
Reputation: 2851
Quote:
Originally Posted by Highriser987 View Post
Yall seem to love Websters and Merriam. Here are some other meanings from another source for you to digest:

Urban Dictionary: cult

Some of you are making it sound like #2. on the list shown.

The Urban Dictionary? Please...I think I'll stick with Webster's - it's has a bit more credibility, first published in the early 1800s. The Urban Dictionary is for slang words and phrases, founded in 1999. No contest.
 
Old 02-26-2009, 09:40 PM
 
758 posts, read 1,095,660 times
Reputation: 1255
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tdiddy0027 View Post
I feel bad writing this because I know it's not right to judge, but I just don't think it's right how they make such a spectacle out of worship and how they have gotten sooo powerful. My aunt and uncle talk about Andy Stanley as if he is some sort of prophet. (I'm not that impressed by him if you want my opinion) I don't believe churches should suck in members and cash like a corporation or the government, that's what jesus was fighting against, but that's how I see this brand of churches
Again, I have to respond as a member of Buckhead Church, I feel it necesary to give some perspctive from an insider to "set the record straight" on what it is really like at Buckhead Church and North Point Ministries. First, in regards to your comment that your relatives view Andy Stanley "as some kind of prophet." Sure out of 20,000 + people who attend the three campuses you will find some small minority like you will find in any church who put their pastor up on a pedestal of being somehow "Spirituallly superior". However, I don't find this view expressed amongst the people I know who attend. Most people respect Andy as an excellent communicator, visionary and leader, but realize that he is a man who struggles with the Christian life like the rest of us. Andy, in no way tries to set himself up as some sort of Jeremiah looking down on the masses.

Second, in regards to your concern that "they have gotten soo powerful." Powerful for what? We're talking about three churches who have gone out of their way to allow people to be as anonymous as they want to, but when the individual wants to explore deeper there is a "Starting Point" class where they can take that step in a safe environment where they are free to ask questions.

Finally, as far as your comment "I don't believe churches should suck in members and cash like a corporation" I couldn't agree more, but I don't see this at Buckhead Church. If anything I hear money spoken of less at this church than any I have ever attended, simply because it hasn't been an issue. People give without coercion.

I can certainly appreciate that people visit a church and it doesn't seem to be their cup of tea. I respect that - different strokes for different folks. What I disagree with is just because someone may not like a style of worship or othe aspect of a church, they then proceed to imply that the congregation is a "cult" or is attempting to manipulate and control its membership in some sinister fashion. Especially when I know first hand that this is in no way the case.
 
Old 02-26-2009, 10:20 PM
 
7,845 posts, read 20,744,599 times
Reputation: 2851
Quote:
Originally Posted by David1502 View Post
Again, I have to respond as a member of Buckhead Church, I feel it necesary to give some perspctive from an insider to "set the record straight" on what it is really like at Buckhead Church and North Point Ministries. First, in regards to your comment that your relatives view Andy Stanley "as some kind of prophet." Sure out of 20,000 + people who attend the three campuses you will find some small minority like you will find in any church who put their pastor up on a pedestal of being somehow "Spirituallly superior". However, I don't find this view expressed amongst the people I know who attend. Most people respect Andy as an excellent communicator, visionary and leader, but realize that he is a man who struggles with the Christian life like the rest of us. Andy, in no way tries to set himself up as some sort of Jeremiah looking down on the masses.

Second, in regards to your concern that "they have gotten soo powerful." Powerful for what? We're talking about three churches who have gone out of their way to allow people to be as anonymous as they want to, but when the individual wants to explore deeper there is a "Starting Point" class where they can take that step in a safe environment where they are free to ask questions.

Finally, as far as your comment "I don't believe churches should suck in members and cash like a corporation" I couldn't agree more, but I don't see this at Buckhead Church. If anything I hear money spoken of less at this church than any I have ever attended, simply because it hasn't been an issue. People give without coercion.

I can certainly appreciate that people visit a church and it doesn't seem to be their cup of tea. I respect that - different strokes for different folks. What I disagree with is just because someone may not like a style of worship or othe aspect of a church, they then proceed to imply that the congregation is a "cult" or is attempting to manipulate and control its membership in some sinister fashion. Especially when I know first hand that this is in no way the case.
Why is one of the goals of this church to "convert" people to this particular kind of worship? The majority of the public does not want to be converted to anything and doesn't appreciate the hard sell tactics of your church. I've never experienced it - I guess I give off some kind of hertical aura - but certainly other people have...and it's not popular.
 
Old 02-27-2009, 08:34 AM
 
758 posts, read 1,095,660 times
Reputation: 1255
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeaconJ View Post
Why is one of the goals of this church to "convert" people to this particular kind of worship? The majority of the public does not want to be converted to anything and doesn't appreciate the hard sell tactics of your church. I've never experienced it - I guess I give off some kind of hertical aura - but certainly other people have...and it's not popular.
I NEVER said the goal of this church was to "convert" people to this kind of worship. Remember, I clearly said "different strokes for different folks." There is clearly not any uniform style of worship through out metro Atlanta - We have everything from "High Church" Anglican services found in Episcopal churches, to formal Catholic services (candles and burning incense) to traditional Protestant services (which can vary from denomination to denomination and even within each denomination) to Holy Ghost Filled Charismatic services with people speaking in tongues and falling out in the Spirit. You could make the case that each of these is trying to "convert" people to their "style of worship." The point is that each obviously has an appeal to some segment of the population. No one is "forcing" people to join, but obviously individuals know what each church is like before choosing to attend there. Buckhead Church offers a contemporary service with "Rock" style music which is now being offered in many other churches as a "contemporary service" in addition to their traditional service. This is just one more choice on the spectrum of worship.

In response to your comment, "the hard sell tactics of your church", Nothing could be farther from the truth - In fact, Buckhead Church receives much criticism from other Evangelicals for not selling Jesus hard enough. They always bring up the fact that we don't have a "Hymn of Invitation" at the end of the service which is standard fare in many churches (particularly Baptists).

Again, I hate to beat a dead horse, but it keeps coming up. I can understand people visiting a church and not enjoying the service for whatever reason or meeting people from a church they don't particularly like. Fine, I have had the same experience visiting churches, too. But, (and this is the big but), I don't then proceed to go online and do a wholesale criticism of that particular congregation and imply that they are some sort of clandestine cult attempting to trap people into their group.

It would surprise you that the attenders of Buckhead Church come from a broad range of backgrounds and even some local media "celebrities" attend (not that this matters) who are far from being duped by some "cult" of coercion.
 
Old 02-27-2009, 10:50 AM
 
7,845 posts, read 20,744,599 times
Reputation: 2851
Quote:
Originally Posted by David1502 View Post
I NEVER said the goal of this church was to "convert" people to this kind of worship. Remember, I clearly said "different strokes for different folks." There is clearly not any uniform style of worship through out metro Atlanta - We have everything from "High Church" Anglican services found in Episcopal churches, to formal Catholic services (candles and burning incense) to traditional Protestant services (which can vary from denomination to denomination and even within each denomination) to Holy Ghost Filled Charismatic services with people speaking in tongues and falling out in the Spirit. You could make the case that each of these is trying to "convert" people to their "style of worship." The point is that each obviously has an appeal to some segment of the population. No one is "forcing" people to join, but obviously individuals know what each church is like before choosing to attend there. Buckhead Church offers a contemporary service with "Rock" style music which is now being offered in many other churches as a "contemporary service" in addition to their traditional service. This is just one more choice on the spectrum of worship.

In response to your comment, "the hard sell tactics of your church", Nothing could be farther from the truth - In fact, Buckhead Church receives much criticism from other Evangelicals for not selling Jesus hard enough. They always bring up the fact that we don't have a "Hymn of Invitation" at the end of the service which is standard fare in many churches (particularly Baptists).

Again, I hate to beat a dead horse, but it keeps coming up. I can understand people visiting a church and not enjoying the service for whatever reason or meeting people from a church they don't particularly like. Fine, I have had the same experience visiting churches, too. But, (and this is the big but), I don't then proceed to go online and do a wholesale criticism of that particular congregation and imply that they are some sort of clandestine cult attempting to trap people into their group.

It would surprise you that the attenders of Buckhead Church come from a broad range of backgrounds and even some local media "celebrities" attend (not that this matters) who are far from being duped by some "cult" of coercion.

I didn't say that YOU said it...it's stated as one of the goals of your church: "Members and attenders are encouraged to develop intimacy with God, community with insiders, and influence with outsiders. The mission of the church is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ." See? Right there?

So this doesn't happen to the people who have stated that it's happened to them? They must be lying...because YOU say that it doesn't happen. The reputation of your church bothering people who are happy with their current lives and current religions is not a good one. If you don't like that reputation then seek a new church, because your church isn't the one for you. Sorry.
 
Old 02-27-2009, 12:30 PM
 
Location: St Simons Island, GA
23,365 posts, read 43,832,144 times
Reputation: 16578
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeaconJ View Post
I didn't say that YOU said it...it's stated as one of the goals of your church: "Members and attenders are encouraged to develop intimacy with God, community with insiders, and influence with outsiders. The mission of the church is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ." See? Right there?

So this doesn't happen to the people who have stated that it's happened to them? They must be lying...because YOU say that it doesn't happen. The reputation of your church bothering people who are happy with their current lives and current religions is not a good one. If you don't like that reputation then seek a new church, because your church isn't the one for you. Sorry.
Deacon, I don't infer from that statement that the church itself is advocating high-pressure proselytization; in fact, that looks to me to be the stated goal of about any Christian church.
However, it doesn't mean that some parishioners wouldn't take it to mean that. I've known them over my lifetime, and so, obviously, have you.
 
Old 02-27-2009, 01:20 PM
 
7,845 posts, read 20,744,599 times
Reputation: 2851
True...but the statements of people in this thread seem to support the idea that the members of this church often try to convert others...
 
Old 02-27-2009, 01:42 PM
 
758 posts, read 1,095,660 times
Reputation: 1255
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeaconJ View Post
I didn't say that YOU said it...it's stated as one of the goals of your church: "Members and attenders are encouraged to develop intimacy with God, community with insiders, and influence with outsiders. The mission of the church is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ." See? Right there?

So this doesn't happen to the people who have stated that it's happened to them? They must be lying...because YOU say that it doesn't happen. The reputation of your church bothering people who are happy with their current lives and current religions is not a good one. If you don't like that reputation then seek a new church, because your church isn't the one for you. Sorry.
No, it may have happened to some individuals as any church will have some members who rub people the wrong way or come on too strong for their personality. Getting back to the original poster's question, "Is Buckhead Church a Cult?" I still disagree. First of all, there is a difference between a church and a cult.
1. A Christian Church has a mission of leading people into a relationship with Christ. That is a given and is true for all Christain Churches. Newsflash to the original poster: Your Roman Catholic Church has that same mission. If they didn't they wouldn't be building new churches and Christ the King wouldn't be doing an expansion.
2. A "cult" calls itself a church but is not necessarily up front about it's mission or beliefs. Often the stranger beliefs are not exposed until after some time. Buckhead Church is not a cult. DeaconJ, you know the Mission of Buckhead Church without ever even stepping in the door.
My point about Buckhead not being "coercive" was in the comparative to other evangelical churches. Everyone who attends Buckhead and North Point knows the Church's mission statement as it is stated on the website and said every Sunday. If they have a problem with that, no problem, don't attend. But on the other hand, no one can say they were tricked into something in a "bait and switch fashion" more associated with cults.

As far as people inviting people to a church. Sure, the majority of people at Buckhead are probably there because someone invited them. So, there's nothing wrong with that. If someone is invited to a church, the Sierra Club or whatever organization and they are not interested in attending - all they have to say is "I'm not interested." We are all adults and there is nothing wrong in asking.
 
Old 02-27-2009, 01:58 PM
 
Location: Denver, Colorado U.S.A.
14,164 posts, read 27,126,886 times
Reputation: 10428
Quote:
Originally Posted by southgeorgia View Post
we have a lot of these type churches in south GA as well. they're not really cults, just illusioned.

they give the typical "tickle the ear" sermon and pass out the collection plate.

i could tell you some very disturbing stories about them.

all these pastors just want to be the next joel osteen.

i'll pass.
Is that New Covenant church in Valdosta one of those nutty mega churches?
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