Mc Churches, Mega Churches and the Non-Dom craze (crucified, preach, scripture)
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It's not for me. I grew up in the Reformed Church, which was not liturgical but still was more solemn and respectful in the worship style. No hootin' and hollering, nobody rolling around "catching the Holy Ghost", no repetitious "praise choruses". The thing I DIDN"T like about that church was that the preaching and prayers and teaching were very negative, very dark, with the main focus on fear and death rather than love and hope. It didn't do my psyche a lot of good growing up in that framework, to put it mildly.
I am now an Episcopalian and have been for a number of years. While we are somewhat different from other churches in that we don't claim to be the only "right" religion, we do hold onto the rituals of communion and the historical church calendar. That might not be for everybody, either, but it works very well for me. I like the sense of the reverence for God rather than the buddy-buddy outlook of some of the newer churches, as well as the time taken toward self-examination and the practice of holiness inherent in this type of church. The only thing I DON'T care for much is the music. The Episcopal Hymnal has to contain some of the dullest hymns ever written, lol. There are a few good ones, but some just have no tune.
Do you have specific critiques or are you just trying to be divisive? I think you're painting with a rather broad brush. There isn't any particular correct way to hold a church service, so point out your particular objections and don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Do you have specific critiques or are you just trying to be divisive? I think you're painting with a rather broad brush. There isn't any particular correct way to hold a church service, so point out your particular objections and don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Yes I have very specific critiques. I already named one. FALSE ADVERTISING.
Say up front that "while we may act loosey - goosy and wild in our services and you can dress as though you just got off a playing field - you may not dance, drink, listen to secular music or vote any way but Republican.""
THAT would be honest.
Another problem - the sheer SIZE. Related problem. Celebrity Pators with little or no education.
Or degrees from diploma mills or Liberty. Same to me.
Offering "Extra Church" amenities to lure people in. I have seen gyms, game rooms, child care, "counseling", craft classes, mens groups such as Promise Keepers, concerts of faux rock music.
I think they are cults.
Another REALLY PROBLEMATIC ISSUE - using terms such as New Life Center, Christian Center, Family Life Center etc. Be real it's a church. Not a Country Club for the working man.
This is especially wrong when there is a denomination - usually Assembly of God, Nazerene, Independent Baptist, Bible etc.
OK you are taking the worst elements of various churches, and combining them all into a single entity as if that's representative of every large and/or non-denominational church. Really each church may have elements of one and none of the others. And "cults" - really?
Can anyone answer the claim of false advertising? No didn't think so.
All Christian churches teach that Jesus is God's son and that he died for our sins.
Mega churches lure people in by offering all of the stuff I mentioned and more.
Who would Jesus lure?
If people are being saved, what's your beef?
Quote:
Say up front that "while we may act loosey - goosy and wild in our services and you can dress as though you just got off a playing field - you may not dance, drink, listen to secular music or vote any way but Republican.""
That's not true. I belong to a mega-church. We don't have these rules you speak of. We follow Scripture, which says not to be polluted by the world.
Yes I have very specific critiques. I already named one. FALSE ADVERTISING.
Say up front that "while we may act loosey - goosy and wild in our services and you can dress as though you just got off a playing field - you may not dance, drink, listen to secular music or vote any way but Republican.""
Where do you see these ads? I don't think I have ever seen an ad for a church.
It has been said that a church that follows a liturgical service is prone more to be theologically correct in certian teaching. Though certianly not to mean that non-liturgical are not Christian, it would seem to hold some credence when the teachings on subjects like communion \ baptism, end of the world and fellowship are the topics.
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