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#467039 - 12/07/05 02:56 AM
Does His work stop?
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Could those here who seem most able to divine His word explain this ? Sure there are billions of people who've walked on this earth who are certainly burning in damnation despite what my Catholic indoctrination told me (although I've been told I am wrong here) but what happens if a non-evangelic follower decides they want to be saved on Christmas?
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#467040 - 12/07/05 03:28 AM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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They can be saved wherever they are at the time, they don't have to be in a Church! Or, if they prefer to be in a church, it doesn't have to be one of the Mega-churches that are planning to be closed.
I don't think access to the Mega Church is what is in question, but rather the message sent to the massess!
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#467041 - 12/07/05 03:31 AM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Let me get this straight ... retailers will suffer the wrath of the right wing Christian movement if they dare NOT say "Merry Christmas" in their ads or to their customers.
But some churches will close on Christmas?
Hello ... what am I missing??
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#467042 - 12/07/05 03:42 AM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
They can be saved wherever they are at the time, they don't have to be in a Church! Or, if they prefer to be in a church, it doesn't have to be one of the Mega-churches that are planning to be closed.
I don't think access to the Mega Church is what is in question, but rather the message sent to the massess!
that is why i chose to include my catholic message. not that my way is better at all. just dont shove your hellbound rhetoric and righteousness in my face. if i think things can get a little hypocritical for me, don't try to justify and tell me i am wrong. just accept that my salvation is via a different interpretation.
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#467043 - 12/07/05 04:09 AM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Gee, I'm Sorry, I didn't realize you were only looking for agreement. I thought you were actually asking a question and were looking for a reply..my bad! I respectfully pull my response back out of your face?  But, for future reference and so I won't shove it there again...can you tell me how I did it in the first place?  I'm a bit confused and I'm also afraid if I'm not more careful I could end up shoving it somewhere else next time!  MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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#467044 - 12/07/05 01:46 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
Gee, I'm Sorry, I didn't realize you were only looking for agreement. I thought you were actually asking a question and were looking for a reply..my bad! I respectfully pull my response back out of your face?
But, for future reference and so I won't shove it there again...can you tell me how I did it in the first place? I'm a bit confused and I'm also afraid if I'm not more careful I could end up shoving it somewhere else next time!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Wah! I think part of my message was that it appears to be a bit hypocritical to cast all of the unbelievers to hades but on a day where perhaps this righteous/doom-and-gloom message could get through to the current-damned, the door is closed. Or is for-profit evangelizing really what He wants from us?
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#467045 - 12/07/05 02:02 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Power Poster
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,985
FINALLY ABOVE the gnat line
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These must be isolated incidences. I don't know of any church in our town or my parent's that will be closed on Christmas Day. My parent's church has 25,000 members (does that make it a megachurch?). We will be in attendance on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
_________________________
"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free."
- Frederick Douglass
My Opinion Only.
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#467046 - 12/07/05 02:10 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
Quote:
They can be saved wherever they are at the time, they don't have to be in a Church! Or, if they prefer to be in a church, it doesn't have to be one of the Mega-churches that are planning to be closed.
I don't think access to the Mega Church is what is in question, but rather the message sent to the massess!
that is why i chose to include my catholic message. not that my way is better at all. just dont shove your hellbound rhetoric and righteousness in my face. if i think things can get a little hypocritical for me, don't try to justify and tell me i am wrong. just accept that my salvation is via a different interpretation.
But you are telling them that they are wrong aren't you? Not just that, but you are calling them full of rhetoric and self-righteous just because you don't agree with them. You think they are wrong, but it is not ok for them to think you are wrong? What gives here?
They are merely telling you what they believe. At least I hope that is all they are doing. It just so happens that both your "truth" and their "truth" can't be right.
When I (an evangelical bible-toting non-Catholic Christian) tell someone what I believe, I have no trouble also telling them that I love them and that both of us are betting the ranch that what I believe is right and one day, at the end of our lives, we will know who was right.
I suspect that what you really want is these "right wing Christians" to say that they do not think their "truth" is exclusive. Is that what's bothering you? So what if they believe their truth is exclusive. If they are right, then woe is anyone who disagrees. If they are wrong, then they are the biggest fools of all and should be pitied, not reviled.
If they enjoy debating or discussing the topic, they are welcome to debate it any day of the week as my friend. If they don't enjoy debating or discussing the topic, I won't do so in their presence.
I actually know of a Christian man who often invited his friends who were Jews to his house for tea. They debated their religions every single time they met and each time they left friends. Their beliefs were mutually exclusive as it came to Jesus, but they remained friends. The Christian man made no bones about the fact that he thought they were wrong. They were not offended in the least.
Have Christians treated you with disrespect or have they just expressed a faith that differs from you on a fundamental level? If they have shown you disrespect, I can tell you that that is not from Jesus. If they have shown you no disrespect, how have they tried to "shove" (your word) in your face? Can't you just walk away?
I may be wrong, but it may be you who is the problem. I am not saying that it is, but you might consider that. If there really are Christians forcing you to listen to their beliefs, then you are right to be angry.
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#467047 - 12/07/05 02:17 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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time out. did you read where it was said "not that my way is better at all"? this was simply food for thought. with a response like that, you seem to be trying way too hard to justify. my whole point is that i believe the kettle is the one always telling people to change (evangelizing?  ) "It just so happens that both your "truth" and their "truth" can't be right." <- curious (and hypocritical)
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#467048 - 12/07/05 02:28 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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To clarify, I called it "curious" because you call it "truth" when think it is more akin to interpretation.
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#467049 - 12/07/05 02:38 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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10K Club
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,846
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Quote:
Could those here who seem most able to divine His word explain this ? Sure there are billions of people who've walked on this earth who are certainly burning in damnation despite what my Catholic indoctrination told me (although I've been told I am wrong here) but what happens if a non-evangelic follower decides they want to be saved on Christmas?
Ron, why do you detest evangelical Christians so?
These churches have made a decision about the best use of their time - it is their decision, isn't it? Nothing in the Bible indicates the day of the week on which worship services should be held, so they aren't violating any principle.
For the record, my church will be having a service on Christmas morning, and that is my preference. But if other churches have a different preference, I don't see a reason to get your knickers all in a wad about it.
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#467050 - 12/07/05 02:42 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I posted the lengthy post. Were you talking to me? If so, here's my response. Quote:
time out. did you read where it was said "not that my way is better at all"?
Yes, I read that. I assume you are saying that you don't think "your way" is the exclusive way. However, if someone else does say they think their way is exclusive, how is that "shoving" (your word) anything in your face? Is there someone who believes this who will not leave you alone? Evangelism does not mean that you keep pestering someone. If a Christian, who believes there way is THE WAY, is pestering you, you should ask them about the verses that tell the disciples to leave if people do not want to here what they are saying. That being said, I don't think that because someone believes that their way is the only way, makes them a hypocrit, self-righteous, or shoving something on you.
Quote:
this was simply food for thought. with a response like that, you seem to be trying way too hard to justify.
What was I trying to justify? Nothing, that's what.
Quote:
my whole point is that i believe the kettle is the one always telling people to change (evangelizing? )
If they are truly evangelizing, they are not telling anyone to do anything, they are offering them what they think is the truth. So what? Don't believe them if you don't want to, but allow them to believe in their foolish religion. Again, if they are wrong, as you think they are, then they should be pitied, not reviled.
Quote:
"It just so happens that both your "truth" and their "truth" can't be right." <- curious (and hypocritical)
How can their truth (that their way is the only way) and your truth (that your belief is not the only way) both be right. Hypocritical? Tell me how?
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#467051 - 12/07/05 03:41 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Power Poster
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,991
Soaring over Georgia
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I can't speak for other churches, but our church (3,000 members) has held a Christmas Eve candlelight service at 11:00pm every year for the past 10 years. It is one of the most highly attended services of the year. Parents are encouraged to bring the kids in their PJs if they like. Also this year with Christmas on Sunday, we are still having service. Where we normally have 2 services (at 9:15 and 10:45), for Christmas we will have one service at 10:00am. I expect that it will be very well attended. So if you are in the Greenville area and looking to be saved into eternal life on Christmas, feel free to come visit Brushy Creek Baptist Church.
_________________________
Jim Bedsole, CRCM, CBA, CFSA, CAFP
My posts - my opinions
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#467053 - 12/07/05 05:30 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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10K Club
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,846
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Quote:
could someone please explain to me how a so called "Mega-Church" is different from any other church?
I'll tell you what I know, which is not a great deal. The first such church that I became aware of was Willow Creek, in Chicago. From my understanding of that and later churches, a so-called "mega church" is distinctive, other than simple size, by its typical focus on encouraging new attendees - and almost requiring members - to attend small groups (which may meet at different times than traditional Sunday School), for what is often viewed as a "contemporary" style of worship and a more relaxed atmosphere, and in its focus on participation in ministry by every member (note that one can attend without being a member).
Hope that helps, anyone else is free to add or correct.
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#467054 - 12/07/05 06:54 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Power Poster
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,991
Soaring over Georgia
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I think one defining characteristic of a so-called mega church (that's really a media term, not necessarily one the church would apply to itself) is the offering of services and activities outside of the realm of traditional church. For example, some churches characterized as mega churches may offer health clubs, child care, auto repair, computer classes, etc.
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Jim Bedsole, CRCM, CBA, CFSA, CAFP
My posts - my opinions
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#467055 - 12/07/05 07:08 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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100 Club
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 142
North Alabama
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What's up with all the unregistered posters trying to stir the pot? Register and be accountable!
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The second mouse gets the cheese!
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#467056 - 12/07/05 07:23 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
I think one defining characteristic of a so-called mega church (that's really a media term, not necessarily one the church would apply to itself) is the offering of services and activities outside of the realm of traditional church. For example, some churches characterized as mega churches may offer health clubs, child care, auto repair, computer classes, etc.
I understand that Willow Creek has a program that gives away dozens (maybe hundreds) of cars every year to members in need.
I hope my anonymous post wasn't too pot stirring for you.  I am not trying to pot stir. I was trying to explain to the original poster that it is possible to live with evangelicals without getting so ruffled. If the evangelicals are pushy, then I understand, but if they are just saying what they believe, I don't see any reason to get bent out of shape.
Just think of it as being like an advertisement that tells you that you need to drive a Ford. If you don't want to drive a Ford, buy a Chevy and put one of those little Calvin-peeing-on-a-Ford stickers on the back window. If you don't want to buy into the evangelical's religion, then buy one of those little Darwin fish for the back of your window.
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#467057 - 12/07/05 07:35 PM
Re: Does His work stop?
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Power Poster
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,991
Soaring over Georgia
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MOPNB, according to this CIO Magazine article on Megachurch technology, their definition of a megachurch is very simple - one that averages over 2,000 attendees each week.
_________________________
Jim Bedsole, CRCM, CBA, CFSA, CAFP
My posts - my opinions
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