a pulpit or stage

Todays modern churchs with their hireling pastors and a choir doesn't it look more like a theater.Aren't some just entertaining the hypocrites and getting paid well.I can see the difference in a stage and a pulpit.

 

In a lot of ways I do have to agree with you. I visited a large Church in my town a few years ago and felt more like I was at a performance of some kind then at a Church service and this was in a conservative Southern Baptist Church.

 

This could be said of said of certain Churches from any time period whether they had a choir or not. If you are complaining about the TV evangelist type who puts on what appears to be a "Hollywood" production some might agree with you.

But what Scripure are they violating?

HankD

 

Would you mind educating us so that we can see the difference??

 

Who was it that said, "The world is but a stage and we are all actors......"?
I Corinthians 9:22b--"I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

Some think Shakespeare but Elvis said it first.



HankD

 

So?

Jesus saith ... what is that to thee? follow thou me.

HankD

 

herc and HankD both make valid points here. I went to a mega-church and it had movie theatre seats, no cross, no Christian symbols of any sort at all, a stage with a curtain, secular music played by a band, it was strange. If people get saved, good. Some will never step foot inside an oldschool cathedral or chapel with a cross, altar, baptistry, etc. I just hope salvation occurs there. Yet I know the early Acts church met in homes, and that's the family atmosphere that is hard to beat.

 

It's interesting to see the dynamics here. One one end of the spectrum, there are some folks who don't like mega-churches, because they're not "church-like" enough, citing the lack of church acoutrements. On the other end, there are folks who don't like churches that are "too church-like", citing the presence of those very same acountrements.

One thing is certain: Church aesthetics is a very individual thing. Some will like one thing, some another. One will always find something wrong with the other. Thank God that the Holy Spirit is big enough for both.

 

I doubt very seriously the holy spirits in both.

 

A man told me the other day that the Southern baptist church had 15 million members and with that many members they would have to be right.The muslims have hundreds of million does that make them right.I'm a hardshell Primitive baptist and i will tell you like it is"we hope we are right"but we don't know that.We could be wrong.Now we try to go with whats been handed down.I meet so many people that knows they are saved,yet they do as they please.On one hand they love the Lord on the other they love the world.I believe it is far more befitting for a little child of grace to rest in hope than to let out a boastfull know.I don't like to hear people say they know they are saved.Look they were ten thousand times ten thousand in Heaven and only one was worthy to open the book to see the names in there.Nobody knows those names ,but Jesus Christ.The names are precious for they are his.And John wept much.Rev 5:4.Why are Southern baptist pastors teaching such false teachings these days?My hope rests with that of Paul's why don't they preach a precious hope in christ.If their hope was as strong as it should be they would come out of the worldly things that they have added to their churchs over the years.But since they know i guess they can't see it.My Auant on my step mothers side ,youst to tell us youngins that if we didn't go get saved we were going to Hell.She cared her children to a church got them all baptized and they boasted of their salvation as kids.Well i guess we were all lost in my family.Well Dad got wind of what my aunt had said and he told her to shut up that she didn't even know where she was going.Anyway her kids have grown up her daughters been married several times and so has her son,and he wears ear rings.I not so sure about going and getting saved.But i'm sure of this one thing if you are a child of grace before you leave this time world we live in Something will come about for you.If your name is written in that precious book nobody can look in, But Jesus my mind on it is you will be born again.You will get your second birth before you leave this life.I have allways heard that the only book thats gonna matter in the end is the one up yonder.Of which i hope my name is written there.But i don't know that,can't possibly know,will only know one day.

 

Herc,

I can see your point (well, not really, but I have an idea). For some people, if it ain't pulpit-poundin', teeth-barin', spit-spewin', snot-slangin' preachin' from a man who can't read, can't write, can't spell, and can't afford to buy his own dinner, it just ain't church.

Sorry, I never really understood that.

True, some churches are more show than Spirit. But as Johnv said, the Holy Spirit is big enough for both.

Personally, I prefer sound exegesis to shouting, quality music to warbling, air conditioning to funeral parlor handfans. Of course, I know that you will totally disagree, and have plenty to rant about. So, go ahead. But God can still work through a man on a stage, as well as a man hanging from the wall in a pulpit.

In Christ,
Trotter

 

Herc, Jesus was very clear: Wherever two or three are gathered in his name. Since Jesus never mentioned aesthetics, stage/pulpit/warehouse/home/ etc, I'd venture to guess none of it matters. Jesus won't be there because of it all, and Jesus won't avoind it because of it all. Jesus will be there because people are gathered in his name.

 

you sure about that?I think you got you a job preaching.I know a boy down the road he preachs for $500 a week and races every saturday night.Some preacher.If the Lord called me to preach ,i don't believe i could preach for hire.I couldn't possibly speak for filthy lucre.I guess if you are a hirling you do a great Job so what is that to me.

 

[Slander against pastors removed]

[ February 19, 2004, 11:53 PM: Message edited by: Dr. Bob Griffin ]

 

Am I hearing that correctly? Are you blanketing anyone who gets a paycheck for being a pastor as a false prophet?

 

Read for yourself Johnv John 10:13 the hirelings was put down. [snipped]

[ February 19, 2004, 11:57 PM: Message edited by: Dr. Bob Griffin ]

 

Hey, Johnv! Is this guy for real?

Herc, I was pelted enough by your tirades when you asked for opinions on tithing. Exactly what is your problem with a church body supporting their pastor?

Do I have it right that you think that a man should give up his entire life to look after a congregation, but to have to go to United Way for food and live in a housing project? What is so wrong about a church supporting their pastor?

In Christ,
Trotter