Featured Driving 50+ miles to church???

Had to do with the two deep pocket families. They composed the committee.
No pruning occurred. 90% of the people who left went to two churches. Those two churches are vibrant, flourishing, and shining lights in the community. His church is a shell of its former self and can not even pay its bills.

 

Some divine grafting then?

 

Control. The local megachurch here (not Baptist) has gone "multisite", which means they've got three different satellite sites with an on-site lay leader and praise team, but the pastor's sermons are beamed in via video. They are working on a fourth site 80 miles from the main facility.

 

In my situation - a village with a 1,000 year old church building used for all sorts of village affairs, but not weekly worship & preaching - we are travelling 10 miles to a Gospel church. That church is gathering folk from miles around.

We have made our evangelical baptist faith & testimony known where we have met with local Christians including the Vicar who serves 5 parishes & I am seeking to work with them where possible, not to divide but to encourage.

I have offered to lead meetings, visit people, including worship & prayer in the homes, etc. To serve the local church with the Gospel where I can, without compromise or rivalry.

 

On a side note, that brings up the whole "social club" aspect of many churches.

 

You mean a click don’t you? Either include or exclude.

 

I would say "clicks" within the "social club."

 

I would say "clique" or "cliques"
BUT

I don't think that means "cliques" as they are distinct groups. In practice we form non-exclusive friendships with others in the church, particular where the church has activities for social groups - for games, mothers & toddlers, youth groups, choirs, etc.

We may stay within a church for such groups when we should leave for doctrinal reasons.

 

Salty: "many churches have a "greet your neighbor with a handshake" I despise that. Sure, during the service when they are told - they will shake my hand - but after service is over - they dont even look at your, let alone strike up a conversation - because they are heading to their cliques."

Amen to that. Same thing happened to me while visiting a small SBC church in Tennessee while on vacation last month. After the service only the pastor shaking hands on the way out had the question, "Where are you from?" and that was it.

 

1st off, you are a Limey so your type would put an q & ue in a perfectly good word. Sound it out Caruthers! Next who told you to socialize in a church... I suppose you would be wanting to dance next! ...

 

Dancing is of course Scriptural. Ps. 150. Country/Scottish/Line/Square dancing was designed to avoid the courtly couples dancing & make it a social activity.

 

Well it may be on here but not is some churches!... Now I know there are a lot of white brethren on here and our worship is more or less subdued... Now I'm not saying that is wrong that is just how most of us are raised... You ever been to a black church?... They don't sit... They move... They listen but they also talk back to the preacher... The preacher fires up the congregation and the congregation fires up the preacher... Lord God Almighty!... Can they preach!... Our white church hosted a black baptist meeting... One preacher, that stand out in my mind to this day... Started preaching from the pulpit, and danced around the congregation, shaking hand and still preaching as he went, he didn't stand up and give a lecture like some but made the congregation part of his preaching... Thanks EWF for posting that sermons by that black preacher... May be if others listen to it they will get just a taste of what I'm saying... I think it's time we rejoiced in the Lord like we mean it!... May be just may be that is what is missing from our churches!... Brother Glen

 

Steve... I can't seem to find that sermon you posted, would you post it here and give brethren a taste?

 

And here I thought it was to the Golden Corral or the Outback steak house.

 

Amen brother..

 

Gladly,