I took J.D.'s OP to mean that if for some unknown reason there was no more music or entertainment in the church, would people still show up Sun morning, Sun night and Wed night. would fellowship and worshipping God and God's word and the preaching thereof and prayer BE ENOUGH?
or would those who are there for the "social" aspect of it all just leave and not come back. I personally really enjoy PREACHING it is my favorite time (helps not to have a boring pastor ours is pretty funny and interesting I learn alot) I also enjoy being around other joyful edifying people when the world can be so self centered and cold.
That is the way I saw the question
How to separate the pretenders from the believers
Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by J.D., May 2, 2006.
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I do not agree with having entertainment in the services to get people to come in. If you do that you will get a psuedo member there for the wrong reasons. I do agree, however, with having activities in the church. The church is not restricted to a building and services, it is a family. My home family does not get together just for meetings but we also have activities together. I believe this should be also true with your spiritual family, the church. I also feel that if you have people there at the church taht are just there for the activities the Lord will soon weed them out. Yet, what we have to remember is that this is not our job but the Lords. Isn't this what Jesus taught his disciples in the parable of the wheat and the tares.
Just a thought. Take it for what it is worth. -
I do not agree with having entertainment in the services to get people to come in. If you do that you will get a psuedo member there for the wrong reasons. I do agree, however, with having activities in the church. The church is not restricted to a building and services, it is a family. My home family does not get together just for meetings but we also have activities together. I believe this should be also true with your spiritual family, the church. I also feel that if you have people there at the church taht are just there for the activities the Lord will soon weed them out. Yet, what we have to remember is that this is not our job but the Lords. Isn't this what Jesus taught his disciples in the parable of the wheat and the tares.
Just a thought. Take it for what it is worth. -
I do not agree with having entertainment in the services to get people to come in. If you do that you will get a psuedo member there for the wrong reasons. I do agree, however, with having activities in the church. The church is not restricted to a building and services, it is a family. My home family does not get together just for meetings but we also have activities together. I believe this should be also true with your spiritual family, the church. I also feel that if you have people there at the church taht are just there for the activities the Lord will soon weed them out. Yet, what we have to remember is that this is not our job but the Lords. Isn't this what Jesus taught his disciples in the parable of the wheat and the tares.
Just a thought. Take it for what it is worth. -
sorry i hit the add reply button twice
see what you get for trying to post and do something else at the same time -
pinoybaptist Active MemberSite Supporter
1. The parents did not do what Deut. 6:4-6 instructed parents to do, but left the instructing to Sunday School teachers, so the kids grew up thinking church should be a little more fun and kid friendly;
2. Or, the parents did, but then usually did not 'practice what they preached', and kids being the perceptive creatures they are at certain ages, see the same thing in their churches; -
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I must say I agree with the OP ......
I have seen youth groups and churche's so many times have the majority of kids/adults in them are worse than the kids/adults that never go to church to often the children follow the parents example and that is ,"We go to church so we are good people." They think because of this they can do as they please outside of church and God is OK with it. You see they never learn any better because theres no preaching anymore. If you preach to them they want come anymore. I have seen it with my own eye's in several church's. They want there ear tickled and there weekly warm and fuzzy and nothing else.
I don't know who said, "If you get them in the door with a gimmick you have to keep on with the gimmick to get them to stay." It's a great saying and very true.
A good way to tell who the real believers are and who the pretenders are is see who is at church on Sunday evening, Wednesday, and Prayer Meets. Excluding those that are working of course. -
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Some very good thoughts finally coming on this thread.
I agree with Rev. Lowery.
Also, if salvation is a gift from God, and a person has that gift, then they will remain (1 John). However, if salvation is dependent upon the psychological decision of man, then when trials and persecution (or lack of entertainment) come, they will wither away (parable of soils). -
If the parents are living consistent Christian lives, so will the kids. Today we are dealing with parents who have been married before or single parent homes. Both parents working and the kids involved with so many school activities that church is an exception rather than the rule.
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I have always believed that as long as Christ came back into the situation I'm currently in...including my kids and their church youth groups...and he was pleased with what we were doing(that it was not sinful)....then that was 'pleasing in his sight'. God has many ways of bringing his children to him....whether it be in church...a youth group....a christian concert....a friend talking you through a difficult time and helping you find God....etc. Why take softball games out of youth time or adult time after church? We are there to praise him....have good, clean fun....
My current church has no athletic teams but I'm not opposed to them. I'd much rather have my kids involved in church related gatherings than out on the street. We have ladies night at church where we eat....do "lady" type things....but have fun with sisters in Christ.
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So instead of reaching out to them, we tell them that they're "bad, bad, bad!" instead of welcoming them in and meeting them where they are.
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Not by the hair of your chinny chin chin buster Josh. Why do you people always read down when you read something I wrote? I never said anything you said. I am a pastor and have been one for a good many years. By the looks of you, you haven't even started shaving yet. It is getting harder and harder to reach people these days and I eluded to some of the reasons why. I never intended for it to be a blanket statement for EVERYBODY. I guess I think people are smart enough to figger that out, however....... :rolleyes: -
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