tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11006198.post115500468063435604..comments2023-08-24T06:39:31.113-04:00Comments on Preacher Thoughts: Mainline Christianity is Dead: And Why that is A Good ThingPaulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13529451903923820189noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11006198.post-68420524361793355052007-02-04T13:05:00.000-05:002007-02-04T13:05:00.000-05:00Church is doomed. I spent 30 years in over a hundr...Church is doomed. I spent 30 years in over a hundred churches but was never saved. Now it is too late. If anyone would like to join me in helping wipe out the church, just visit my site at www.antichurch.org.uk.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11006198.post-1165078328139539202006-12-02T11:52:00.000-05:002006-12-02T11:52:00.000-05:00I think that it is too simplistic to say either: l...I think that it is too simplistic to say either: leave a denomination or stay in a denomination. Yes, if a church is so apostate that it is not willing to change, then one must leave that specific congregation. However, many people are called to try to renew a denomination from within by leading biblically healthy churches and then seeking leadership positions and denominational positions (e.g. a professorship at the seminary) in hopes of influencing future pastors to be faithful to the gospel. And there are many instances where this has worked. See for example, J.I. Packer in the Anglican church and the Anglican church in Sydney Australia (it is lead by evanglical reformed men like Peter and Phillip Jensen).Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03925106907578929450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11006198.post-1157774690857290922006-09-09T00:04:00.000-04:002006-09-09T00:04:00.000-04:00Hmmm. My wife and I attend an evangelical episcopa...Hmmm. My wife and I attend an evangelical episcopal church in Toronto. After years and years of independent "Bible churches," we love the liturgy; we love the history; the shared sense of community and worship that we feel in this congregation. <BR/><BR/>To say or imply that those who remain in mainline denominations are somehow missing the boat is wholly and entirely question-begging: it assumes from the start that there's nothing good about the traditions and histories and liturgical practices that characterizes mainline churches. <BR/><BR/>No doubt the mainline denominations as a whole could stand a shake-up. But to my eyes there is very much that is good with, say, the Anglican tradition, and so very much worth fighting to save. In fact, it's precisely this willingness (eagerness?) to jump ship and switch venues of worship that turned my wife and me--and many others I know--off from independent Bible churches in the first place. Evangelicals are too prone to leave a church or denomination when what they really should be doing is devoting time and energy to change it when and where it needs changing--to reform it from within. Thanks for the interesting posts.<BR/><BR/>LukeLuke and Rachaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00065798398185249423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11006198.post-1157122981094192692006-09-01T11:03:00.000-04:002006-09-01T11:03:00.000-04:00Hear hear!Hear hear!karlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05608002071907476082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11006198.post-1155146824875626152006-08-09T14:07:00.000-04:002006-08-09T14:07:00.000-04:00Dear Paul,Thanks so much for this post. I had a v...Dear Paul,<BR/><BR/>Thanks so much for this post. I had a very similar experience on vacation last summer - a United Baptist Church in Halifax that had latin solos through the service, a preacher who denied the reality of miracles (even though he preached on one), and a spiritually dead atmosphere. Nothing was more devastating - I wanted the Word and left famished. The next Sunday I found a church with 'fundamental' in the title, heard a bunch of references to rapture, church age, etc, but fellowshipped with people that I will be in heaven with for eternity!<BR/><BR/>I have the same sentiments about the liberal church. A friend in Seminary used to say, 'The Liberals are Spiritually bankrupt, morally bankrupt, and pretty soon they will be financially bankrupt'. O, that that day would come!<BR/><BR/>I didn't know whether to laugh or cry as I was reading. By the end of the post all notions of laughing were gone and I felt somber. <BR/><BR/>Keep preaching (and blogging) Christ!<BR/><BR/>Ian.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11006198.post-1155096074101227782006-08-09T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-09T00:01:00.000-04:00I love your kids! I was able to visit a great FEB ...I love your kids! <BR/><BR/>I was able to visit a great FEB group while up north. It was awesome. The guy who preached actually reminded me of you. Looking up and seeing his tiny church packed to the balcony with vistors, he followed his (gospel) message from Isaiah 6 and 53 with another passionate gospel presentation before and after communion. The hymn singing was awesome too.<BR/><BR/>Your family's experience sounds pretty sickening.Son of Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03682107505735897854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11006198.post-1155086075081333232006-08-08T21:14:00.000-04:002006-08-08T21:14:00.000-04:00“Why would you even want to be a part of such a gr...“Why would you even want to be a part of such a group? What possible reason is there to remain unequally-yoked?”<BR/><BR/>Great question.<BR/><BR/>If you've faced the situation where you ask --"Do I leave this Church?" That's part of it.<BR/><BR/>I considered leaving one Church but didn't due to commitments I'd made to the others there--and the gospel was being preached. But before long it closed down.<BR/>But that's another story...pilgrimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06341946961084387134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11006198.post-1155078409402597972006-08-08T19:06:00.000-04:002006-08-08T19:06:00.000-04:00kerux,Good post and timely in this day and age of ...kerux,<BR/><BR/>Good post and timely in this day and age of apostate Christianity and false teachers. Keep hammering at the truth brother.<BR/><BR/>JohnJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14221796218786774754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11006198.post-1155016983242027202006-08-08T02:03:00.000-04:002006-08-08T02:03:00.000-04:00It is really a problem. I'm in rural Missouri and ...It is really a problem. I'm in rural Missouri and there is a real problem here with true and genunine worship. I am desperately seeking a genuine church and all I've come across are gossipy groups of people who can't decide whether there should be a guitar or organ on the stage and which is more "Biblically correct". I just moved here from South Carolina and I played in a praise team and I just can't understand why it's so hard to lead true worship. There seems to be the same problems everywhere, though, and I wish I knew what it all meant Biblically. You are not alone in your prayers, though, as I'm praying for the churches who are hurting. <BR/><BR/>I'll share a story with you. I live in an apartment complex and there's a family that lives across from us. A once divorced mother who remarried and has two children from her first husband. Her children are 10 and 8 years old and they have never been to church. I invited them to our VBS this year and the oldest girl accepted Jesus Christ into her heart. She was so proud and she told everyone about it when she came back home. When she told her mother, her mother replied, "What good is being a Christian when there are so many kids dying all around the world from war and hunger? What's God done for me?" <BR/><BR/>My heart cried for this girl. I faced this same issue growing up and if people only knew what true worship was and weren't jaded by bad church experiences...I can only imagine. But keep praying...I'm praying for your church too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11006198.post-1155010447742528862006-08-08T00:14:00.000-04:002006-08-08T00:14:00.000-04:00Zoiks!My wife and me worship on Saturday evenings,...Zoiks!<BR/><BR/>My wife and me worship on Saturday evenings, and occasionally venture out to other places of worship on Sunday mornings just to see what people are being taught. Staying in touch with how the other half lives, or seeing what we're up against, you could say.<BR/><BR/>Your experience sounds real close to a Unitarian/Universalist church we visited once. Spooky, if you're expecting the gospel! We weren't, but it sounds like you were.DErifterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00812393033282381213noreply@blogger.com