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Compton
Member



Joined: 2005/2/24
Posts: 2732


 Re:

You make some good points brother. In all fairness to these people let's share our concerns with them whenever we have the chance. It may be hard to believe, but there may be some, even pastors, who are trapped in these systems much like anyone can feel trapped in their employment. They may be longing for real Christian fellowship as well...but they have no one to talk to.

Yet I do think you were performing a backwards handstand to connect the razzle dazzle of large "seeker senstive" churches to Brother Andrew omitting the ressurection while preaching to Islamic Militants. There are some subtle differences...

Hopefully part of the purpose of these threads is not to rail on other people...but to keep all of this in persepective. My fundamental concern with "all of this" is that American Christianty is being defined by a handful of influencial church experimenters who have turned away from the old way. They borrow morals and values from the world and synthesize them with Christian practices...prehaps because they feel that their survival is more important then their integrity. I imagine it would be hard to close down a church due to lack of authentic converts. So with viability being the paramount objective they set out on making the needed cultural and philosophical adjustments to their mission in order to remain viable.

Consider how serious this trend will become as they try to adjust to Generation Y who overwhelmingly in recent stats have said that getting rich and being famous is their number one goal. (Imagine the mass dissilusionment that will set in 20 year from now...)

There is this fairy tale that talks about how a boy traveled to a farway land to find a great treasure...ultimately his quest failed and he returned home without success. The story ends on a 'happy note' though...for the treasure he was seeking was hidden right in his own backyard and he only needed to stay home to find it! Well this fairy tale reminds me of American churches...Jesus is calling us to leave our "homes" but now here comes a gospel where everything God has for you is right here in your backyard! For instance I watched a certain successful preacher the other day exclaim as he held up his bible, "There's a new car for you in this book! There's a new house for you in this book!" (Paul would not rejoice in this case.) I once was asked to design a book jacket for a pastor who wrote "Jesus wants to give you all the things this world glamorizes. but only if you put your faith in him." (Uh, no...I didn't need the paycheck that bad...)

It's important to recognize the right from wrong...not to condemn people, but to strengthen what remains, even within ourselves. All the while, we willingly trust that God knows who are his. However, if these churches represent the hope of Gospel then it seems to me that mankind has no urgent need for this hope. We can find riches and psycological comfort aplenty in the world. The world already does a fine job of giving us a hightened sense of being and self.

Only the Holy Spirit can make us born again...regenerate men with whole new hearts created. All men will face eternity. We know this...but somehow feel bad when we point this out to seeker-sensitive churches whose message never rises above topics such as personal happiness or social justice.

Ian, your desire for humility and patience is a good thing to have around here at SI. Thank you brother. Know that I'm not cold hearted towards others in my take on all of this...nor do I extact myself from the sad landscape. It's all so lamentable.

Grace,

MC


_________________
Mike Compton

 2007/1/12 13:47Profile









 Re:

Everyone is focussing on the music part of this... and in doing so, you are missing the point. There is a time and place for any form of music. I still believe that.

The point of my post is NOT music!! It is the overall attitude and spirit so prevalent in churches today... bring 'em in thru entertainment and whatever you do don't offend anyone!

This formula will never work. People need to hear the truth. Without hearing the truth there can be NO conviction of sin.

Krispy

 2007/1/12 13:57
Compton
Member



Joined: 2005/2/24
Posts: 2732


 Re:

I don't think the past couple of posts were about music.


_________________
Mike Compton

 2007/1/12 14:13Profile
iansmith
Member



Joined: 2006/3/22
Posts: 963
Wheaton, IL

 Re:

Quote:
Ian, your desire for humility and patience is a good thing to have around here at SI. Thank you brother. Know that I'm not cold hearted towards others in my take on all of this...nor do I extact myself from the sad landscape. It's all so lamentable.



My verse for the year is Ephesians 4:1-3

Quote:
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.



Ever year our church encourages us to pick a key verse for the year... I sat down before January first and prayed looking for the verse that would outline the goal of my spiritual walk for the next year, the first verse I read when I opened the bible was Ephesians 4:1-3.

When I first read it I thought to myself, 'there's no way I can make this my key verse for the year, If i shared this with my fellowship they'd actually want to keep me accountable to it... it's impossible!'

I started to flip the pages of my bible and stopped a few seconds later and realized that that was the verse that God had wanted me to meditate upon for the year.

I'm well aware of my pride, my judgemental attitude, my unforgiving spirit, my jelousies and my tendancy towards backbiting... but I was looking for a feel good verse, this definitely wasn't it!

Of course God wanted me to share this with my fellows so that I was accountable to a year of humility, gentleness, patience and peace! I'm really excited to see how this year is going to be!

However I'm not perfect yet, over on the Paul Cain thread I came off as pretty judgemental... so I've got some work to do!


_________________
Ian Smith

 2007/1/12 15:32Profile
crsschk
Member



Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA

 Re:

Quote:
nor do I extact myself from the sad landscape. It's all so lamentable.


Thanks MC, agree ...

Krispy, I also do understand ...
Quote:
The point of my post is NOT music!!


Still, not a bit difficult to get around all that, is it? I was trying to draw some parallels there, how short the steps are from each other; the world, the church, the music ... all having become so interchangeable, indistinguishable ...

[i]It's all so lamentable[/i] to repeat that heartfelt sentiment.


_________________
Mike Balog

 2007/1/12 15:47Profile
NLONG
Member



Joined: 2006/8/17
Posts: 111
Middlebury, Indiana

 Re:

Krispy,

As one who was enslaved by satanic gothic/punk rock I disagree that there is a time and place for all music, though perhaps you weren't being all inclusive when you said "all."

Got it loud n clear. Church tries worldly tactics to pull in the world to the church. Result: worldly unconverted "Church." In fact, you get a bunch of self-righteous believe-what-your-preacher-says robots who can't and sometimes won't get in the scriptures themselves for verification.

Anyone noticed that few "Christians" like accountability today (not talking about Krispy). Accountability has become judgement.


_________________
Neil Long

 2007/1/12 16:26Profile
iansmith
Member



Joined: 2006/3/22
Posts: 963
Wheaton, IL

 Re:

Quote:
Anyone noticed that few "Christians" like accountability today (not talking about Krispy). Accountability has become judgement.



Accountability means submitting ourselves to the will and judgement and possibly the correction of others. I know that I am very individualistic, self rightous and proud, why would I want to bend my neck in front of anyone, especially when I can, because of all my bible knowledge discern wrong in others as well!

That was Rhetorical... that is exactly why we should practice submission, accountability is just a new word for Christian submission. If we find it hard to submit to others, just think about how hard its going to be to submit to Jesus!


_________________
Ian Smith

 2007/1/12 16:44Profile





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