Do You Attend A Self-Centered Church?

[The Glory Land]

What about the leading of the Holy Ghost?  Is it scripturally ok to hop from church to church?

 
 
Only Rabbits and Frogs hop...  :)

[Miss Daisy]

When a church gets to big you don't have a relationship with the pastor, only the teachers under him, unless you're a teacher. Mega-churches then you have more than one associate pastor.

I really like my small church, where I do have relationship with my pastor, I can ask questions at the end of service, he knows my name, I know him and his family.

Larger churches it was only the 'who's who' that got to even speak to the pastor unless you made an appointment, and then it wasn't a guarantee. He usually had somewhere more important to be and you would be handed to a teacher to talk to.

[John81]

When a church gets to big you don't have a relationship with the pastor, only the teachers under him, unless you're a teacher. Mega-churches then you have more than one associate pastor.

I really like my small church, where I do have relationship with my pastor, I can ask questions at the end of service, he knows my name, I know him and his family.

Larger churches it was only the 'who's who' that got to even speak to the pastor unless you made an appointment, and then it wasn't a guarantee. He usually had somewhere more important to be and you would be handed to a teacher to talk to.

When a church reaches a size where the pastor can't actually pastor his flock, it would seem it might be time to plant another church.

 

Most often when it comes to the mega churches the crowd is gathering mainly because of the popularity of the pastor. This often leads to the pastor being more of a celebrity figure than an actual pastor. This is why we often see a mega church shrink greatly when the celebrity pastor takes another church or dies.

 

While I've never experienced one myself, I've heard a few of the bigger churches have managed to make things work fairly well. This is mostly done through have several associate pastors and various staff who handle most things. Still, the senior pastor is mostly out of reach to the congregation and that doesn't seem right.

 

I'm thankful for our small church, which has grown from an attendance of about 40 to about 220. Our pastor and associate pastor both know every member by name, speaks with us each time we set foot in the church. Our pastor's doors are always open. We can either just walk in or we can make an appointment. Our pastor's know what's going on with their congregation and they make the effort to know all of us beyond just a casual knowing.

[TheSword]

When a church reaches a size where the pastor can't actually pastor his flock, it would seem it might be time to plant another church.

 

Most often when it comes to the mega churches the crowd is gathering mainly because of the popularity of the pastor. This often leads to the pastor being more of a celebrity figure than an actual pastor. This is why we often see a mega church shrink greatly when the celebrity pastor takes another church or dies.

 

While I've never experienced one myself, I've heard a few of the bigger churches have managed to make things work fairly well. This is mostly done through have several associate pastors and various staff who handle most things. Still, the senior pastor is mostly out of reach to the congregation and that doesn't seem right.

 

I'm thankful for our small church, which has grown from an attendance of about 40 to about 220. Our pastor and associate pastor both know every member by name, speaks with us each time we set foot in the church. Our pastor's doors are always open. We can either just walk in or we can make an appointment. Our pastor's know what's going on with their congregation and they make the effort to know all of us beyond just a casual knowing.

 

That's certainly true. When my mother moved to Houston I was looking around at churches to attend on weekends that I visited. I came across the Second Baptist Church which actually has multiple locations and streams in the sermons from the pastor at the main location. There's no way he can interact with all of the congregation he's supposed to be leading. There is definitely a point of criticality where the number of members gets too big for the senior pastor to handle. I do think, though, that point is different for each pastor. Some people have a hard time maintaining a congregation of 20 while others thrive in the hundreds.

 

My current church has about 300ish members (probably 400-500 Sunday mornings) and I think we're approaching that criticality point and there is talk of planting another church, though it's not an immediate imperative. When I lived in Las Vegas there were over 700 (roughly 1500 avg attendees on Sunday morning) members, and the pastor was just as accessible.  He was incredibly busy and a hard worker no doubt, but we had personal relationships with him and his family and I'm certain he knew and talked to every one of the members with regularity. Like so many other things it depends on the pastor.

[The Glory Land]

That's certainly true. When my mother moved to Houston I was looking around at churches to attend on weekends that I visited. I came across the Second Baptist Church which actually has multiple locations and streams in the sermons from the pastor at the main location. There's no way he can interact with all of the congregation he's supposed to be leading. There is definitely a point of criticality where the number of members gets too big for the senior pastor to handle. I do think, though, that point is different for each pastor. Some people have a hard time maintaining a congregation of 20 while others thrive in the hundreds.

 

My current church has about 300ish members (probably 400-500 Sunday mornings) and I think we're approaching that criticality point and there is talk of planting another church, though it's not an immediate imperative. When I lived in Las Vegas there were over 700 (roughly 1500 avg attendees on Sunday morning) members, and the pastor was just as accessible.  He was incredibly busy and a hard worker no doubt, but we had personal relationships with him and his family and I'm certain he knew and talked to every one of the members with regularity. Like so many other things it depends on the pastor.

 

 

Is there a third Baptist Church? 

[TheSword]

Is there a third Baptist Church? 

 

Not that I've ever seen, though I'm sure one exists somewhere. It's rare to find a Second, much less a third. I'm sure they could viably make 3 or 4 out of that one church though.

[The Glory Land]

Not that I've ever seen, though I'm sure one exists somewhere. It's rare to find a Second, much less a third. I'm sure they could viably make 3 or 4 out of that one church though.

 

 

Seventh day baptist church sounds cool.. 

[TheSword]

Would that be some unholy mix of Baptist and Seventh Day Adventist theology...? Sounds dangerous to me.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

Would that be some unholy mix of Baptist and Seventh Day Adventist theology...? Sounds dangerous to me.

They already exist, as do Seventh Day Pentecostal churches.

[John81]

They already exist, as do Seventh Day Pentecostal churches.

That's true, and there are even Charismatic Catholics. Burger King Christianity!

[HappyChristian]

Seventh Day Baptists usually basically believe the same way Sunday Baptists would.  The big difference is they worship on Saturdays.  Most of the first Baptists here in America were Seventh Day.  Sword - they are not a mix at all of Adventists/Baptists.

[swathdiver]

Seventh Day Baptists usually basically believe the same way Sunday Baptists would.  

 

It's a cult that does not believe or use the bible as their sole standard for faith and practice.  Mary Ellen G. White has added works unto their woman made religion.  Human founder = not a New Testament Church.

[HappyChristian]

It's a cult that does not believe or use the bible as their sole standard for faith and practice.  Mary Ellen G. White has added works unto their woman made religion.  Human founder = not a New Testament Church.

You are speaking of Seventh Day Adventists. I was speaking of Seventh Day Baptists. They are in no way similar.  

[swathdiver]

Sorry, misunderstood, never heard of them before.

[HappyChristian]

Sorry, misunderstood, never heard of them before.

They aren't as popular as they were at the founding of our country.  In fact, the first Baptist church in America was 7th day (as was the one my ancestor founded early on).  They were 7th day because of the commandment to honor the sabbath. They didn't tie it in with salvation, they just believed that observing the sabbath was the right thing to do.  Nowadays, there are some who are more liberal than others, just as in IFB.  But they do still teach repentance, salvation, etc.