I am sad

[tired]

One of my old single's pastors who used to be so biblical and Christ-centered is now reading emergent books and bragging about wearing his Obama shirt and other singles in my old church doing the same. Was it that these people were never studying their bible and never were discipled or are these people false converts who have been living a lie and now since the church is such a mess can latch on to the wolves like Mclaren and Rob bell. This gets me so fired up.
2 Thessalonians 2
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

[trc123]

What is "emergent books?"

[tired]

Books by Rob Bell, Brian Mclaren, Don Miller, Kinnon, Erwin Mcmanus. etc...

[trc123]

Okay, so let me get this straight......they are reading books by some authors who (from just looking it up) give a different slant on the modern day Church building and reaching the lost in their own way and you are bumming?

[tired]

Most of these authors deny orthodoxy all together. Deny the truths of the bible and really no bible with them at all. They have embraced the world and are trying to push the world and post-modernism into the church. I guess they think if you can't beat them join em. These men teach there is no real truth, how can we know anything. I have tangled with a few of these "preachers" before, like Pagitt and they only know that fundelmentalist are wrong but will embrace anything else.
Matthew 7:15 Beware

[John81]

It's very sad to see those who seemed to be solid Christians turn away from the fundamentals of the faith in order to embrace something popular and watered down.

[Guest Guest]

It's very sad to see those who seemed to be solid Christians turn away from the fundamentals of the faith in order to embrace something popular and watered down.

Joel Olsteen comes to my mind right away. :smile They say his dad was a fine preacher. So?? Well...he is on the "worldly bandwagon" as well.

Hebrews 11:25-26...25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than enjoy the pleasures (passing pleasures of sin) of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had (looked) respect unto the recompense of the reward. KJV 1611 AV.

[John81]

One amazing transformation has been Billy Graham. What he claimed to originally believe and what he preached early on are so very different from his positions over the past several decades and where he stands today. :sad

[tired]

If you want your church or following to increase you have to tell them what they want to here.
2 Timothy 4
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

[John81]

Too many professing Christians today seek out entertainment from a church rather than the preaching of the Word. They desire a pastor who makes them laugh and doesn't make them feel guilty by talking about their sins and the need for repentance. They search out churches with lots of extras...gotta have the large youth program (no matter it's worldy), gotta have the church sports teams (no matter it's worldly too), gotta have the special womens groups, teen groups, divorced groups, elderly groups, singles groups, and the like even though Christ isn't at the center of them. And it really, really helps if the church is popular with the "in" crowd because that makes for great social connections and gives added prestige in the community.

In our small community the church I attend is the only one that preaches the Word of God. The other three churches (had another but it closed and moved in with its sending church from another town) are off on their own paths...the Methodist church is just off, the Christian church is the big church with the programs, special events and the socially important, but with the weak message and the fact they push baptism as being necessary for salvation, and the other church is into the charismatic stuff.

[Guest Guest]

You're right. It is NOT programs that matter. It is investing in the lives of people, and teaching them about Jesus Christ.

Billy Graham seemed to have gotten such a "big" name for himself worldwide that he went "soft" on preaching the whole counsel of God. JMO. His latter preaching is so watered down. Yes, it is amazing to see that it is the same man preaching what he truly stood for in the beginning of his ministry. He used to preach the sound doctrine. :thumb

2 Timothy 4:2...Preach the word; be instant (ready) in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. KJV 1611 AV.

[John81]

It's a real shame but it's rather common for families to leave a good church or reject attending a good church in favor of going to a watered down church that has lots of programs for the kids and others to be involved in. Rather than seeking biblical preaching and growth in Christ, they are seeking entertainment and things to keep them busy.

[Guest Guest]

It's a real shame but it's rather common for families to leave a good church or reject attending a good church in favor of going to a watered down church that has lots of programs for the kids and others to be involved in. Rather than seeking biblical preaching and growth in Christ' date=' they are seeking entertainment and things to keep them busy.[/quote']


You can do both. :-) Churches that teach sound doctrine can have "programs" that help in the preaching of Jesus Christ. It doesn't have to be a glum existence. :lol I really don't see how these entertainment churches think that they can just play games and NOT teach the Bible? Jesus Christ is the whole reason for us to be living as Christ-Followers...after all. :smile Sometimes...I don't get people. haha.

[John81]

True, I know good churches can have programs, it's just that so many good churches are also small churches so they can't have the big, fancy stuff the larger churches have.

Too many families don't want the small programs and they are unwilling to work to make them better and bigger.

[Guest Guest]

Yes. My old IFB church was like this. My IFB church has been around for awhile. What really helps is when a pastor can be paid by the congregation to work a full time ministry. This seems to make a huge difference to me. Many IFB churches can't do this, though...and it is sad. Just my thoughts.