BrotherTony

Your understanding and opinion, and you're most welcome to that understanding and position on the subject. Peace to you. ?

These things go in cycles, and records of temperatures and conditions have only been being kept for the past 100 to 150+ years or so. Some just aren't as willing to drink the Kool aid as others.

No judgement, just an observation...and tbh I really don't require your forgiveness. Please ? stop playing the martyr. It's very disingenuous of you.

Apparently the Lord believes sins have different levels, even for Christians. For the record the Bible names some sins as abominations. Some, such as the woman lying and hiding the spies in Jericho was actually rewarded with her and her family being saved from destruction. She showed a willingness to become a part of Israel, just as an unsaved person today would show proof of their willingness to be saved and becoming a Christ follower. Now, concerning the Lord's Supper, the Bible says each person is to examine themselves, not for others to do the examining. Of course, there are exceptions to this, ie, church discipline. The person or persons under such would be prohibited from partaking.

TGL.... nobody is forcing you to tithe here on earth. To be honest, you seem to have a fixation on money and tithing.

Again, I must reiterate, that in what was classified as a mega church in my day was anything over 1,500. I grew up in such a church. Large was @ 750+. Granted, today's mega Churches run into the tens of thousands... still, let's not discount the smaller megas by prejudice. Also, not all megas are as you described.

Tonight is chili slaw dogs, chips, and chocolate ice cream for dessert.

I can understand concerns, but obsession is a critter of another sort. ????

They haven't started selling them yet. To be honest TGL, you seem to worry an awful lot about other people's churches and things that don't really have anything to do with you or your church. It's just an observation, friend , but, it's disconcerting to see someone so obsessed with things that don't affect them in the least.

Wow, I wonder how that would play out for the 3,000 souls that were added to the church that one particular day.

Not all megas are the same, Morales. Home Bible studies and small groups have led to a lot of problems for some churches leading to division and splits. These are not always the best alternatives. You're painting with a broad brush again, my friend.

Mega Churches have been growing and expanding as small churches of all denominations are closing. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/14/1187460517/megachurches-growing-liquid-church

Broiled chicken thighs, Mac & cheese, green peas, and chocolate ice cream for dessert.

No, it couldn't. The first college was very low cost with churches subsidizing tuition.

You're always welcome to your own opinion. Even with things BASED on "Christian" principles, it no more makes a nation Christian than working or living in a garage makes one a car. Man made rules being promoted as gospel is hogwash, and was part of the reason many Bible colleges felt a sharp decline in enrollment. Many Bible colleges have put their man made principles far above the Bible and common sense.

We'll be praying for her as well.

Many SBC churches here have considered doing the lent thing. I haven't attended one that has done so, but friends of mine did. They left that church and went to a small IFB church. That was 15 years ago. Now they don't attend church at all.

I had many good experiences at both Bible colleges. I've got friends from both to this day. In fact one lady I briefly dated and who was a lifetime friend, is married to a pastor friend of mine. We all went to Bible college together at the first college. Her daddy used to be my SS teacher growing up, and her family was a second family to me. The second Bible college (Maranatha in Watertown Wisconsin) was a great experience as well. A bit stuffy, but, I knew a lot of the faculty before I went there. My best friend and his wife and I met there 40 years ago. He's a pastor in Pana, Illinois. To be honest my wife and I went back to the first Bible college I attended, and because of church and school politics, and because the director of students knew me from the past and didn't want me, and being angry because the pastor and I had gone to Fellowship together, he and his son set in motion a series of events that led to us being asked not to re-enroll the following semester. The administration subsequently erased all of my wife's credits and one semester of mine. I was to graduate that next semester. But, I have no hard feelings towards the Brother. He let his emotions and biases rule him and it eventually cost him his position. Honestly though, he had served for many years as a pastor, and a good one at that. So, I can only believe that his health struggles had affected him at that time. He's gone to be with the Lord since then, and the college is no longer.

Still praying for you, Jim. Will continue to do so until you've returned.??

Yes, they were, and to an extent it was understandable. But people just getting off work and coming to the service should not have been penalized. When they gave the demerits to me and others for coming in our work clothes it sent the wrong message...not only to the college students, but to the congregation. The congregation saw the hypocrisy of the leadership and voiced their disagreement. I was thankful for the good, strong few who weren't intimidated by the title of Pastor/President of the college. They continued to have declining attendance/enrollment at the college and it finally closed. Now as far as the clothing on visitors back then, they realized reaching the lost and damaged was the mission, not being the clothing police.

America may have been founded on Christian principles, but, it has NEVER been a Christian nation. As far as dress goes, I don't and never have made a huge deal about what someone was wearing unless it was just totally unacceptable, such as showing parts of the body that truly should have never been exposed in public. I saw far too many people osticized by IFB churches because of "unacceptable apparel" that was perfectly fine. I've seen it in SBC churches as well. I was given demerits for coming to church in my work clothes back when I was in Bible college. After clearly showing the church and the college they had no scriptural grounds they removed the demerits but suspended me for calling them on their teachings. That too was removed from my college record. Who decides what one should or shouldn't wear to church?

They are on the tele and the corporation has strict rules about dress that churches don't. Let's be real about this.

Hey! I had those pants ? in Bell Bottoms back in the 1970s! LOL

Sometimes it's necessary to limit or prohibit contact. I hate to see it happen, but sometimes it's the only option. Prayers are about all one can do in an advanced situation like that.

Do you surrender? LOL ??????