What Happened to Church?

[koshergrl]

How much did they hit you up for that?

Churches don't "hit up". They pass an offering plate, you contribute or you don't, and you're still welcome to attend whether you give or not.

If you attended church, you'd know that.

I went to church as a youngin'. They pass the plate around, as everyone gives you the eye to see what you're dropping in. What did you give? What's the going rate today?

I think you're probably the one who was giving the eye to see what people were giving, and are projecting.

The envelopes are there for those who wish to be discreet or for those who wish to direct their money to a particular cause or expense.

 

[koshergrl]

So, on the church-hunting front . . . I attended a new church yesterday. They had one innovation from the churches I grew up in, of which I wholeheartedly approve. They open their Sunday services with a half-hour "coffee klatsch", where they provide free coffee and doughnuts, and attendees can get acquainted and/or catch up on news of the week, and then head off to their Sunday School classes together. They are VERY conscious of new attendees, and there is not a chance in the world of getting out of that church without a full dozen members coming up to greet you and tell you how pleased they are that you joined them that day.

I am pleased to report that they not only have altars, but they make use of them. The service ended a little early, but they mentioned that that was largely because it was conducted by their interim pastor (who is normally their youth pastor), because they are in the middle of finding a new pastor to replace the one who just retired. I am equally pleased to report that, despite his relative youth and inexperience, the interim pastor nevertheless managed to produce an in-depth and meaningful sermon.

There was nary a fog machine in sight.

My church has a light breakfast every Sunday before Sunday school. It is a wonderful thing. It allows people to engage in fellowship..and assures the kids have full tummies.

I'm glad you found a likely candidate. I've been so blessed in my church here...it is just a few blocks away (8) and it was the first church I checked out when I moved here years ago.
I previously attended conservative Baptist churches and my current church is Southern Baptist much along the order of Texas Southern Baptist...which means the big stage and the sound system and a praise team. Our praise team consisted of elderly women (then) who couldn't read music, weren't super talented and yet loved having their own microphones...and that was and is kind of hard to take..when the music is loud, and bad, and you know the song and they aren't doing it right. So for a while I was the music director.
The praise team is nominally better now (I'm not director anymore). While they do sing a few songs, we still have our traditional songs that we sing as a congregation, and they always put the words up on big screens in the sanctuary.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I went to a new church for the first time this morning (because I moved to a new city a few months back, and now I need to find a new church home), and I have to say I don't feel even remotely sufficiently churched.

Maybe I'm just really old-fashioned. I grew up in the same two churches throughout my life; in fact, my husband and I were married in one of them. They were both good-sized, but neither was a "mega-church", and it was not only possible to know everyone in the church, it was impossible NOT to. The services took upwards of two hours from start to finish, and they happened three times a week. When the service ended, there were often people still praying at the altars (this church doesn't even HAVE altars), and it took at least another hour for people to get done talking and interacting and head out the doors. The song service was inclusive; the entire congregation worshipping God through music together.

This service was over in an hour; the song service was the "worship team" - basically a music group - giving a performance with lights and videos on screens and a FOG MACHINE, for crying out loud. It was a lot more like going to a concert than anything interactive. Everyone was out the door in about fifteen minutes, the pastors (they apparently have a huge heirarchy of them) were nowhere in sight, and there was no effort made to even identify new attendees, much less meet them and make them feel welcome. The sermon was still on-point in the Word of God, and they don't seem to have edited out the "icky" parts so many churches do - y'know, references to the Crucifixion, blood, death, Hell, all that uncomfortable stuff - but I have to wonder how you're supposed to learn and grow and connect with the Christian community and draw closer to God when an hour a week of listening to other people perform is all the effort you put into it.

What branch of the Christian tree is this?

I believe they're non-denominational, which usually means they're very similar in doctrine and practice to the AG, without attaching themselves to the heirarchy of the AG.

Sounds like what my eldest son is an ordained minister of...But I was raised in a Baptist church(gothic-renaissance style) in the SouthWest but it wasn't the Southern Baptist or Fire and Brimstone style. It was mild-mannered and closer to a Methodist service...(Sleeping optional)

I don't agree with the doctrines of the Baptist Church, so that's not really an option. If, for some reason, I lived somewhere that only had a Baptist Church, I would go, but I doubt I'd ever agree to live somewhere that didn't have a suitable church.

What is AG?

If you're moved by old fashioned, traditional hymns you have to find an old fashioned, traditional church.

Assemblies of God.

I don't require that they be traditional hymns. It's nice if it's an option, if only because it's inclusive (since anyone who's attended a Protestant church for any length of time will at least know the melody), but it's not a requirement..

 

[Cecilie1200]

How much did they hit you up for that?

Churches don't "hit up". They pass an offering plate, you contribute or you don't, and you're still welcome to attend whether you give or not.

If you attended church, you'd know that.

I went to church as a youngin'. They pass the plate around, as everyone gives you the eye to see what you're dropping in. What did you give? What's the going rate today?

None of your business, nosy. Seems like you acquired a little too much of the "giving the eye" mentality.

Can't say as I've ever noticed people paying all that much attention to it in the churches I've attended. They typically do it during the song service, and people are more focused on that than on the plate going by.

If you don't reply anything, I'll know you gave at least $40, if not more.

We're supposed to give 1/10 of our gross.

PLEASE don't encourage him to think he can divert the thread into rude, intrusive discussions of other people' finances.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

The envelopes are there for those who wish to be discreet or for those who wish to direct their money to a particular cause or expense

Not in the Lutheran Church. The envelopes exist to track the giving of members.

 

[koshergrl]

The envelopes are there for those who wish to be discreet or for those who wish to direct their money to a particular cause or expense

Not in the Lutheran Church. The envelopes exist to track the giving of members.

No, they exist to allow the parishioners to track their charitable donations. At the end of the year, the church issues a statement for the total amount a parishioner chooses to record with them.That is their verification so they get the tax deduction.

So yeah, you're an idiot, and now we all know that you never give money charitably, or you would know that.

The Lutheran Church can't track what ain't happening, loser.

 

[Cecilie1200]

How much did they hit you up for that?

Churches don't "hit up". They pass an offering plate, you contribute or you don't, and you're still welcome to attend whether you give or not.

If you attended church, you'd know that.

I went to church as a youngin'. They pass the plate around, as everyone gives you the eye to see what you're dropping in. What did you give? What's the going rate today?

I think you're probably the one who was giving the eye to see what people were giving, and are projecting.

The envelopes are there for those who wish to be discreet or for those who wish to direct their money to a particular cause or expense.

At the very least, you need to specify whether what you're giving is your tithes or an offering, as they are usually accounted differently.

 

[Cecilie1200]

So, on the church-hunting front . . . I attended a new church yesterday. They had one innovation from the churches I grew up in, of which I wholeheartedly approve. They open their Sunday services with a half-hour "coffee klatsch", where they provide free coffee and doughnuts, and attendees can get acquainted and/or catch up on news of the week, and then head off to their Sunday School classes together. They are VERY conscious of new attendees, and there is not a chance in the world of getting out of that church without a full dozen members coming up to greet you and tell you how pleased they are that you joined them that day.

I am pleased to report that they not only have altars, but they make use of them. The service ended a little early, but they mentioned that that was largely because it was conducted by their interim pastor (who is normally their youth pastor), because they are in the middle of finding a new pastor to replace the one who just retired. I am equally pleased to report that, despite his relative youth and inexperience, the interim pastor nevertheless managed to produce an in-depth and meaningful sermon.

There was nary a fog machine in sight.

My church has a light breakfast every Sunday before Sunday school. It is a wonderful thing. It allows people to engage in fellowship..and assures the kids have full tummies.

I'm glad you found a likely candidate. I've been so blessed in my church here...it is just a few blocks away (8) and it was the first church I checked out when I moved here years ago.
I previously attended conservative Baptist churches and my current church is Southern Baptist much along the order of Texas Southern Baptist...which means the big stage and the sound system and a praise team. Our praise team consisted of elderly women (then) who couldn't read music, weren't super talented and yet loved having their own microphones...and that was and is kind of hard to take..when the music is loud, and bad, and you know the song and they aren't doing it right. So for a while I was the music director.
The praise team is nominally better now (I'm not director anymore). While they do sing a few songs, we still have our traditional songs that we sing as a congregation, and they always put the words up on big screens in the sanctuary.

I'm reserving judgement on much of the music ministry for the time being, because it apparently was handled by the very-talented former pastor's wife, who - obviously - retired with her husband. So I don't expect a lot from the interim folks. Also, they apparently suspend choir activities during the summer, because everyone keeps running off on vacation and such.

I'm actually kinda glad I showed up during the summer, because it lets me get acquainted with a few people at a time, instead of the whole congregation. And I'm kinda looking forward to the "auditions" of the pastoral candidates, once the deacons' board narrows it down to their top five choices.

 

[Picaro]

How much did they hit you up for that?

Bingo.

Religions that are based on a god are rip offs.

You pays your money and you never know if you really get to go to heaven.

Meanwhile, "christians" are working really really really hard to harm the very people they say their god and Jesus worked to help and to save.

The whole racket disgusts me.

But hey, the gullible are more than welcome to it.

So, what do you think has been happening to the church the last generation or so? You know, to actually address the topic and all.

Dull old schools churches are closing and Joel Osteen showbiz type churches are taking over. Mainly because most Christians are too stupid to contemplate something deeply. Ceci, amirite or amirite? [emoji3]

The prosperity gospel is a false teaching that is popular because people want God to be an ATM. Push the right buttons in the right order and the goodies fall into your lap. They don't like to hear that they're expected to be in relationship with a living God who expects them to live a certain way.

They want to control God. It doesn't work that way.

I don't have a problem if people who think they can buy their way in get swindled; it becomes an issue of who is trying to swindle who. I matters little to me if a bunch of con artists swindle other con artists; both sides of the deal are dishonest so who cares? In any case, most of these 'atheists' here have singularly failed to actually name any con artists, the just assume people like Osteen are making their money off their congregations via 'da prosperity gospel' when in fact they don't take a dime from the collection plates, are not pastors who are 'prosperity gospel' preachers in the first place, about, but they will swallow just about any idiot loon crap they read from Richard Dawkins, or Democratic Party press releases, as if that were gospel. They're hilarious morons, really, no challenge at all.

 

[Picaro]

How much did they hit you up for that?

Churches don't "hit up". They pass an offering plate, you contribute or you don't, and you're still welcome to attend whether you give or not.

If you attended church, you'd know that.

I went to church as a youngin'. They pass the plate around, as everyone gives you the eye to see what you're dropping in. What did you give? What's the going rate today?

I think you're probably the one who was giving the eye to see what people were giving, and are projecting.

The envelopes are there for those who wish to be discreet or for those who wish to direct their money to a particular cause or expense.

At the very least, you need to specify whether what you're giving is your tithes or an offering, as they are usually accounted differently.

And some also have separate envelopes for other uses, like missionary programs and the like, so most people do know where their money is going, despite the fake claims to the contrary.

 

[Cecilie1200]

How much did they hit you up for that?

Churches don't "hit up". They pass an offering plate, you contribute or you don't, and you're still welcome to attend whether you give or not.

If you attended church, you'd know that.

I went to church as a youngin'. They pass the plate around, as everyone gives you the eye to see what you're dropping in. What did you give? What's the going rate today?

I think you're probably the one who was giving the eye to see what people were giving, and are projecting.

The envelopes are there for those who wish to be discreet or for those who wish to direct their money to a particular cause or expense.

At the very least, you need to specify whether what you're giving is your tithes or an offering, as they are usually accounted differently.

And some also have separate envelopes for other uses, like missionary programs and the like, so most people do know where their money is going, despite the fake claims to the contrary.

Very true. Whatever leftist atheists think, churches don't just chuck all the money into a general fund and spend it as they please. They have to meet the same accounting and IRS standards that any other non-profit does.

 

[hadit]

That is correct. Sadly though, I see an awful lot of modern Christians wanting things to be easy then wondering what happened when life gets tough. They don't realize that's when growth happens. We need to preach the whole Gospel, not just the feel good parts.

The Church has always had to be culturally relevant while remaining true to the Gospel.

Hey, I have no problem with culturally relevant. Like I said, I'm not my grandma, griping that any religious music written later than the 19th century is of the devil. Lord knows, I love being able to read along in the Bible on my smartphone, instead of having to carry a Bible with me. And certainly, you have to relate what God wants from us as His people to the society in which we have to achieve that.

But I'm a conservative by nature. I believe that newer is not always better, and traditions exist for a reason. You need to examine what that reason is, and think hard about whether or not it still applies, and whether or not what you want to replace it with is going to accomplish that purpose. And I believe that the things most worth having in life require dedication and hard work. When being a Christian receives less time and attention than leveling your character in World of Warcraft, you're doing it wrong.

But it's a lot harder to level in Warcraft than it is to be a Christian. Giving money once a week absolves the giver of any further Christian action as they consider that "oh, they'll use that money for good, I won't do it, but someone surely will."

That is false.

Utterly, but then, everything Taz ever says can be described that way.

He says it's false, but he can't actually refute what I said. Sorta like you.

I don't have to refute what you say, the Bible does that. Naturally, you have no interest in a Biblical lesson, or I would provide you with one.

 

[hadit]

So, on the church-hunting front . . . I attended a new church yesterday. They had one innovation from the churches I grew up in, of which I wholeheartedly approve. They open their Sunday services with a half-hour "coffee klatsch", where they provide free coffee and doughnuts, and attendees can get acquainted and/or catch up on news of the week, and then head off to their Sunday School classes together. They are VERY conscious of new attendees, and there is not a chance in the world of getting out of that church without a full dozen members coming up to greet you and tell you how pleased they are that you joined them that day.

I am pleased to report that they not only have altars, but they make use of them. The service ended a little early, but they mentioned that that was largely because it was conducted by their interim pastor (who is normally their youth pastor), because they are in the middle of finding a new pastor to replace the one who just retired. I am equally pleased to report that, despite his relative youth and inexperience, the interim pastor nevertheless managed to produce an in-depth and meaningful sermon.

There was nary a fog machine in sight.

I'm really glad they took the time to make you welcome. So many churches just let you walk in an walk right back out without so much as a getting.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

No, they exist to allow the parishioners to track their charitable donations.

Not inin t two churches i went to. If your envelope wasn't in there, you got a phone call asking for an explanation....your whiny little tantrum notwithstanding...

 

[Picaro]

No, they exist to allow the parishioners to track their charitable donations.

Not inin t two churches i went to. If your envelope wasn't in there, you got a phone call asking for an explanation....your whiny little tantrum notwithstanding...

lol now you're going to try and sell another blatant lie about churches. You're not even an entertaining troll.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

No, they exist to allow the parishioners to track their charitable donations.

Not inin t two churches i went to. If your envelope wasn't in there, you got a phone call asking for an explanation....your whiny little tantrum notwithstanding...

lol now you're going to try and sell another blatant lie about churches. You're not even an entertaining troll.

Its a fact. And i cant really speak for any churches, other than the two Lutheran churches we attended. Dang you people are excitable!

 

[Picaro]

No, they exist to allow the parishioners to track their charitable donations.

Not inin t two churches i went to. If your envelope wasn't in there, you got a phone call asking for an explanation....your whiny little tantrum notwithstanding...

lol now you're going to try and sell another blatant lie about churches. You're not even an entertaining troll.

Its a fact. And i cant really speak for any churches, other than the two Lutheran churches we attended. Dang you people are excitable!

lol lol lol sure sure. Now run along and tell the other kidz about your tale of horrors in the big scary giant Lutheran building there in town. Maybe you could get hold of some puppets or something, too.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

No, they exist to allow the parishioners to track their charitable donations.

Not inin t two churches i went to. If your envelope wasn't in there, you got a phone call asking for an explanation....your whiny little tantrum notwithstanding...

lol now you're going to try and sell another blatant lie about churches. You're not even an entertaining troll.

Its a fact. And i cant really speak for any churches, other than the two Lutheran churches we attended. Dang you people are excitable!

lol lol lol sure sure. Now run along and tell the other kidz about your tale of horrors in the big scary giant Lutheran building there in town. Maybe you could get hold of some puppets or something, too.

"Tale of horrors"....what? They were simply making sure their membership base ante-d up. Just your typical behavior from a bunch of charlatans. Didn't seem to bother me...I got kicked right out of catechism for asking questions, and throughly enjoyed my summer instead.

 

[koshergrl]

No, they exist to allow the parishioners to track their charitable donations.

Not inin t two churches i went to. If your envelope wasn't in there, you got a phone call asking for an explanation....your whiny little tantrum notwithstanding...

lol now you're going to try and sell another blatant lie about churches. You're not even an entertaining troll.

Its a fact. And i cant really speak for any churches, other than the two Lutheran churches we attended. Dang you people are excitable!

lol lol lol sure sure. Now run along and tell the other kidz about your tale of horrors in the big scary giant Lutheran building there in town. Maybe you could get hold of some puppets or something, too.

"Tale of horrors"....what? They were simply making sure their membership base ante-d up. Just your typical behavior from a bunch of charlatans. Didn't seem to bother me...I got kicked right out of catechism for asking questions, and throughly enjoyed my summer instead.

We already knew you were a classless douche.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Not inin t two churches i went to. If your envelope wasn't in there, you got a phone call asking for an explanation....your whiny little tantrum notwithstanding...

lol now you're going to try and sell another blatant lie about churches. You're not even an entertaining troll.

Its a fact. And i cant really speak for any churches, other than the two Lutheran churches we attended. Dang you people are excitable!

lol lol lol sure sure. Now run along and tell the other kidz about your tale of horrors in the big scary giant Lutheran building there in town. Maybe you could get hold of some puppets or something, too.

"Tale of horrors"....what? They were simply making sure their membership base ante-d up. Just your typical behavior from a bunch of charlatans. Didn't seem to bother me...I got kicked right out of catechism for asking questions, and throughly enjoyed my summer instead.

We already knew you were a classless douche.

But....your a racist, homophonic, ignorant religious nutball that baby Jesus wouldn't piss on if you were on fire....so i remain unmoved.