Posted on 08/29/2013 11:06:02 AM PDT by Gamecock
WINSTON-SALEM — Julie and Bob Clark were stunned to receive a letter from their church in July asking them to “participate in the life of the church” — or worship elsewhere.
“They basically called us freeloaders,” says Julie.
“We were freeloaders,” says Bob.
In a trend that may signal rough times for wallflower Christians, bellwether mega-church Faith Community of Winston-Salem has asked “non-participating members” to stop attending.
“No more Mr. Nice Church,” says the executive pastor, newly hired from Cingular Wireless. “Bigger is not always better. Providing free services indefinitely to complacent Christians is not our mission.”
“Freeloading” Christians were straining the church’s nursery and facility resources and harming the church’s ability to reach the lost, says the pastor.
“When your bottom line is saving souls, you get impatient with people who interfere with that goal,” he says.
Faith Community sent polite but firm letters to families who attend church services and “freebie events” but never volunteer, never tithe and do not belong to a small group or other ministry. The church estimates that of its 8,000 regular attendees, only half have volunteered in the past 3 years, and a third have never given to the church.
“Before now, we made people feel comfortable and welcome, and tried to coax them to give a little something in return,” says a staff member. “That’s changed. We’re done being the community nanny.”
Surprisingly, the move to dis-invite people has drawn positive response from men in the community who like the idea of an in-your-face church.
“I thought, ‘A church that doesn’t allow wussies — that rocks,’” says Bob Clark, who admires the church more since they told him to get lost.
He and Julie are now tithing and volunteering. “We’ve taken our place in church life,” he says.
Funny.
Modern church discipline is a form letter. Who knew?
It’s all about $$$. Why? Because it always is...
James 2:14-26
New King James Version (NKJV)
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my[b] works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?[c] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[d] And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
I’m sorry, but is there actually something about Christianity with either side?
It seems like your average Mosque is more Christian these days than these worship warehouses.
Interesting. Have to think about this one a bit.
“It seems like your average Mosque is more Christian these days than these worship warehouses.”
As little as I think of Islam these days, at least they have some standards. Most “Christian” establishments have an unwritten sign outside stating, “No matter what you want, we can do it.”
So, if you tossed a few bucks into the basket without signing your name then you’re donation wasn’t needed.
“Lark” is like a Christian “Onion”. This is satire.
did you read the article?
it also includes volunteering
which can be harder to find that money
A church of that size with that many activities needs People to staff the events
and people who do it for free
I'm not going to judge beyond saying that there is a surplus of nearly empty churches who ask little or nothing from their parishoners and a shortage of crowded churches which do ask something.
The megachurch form of worship is not for me. But they do a lot of people a lot of good. Our voting precinct is at a megachurch. Don't care for the style of worship, but they are nice people. They've always got an information table near the exit and invite departing voters to partake of muffins, cookies and/or coffee when they depart.
Once in a blue moon, I'll even attend a service and leave a couple of bucks in the collection basket out of appreciation for their niceness.
Just another business, none of this, “You received free, give free”, stuff.
Lark is a fake Church news web site meant to poke fun at Christian Churches.
I had to read two or three articles to be sure, but I finally figured it out. Good satire. Really had me fooled for a minute.
Reeeeeeally?
What gave it away? The Fast Pass for the Nursery School or the Horoscopes?
give them a call and get more information
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