Destroy a Church in 4 Simple Steps

challies.com ^ | 4/28/14 | Tim Challies

[lgjhn23]

Yes Sir!!! Right on.

“...and the shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables....”

IF they’re not preaching/teaching/living the Truth, it’s just a matter of time that they will end up shutting the doors, or seeing it turned into a pickle barrel factory or something. That was, and is, the underhanded motive all along...to shut it down by deceptive means that all sound so good.

ViglanteMan is right. Liberals are inspired by those from the demonic pit of Hell. They deceptively come to steal, kill and destroy just like their big daddy, Satan. They use just enough “truth” to sound really good to “itching ears”, but their motives and deception are pure evil...always have been, always will be till the Judgement Day. The nature of man hasn’t changed hardly at all in these thousands of years. Sure, our technology has progressed dramatically, but not our human nature. Without Truth, man is no match for, and will fall for, almost every whim of the evil one.

[fwdude]

The United Methodist Church is still attempting futilely to fight off the sodomite barbarians, but when you unbiblically ordain women as ministers, eventually you go all-liberal in the long haul. You have to.

[wastoute]

Ravi Zacharias says that if the guy in the pulpit doesn’t believe it the church will die.

[MNDude]

One trend I’ve seen is that churches are seeking growth more than ever.

I’ve seen churches partake in very aggressive marketing of their churches of having high profile Christmas concerts, promoting Vacation Bible School to nearby housing complexes or invite all of the community to their annual carnival.

A few years later, they are thanking the Lord that they’re prayers have been answered because their church has grown greatly in the past 5 years.

But suddenly, pastors become afraid of stepping on toes of the new people that are coming to church so certain topics become avoided.

Next, it becomes more of a democracy, or even mob rule, and those that do not believe in the church’s traditional beliefs become the loudest at screaming at what the church should or should not say or do.

[fwdude]

Or the “Church of (you-fill-in-the-blank)”

[mountn man]

Pasture

[lgjhn23]

“...It’s an error to interpret large building programs as the evidence of a Spirit-lead congregation. After all, the largest “gay and lesbian” church located in Dallas just constructed a massive new multi-million dollar chapel.

Are we to suppose, then, that they are being “blessed” by God?...”

I agree with you. We really need to look/see what’s being taught under the roof. Building programs are NOT an indication of being “blessed”. However, the destruction of once spirit-led denominations is the real goal. Satan doesn’t care how big your building is. He’ll even help you build it IF it will turn people away from the Truth...such as the one you speak of in Dallas.

[Hoodat]

Sounds like we go to the same church.

[PLMerite]

But are those Lesbian cows?

[elcid1970]

“Across from us we have a First United Church of Christ with a Lesbian pasture.”

I pictured a fenced meadow with 200 lb lesbians mooing & ranting, kept separate from the main church.

Nope, they’re running it.

[Ouchthatonehurt]

All the lesbians I know are cows. A lesbian pasture seems a reasonable thing to me.

[Wicket]

I attended Foursquare for 30 years or so. One of the leaders signed the Evangelical Climate Initiative. The theology, at least at the Beaverton location, is still sound. But “the Shack” was quite popular.Tickled ears are making inroads, I’m afraid.

I live fairly far from the church I was attending, so I am now attending a church in my community that currently balances community outreach and Biblical truth, and I pray that it stays that way.

[afsnco]

(iv) ...and Solo Christo & Soli Deo Gloria.

[Steve_Seattle]

The Seattle-area Catholic church (Assumption Parish) that I attended during my early years is still there, but it has gone from four or five Sunday masses to two, from three or four priests to one, and from about five nuns (school teachers) to none. I don't know for sure, but I would guess that confessions have declined almost to the vanishing point. (My sister works for the school, sings in the choir, receives communion every week, and told me she hasn't been to confession in about thirty years.)

I also suspect that in any conflict between gays and the church, both the priest and congregation would be solidly on the side of the gays. (I have a solid basis for that observation). My sister is also a huge Obama supporter.

[PA BOOKENDS]

UCC = Unitarians Considering Christ.

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[dartuser]

One of the main charges for the Biblical office of elder is to fend off false teachers ... if they cannot do that ... they are unqualified to lead the church in any respect.

If your elders are unqualified ... it is just a matter of time before this happens to EVERY church.

[DaveyB]

Just as fundamental as rejecting truth is its precursor;rejecting authority. Truth is received based on authority, law and society are structured according to authority even the very gospel of Christ alone as the substitutionary atonement is founded on the doctrine of authority. Authority is a much overlooked yet essential doctrine of God. His church, the family, and civic societies that fail to acknowledge the authority of Christ have already caused the first domino to fall. Remember those words spoken back in Eden “Yeah did God really say...” and “Nay you shall not surely die” - the challenge of authority resulted in the fall and we are still falling for it today.

[Vinylly]

The problem with gays and lesbians is that most of them are anti-christian and don’t attend church. When a church tries to appeal to them they don’t come.

[mountn man]

To the gay community, everyone and everything is gay.