Posted on 12/11/2005 8:58:32 PM PST by Pikamax
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The senior minister at central Kentucky's largest church defended a decision to not offer services there on Christmas Sunday and responded to mounting criticism.
The Rev. Jon Weese praised the decision of elders at Southland Christian Church during a service Saturday and said they "chose to value families. People over policy."
Weese has heard from hundreds of Christians across the nation protesting the closure, Southland officials said. Preaching before a crowd of about 1,150, Weece said the full story hasn't been heard.
"I was deeply saddened by the knee-jerk response of the Christian community as a whole to give the benefit of the doubt to the media and not a church or a Christian brother. I'm still troubled that more Christians did not stand up for us," said Weece. "Can you see or begin to see that the devil is stirring the pot on this?"
The backlash came after the Lexington Herald-Leader reported that Southland and other megachurches in Illinois, Michigan, Georgia and Texas would not hold worship services on Dec. 25.
Standing on a stage decorated with 15 artificial Christmas trees, Weece downplayed the significance of the day.
"Christmas began as a pagan holiday to the Roman gods, and if we were to really celebrate the historical birth of Jesus, it would either be in early January or mid-April," Weece said. "I'm only pointing out the historical technicalities not out of intellectual arrogance, but again because of the illogical, ill-informed and even hypocritical arguments that were aimed at me this past week."
Weece also said that the church technically would be worshipping every Sunday in December.
Referring to Christianity's Jewish roots, he said that Sunday begins at sundown on Saturday according to biblical tradition.
Weece noted that Jesus also was criticized for breaking tradition. "There were some whose zeal even in the days of Jesus was misguided," he said. "They emphasized religion over relationship."
Worshippers applauded Weece several times during the service and gave him a standing ovation at one point.
"It's absolutely appalling that he and this church have been treated this way," church receptionist Olivia Byrne said after the service.
It's indefensible.
Another sign that even for most Christians, Christmas is more about the presents and the secular holiday than about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
This pastor is no more a Christian than the man in the moon. How could Christmas have begun as a pagan holliday, pagans didn't worship Christ?
What this phoney "Christian" is trying to sell us with his word-smithing is that Dec. 25th was once a pagan holiday, hence if the Church later decided to choose this date to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, then "Christmas began as a pagan holiday". It's a satanic play on words. Christmas began as the celebration of Christ's birth.....and nothing else. Now, it doesn't matter if Dec. 25th was once celebrated as a Martian holiday, all that matters today is that Dec. 25th is accepted date in Chrisitianity that we celebrate our Lord's birth. If this clown knows the actual day that Jesus was born, then please let us all know, otherwise just go away. May his phoney "church" remain closed on Christmas Day, and forever.
Our church is holding a very limited service on Christmas Day for those who absolutely feel that they can't miss it. There are families who told me that they weren't planning on coming who I thought wouldn't have missed church unless they were dying in the hospital.
What with Christmas Eve service AND church on Sunday, when is there time to celebrate the holiday, open gifts, and spend time with the family? I'm a Christain but for as often as Christmas lands on a Sunday, I vote to cancel church. I doubt anyone's going to hell over it and missing one week of church isn't going to be that detrimental to one's spirituality.
I think my problem with this "church" would have began with the 15 Christmas trees on the podium... And how many of 'em are on the "the leftist are taking Christ out of Christmas" bandwagon???
..... there is always a reason to miss church. The thing that is most important is that you DO miss church. Any and all reasons will be good to do just that. In fact you or anybody that you can influence will be assured of not going to hell if they miss church.
Because the most important thing is not going to church..... it's about what you feel. The most important thing in the world isn't found in church or what is said in church or even what is learned in church.... right? It's about spending time with your family, opening presents, eating a good meal, watching a football game, playing with the kids, laughing with long lost relatives... not the hour you will spend thanking the Lord for all the things that were made in his name, and that in the very end is his to begin with.
I don't have to go to church, I need to go.... if only to pray for my pathetic attempts to be a Christian and to thank the big guy upstairs for his grace in allowing me the opportunity to honor him.
One hour over a whole weekend.... that's all. I waste more time surfing the 'net or waiting between meals or looking at the pregame or sleeping in late.
It's all about what "going to church" is to you. In fact it's not even about how it appears to your friends or family..... it's our time to "drink the water" and refresh ourselve.
Merry Christmas.
Me thinks the parrishoners will quit attending and go elsewhere. We would. And we were on the Board of Session in our Church for 10 years.
Guess what, Willow Creek in Barrington (Chicagoland) is also canceling church for Christmas. Couldn't they at least have a super-simple service instead of the production that would put many small theatre companies to shame?
I agree, why not have at least something, for those who desire to attend church? And who knows, you may find some unbelievers that would come to your church, because it is Christmas Day and Sunday, and they might just find the 'truth' in the real meaining of Christmas.
Yeah, a "nice little tradition" that has been celebrated ever since Jesus was born, and has been celebrated on Dec. 25th for nearly 1,700 years.
"but it's not biblical."
Christmas is the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth, and you're claiming the celebration of His birth isn't biblical? This is a simply amazing statement, please read below and find out just how wrong you are.
"---the angel Gabriel was sent from God---to a virgin--and the virgin's name was Mary. He said to her, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" ---behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High--- and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever;---therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God". (Luke 1: 26-35)
"In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to (visit) the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe (John the Baptist) leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, (Jesus)!--- For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy". (Luke 1: 39 - 44).
And the angel said to them---I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ---And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!" (Luke 2: 8 - 14).
"When they (three Kings) had heard Herod they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child Jesus was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. (Mathew 2: 9 - 11)
"Serious logistical problems"? Time to find a new church, I'd say. Imagine if the Apostles put their mission on hold due to 'serious logistical problems'? How many times was Paul shipwrecked, stoned, arrested, beaten and thrown out of town to spread the gospel?
The date is apocryphal, at best.
How hard is it for a Pastor to just ask how many are going to come on Christmas Day?? If no-one plans to come then its solved, if some come, then make sure its open.
Feeding crowds with one fish and a loaf of bread was a "logistical problem" too.
You have now. In the past week, I've been to functions at 3 megachurches of 2 denominations. The first, 20,000+ members SBC - the pastor made sure to work in an invitation that they would be operating Christmas day. The second, a smaller SBC with I would guess about 4000 members - also let it be known they would be operating Christmas day. And my own church - definitely not Baptist - will have two morning services with child care for up to 2 year olds, with older children attending with their families instead of children's church or Sunday School.
As far as I know, all the smaller churches are having services that day. The only ones around here that are cancelling are those which are market driven rather than Bible driven.
There are bound to be many churches in your area holding Sunday morning services that week. Try one out. The worst thing that could happen is that you would like it so much that you would want to stay.
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