Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale now promoting its Christmas Day service online after initially announcing a Dec. 25 closure
Posted on 12/19/2005 6:23:54 AM PST by NYer
With many large churches across the U.S. announcing they won't be open on Christmas Day, some pastors are defending their decision to stay closed, even going so far as to blast those who question their motives.
Among them is Jon Weece, pastor of Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Ky., who received complaint e-mails from Christians in all 50 states.
"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 brother in Christ," Weece said in his Dec. 10 sermon. "I'm still troubled that more Christians in this community specifically did not stand up for us knowing what this church represents."
(Audio of the entire sermon is available here.)
Weece blamed Satan the devil for using the Christmas issue as a distraction, prompting Christians to bicker among themselves.
"People are not the enemy," he said. "The devil is, and it is obvious that he has been at work in this situation."
Weece said the services being offered on Christmas Eve were still technically the "first day of the week" if one went by the custom of starting days at sunset, which some believe was the case in Jesus' day.
He went on to note: "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 January or mid-April. 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 personally this last week."
Weece also said Jesus himself walked all over opinion and tradition: "Do not lose sight of the controversy that Jesus incited by turning traditions on their head. And always remember in the economy of Jesus, the one whose birthday so many are claiming to be so passionate about, Jesus placed value and emphasis on people over policy and procedure and protocol every single time."
Meanwhile, the largest Christian church in South Florida has reversed itself on its closure Christmas Day, and now says it will be open for a single service next Sunday morning, Dec. 25.
Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale now promoting its Christmas Day service online after initially announcing a Dec. 25 closure |
Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale originally decided to give its members and workforce a day off to spend with their families on Christmas, even though it falls on Sunday, its traditional day of worship. Instead, it had scheduled a slate of extra services for Saturday night, Christmas Eve.
 Pastor Bob Coy |
"I've been called a bad person and a shame to Christianity," pastor Bob Coy told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "It made me realize that many people misunderstood our motives."
But after an onslaught of negative public reaction from both inside and outside his congregation, Coy had a change of heart.
"Say it isn't so," read one e-mail, according to Coy. "You're shutting your doors on Jesus' birthday. I'm appalled at the message you're sending to the community."
Coy also was advised by some church members who said they wouldn't be able to attend services on Christmas Eve, and preferred to come on the actual holiday.
"Christmas is filled with unrealistic expectations," he said. "I don't want to fuel that. If people need Jesus on Christmas, I want to make Him available."
The entire issue has exacerbated the national Christmas controversy at a time which many believe is supposed to harken back to the Gospel of Luke's "peace on Earth."
"There is no biblical mandate that we meet on Sunday, only that we meet," writes Larry Baden in an online messageboard. "This is clearly a nonessential issue. Nobody's orthodoxy stands or falls on having a Sunday service. Nobody's salvation depends on having a Sunday service."
Minister Jeff Chitwood contends: "I think the issue centers on canceling worship on a day that is supposed to be centered on Christ. Too many times the church accuses the world of taking Christ out of Christmas but now the church is the one changing things because a day centered on Christ conflicts with schedules. What kind of message does it send to those who we have condemned in the past? At our church we are rescheduling service times but not eliminating the opportunity to worship on a day centered on Christ."
One poster said true worship is about much more than just singing or attending a church service.
"The way I greet my family when I go home from work is an act of worship. The way I talk to my co-workers. The dedication I give to my employer. The passion and inspiration I find in teaching or writing or editing or reading or mowing the lawn or ironing my shirts. ...
"Let's all just focus on God this Sunday. He's a big Guy. I'm sure those who look for him will find him – even if they don't set foot in a church building."
No bigot, just someone who is sick of the "holier than thou" attitudes of the religious, whether Catholic or Protestant.
What are you talking about? They met in such conditions due to severe persecution of Christianity.
We all could pray for a FRACTION of the dedication they had. I don't think a single one of them would have foregone the Lord's Day worship just for the sake of convenience.
And what makes it a "perfectly criticisable decision?" You?
I know that Catholics claim to have inside contacts to God (i.e., saints), but when you urinate into the wind, don't complain when you get sprinkled on (no pun intended).
Out of curiosity - are you a member at either of the churches?
How am I doing?
***Damn those parishoners that expect the church to be open on a Sunday. I suppose they'll be wanting to show up on Superbowl Sunday, too?***
Actually, while the preacher is talking, the giant screed abobe his head could be showing the super bowl pre game program!
AD, I agree with you guys!!!!! I was merely pointing out that the minister in this case is correct about the way time is calculated in The Church. As you may know, I'm Greek Orthodox. We have a Liturgy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, even if it is on a Tuesday.
The pastor and leadership of the local church are the ones who know better than any of us - especially those of 30 miles away or greater - as to whether having a Sunday service on Christmas day is good for their church or not. The article rightly points out that Jesus lambasted the religious icons of his time for their emphasis upon holidays and self-righteous acts, why? Because we as humans tend to institutionalize our faith (and kill it).
How about free oil changes?
I was responding to the comments of the minister in this article. That's all, my friend.
"No man is bound to holy days in New Testament Christianity."
The Church believes that those of us in The Church are bound. As for others, I cannot say.
Certainly moreso than by those Protestants under the strong delusion that they can just go to Church when they feel like it.
He's not saying that it's a sin to meet in buildings but to say that an organization or building is a "church" according to the New Testament is wrong.
Where does it say that we're to organize and obtain 501(c)3 status in order to be considered a "church?" That is the creation of man.
It doesn't mke them evil but neither does it make them scriptural.
I have been to several daily masses where if I had not attended, it would be the Priest and God's angels alone at worship.
No.
You have set yourself up as the judge of all others, Catholic or Protestant. To complain about the "holier than thou" attitudes of others is amusing.
SD
All of the criticism. If it was a humdrum thing, this wouldn't be in the news. It is in the news because it is jaw-droppingly stunning that a Christian Church would close up shop on Sunday because its members can't be bothered to show up. That's why its criticisable.
If I were the only one criticising, it would be one thing. But this has drawn pretty much universal criticism.
SD
For the sake of argument let's assume that it has drawn universal criticism? Can a million chinese be wrong? (to borrow an old phrase).
Chapter and verse, please. From the bible. You sound just like the Pharisees.
2) A true believer longs to worship God and be in the fellowship of other believers. Anyone who rolls out of bed and feels "obligated" to worship has an issue with himself, not the church.
3) The heart of this issue is not legalism, it's the "Conditional Worship" laziness of contemporary pop-bubblegum christianity. The idea of "Unless I can ____ then I won't go to church.", or "Unless the church offers ____ then I won't go."
These churches are closing their doors on Christmas Sunday as a convenience to the congregation. Our convenience or comfort should never be a consideration when it comes to worshipping the LORD on the day He has set aside for corporate worship.
News flash: Christians worship every day because worship is not something you do but something that you live...just like eating or drinking which is not bound by certain days or times.
Unfortunately, most believe worship is a set time where we sing and hear a sermon. Biblical worship is fulfilling our calling and expressing our gifts in service to others, such as being the best husband/father, employer/employee, wife/mother, etc., as unto the Lord.
Biblical/historical worship has little to nothing to do with song or being with others but how we live our lives as to whether we please Him or not.
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