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."
How many Protestant Ministers are adulterers into "vertical counseling" of the ladies of the Church?
At my grandmother's last Southern Baptist Church, it was 3 of the previous 4 Pastors after her husband retired from the ministry there. All moved on to other "callings".
I will be there.
I think it's more consistent with what I've been arguing all along. I will also be at the Christmas Eve service.
I do think there's no sin involved in not opening. I just don't think it's expedient because it is counter to other things I've argued about Christianity and our culture.
But, I certainly agree with you that my congregation will be smaller....I'll bet by as much as half.
Again...what is the "Lord's Day" and what is "the Lord's house?"
A "few millennia?" How about trying 1,700 years after having been begun by the edicts of men and not scriptural command?
Jesus was not loathe to dismiss a few millenia of tradition but to encourage his disciples to do so as well. Of course it was wrapped in a larger message... but in our effort to re-establish more tradition that message is lost as well.
"..Here's an excellent look at this current trend of "forsaking the assembling" of the saints (Hebrews 10:19 - 25)..." ~ Manfred the Wonder Dawg
Apples and oranges.
Re: the reference to the subjective realm of human opinion in which “everyone does what is right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). This is merely addressing the attitude of moral relativists who engage in "situation ethics" (ethical relativism).
Judges 21:25 has no legitimate "ethical" relevance to whether or not one decides to "keep a certain day of rest" under the New Testament. God did not command Sunday is to be kept as a "replacement" Sabbath for Saturday. Christ has become the "Sabbath Rest" for his people since his resurrection. His "church" (the regenerate individuals in whom the Holy Spirit resides) may meet on any day they choose.
Sabbath - J P Holding
http://www.tektonics.org/af/ebe19.html
[snip]
Col. 2:14-17 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days (note: this includes festival sabbaths as well as the normal one on Saturday): Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Against this passage, all our subject can do is cite two pre-resurrection verses (which again, have no relevance). However, this is post-resurrection, and the grammar here is rather explicit in its insistence that there is no longer any binding for the Sabbath. It should also be noted that the verses parallel the list of ordinances in Numbers 28-29, where the Sabbath is grouped with burnt offerings and new moons, all of which have passed away in the work of Christ. (A similar parallel is found in Galatians 4:9-11 - "But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain." Note that: a) In Galatians, Paul was acting to counter the effects of Judaizers who wanted to impose Jewish rituals on Gentile converts; b) the Greek here matches the LXX version of the Numbers passage.
Romans 13:8-10 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
This passage indicates that love is the fulfillment of the law - not following the specifics. (It is in this way that Jesus fulfilled the Law!) This means that the Sabbath commandment is "fulfilled" also, and that observance is superfluous. ...
A little later, there is also this passage:
Romans 14:4-6 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Our subject misses the significance of this one, too: Here Paul says something that does indeed, on the one hand, permit those who wish to to keep a Saturday Sabbath; on the other hand, it also indicates that the day is not to be esteemed over any other. (Our subject realizes this in the 93rd newsletter, but again thinks it is enough to object that this means that no one has to observe Sunday either -- and again, he is correct! ) ..
Heb. 4:9-11 are a clear endorsement of Sabbath-keeping. The NIV renders "rest" in v. 9 as "Sabbath-rest." The Greek word at issue is sabbatismos, which occurs only this once in Scripture, but in extrabiblical literature, it refers to plain old Sabbath-keeping. Further, v. 10 says that "he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his." This cannot refer to resting from "dead works" of trying to earn salvation, because the comparison to God obviously and necessarily fails here. The Writer concludes "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." v. 11. Thus we have a clear admonition from the NT to enter Sabbath rest as God did, by resting from our works on the seventh day.
Let's quote this passage:
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
"..the context of the passage indicates that the "Sabbath" being referred to is an eschatological one -- the eternal "Sabbath" of enduring praise and celebration all believers will have. (Moreover, how would one "labour to enter" into a Saturday Sabbath, or into any chronological event?) The parallel here is to Paul's admonitions not to run a race in vain.
Having a godly househould is a good thing, of course. But it does not replace the regular gathering of God's people, the church, for the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacrament.
A whole lot. There is a lot of adultery in protestant churches - the same can be said for the catholic church.
The difference is that protestants don't consider their "church" to have super powers - its just a gathering of believers - no more.
The "Lord's Day" is what Christians have called Sunday, the first day of week, for nearly 2,000 years. Our Lord Jesus Christ rose victorious over sin and death on the first day of the week, and he met with his disciples on that day, too. And so the church has been gathering on that day ever since.
My pastor can bend steel bars with his heat vision.
SD
The Lord gathers his church together around Word and Sacrament, the marks of the church.
Well there you go.
Jesus did not throw out the baby with the bathwater, and He did not leave His Church rudderless. On the contrary, He leaves His apostles with the power to bind and loose (that is, establish religious discipline).
SD
Well, then I guess that gives you the moral authority to throw stones, eh?
1) Paul was not the writer of Hebrews. No one knows exactly who it was but most scholars believe that Paul was not the author.
2) Notice that the writer said "as some are accustomed." This shows that not all Christians met at regimented times but as they were able. To imply a command when the writer is stating a fact of occurence is disingenuous on your part and the result of poor teaching.
3) While Christians should gather for the purpose of mutual edification and encouragement, as we are one Body, there are not "firey consequences" for neglecting to do so.
The judgment that you refer to applies toward those who reject Christ after having first receive Him and not about gathering or not gathering with other believers. How you can tie that in to a judgment on those who choose not to meet is ridiculous.
Come on. Is this the best a Catholic can do?
What's to reorganize? If you've already got enough seats set up to accommodate as many as want to show up, what's the problem? Got a pastor, precentor, and pianist willing to show up for an hour or two? You don't need the normal full compliment of attendants to pull off a basic, suitable worship service.
Most churches hold Christmas morning services, regardless of day of week. Why then is it suddenly so hard to do that just because that day happens to be Sunday?
Funny line from one of the pastors was...come to Christmas Eve service, if you don't get the message and show up for Christmas morning, they'll be a sign on the door that says "See you at Easter."
Not funny. Tells me they don't take faith seriously. "All or nothing" doesn't cut it.
Put yourself in the "shows up" shoes: Packed up the family, put festivities on hold, spent non-trivial time getting there, only to find a "see you at Easter" sign. Been there; big letdown.
So...where does the namesake of Christmas fit in?
That's what you get when a google search is the only source of scripture.
I am one that is complaining and I am also going to church. It is a horrible that so called believers, adn even more so their leaders, are valuing the selfish getting of frivilous gifts over the worship of Christ.
Ah, but does he use his x-ray vision to peer through people's clothes?
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