[Esther Ruth]

How can it be so difficult for a group of Christians to gather together a few times a week and have song and Bible reading/study, sweet, simple - like it used to be. How many sad, lonely, broken hearts there must be, people who want so badly to be with others but with all the dysfunction in churches and the leadership, who can blame them for staying away. Would almost be better if one had been locked up in a cave the last 30 years then to have to live through the circus that has been going on and all the psycho mumbo gumbo. So ironic that this nation has come to such a pinnacle of freedom and wealth, yet both our churches and homes look like unimaginable dysfunctional jokes/parodies. Love is suppose to be sincere and authentic, with out wax, not pretend - but the way folks are lead to believe they should act and carry themselves off in the church is so phoney, unreal. The circus conductors (pastors) train up their congregations to be circus ponies, doing tricks for the unconverted to bring them and their money in, push them till they break their backs and their hearts.

Then again, a good majority actually crave and seek out this superficial road show. They've been nurtured on it, addicted to the excitement of it like boose and drugs, they would be bored without it. The real thing may have come along once or twice and they rejected it for it'simplicity and plainness.

[Eva]

My sister recently left her church, after the new pastor turned the services into a stage production. She had many long talks with him first, about the fact that he doesn't even mention Jesus in his sermons any more. His explanation is that he is trying to bring in the non-believers and doesn't want to offend anyone. He thinks that by entertaining on Sunday, instead of preaching, he can turn his church into a mega-church. So, what's the point? She found another church, that fills her needs.