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Posted on 11/09/2020 7:10:27 PM PST by OneVike
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Consider how even when the churches in America are overflowing, many members start fidgeting in their seats if the service lasts longer than an hour. Many start looking at their watch. Then after services, 99% of the congregation makes a B-Line for the exit so they can get on with the last day of their weekend.
Compare that to church services in many countries around the World, especially in third World countries. Church services can last up to 4 hours, and some just take a break after the service to congregate and visit, before sitting through another service that can last a few hours. For them, it's an all day event.
Their is a reason I was moved to write this message in the way I did. The American Church is fading in it's fire. Christians seldom do more than attend a service once a week, and even fewer get out to share the Gospel with the lost.
It was easy to shut down churches in America with a lie, because so few Christians in America will sacrifice more than an hour a week for Christ, let alone sacrifice their livelihood by standing up to the government by picking up their cross in defiance of a lie.
If Christ wrote a letter of warning to the Church of America, I am guessing it would be close to this.
And many Christians who have a mass don’t even go to that.
Good one!
Persecution is likely on the way, so their will be change.
A lot of Catholics go to church on early Saturday evening, so that they can go out partying that night and sleep off the hangover the next morning, until it’s time to turn on the noon NFL game. And don’t deny it, because I have many Catholic relatives who do just that.
What are we to make of this?
“Persecution is likely on the way, so their will be change.”
Yes, pastors are feeling tremendous pressure to perform gay marriages or face severe consequences. We must stand together with them.
I know many evangelicals who do the same thing. Saturday night services do well, so they too can sleep in late and enjoy their Sunday sports and fishing.
I used to go to Saturday night services, because I served as a Deacon on the Sunday services. That way I could relax and enjoy the service.
I learned that when I ushered Sunday services it was not so simple to ignore the job to pay good attention on Sundays.
So Saturday evening service was a blessing to me.
Yep, but the Sunday anticipatory Mass celebrated on Saturday is not recognized by the traditional movement; Sunday’s Mass has to occur on Sunday.
I think the writing is on the wall for us to see.
Services in churches are almost empty. Churches are struggling to get parishioners back.
It takes thirty days to start a habit, and l less than two weeks to start breaking it.
Its difficult to get Christians to go back and get into sink, and since so many were once a week one hour Christians, many will never return.
Christ is not happy, I believe.
I disagree with your thesis. Tell me, how many church leaders and pastors have decided they cannot be too controversial under the guise of not offending possible seekers? Pastor are fearful of being branded as partisan, in fact they bend over backwards to ensure their language is utterly bipartisan. Tell me, which Party openly seeks to advance and celebrate sin? How should a Christian support those who openly fight and advocate for sin, such as abortion and homosexuality and transgenderism?
Yes, the Body may be soft, but many many church leaders are far more interested in soft selling the rigors of being a disciple. I believe this translates into a very timid and weak body.
Weak leaders with little real conviction produce weak and timid followers.
I cannot disagree with you on the sad shape of the leadership from the pulpit. Sadly most Pastors in America are afraid of speaking out.
However, I know plenty hard conservative Christian leaders who are not afraid to speak of the truth, even from the pulpit.
Even their membership is down, because many members in their church are lukewarm Christians who attend church once a week, and never get involved in outreach, nor spend anytime evangelizing.
One thing I learned from being a Deacon through the years, and that’s the number of lukewarm Christians who themselves are afraid to be strong in the face of threats from the government.
Go to any functions put on by a church with a strong leader preaching the truth and vocally backs good men for office, and you will always see the same members attending them. Anywheres from 80% to 90% of the members seldom if ever attend the functions outside of Sunday morning services.
I’m on a text message list of a pastor of a large church in the Houston area, and his text yesterday contained a quote I had not heard before:
“There is a lot of wood and fire int he church today, but where it the sacrifice?” —Don McClure
Amen and amen.
Old tag line:
Above all, politics should serve the Great Commission, “preparing the way for the Lord.”
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