Posted on 09/18/2023 1:21:26 AM PDT by spirited irish
Church attendance across the Western world has dropped drastically—and continues to drop with every generation. In the USA, Generation Z church attendance is down to less than 9%. What is going on? Well, this is an issue I’ve been addressing for years, pointing the church back to the primary issue: an erosion of the authority of God’s Word and a lack of answers given to the next generation. So how can we stop this exodus?
(Excerpt) Read more at patriotandliberty.com ...
Thank-you for sharing. After reading your story I believe that upon the death of your body your soul will be taken by Holy Angels up through the cosmos thence to the 3rd heaven and God’s great and gloriously beautiful mountain, the New Jerusalem. Be at peace brother, as I am too.
I was raised in a Southern Baptist Church and watched it be destroyed by deacons who decided money was more important than the pastor preaching and serving the congregation as a full time pastor. It was a vicious and nasty event and it left me bitter watching it unfold. But my Dad was a deacon who refused to join the others in their efforts and he reminded me, these men will answer for their actions, you will answer for yours, don’t let their behavior dictate your behavior, read and follow God’s word.
Had I based my entire religious life and relationship with Jesus based on the deeds of these people I would be angry and hate organized religion. They have to answer for their actions and I have to answer for mine and the word talks about assembling yourselves together and church.
I stayed in the Baptist church setting and ended up at a small Southern Baptist Church. Yeah, they take up an offering but the current pastor has been there nearly twenty years and I have heard him preach on tithing twice, his emphasis is on the Lord, sticking to the word, and seeing souls saved. He rips tickle your ear and prosperity pastors like Olsten. He or none of the church leadership shills for money on Facebook, in the pulpit or via any other method. We stayed open during covid and the Lord has blessed the church financially and more importantly spiritually with souls being saved and baptized.
I recently watched a sermon online. Great spiritual topic and focus. Problem was, there was almost no scripture used in the sermon.
Isaiah 55:11 says, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
In other words, God’s word has a guarantee of results. Man’s word doesn’t.
I agree!
Excellent post. The multiplication of the “nones” will result in grave calamities for society, including persecution for believers, for man apart from Christ becomes consumed with guilt and masochism.
Perhaps you missed my point.
If “In the early days of the church, there was unity and agreement among apostles and bishops”, how could Paul rebuke a hypocritical Peter, what issues were there for the Councils to address, and what false teachers and preachers were there for Paul to identify and excommunicate?
I don’t believe you made sense in your Post 35.
Thank you.
The rebuke is recorded in Galatians 2:11-21. Rebuking (correcting) a brother only brings disunity, when the one being corrected rejects the correction. There is nothing in scripture that tells us Peter rejected Paul's correction. Paul and Peter were united in preaching the gospel to Gentile and Jew respectively throughout their lives.
What issues were there for the Councils to address ....Acts 15:1-35
What false teachers and preachers were there for Paul to identify and excommunicate?...Titus 3:10
Have you looked into a Byzantine Catholic Church near you? The liturgy is much like the Orthodox, with an even more ancient tradition than the Tridentine, but they are in communion with the Catholic Church.
“The rebuke is recorded in Galatians 2:11-21.”
That there was a rebuke at all indicates some level of disunity.
Acts 15:1-2
“Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.”
That doesn’t read like they were in unity since Paul and Barnabas went into sharp dispute and debate with them and there was a question. Nor does it read like a Council was involved unless we assume a Council did the appointing.
Titus 3:10
“Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.”
If a person was divisive they weren’t in unity. If they had nothing to do with them they weren’t in unity.
In Post 35 you wrote: “In the early days of the church, there was unity and agreement among apostles and bishops”, followed by 5 points.
All I’m saying is that I think your points 3, 4 and 5 contradict the previous statement you seem to think they support. You haven’t written anything that changes my mind.
You can have the last word. I’m done here unless maybe your last word is better.
MM >>Preach the uncompromised word. Maybe it won't stop the mass exodus, but if the faux Christians are leaving, then it has the benefit of purifying the church.
*****
Cannot agree with this more.
Preach the word.
Turn the lights up.
Stop the rock n roll music show.
Stop the 7-11 songs.
As mentioned earlier, I don’t equate resolved disagreement where opposing parties ultimately agree - as being ununitied. You might disagree with this view. The problem with today’s church is that unlike the 1st century church, disagreements do not resolve to a place of restored unity.
Preach it, brother.
Also, stop the light shows and fog machines. UGH!!!!
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing!
My wife and I went to catholic schools for 12 years. But...we don’t believe that a man riding around on a donkey 2,000 years ago was the son of God. So church isn’t for us. And we didn’t “lose or faith.” We never had it.
I'm truly sorry to hear that.
Moved on to different churches where the bible is taught, read and studied.
I have been lead by the Holy Spirit (over time) to recognize UFOs as demonic
Agreed.
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