Posted on 11/21/2004 11:33:12 AM PST by ItsOurTimeNow
With a new TV ad, the United Church of Christ promotes itself as an accepting alternative for alienated believers.
*snip*
Moving to dispel the idea that only conservative church groups know how to attract new members, the predominantly liberal United Church of Christ is launching a series of TV ads to promote itself as an open and welcoming church.
In the first commercial, which will begin airing Dec. 1, two nightclub-type bouncers stand at the entrance of a church, turning away people who don't pass muster.
"No, step aside please," one of the bouncers says to a would-be entrant. "No way," he tells another. "I don't think so."
Fade to black, with the words: Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we.
Then, a voice-over: "The United Church of Christ. No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here."
Coming at a time when most mainline Protestant groups have been losing ground to more conservative congregations, many of Rhode Island's Congregationalist (UCC) clergy see the commercials as a way of countering the perception that their time is over, and that those who feel alienated by more conservative church traditions have no choice but run and hide.
"There are so many people who have felt excluded from religious institutions and from their own faith communities," said the Rev. David Proctor, interim minister at the United Church of Christ's Four Corners Community Chapel in Cumberland, where the membership has doubled in five years. "What we are saying to these people is that we are here to welcome you, with all of your questions, your hurts and pains."
*snip*
Mr. Tripp believes there are lots of reasons why millions of Americans have come to feel excluded from the church in which they were born and raised. For some, it may be a divorce, or a disability that makes it difficult to climb the church steps. Or it may be the feeling that they will be shunned if they disclose that they are gay.
*snip*
Mr. Williams said that while every congregation in the church continues to enjoy the right to decide for itself what it believes, the national denomination tends to be very much on the side of those who say that God's revelation is continuing. Campaign organizers are using as their motto some words attributed to the late comedienne Gracie Allen, in a letter she wrote to her husband George Burns: "never place a period where God has placed a comma."
The notion is an implicit challenge to the stance of most conservative churches, which insist that what has been revealed in Scripture cannot change and stands for all time.
"I can understand where those conservative churches are coming from, because I sometimes say myself that 'God has spoken,' " said Mr. Williams. "But remember, Jesus Christ said, 'I have come not to change the law but to fulfill it.' By fulfilling it, he meant to show how it can be revealed now in us. It's a constant state of revelation evolving into something new and fresh and great."
While I think it's wonderful that they're open and accepting to all, I'm left to wonder if they're preaching REPENTANCE to help lead these people to salvation? Or, are they simply saying, "you are who you are, don't apologize for anything - lovelovelovelove..."
Homosexual Agenda PING -
The Apostacy grows...
Charity is important in Christianity, but so is the call to conversion to holiness and Godly life. Christianity loses something important if one is told that whatever one is doing, it's perfectly acceptable, there is no sin and no call to conversion. In fact, it becomes what I would consider a difference religion.
The "ongoing revelation" is the essence of Flip Wilson's old "Church of What's Happenin' Now". I'm okay, you're okay." This is the same warmed-over 60's bunkum that has emptied their churches in the first place. No absolutes from the Word of God, just pick and choose what you want to believe. I guess this will provide a "church" that will bury unbelieving baby boomers, though, so it may have a function after all.
And that's exactly what the UCC, the ECC, and the Universalists are doing.
Now they've got the UCC running commercials on TV trumpeting the acceptance of sin.
I think it's safe to assume this is all backlash against the Conservative Christians that helped elect GWB to another victory, and has nothing to do with their interest in saving souls.
I'm sure they would be welcomed at any church but might not like the message.
They can't handle the truth and there will always be "churches" with feel good theolgy for them.
"'I have come not to change the law but to fulfill it.' By fulfilling it, he meant to show how it can be revealed now in us. It's a constant state of revelation evolving into something new and fresh and great.""
I always thought the fulfillment was the Redemption and our repentence and acceptance, or the choice to deny God's Gift of Grace. The new, fresh and great while still the Redemption does not negate the need for repentence and observance of all those Commandments, revealed law and instruction. The evolving he speaks about is negating God's law to fit his theory of Man evolving and the Word evolving. IMHO.
"Does anyone here know of any church that "turns people away" because they are homosexuals?"
Only if said individual is unrepentant of their ways, and insists upon membership into the church.
"By fulfilling it, he meant to show how it can be revealed now in us."
Remember this statement - these will be the ones telling people that they can "be their own God" in the very near apocalyptic future.
Amen! "Hate the sin; love the sinner" only applies to those trying to overcome their sin; not the ones comfortable with, and consciously/deliberately practicing, their sin.
Rest assured it's the latter. These people create an image of God plucked from thin air with a lot of guidance from Satan. They pick and choose which parts of the Bible they're comfortable with and ignore the rest. The problem is that God is not some good-natured uncle who lets everything slide with a wink and a nod. There are always consequences to stepping outside His will.
My church is Southern Baptist and very conservative. And despite the lies spread by the the left, we most certainly do welcome all with open arms. That does not mean, however, that our pastor treads lightly so as not to offend. God's truth is offensive to those under Satan's guidance, whether that guidance is direct or indirect. Jesus himself made clear that He would be a divider, not a uniter. God's principles are not open for negotiation, and truth is not in any way dependent upon anyone believing it.
I also believe the "churches" discussed in this article are clear examples of the "falling away" prophesied in Revelation, as are the churches now embracing homosexuality. Satan has no greater tool than these counterfeits.
MM
Exactly - but too many of the more liberal churches don't preach that. They tell the parishoners that since no one is perfect, you can be accepted by the Lord regardless of what your behavior is. That the Lord forgives all, regardless of whether or not they're repentant and ask for forgiveness.
To the morally bankrupt, its a perfect religion. All sin, no consequences, and never having to say you're sorry.
They really stretch the meaning of words. This "ongoing revelation" really means "I am really God, and whatever my mind comes up with is God's truth."
It would be much better for these people to be honest atheists than hypocrite believers.
As it should be. BUT, I'm willing to bet you don't accept them for membership and have them become part of the Church's family if they show no evidence of remorse, conviction, confession, and repentance, do you?
Tears of repentence at the feet of God are what brings a person closer to God's heart.
Without those burning tears of sincere repentence, and begging for forgiveness in sincerity, and then giving up the sin, there is no meaning to religion.
Only artifice, which misleads fools.
Always brings me to one of my favorite passages regarding salvation:
1 Cor 6v9-11 - "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
I love that Paul uses the phrase "and that is what some of you were". "Were" - past tense. Meaning that anyone can be saved if they are sanctified by Christ. (Note to liberals - 'sanctified' does not mean 'blindly accepted'. It means 'set apart and made holy'.)
That's one way to look at it. If I remember correctly, the statement referenced is one wherein Jesus is saying that his teaching is not a repudiation of the old Judaic Law, but the logical conclusion of it. In other words, he brought the salvation promised to the Chosen People (the Jews), but he brought it for all mankind. That's far different in context and meaning than the liberal feel-good crap that the UCC is pushing...
Nope. In order to join the church, one must profess genuine faith in Christ, which of course involves all of those things. But, to liberals who point at these conditions and wail that we're therefore not truly welcoming them, I'll point out that we don't pick and choose sins in this regard. For example, we would not accept someone into membership who we believed to be engaged in a homosexual relationship without remorse or repentance; nor would we accept someone into membership who we knew to be living in a heterosexual adulterous relationship without remorse or acceptance.
That's where the lies and misperceptions so often kick in. Contrary to what the left would have everyone believe, we don't go to church every Sunday and rail against homosexuality. It does come up, as all relevant issues do, but it's one of a countless variety of sins against God that we expose and pray about and counsel about.
MM
This is just the liberals ASSUMING that folks aren't welcome at the 'conservative' churches. FOlks are welcome, but they'd better be ready to be asked to repent. The lib churches encourage them to come to where they don't preach any need for repentance, so no need to change your behavior. Folks may think that's great, but after a while, it will ring hollow, and they'll drop out again. God's love is irresistable, and many fight it, but it draws us nonetheless.
"I also believe the "churches" discussed in this article are clear examples of the "falling away" prophesied in Revelation, as are the churches now embracing homosexuality. Satan has no greater tool than these counterfeits."
This morning sermon, we were in Jude:
Jud 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Jud 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
EARNESTLY contend for the faith BECAUSE certain men have crept in turning GRACE in LASCIVIOUSNESS.
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