But .. you can't go fishing with fire and brimstone - even Jesus didn't do that. He saved the fire and brimstone for "mature" believers - who had a heart open to receive it.
If a person's heart is closed - scare tactics don't work.
Sunday morning is for FISHING (because more unbelievers are apt to be there) - Wed nights are for teaching - and sometimes include the "meat" of the Word. New believers would find this difficult to understand on Sunday morning. Sunday nights - are Holy Ghost meetings - where the Holy Ghost has more lattitude to operate - because the meetings are usually made up of "mature" believers.
My Pastor does feed more publum on Sunday mornings - but I'm not offended - because I know the purpose behind it - HE'S FISHING. Your statements seem to be saying you're choosing to be offended just because YOU don't like the changes.
It's true you can't feed pablum to mature believers and keep their attention - but you also can't feed chunks of meat to unbelievers or baby believers and not have them throw it up. It's wise to know the difference and to act accordingly. I truly believe this is Warren's message. Fishing for babies with old and tired stuff just won't work anymore. It has nothing to do with "watering down the scriptures".
I love the old hymns - it's just my personal choice - but some of the new music from "Hillsong" - has been stirred by the Holy Spirit - and it's full of love and forgiveness and strength and power, and is used to mature the saints. I don't think I'm going to argue with what THE HOLY SPIRIT WANTS TO DO.
You bring in people the Truth of the Word of God. Teach it and they will come.
As for the fishing analogy, once you catch the fish with your "bait", do you continue to feed it bait for the rest of its life? Did you have to look like a fish (or dress like him, or smell like him) to catch the fish? Did you have to sing fish music (they play that on K-FISH) to catch him?
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
One reason I dont say much about the new seeker churches is for the reasons you stated. I attended one for a few months because my son loved the sunday school and I enjoyed all the friendly people. I also noticed that I could attend any number of Bible studies where I was feed meat. I was actually very impressed with them compared to some at "better" churches.I even started going to one that was at the same time as the service.