[P-Marlowe]

This article certainly provides some insight into the Evangelical mindset. They use their Sunday service to "preach the word" whereas Catholics fill their churches to "worship God".

If I were to say the same thing about the motives of Catholics that you just said about the motives of Evangelicals, my post would be pulled in a heartbeat, I would be accused of being an "Anti-Catholic" bigot, and the mods would be moving this thread to the Smokey back room.

BTW since when is preaching and receiving the word of God not a form of worshipping Him?

[netmilsmom]

I think a generalization of Evangelicals was mistakenly stated. I think Nyer meant to be specific about the "Mega-churches" who are closing for Christmas.

The reading of scripture is a form of prayer and we Catholics do "Preach the Word" in Homilies at our Masses.

[AnAmericanMother]

Perhaps NYer's statement could have been more gracefully worded, but it is true. It's not bashing, it's pointing out the fundamental difference in what "church" is to an evangelical protestant, and to a Catholic.

The evangelical protestant service is centered around the sermon. The Catholic (and the Anglican/Episcopalian that haven't gone completely off the deep end) service is centered on the Eucharist.

The difference in the focus is because we believe that God is THERE, on the altar and in the Tabernacle, body and blood, soul and divinity, under the appearances of bread and wine. If you believe that, it changes the entire focus of the worship service.

(. . . and if you don't believe that, of course preaching and receiving the word of God is equivalent to worship.)