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Willow Creek mega-church to shut down for summer
The Holy Observer ^ | Holy Observer

Posted on 05/31/2007 7:08:34 AM PDT by ensignsj

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This is unbelievable...
1 posted on 05/31/2007 7:08:36 AM PDT by ensignsj
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To: ensignsj

Good. Perhaps someone will be saved.


2 posted on 05/31/2007 7:10:24 AM PDT by farmer18th
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To: ensignsj

A precursor to “churches” that only open their doors on Cristmas & Easter...


3 posted on 05/31/2007 7:11:50 AM PDT by Hegemony Cricket (Don't mistake timid driving for defensive driving.)
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To: ensignsj

I forgot, which verse was it that tells us to take a vacation from telling others about Christ?


4 posted on 05/31/2007 7:11:55 AM PDT by TexGuy
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To: Hegemony Cricket

Whoops - that would be Christmas.


5 posted on 05/31/2007 7:12:24 AM PDT by Hegemony Cricket (Don't mistake timid driving for defensive driving.)
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To: ensignsj

No it is’nt.

Do know how thin the margin gets for Mega-Church, Inc. when the congregations goes on vacation and is’nt there to “tithe”? Or decides that paying down the plastic used on vacation or putting some dough aside for the vacation is more important than dropping the usual check into the offering basket?

Sounds like a smart business decision to me — cut down on payroll, overhead, and the possibility that parents might want you to have some kind of summer program to badysit their kids now that the publik skool’s are out.


6 posted on 05/31/2007 7:13:21 AM PDT by L,TOWM (Liberals, The Other White Meat [protest for... violence and peace])
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To: ensignsj

unbelievable indeed


7 posted on 05/31/2007 7:14:56 AM PDT by ChuteTheMall (Tagline: If you're reading this, I'm influencing your mind.)
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To: ensignsj
From the article: If people are going to put their spiritual growth on hold until September anyway, why should the church fight it?"

Can't they just use a smaller room during Summer, instead of shutting down the weekly services?

8 posted on 05/31/2007 7:15:30 AM PDT by paudio
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To: ensignsj

It just shows where their hearts are, with the money. Its all just a business.


9 posted on 05/31/2007 7:19:06 AM PDT by tiki
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To: L,TOWM

Yes, I think Judas was the one with this same attitude. What happened to the belief that God would provide?


10 posted on 05/31/2007 7:21:52 AM PDT by tiki
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To: ensignsj

This is an urban legend that goes around every summer. Went around last year as well.


11 posted on 05/31/2007 7:21:53 AM PDT by Grammy ("Ms Pelosi is a very difficult person to embarrass." Fred Thompson, 4/11/07)
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To: L,TOWM

This is not good no matter how you spin. It is a sin not to keep holy the lord’s day. If I miss Mass, I must go to confession. This should not be looked at as a business. What happens if someone needs some salvation or something? This is selfishness. I wonder if they also will not take a paycheck through the summer.


12 posted on 05/31/2007 7:22:06 AM PDT by napscoordinator (.)
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To: Grammy

OOps, you’re right, I see the article was from 2004.


13 posted on 05/31/2007 7:23:19 AM PDT by tiki
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To: L,TOWM; ensignsj
Do know how thin the margin gets for Mega-Church, Inc. when the congregations goes on vacation and is’nt there to “tithe”?

This is true for ALL Churches. What this particular community has forgotten is one of the Ten Commandments.

Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day!

Perhaps the Willow Creek ministry should tone down its mega productions and limit itself to preaching God's word.

14 posted on 05/31/2007 7:23:33 AM PDT by NYer ("Where the bishop is present, there is the Catholic Church" - Ignatius of Antioch)
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To: ensignsj

Of course, if you look at the site closely, you will see a link to a disclaimer at the bottom of the page. This is a site of mostly fabricated stories.


15 posted on 05/31/2007 7:25:17 AM PDT by jkl1122
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To: ensignsj

This piece reeks of satire.


16 posted on 05/31/2007 7:30:59 AM PDT by Southside_Chicago_Republican (Fred Thompson 2008)
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To: ensignsj

Already posted: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1629232/posts

But still every bit as funny (and provocative) as it was the first time!


17 posted on 05/31/2007 7:33:52 AM PDT by Alex Murphy (FR Member Alex Murphy: Declared Anathema By The Council Of Trent)
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To: ensignsj

I have a few thoughts but first as a Caveat, as a Catholic (and therefore being one of the rare Christians who have religious services available every day), I have a different Theological concept of Mortal Sin as it relates to Church attendance.

1. How does he justify “Keep Holy the Sabbath Day” if he is a Sola Scriptura Christian (or did he add “except when it’s hot outside” like another fellow I heard about added “alone” to a certain passage).

2. This, I think does smack of a trend, just look at all the Catholic Parishes that have Confessions 3:45-4:00 on a Saturday (some are only by appointment) and how difficult it is to find a Catholic Parish that has traditional devotions that working people can attend (i.e. outside 9-5).

3. From and entirely secular standpoint: I work in fundraising, and one of the big things is you need to keep people “in the habit” of giving, once out of the habit it’s tough to get them back. I would assume Church works the same way whatever the Faith Tradition.

They’ll loose people that will never come back.

On the bright side, if anyone lives in the area and is lookig to recruit, get crackin’ these folks will be looking to go somewhere!


18 posted on 05/31/2007 7:45:33 AM PDT by Cheverus
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To: ensignsj
The current main story on that site is quite funny as well.

CBS News Claims Documents Disprove Christ's Resurrection Authenticity of Purported Memoirs of Thomas the Disciple Under Fierce Attack

NEW YORK – In yet another bold display of investigative journalism, CBS News has used anchorman Dan Rather and its 60 Minutes program to break a story about a document discovery they say disproves the Biblical account of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

19 posted on 05/31/2007 7:58:11 AM PDT by FewsOrange
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To: L,TOWM
Sounds like a smart business decision to me.

It does to me too, and makes me think that these churches are more a business than a church. We Catholics worship all year round, coming together every week (at least) in the common practice of praise, thanksgiving and glory. We do this because we are called to the Lord's table by his Word - to take the body and blood in his Name. Money don't enter into it. There are rich Churches and poor ones. It happens in Manhattan and New Mexico; marble floors or dirt. Summer or winter somebody is home to set the table.

20 posted on 05/31/2007 8:00:15 AM PDT by Dogrobber
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