Replies

Altar?

It's what we call the front of the church--where the steps up to the stage plus about 12-15 feet in front of the steps (before the first row of seats), are.

That's one of the differences between us. We don't have a stage to be entertained on. We have a altar - which is a table, not a stage.

Actually, that's a FALSE statement. Roman Catholic/Vatican associated altars are ALWAYS on a stage. And your pagentry, ceremony etc. appears to be far more coreographed, costumed, scripted etc. for entertainment than even any mega church or TV evangelists production that I've ever seen. It's better to talk about the truth and facts in such matters. Roman Catholic et al/Vatican associated churches virtually always to always have their altars on a stage.

NO! Our stage is not for entertainment. We actually tend to [almost always] have the lights OUT on the stage except for lights on the music stands to de-emphasize what goes on on the stage. Our music minister is IN LOVE WITH JESUS AND WORSHIPS GOD MORE INTENSELY, AUTHENTICALLY, FOCUSEDLY THAN ANYTHING ELSE HE DOES. . . . and probably than I've ever seen anyone else do. HE TRULY LEADS WORSHIP.

He is routinely more obviously and tangibly ANOINTED BY HOLY SPIRIT THAN ANYONE I'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE. And he is definitely NOT about entertainment. The whole idea would grieve him . . . and likely engender a harsh rebuke from him if he felt someone under his leadership was operating out of such a mentality or spirit in front of the congregation AT ALL. He doesn't tolerate that.

Y'all's assumptions about that are wholesale falsehoods and brazen insults to what Holy Spirit does service after service through that very anointed man.

And those assumptions were wholesale insults to what the majority of folks in the congregation do in response to his leading us into worship of ALMIGHTY GOD, OUR LORD JESUS, BY HIS SPIRIT.

Folks--irregularly and as they individually wish . . . stand and pray there; stand and are prayed for with the laying on of hands there; . kneel there; recline against the steps there, praying; kneel at the steps; praying; . lie prostrate near the steps; lie prostrate near the first row of seats; dance between the first row of seats and steps;

You mean like these guys?
[PIC OF WOODSTOCK]

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Y'all's altars are always [any I've seen or seen pics of] on an elevated platform. Or does the Vatican shredded dictionary not reveal that an elevated platform equal a "stage?"

You called your raised platform, the steps up to it and the space in front of it an altar. The Church's altar is a table. We are different there.

NO! That's UNTRUE. I did NOT call the platform/stage an altar. That's entirely wrong headed to interpret what I said in that way.

I mentioned the stage/platform and steps leading up to it ONLY TO LOCATE the mental "altar" in our minds and hearts. We consider the FRONT CARPETED AREA IN FRONT OF THE PLATFORM--BETWEEN THE FRONT ROW OF SEATS AND THE STAIRS UP TO THE PLATFORM--TO BE OUR ALTAR AREA.

THAT IS THE AREA where we approach God to offer HIM our devotion of praise, thanks, worship--as though one might have approached God to worship at an Old Testament altar. Only there's no object focused on as an altar at all. It's merely an AREA that we spiritually, mentally consider AS AN ALTAR AREA IN OUR HEARTS, MINDS, SPIRITS.

I realize some Roman Catholics/Vatican associated folks seem to be having a terminal trouble wrapping their minds around that concept--evidently because they are so wedded to the tangible as essential in their services.

We have no such tangible focus. It's merely an area in the front of the church where we focus on God as Old Testament folks used to focus on an altar in worshipping God. Huge difference.

If folks cannot or will not understand that, then they cannot or will not understand the TRUTH about our congregation.

Your stage is a place of entertainment or the place to put on a show; where the actors perform. The altar is a place of a re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Jesus. Your entertainers versus our priests. We are different there.

MORE BRAZENLY FALSE ASSUMPTIONS AND ASSERTIONS.

I've already spoken above to the aversion every staff person and the whole congregation have regarding entertainment vs authentically leading worship and authentic-focused-on-God-worship. Entertainment is NOT what goes on during our worship services. Period. We consider it offensive to God and to us. Any hint of that would be a very good way to get jerked off the darkened platform quite quickly.

BTW, That pic looks like it was taken in a huge outdoor worship setting or an arena type huge indoor setting. I think it's wonderful when that many youth will mass together to worship God. PRAISE GOD!

Only if God's name is really Jimi Hendrix, the worship setting is in Woodstock, and the sacraments are either smoked or snorted. I think that you may mean - praise Timothy Leary.

I see. I neglected to right click on the pic. I ASSUMED you were posting a pic more or less in somewhat good faith about a genuine Charismatic Christian youth worship event.

I now understand that was the furthest from your action and evidently from your intent.

Our fledgling dialogue is over. I will no longer work with you toward more mutual respect between Prottys and Roman Catholics/Vatican associated believers. I will not tolerate that kind of outrageously insulting duplicity about/toward something as dear to me and to many I care for deeply as the uncommon authentic worship which occurs at our church.

I assumed you posted that pic in good faith toward coming to an authentic understanding of what authentic worship entails and is like in my congregation.

You have taught me that such an assumption of good faith is an outrageously foolish thing to extend to you. I won't have to learn that lesson by repeated trips around the same mountain.

fini.