Colored Lights/Smoke Machines/Strobe Bright Lights

[Encryptus]

Originally Posted by Pianoman

Very good post! Keep posting!

As CC1 said, if you're brought to Christ through emotion, something needs to pierce the heart so there is substance once the emotion has gone.

I have seen your reference to music happen many times!

I have heard it said that music can get people there, but it's the preaching that keeps them there!

True, on the other hand it is also true of over hyped emotional preaching.

Conversation is usually an emotional experience. Teaching is what grounds you.

And teaching is sadly lacking even among our ranks compared to what it once was.

Not too dissimilar than marriage. The emotion of love usually starts the ball rolling, but relationship is built on more than emotion. Perhaps the reason the divorce rate is so high, is related to the abysmal retention rate of many of our churches? They leave when faced with a challenge that requires a commitment beyond emotion.

[Michael Phelps]

Originally Posted by Encryptus

True, on the other hand it is also true of over hyped emotional preaching.

Conversation is usually an emotional experience. Teaching is what grounds you.

And teaching is sadly lacking even among our ranks compared to what it once was.

Not too dissimilar than marriage. The emotion of love usually starts the ball rolling, but relationship is built on more than emotion. Perhaps the reason the divorce rate is so high, is related to the abysmal retention rate of many of our churches? They leave when faced with a challenge that requires a commitment beyond emotion.

Another home run post, excellent!

[StillStanding]

Originally Posted by Encryptus

True, on the other hand it is also true of over hyped emotional preaching.

Conversation is usually an emotional experience. Teaching is what grounds you.

And teaching is sadly lacking even among our ranks compared to what it once was.

Not too dissimilar than marriage. The emotion of love usually starts the ball rolling, but relationship is built on more than emotion. Perhaps the reason the divorce rate is so high, is related to the abysmal retention rate of many of our churches? They leave when faced with a challenge that requires a commitment beyond emotion.

Awesome post!

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Romans 14:22

Well, I'm a newcomer to posting but have lurked for a long time. Hi everyone!

My take on the smoke and mirrors is that I have seen emotional altar calls but no long lasting fruit. It is sort of like the seed that was thrown by the wayside. These types "did not understand" and the wicked one quickly took it away. (MT 13:19)

It appears that it is an emotional response without any understanding of the gospel and it is easily swiped away by the enemy.

As one of my former Pastors used to say, "if your saved by music you can fall away by music". I don't know if that was verbatim but it was something similar.

FIrst of all it's not smoke and mirrors

Second you can have emotional alter calls with no lasting fruit in any situation. Humans are emotional all their own without colored lights or anything else

BTW I think it is absurd to say someone is saved by music. Nobody believes they are saving people by music. Only Jesus saves. If all a church does is play music from a to z then sure. But that is not usually the case. They preach the word and people respond to the message

[Sister Alvear]

It was music that drove away the evil spirit from Saul as David played. Music is very powerful and in the hands of HG filled people it can do wonders.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

It was music that drove away the evil spirit from Saul as David played. Music is very powerful and in the hands of HG filled people it can do wonders.

Exactly.

This all kinda reminds me of a lost african tribe that found a polariod camera and snapped a picture and got scared because they thought the camera had stolen someone's soul...oh the evil camera

[MikeinAR]

I would agree that most of the church world today has decided it can do church without depending on the Holy Spirit to do what only he can do. Most of my generation thinks that if you turn the music up a little louder, say the phrase over and over again, and jump up and down a few times, then the Spirit will move.

IMO, if your depending on strobe lights and smoke machines to set the atmosphere for worship, you may be depending on the wrong thing.

I still haven't read a response that tells me why these things draw attention and praise to HIM during a normal worship setting.

[Rico]

Originally Posted by MikeinAR

I would agree that most of the church world today has decided it can do church without depending on the Holy Spirit to do what only he can do. Most of my generation thinks that if you turn the music up a little louder, say the phrase over and over again, and jump up and down a few times, then the Spirit will move.

IMO, if your depending on strobe lights and smoke machines to set the atmosphere for worship, you may be depending on the wrong thing.

I still haven't read a response that tells me why these things draw attention and praise to HIM during a normal worship setting.

The lights and smoke are really more for adding emphasis, especially if they're done right. So, when ya gonna shave, now that you have crossed the ultra-conservative bridge to righteousness?

[1Corinth2v4]

Originally Posted by MikeinAR

IMO, if your depending on strobe lights and smoke machines to set the atmosphere for worship, you may be depending on the wrong thing.

The mentality of carnal folks!

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by 1Corinth2v4

The mentality of carnal folks!

Careful now, Mr Hyde is rearing it's ugly head again