Reason for Church Services

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by n david

Yes, the church is the body of Christ, I'm talking more about the services.


I agree we shouldn't get caught up in trying to out-church other churches. Again, thinking back on growing up, there was just the Gospel preached and opportunity for sinners to receive salvation. No gimmicks or programs. This was well before video projectors and special stage lighting.


It is important to be reaching out daily in personal evangelism. But our services should also allow for the visitors and sinners who come to a service looking for salvation specifically because it's a church.

For an institutional church setting, yes services need to make an effort to reach visitors, absolutely.

I don't think it really matters much these days tho. We are infected as a movement with a sales-marketing-find the latest gimmick-outdo the competition mindset. Probably because we don't have enough Holy Ghost in our meetings to begin with so we gotta "make up the difference"...

You know, all this dissatisfaction has got to lead somewhere... revival, hopefully...

[shazeep]

post 21 was a gem, E

Originally Posted by Esaias

I don't think it really matters much these days tho. We are infected as a movement with a sales-marketing-find the latest gimmick-outdo the competition mindset. Probably because we don't have enough Holy Ghost in our meetings to begin with so we gotta "make up the difference"...

it is hard to deny that the Spirit is moving from the church, and one must personally consider if they are being called to follow it. The history of belief in One God is a history of Diaspora; congregations of believers blasted apart--basically forced out to put their new-found beliefs into action.

Imagine heading out into the sunset without a purse or spare shirt. This is not some mythical story, meant to convey a moral principle. This is the Spirit in action. As unimaginable as it might seem for most people reading this--and sorry, because this is going to mess a few people up--the very best thing you could do for your soul would be to follow them.

The "fact" that it is completely ridiculous, given your current lifestyle and commitments, is...simply not reality; it is what is keeping you from reality. Commit to shedding commitments and going within a month, or a year. It doesn't matter who you are. The Spirit will guide you. You will not die, although you are going to wish you were dead a lot--just ask Jonah et al. Just slog on with as much grace as you can muster, and find the joy of the Lord along the way. It is enough.