Head to an UC church and nearly all of them believe you need to be at EVERY SINGLE service.
Ha, my personal feeling is you should never leave church, it should come with you, but this is not what I am detecting in your post--are you serious, that many in a church believe your characterization here--or are you being even a little facetious? ty
Ha, my personal feeling is you should never leave church, it should come with you, but this is not what I am detecting in your post--are you serious, that many in a church believe your characterization here--or are you being even a little facetious? ty
I often AM a bit sarcastic here but in this case the idea of always being at church every time the doors are open is only 3rd to uncut hair and dresses on women. When we were in the UPC we went to four normal services a week (three standard and a youth -but since we are ALL "young at heart", nearly everyone was expected to be there) and of course whatever scheduled revival services. All of them. It was like the Greek character who spent all day rolling a large boulder up a hill only to have it go rolling down at night.
Last edited by RandyWayne; 01-21-2012 at 11:10 AM.
__________________ "It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity." Dave Barry 2005
I am a firm believer in the Old Paths
Articles on such subjects as "The New Birth," will be accepted, whether they teach that the new birth takes place before baptism in water and Spirit, or that the new birth consists of baptism of water and Spirit. - THE PENTECOSTAL HERALD Dec. 1945
"It is doubtful if any Trinitarian Pentecostals have ever professed to believe in three gods, and Oneness Pentecostals should not claim that they do." - Daniel Segraves
__________________ "It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity." Dave Barry 2005
I am a firm believer in the Old Paths
Articles on such subjects as "The New Birth," will be accepted, whether they teach that the new birth takes place before baptism in water and Spirit, or that the new birth consists of baptism of water and Spirit. - THE PENTECOSTAL HERALD Dec. 1945
"It is doubtful if any Trinitarian Pentecostals have ever professed to believe in three gods, and Oneness Pentecostals should not claim that they do." - Daniel Segraves
It is unacceptable worship and based on a false reading of isolated scripture. That does not mean these people are unacceptable to God - I wouldn't know that.
__________________ "It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity." Dave Barry 2005
I am a firm believer in the Old Paths
Articles on such subjects as "The New Birth," will be accepted, whether they teach that the new birth takes place before baptism in water and Spirit, or that the new birth consists of baptism of water and Spirit. - THE PENTECOSTAL HERALD Dec. 1945
"It is doubtful if any Trinitarian Pentecostals have ever professed to believe in three gods, and Oneness Pentecostals should not claim that they do." - Daniel Segraves
It is unacceptable worship and based on a false reading of isolated scripture. That does not mean these people are unacceptable to God - I wouldn't know that.
Fair enough. But what you call "false reading", I'd call "different from your reading." Their reading is more literal than yours. Your reading of some scriptures is certainly more literal than some other believers' readings. Of course, they would probably call your reading "false", too.
They have results, too. They don't die! Not always, at least. Sometimes, there's a bite, and sometimes it's a fatal bite. Likewise for drinking poison. But isn't that how Christian life is, for every believer? You pray for healing and sometimes it happens. Sometimes it doesn't. Some believers have peace, some don't. People believe they are saved, and sometimes they are. Sometimes they're not. Why should the snake handling be any different?
__________________
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
OK, I personally can see what you are saying... but here is another example... we live next door to a 'cowboy church'. For those of you not familiar these are ministries directed toward those in the rodeo lifestyle. These people participate in VERY dangerous activities including bull riding where life and limb is at stake in a very real way and they believe that they do this for the glory of God and that He will protect them. Of course many of them still get seriously hurt... Or those who believe that God sanctions them playing football (like the praying player that was being discussed here) and helps them win. And those things are not even mentioned in the bible (as are taking up serpents and drinking poison).
So if someone is offering up these activities to the glory of God are they acceptable to Him? And if not then is there (as you pointed out) a spectrum of what is acceptable? I mean I see your comfort zone is L to P (Lutheran to Potter's House) but what about the rest of A-Z?
Hybrid Mode
