Can you compare eternal life to bright lights and fog?

[mcap]

There is alot of discussion on this board concerning churches that use lights and fog and bands in their services.Some would assume that without these "gimmicks"people would not attend church there.
I am wondering if it is fair to say that "eternal life"can also be used as a gimmick to get people in church.Without the guarantee of eternal life would you worship God?

 

[mcap]

Please do not take this the wrong way,I am in no way speaking against God or His Word.I just think that in todays' world the "church" is "thinking outside the box".They get people involved in my church by holding a "Soul Central"where on Wed.night teens can go to church,listen to Christian music and worship if they want.Nine out of ten show up on Sunday and wind up joining the church. God bless

 

[DinoDillinger]

Very good point. Churches dangle it like candy to a kid. Many people say a prayer that they are lead in and don't even begin to comprend what it means to be saved.

 

[wattie]

Well.. I am involved in running the evangelism outreaches at my church.

We have:

* a table set up once a month.. offering drinks without charge in return for doing a survey about life, leading into the gospel presentation

* movie nights.. where it is an informal, non-threatening event to invite the community along to.. like an icebreaker thing

* going to shows or markets.. using the table set up in a show or market place

* going into the city in pairs.. approaching people to see if they want to do a survey leading into the gospel


It is highly effective in seeing people profess faith in Christ.. because our survey is non-threatening.. don force anything.. and the gospel presentation is simple. But ya.. it God that works on their hearts.. we just try and present well.

Anyway,

from my experience it is very difficult to actually get people coming to church.. especially if you have a small congregation like ours. So a mid-week event that you can invite folks to.. like a movie night or something kind of laid back and non-threatening to break the ice.. can be good for that.

Then if they get interested they may start turning up to other things.. like home groups.. sunday service.. outreaches etc..

But it is a hard road for a small church at times doing outreaches.

 

[greatkraw]

it is appropriate to communicate an old message in a new way

Jesus spoke to people where they were at

heretics who want to spread a NEW gospel dress it up in the trappings of orthodoxy

 

[resurrection33]

The Lord DOES give us eternal life, if we accept Jesus as our savior (John 3:16).

 

[mcubed]

I am wondering if it is fair to say that "eternal life"can also be used as a gimmick to get people in church.Without the guarantee of eternal life would you worship God?

That is the point that Paul made to the Sadducees in I Corinthians 15:13-19:
13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then the Messiah has not been raised; 14 and if the Messiah has not been raised, then what we have proclaimed is in vain; also your trust is in vain; 15 furthermore, we are shown up as false witnesses for God in having testified that God raised up the Messiah, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then the Messiah has not been raised either; 17 and if the Messiah has not been raised, your trust is useless, and you are still in your sins. 18 Also, if this is the case, those who died in union with the Messiah are lost. 19 If it is only for this life that we have put our hope in the Messiah, we are more pitiable than anyone.
We would more pitiable then the atheist, we are crucified to this world, and to the lust of our flesh while awaiting and longing for the spiritual and heavenly pleasures. How sad it is indeed, if we must be dead to worldly “pleasures” and yet never hope for any better! It wouldn’t matter if we worshipped G-d or not if there wasn’t eternal life; if we just died and didn’t have to answer to Him what would it matter if we served Him or not.
In the congregation I attend we hold strictly to Jewish context[FONT=&quot] ([/FONT]Prayers, Worship, and Jewish Culture) so we don’t really think “outside the box” (lol). But personally I think it’s great that churches do. It’s fulfilling out the Great Commission. We (individually or one congregation) may not be able to the whole world but we go into our world (the trip to the gas station, the store, holding a "Soul Central").

 

[FixYourWeave]

I personally wont go to a church unless there is a disco ball suspended from the ceiling.

 

[greatkraw]

I personally wont go to a church unless there is a disco ball suspended from the ceiling.

I would never take out membership of any organisation whose standards were so low that they would actually accept me as a member in the first place.

 

[DinoDillinger]

Well.. I am involved in running the evangelism outreaches at my church.

We have:

* a table set up once a month.. offering drinks without charge in return for doing a survey about life, leading into the gospel presentation

* movie nights.. where it is an informal, non-threatening event to invite the community along to.. like an icebreaker thing

* going to shows or markets.. using the table set up in a show or market place

* going into the city in pairs.. approaching people to see if they want to do a survey leading into the gospel


It is highly effective in seeing people profess faith in Christ.. because our survey is non-threatening.. don force anything.. and the gospel presentation is simple. But ya.. it God that works on their hearts.. we just try and present well.

Anyway,

from my experience it is very difficult to actually get people coming to church.. especially if you have a small congregation like ours. So a mid-week event that you can invite folks to.. like a movie night or something kind of laid back and non-threatening to break the ice.. can be good for that.

Then if they get interested they may start turning up to other things.. like home groups.. sunday service.. outreaches etc..

But it is a hard road for a small church at times doing outreaches.

I am curious, after these people profess Jesus as Lord, what do you do then? Do you tell them they are saved and have eternal life? This question actually isn't just to you but everyone who has ever lead someone to 'accept Christ'. Do you tell them they are saved? What if you then invite them to church and never see them again, does it trouble your soul?

Tactics like the one mentioned here make me upset, I'm afraid that the reason that you have such success with these tactics is because the great majority of confessions you get are worth about as much as the time you spent leading the person to them.

Anyone heard of the doctrine of regeneration?

 

[MahogonySnail]

Of course, unless a church has hard wooden pews and a musty dungeon like atmosphere it isn't a true church!

 

[greatkraw]

Of course, unless a church has hard wooden pews and a musty dungeon like atmosphere it isn't a true church!

the slooooooooooooooooooooooow music, dont forget the sloooooooooooooooooow music