Gimmicks, Programs, Steps, Techniques, and Formulas
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At one time in my life I attended a church excessively concerned with "holiness" we spent so much times examining our actions and motivations there was no time for Jesus.
Sometimes the methodologies cause one to loose sight of the end result ,which would be desiring and discerning His presence and guidance in all our ways.
Sometimes the methodologies cause one to loose sight of the end result ,which would be desiring and discerning His presence and guidance in all our ways.
You know...God said to preach the word and let the chips fall where they fall....In biblical Christianity the end does not justify the means and if you win someone by the truth they will be kept by the truth.....the Church I grew up in had Halloween parties, Discovery programs, taped 5 dollar bills under the bus seats, and offered every type of fun and games and give the dog a bone ministries for the kids.....what good did it do....almost everyone my age who grew up participating in tat crap is worldly, not that faithful and many have quit all together...Jesus did not instruct his churches to entertain the kiddies and or build gymnasiums or promote programs that teach universal church and or promote a spirit of competition.....Preach the word and let it fall where it falls.......now that is spiritual and biblical...we have no right to IMPROVE upon God's plan!
Remove not the ancient landmarks that have been set!
Remove not the ancient landmarks that have been set!
S
I attended a small church once.
And I mean 'ONCE' lol
It was highly disappointing
The pastor was not wise in scripture at all.
He used a slide show on the wall to teach us...because he did'nt know what he was doing.
He was very nervous...sweating profusely.
Just all over the place. Fumbling to find a verse.
He was the most 'unprepared fool' for a pastor I had ever seen.
Was like he didn't care...
Then during testimony....a man stood up and said to the congregation....
"Well I wanna tell all y'all people right now...listen good!
Ya got ta STAND for somethin'...or you shalt FALL for anything!"
He was applauded
I'm thinking...
'Good heavens man...sit down! That quote is NOT Jesus! It is an Aaron Tippon song from the 1990's....and your applauded like a wise man!"
It was the craziest church I ever attended
I never went back! lol
And I mean 'ONCE' lol
It was highly disappointing
The pastor was not wise in scripture at all.
He used a slide show on the wall to teach us...because he did'nt know what he was doing.
He was very nervous...sweating profusely.
Just all over the place. Fumbling to find a verse.
He was the most 'unprepared fool' for a pastor I had ever seen.
Was like he didn't care...
Then during testimony....a man stood up and said to the congregation....
"Well I wanna tell all y'all people right now...listen good!
Ya got ta STAND for somethin'...or you shalt FALL for anything!"
He was applauded
I'm thinking...
'Good heavens man...sit down! That quote is NOT Jesus! It is an Aaron Tippon song from the 1990's....and your applauded like a wise man!"
It was the craziest church I ever attended
I never went back! lol
J
I don't know if this qualifies or not, but here goes...
About 15 years ago, my wife and I had our own cleaning business and I was also preaching on the streets on the weekend. Well, we contacted an Assemblies of God church about cleaning their church and the man whom we spoke to arranged a meeting between us and the pastor immediately after the Sunday service. When this man heard that I was a street preacher, he was doubly excited in that his church was looking for somebody to evangelize and he arranged for the pastor to speak with me about that as well. When my wife and I arrived at the church that Sunday, the first thing that I saw when I walked into the lobby was a man in a clown suit; full make up and all. I tried to console myself by thinking, "Well, it's probably some promotion for the children or something" and I proceeded into the sanctuary. When the praise and worship had ended, somebody went to the pulpit to announce the day's guest preacher...
Koko the clown!
I nearly died. The guy was pulling light bulbs out of the pastor's ears and all sorts of other nonsensical stuff. Needless to say, my after service meeting wasn't pretty.
About 15 years ago, my wife and I had our own cleaning business and I was also preaching on the streets on the weekend. Well, we contacted an Assemblies of God church about cleaning their church and the man whom we spoke to arranged a meeting between us and the pastor immediately after the Sunday service. When this man heard that I was a street preacher, he was doubly excited in that his church was looking for somebody to evangelize and he arranged for the pastor to speak with me about that as well. When my wife and I arrived at the church that Sunday, the first thing that I saw when I walked into the lobby was a man in a clown suit; full make up and all. I tried to console myself by thinking, "Well, it's probably some promotion for the children or something" and I proceeded into the sanctuary. When the praise and worship had ended, somebody went to the pulpit to announce the day's guest preacher...
Koko the clown!
I nearly died. The guy was pulling light bulbs out of the pastor's ears and all sorts of other nonsensical stuff. Needless to say, my after service meeting wasn't pretty.
G
I attended a small church once.
And I mean 'ONCE' lol
It was highly disappointing
The pastor was not wise in scripture at all.
He used a slide show on the wall to teach us...because he did'nt know what he was doing.
He was very nervous...sweating profusely.
Just all over the place. Fumbling to find a verse.
He was the most 'unprepared fool' for a pastor I had ever seen.
Was like he didn't care...
Then during testimony....a man stood up and said to the congregation....
"Well I wanna tell all y'all people right now...listen good!
Ya got ta STAND for somethin'...or you shalt FALL for anything!"
He was applauded
I'm thinking...
'Good heavens man...sit down! That quote is NOT Jesus! It is an Aaron Tippon song from the 1990's....and your applauded like a wise man!"
It was the craziest church I ever attended
I never went back! lol
And I mean 'ONCE' lol
It was highly disappointing
The pastor was not wise in scripture at all.
He used a slide show on the wall to teach us...because he did'nt know what he was doing.
He was very nervous...sweating profusely.
Just all over the place. Fumbling to find a verse.
He was the most 'unprepared fool' for a pastor I had ever seen.
Was like he didn't care...
Then during testimony....a man stood up and said to the congregation....
"Well I wanna tell all y'all people right now...listen good!
Ya got ta STAND for somethin'...or you shalt FALL for anything!"
He was applauded
I'm thinking...
'Good heavens man...sit down! That quote is NOT Jesus! It is an Aaron Tippon song from the 1990's....and your applauded like a wise man!"
It was the craziest church I ever attended
I never went back! lol
If anyone on my friends list reads the hilarious post by skylove, and I get wind of it and does not LIKE it, they're doomed. Foools!
V
I'm going to have to take exception to the use of the word "steps" in the thread title, assuming it refers to 12-step programs.
The original 12 steps were developed, outlined, and published by Bill W. and Dr. Bob (Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith), who founded Alcoholics Anonymous. Both were Christian men, but both had repeatedly been beaten over the head by legalistic Christians who kept telling them "Just quit drinking!" and "Give it God, He'll do it for you."
Sounds like decent advise, but in the case of addictions, it requires a great deal more. The addict has gotten so far from God that he/she doesn't know the foundations of faith -- either never having been taught them, or having lost them in their alcoholic or drug-induced stupor.
They require a guidebook back to the path. Bill and Bob provided that through the 12 steps, which are biblically supported. The 12 steps point to Christ, and have brought many men and women to Christ, or back to Him.
Modern-day AA has eliminated virtually every reference to Jesus from the original Big Book. First editions use the name of Jesus 267 times. Today, in the fifth edition, there is only one -- in Bill's testimony. That doesn't keep people from finding Christ in AA, however, or many other 12 step programs.
The original 12 steps were developed, outlined, and published by Bill W. and Dr. Bob (Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith), who founded Alcoholics Anonymous. Both were Christian men, but both had repeatedly been beaten over the head by legalistic Christians who kept telling them "Just quit drinking!" and "Give it God, He'll do it for you."
Sounds like decent advise, but in the case of addictions, it requires a great deal more. The addict has gotten so far from God that he/she doesn't know the foundations of faith -- either never having been taught them, or having lost them in their alcoholic or drug-induced stupor.
They require a guidebook back to the path. Bill and Bob provided that through the 12 steps, which are biblically supported. The 12 steps point to Christ, and have brought many men and women to Christ, or back to Him.
Modern-day AA has eliminated virtually every reference to Jesus from the original Big Book. First editions use the name of Jesus 267 times. Today, in the fifth edition, there is only one -- in Bill's testimony. That doesn't keep people from finding Christ in AA, however, or many other 12 step programs.
I attended a small church once.
And I mean 'ONCE' lol
It was highly disappointing
The pastor was not wise in scripture at all.
He used a slide show on the wall to teach us...because he did'nt know what he was doing.
He was very nervous...sweating profusely.
Just all over the place. Fumbling to find a verse.
He was the most 'unprepared fool' for a pastor I had ever seen.
Was like he didn't care...
Then during testimony....a man stood up and said to the congregation....
"Well I wanna tell all y'all people right now...listen good!
Ya got ta STAND for somethin'...or you shalt FALL for anything!"
He was applauded
I'm thinking...
'Good heavens man...sit down! That quote is NOT Jesus! It is an Aaron Tippon song from the 1990's....and your applauded like a wise man!"
It was the craziest church I ever attended
I never went back! lol
And I mean 'ONCE' lol
It was highly disappointing
The pastor was not wise in scripture at all.
He used a slide show on the wall to teach us...because he did'nt know what he was doing.
He was very nervous...sweating profusely.
Just all over the place. Fumbling to find a verse.
He was the most 'unprepared fool' for a pastor I had ever seen.
Was like he didn't care...
Then during testimony....a man stood up and said to the congregation....
"Well I wanna tell all y'all people right now...listen good!
Ya got ta STAND for somethin'...or you shalt FALL for anything!"
He was applauded
I'm thinking...
'Good heavens man...sit down! That quote is NOT Jesus! It is an Aaron Tippon song from the 1990's....and your applauded like a wise man!"
It was the craziest church I ever attended
I never went back! lol
I didn't even know who aaron tippon was, oh well.
B
I was trying to think how to "frame" my comment or use vocabulary that would not sound TOO over the top fanatical... but my brain started to hurt and I give up... so here goes----
I can appreciate a "good story" even if it is about a bad church... but the thing that is most concerning is- why do we poke fun at judging these ridiculous "church" activities but then get all spiritual/religious at judging things like Blain's post about ppl calling angels <occult> or what planned parenthood is up to?
It is all evil... all of it... according to the scripture.
Which leads me to my gimmick, program, step, technigue experience which I have found the only FORMULA that works is
Believe GOD... when he says thus and thus about a matter... than it is my obligation to adjust my thinking from <whatever I wrongly thought> to what it is HE says.
Admittedly, there were some utterly TRAUMATIZING corrections I had to make ... ya know... it is kinda like everyone has their own "tower of babble" in their mind, built on the wordly foundation and influence we receive and formulate for ourselves in our life... until God gets ahold of us.
On my journey of faith and pursuit of Christ as LORD in my life... the aforementioned "formula" is the only one that works... renew your mind... conform... and put it to practice.
Believe + confess + DO
I can appreciate a "good story" even if it is about a bad church... but the thing that is most concerning is- why do we poke fun at judging these ridiculous "church" activities but then get all spiritual/religious at judging things like Blain's post about ppl calling angels <occult> or what planned parenthood is up to?
It is all evil... all of it... according to the scripture.
Which leads me to my gimmick, program, step, technigue experience which I have found the only FORMULA that works is
Believe GOD... when he says thus and thus about a matter... than it is my obligation to adjust my thinking from <whatever I wrongly thought> to what it is HE says.
Admittedly, there were some utterly TRAUMATIZING corrections I had to make ... ya know... it is kinda like everyone has their own "tower of babble" in their mind, built on the wordly foundation and influence we receive and formulate for ourselves in our life... until God gets ahold of us.
On my journey of faith and pursuit of Christ as LORD in my life... the aforementioned "formula" is the only one that works... renew your mind... conform... and put it to practice.
Believe + confess + DO
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I agree, but sometimes even our own biblical methods fall short and we are left clinging to Jesus...
2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (KJV)
8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (KJV)
8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
I have heard in the past some very sound radio preachers where one day they'll (for example) give you 7 Principles for a better prayer life and each principle will usually begin with a P, the next series they'll give 5 Steps to Financial Success, the next day 10 Detours from Depression etc. I can only take a couple of weeks of that stream until I am overloaded trying to juggle a jillion 'principles' and collapse under the mental weight of forgetfulness