Churches are to be classified as essential.

[Desdichado]

Evidently your quiet time doesn't include most of the New Testament.

Not really
You can worship and read your Bible at home
A church is really just a place you go and pay somebody to give you his opinion on what the Bible says

 

[Desdichado]

It's great the President values religious freedom. It would also be nice if he respected state sovereignty even if he disagrees with what the state is up to.

I'm torn.

 

[Dude653]

It's great the President values religious freedom. It would also be nice if he respected state sovereignty even if he disagrees with what the state is up to.

I'm torn.

I don't think being temporarily inconvenienced during a disease outbreak constitutes a violation of religious freedom
a lot of churches are having Drive-In services
Everyone sits outside in their cars while they preacher speaks over a loudspeaker

 

[EleventhHour]

Untrue.
Singapore has had a second wave and has introduce harsher restrictions because they relaxed too much too soon.
Our rates in Australia have plumeted over the past 6 weeks because of the restrictions introduced and now we are starting to ease restrictions over the past couple weeks with more to come next week.
Trump is wrong, churches and places of worship are not essential.

Exactly

 

[EleventhHour]

No. You are the one trolling here on behalf of the fakers and fraudsters who have bamboozled Trump into locking down America, with absolutely nothing to show for it.

Deaths from suicides over the lockdowns will have exceeded deaths from Wuhan virus in Australia.
Report: Suicide Rise from Lockdowns to Kill More than Coronavirus in Australia
Researchers from Sydney University’s Brain and Mind Centre forecast a 50 percent rise in the national suicide rate because of the economic and social impact of government responses to the virus, which would drive deaths to as much as ten times higher than those caused by the coronavirus itself.
https://www.breitbart.com/health/20...s-to-kill-more-than-coronavirus-in-australia/

All the emergency field hospitals remained empty and had to be shut down and disbanded for lack of patients. Those two Navy hospital ships which were RUSHED by Trump to New York and Los Angeles sat practically empty after getting there.

And all those bogus attacks on Dr. Zelenko's highly effective combination of hydroxychloroquine/arithromycin/zinc sulfate prevented hundreds of lives from being saved. Trump was savagely attacked for saying that he was taking HCQ, when it has been proven to be effective as indicated above. If zinc is omitted (which Fauci plans to do) the results will be deliberately skewed. Which should be regarded as SABOTAGE.

Christians should understand that everyone was tricked into fear and panic, when there was no need for it. Now President Trump needs the intestinal fortitude to publicly and honestly admit that he was played, and that he made some very serious mistakes in handling this Pandemic.

The mistake was not dealing with the situation and the total lack of preparation.

What we see is a country that thinks it is indestructible rather than being prepared for what many virologists knew was coming.

You would do well to study in depth the response of New Zealand and South Korea

 

[kaylagrl]

Not really
You can worship and read your Bible at home
A church is really just a place you go and pay somebody to give you his opinion on what the Bible says

If abortions are essential, if buying flowers at Lowes is essential, if the Liquor Store is essential, then the CHURCH is essential!! Ok, I'm done

 

[kaylagrl]

This is good. What would have been better is that the Dem governors should not even have had the powers to shut down churches or businesses or anything else. Since this was a national emergency, Trump had every right and every reason to publish a proper and thorough Executive Order, covering every aspect of responding to this pandemic. Instead he allowed the governors to call the shots, and now we know that that was a huge mistake. Now he says he will override the governors if they interfere with churches.

In any event, it has now become clear that all the directives regarding lockdowns, social distancing, masks, ventilators, etc. were extremely faulty and had no impact on cases. It has also become clear that had the decision makers listened to the doctors who had actually used HCQ/arithromycin/zinc sulfate as a preventative measure, many lives could have been saved. But the media continue to attack Trump and hydroxychloroquine to prevent a recovery. And Fauci had a hidden agenda to suppress the use of HCQ so that Remdesivir would be purchased, and millions in profits would accrue to Gilead (and no doubt Fauci himself).

No, I think it was a smart move. The blame goes on the governors. When he started to open the country they began to criticize him. So he said let them take the blame. Smart move!!

 

[kaylagrl]

know where in the Bible are Christians instructed to be under the leadership of one pastor
I witnessed how a lot of these charlatans operate
They're very good at emotionally manipulating people to come out of their pockets

As someone who has family that are pastors, and was in ministry 20 yrs myself, please watch how you speak of pastors. "Some" may be charlatans. I've seen both sides. People who put a dollar in the offering plate and spend 50 at the restaurant after.

 

[Desdichado]

Well given your heretical ecclesiology, I can see why you would see it as a serviceable substitute.

I don't think being temporarily inconvenienced during a disease outbreak constitutes a violation of religious freedom
a lot of churches are having Drive-In services
Everyone sits outside in their cars while they preacher speaks over a loudspeaker

 

[faith_in_him]

know where in the Bible are Christians instructed to be under the leadership of one pastor
I witnessed how a lot of these charlatans operate
They're very good at emotionally manipulating people to come out of their pockets

Actually you are incorrect. The bible encourages people to be in a church with other believers because they encourage and lift each other up reminding others of the promises of the Bible (we all need Christian socialization in our life) for you to say you don't need church just proves how much you are lacking in these areas and it also proves that you are not showing this to others, which is sad. Now, I do agree with you about SOME pastors being manipulative, but there are good ones out there that actually teach what the bible says. For you to say you don't need a pastor to help you with your walk also shows how arrogant you are and the bible teaches us to show humility. We all struggle with our walk from time to time and it helps to have a pastor or someone to hold us accountable for things to help strengthen our relationship with Christ

 

[TheIndianGirl]

Church services have not stopped, they have just gone online. My church still has weekly services and weekly prayer meetings. The deacons, church admin, etc. have their own regular meetings online. The care ministry is also checking on all members through regular phone calls or texts, asking if we need anything such as supplies or prayers. Currently, about 6 people do go into the church every week to stream (pastor, video/audio person, a few members of the band for music). Usually when people go to church, it is mostly greetings, or small talk anyway (such as Hi, how was your week? You look great today, etc), aside from the few close friends. I still keep in touch with my friends from church regularly online or through phone call. So, personally where there is added benefit of being in church building (some people need to feel touch like a hug), so far connecting online or through phone calls has worked fine for me.

 

[Dude653]

Actually you are incorrect. The bible encourages people to be in a church with other believers because they encourage and lift each other up reminding others of the promises of the Bible (we all need Christian socialization in our life) for you to say you don't need church just proves how much you are lacking in these areas and it also proves that you are not showing this to others, which is sad. Now, I do agree with you about SOME pastors being manipulative, but there are good ones out there that actually teach what the bible says. For you to say you don't need a pastor to help you with your walk also shows how arrogant you are and the bible teaches us to show humility. We all struggle with our walk from time to time and it helps to have a pastor or someone to hold us accountable for things to help strengthen our relationship with Christ

Nope they usually gathered in people's houses where they had multiple speakers.
Nowhere are we instructed to be under the leadership of a single pastor

 

[Kingdom_Mystic]

God just saying....

Hebrews 10:23-25

English Standard Version


23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

 

[TheIndianGirl]

Nope they usually gathered in people's houses where they had multiple speakers.
Nowhere are we instructed to be under the leadership of a single pastor

Each church is different about leadership. At my church, the pastor primarily has a speaking/teaching role. We made it clear that it is her primary role to teach/shepherd. There were even concerns if she can moderate certain meetings. The decisions of the church are made by the church administration team (CAC) which is the leadership team comprising of deacons (we do not have "elders"), treasurers, people greatly involved in the church, etc. So, churches can decide how much power they want to give to the pastor. The "old" members of the church made it clear they did not want the pastor changing things around prior to the hiring process. Meeting in people's houses is more like small group, which we also have. However, larger congregations are necessary so we can pool resources, ideas, and collaborate more effectively for larger scale purposes.

 

[Angela53510]

So they've got Maga churches too. How sad.

Korea had mega churches back in the 1980's. Over a million people! One Buddhist turned Pentecostal started it and they had a huge revival. Millions got saved. Many go to other churches.

As someone once said, when you live that close to North Korea, you have to do something. The something was prayer. They have a prayer mountain there, filled with people praying 24/7 and through the weeks and years. I've known Presbyterian pastors who were in my church, and in Canada getting further Bible training. I think that was also a huge church. He told me if he could take me to prayer mountain, I would have been healed of RA. Not often a Presbyterian says that!

 

[Kingdom_Mystic]

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1&version=NKJV

 

[Dude653]

Remember when Jesus said pray in the privacy of your home? Pepperidge farm remembers

 

[EleventhHour]

Each church is different about leadership. At my church, the pastor primarily has a speaking/teaching role. We made it clear that it is her primary role to teach/shepherd. There were even concerns if she can moderate certain meetings. The decisions of the church are made by the church administration team (CAC) which is the leadership team comprising of deacons (we do not have "elders"), treasurers, people greatly involved in the church, etc. So, churches can decide how much power they want to give to the pastor. The "old" members of the church made it clear they did not want the pastor changing things around prior to the hiring process. Meeting in people's houses is more like small group, which we also have. However, larger congregations are necessary so we can pool resources, ideas, and collaborate more effectively for larger scale purposes.

Yes the is my experience as well.

 

[Billyd]

Praise God we have been able to hold in person meetings since the beginning of the outbreak, and we will be returning to indoor meetings in our sanctuary, on the June 14. Through a disaster that damaged much of our building and this pandemic, God has always provided us the space for an in person service. Thank you God.