Let me introduce you to the good news of Rev 2-3.

The church is screwed up, and Jesus wins anyway.

If you are looking for a church to convince you to not injure yourself, keep us apprised.

I’m joking. Except about the church and the Jesus bit.

Wish I could disagree with what you say but I don’t.Is it possible that God set up these weenie churches because that is what His people want, even though He clearly wants better?

Chuck Colson spoke for many of us when he said modern protestantism left him ill prepared for suffering.

steve

But I think the megachurch domination of CHristianity, and its reenforcement by denominations and publishing interests is going to feed the fires of various kinds of house church/home church/cell church/network church versions of evangelicalism. I think the “church” with its programs and paid staff is in real trouble, and deservedly say. The megachurch, with its use of technology and showbiz presentations, will cause many young people to move as far away from it as possible. I mean, the typical evangelical megachurch production and cafeteria of programs is not “church” to millions of younger believers, and there aren’t that many Mars Hills to pick them up. I think house churches and other similar “anti-mega” options are going to have a good run in the near future.

Sorry for getting to the conversation late — I took my family out of town, and was “unplugged” the whole time!

I’m very curious what you meant with that statement, and was very surprised to see it in your predictions there. Are you stating this as a neutral statement of “that’s where evangelicalism is headed”, or do you mean it either positively or negatively?

Very curious to get your thoughts on that. Not for debate at all. I was just very intrigued by your mention of the house church movement.

Happy New Year, by the way!

steve

Thanks!

Good article, but you could have saved about 2,800 words by simply posting the following:

“Today, some larger Christian churches have figured out how to use modern superficial marketing techniques, kind of like Fazoli’s does, in order to draw in people who might not have otherwise given them a second look. And sometimes the doctrine of these churches is watered down as well.”

However, it is not just the mainlines that are becoming increasingly NON-influential in our society, but the Evangelical and fundamentalist [I am a fundy].

Some would take issue with that statement, because it was the Evangelical and fundamentalist that played a big part in President Bush being elected. And it was those two same groups that led the fight to keep homosexual marriage and partnerships from becoming law in the eleven States where those issues were on the ballot.

However, I believe that there has been a huge erosion within the last six years that will become apparent in the next election. I believe it will come because some of the newly formed, or should I say now hugely popular mega-churches that have a lot of TV time, and are supposedly Evangelicals or Fundies do not stand up for moral and ethical truths of the Bible.

They are staying away from the sin issues and placing their power into the social issues. Don’t hear me to say social issues are not important, but if the morals and ethics of a Nation are in decline, then the social issues will be following in decline in short order.

A good example of how we are in a rapid decline is found in a judge’s order that impacted the State house of Indiana this past week. The Judge ordered that it was now against the law for anyone to pray in Jesus name or make reference to him while leading prayers in the Indiana Senate and Congress. Where are the big guns of Evangelicalism? Where is the combined voices of my Fundamental brothers? Oh, by the way, the first act of the first Continental Congress on Sept. 6, 1774 was to offically call for prayer. On Tuesday, Sept. 6th, 1774, Rev. Mr. Duche’ opened congress with prayer, and I will be darned, here is what he said for his last line: “All this we ask in the name and through themerits of Jesus Christ, thy Son and our Saviour, Amen.

Rest assured, I do not believe that because a judge says we can’t pray in Jesus’ name makes Christianity weak; what makes us weak in, a free country, is that when we can legally hav e a voice we don’t use it any more. I am a little fish, my influence is very limited; where are the Paul’s, and Peter’s, the Spurgeon’s, and Bohnhoffer’s?

Heaven forbid a Moses were to rise up. Most of the TV preachers would knock him down so fast, he would be missed by the rest of us. Ratings and power, power and ratings — opps, don’t forget the money.

Enough ranting.
MAKE IT a great New Year.
I am an optimistic pessimist.
fish on
jerry

Good point on the practicing Homosexual bishop.