A good pastor feeds (teaches) the sheep, not so much introduce the sheep to each other.
POLITICS HAS REPLACED THE CHURCH!
- Thread starter Major
- Start date
Right. I didn't say introduce but demonstrate that care and concern.
I was just describing the essential mark of a good pastor, commenting on #19, I hadn't read your 2nd post (#20) at the time.
Sorry!!
It is sad that anyone can go online and buy their ordination and be recognized by the states as a bonafide member of the clergy. They can then start their own church and teach what they believe. I know 2 guys who did this just so they could perform a wedding for their friends, neither of them have read the bible.
Really? People can do that? It's that easy?
Yes...........It is just that easy!
It fact.....If you wanted to you can buy a Masters or Doctorate for about $500.
Yes sir. I am aware of Two men who right now are pastoring churches as well who did the very same thing. One even went so far as to buy a Masters diploma.
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Agreed.......Pastoring is not a dating service.
OK............Back to the spirit of the thread...............FACT is from approx. 1930 to 2000, church membership remained relatively constant, hovering at about 70 percent. Then something happened. Over the past two decades, that number has dropped to less than 50 percent, the sharpest recorded decline in American history.
Meanwhile, “nones”—atheists, agnostics, and those claiming no religion—have grown rapidly and today represent as large a sector in America as the Church once did.
That means the MORALS of Christianity are becoming less and less seen in America BUT Political Positions are more relevant!
THAT my dear friends is the reason why here in America we see ABORTIONS as a right for women to have.
HOMOSEXUALITY is a right for the person to choose!
HOMELESSNESS is now acceptable.
LAWLESSNESS is acceptable and even expected.
AUTHERITY of the Law is deplored.
You see......Irrational politics, have drained the MORALITY by inflaming passions, and they are likely to worsen as Christianity’s hold, in particular, continues to weaken and ideological POLITICAL positions intensity and fragmentation rise.
Now I may be completely wrong her, but it seems to me that American faith, is as fervent as ever; it’s just that what was once religious belief has now been channeled into political belief. Political debates over what America is supposed to mean have taken on the character of theological disputations. This is what religion without religion looks like.
Now, take the time to THINK! Sit at your computer, read this and THINK!
Folks.......Without Christianity, we as Americans no longer have a common backbone upon which to fall back on.
No wonder the newly ascendant American ideologies, having to fill the vacuum where religion once was, are so divisive. They are meant to be divisive. On the LIBERAL democratic left, the “woke” take religious notions such as original sin, atonement, ritual, and excommunication and repurpose them for secular ends. Adherents of wokeism see themselves as challenging the long-dominant narrative that emphasized the exceptionalism of the nation’s founding which was the CHRISTIAN FAITH!
Whereas Christianity sees the Promised Land as being above, and in the future......in God’s kingdom, the utopian LIBERAL WOKE left sees it as being in the realization of a just society here on Earth with MAN in charge!
BUT.....On the right, the fundamental conservatives adherents of a Trump-centric ethno-nationalism still drape themselves in some of the trappings of organized religion, but the result is a movement that often looks like a tent revival stripped of Christian witness. Donald Trump’s boisterous rallies were more focused on blood and soil than on the son of God. Mr. Trump himself played both savior and martyr, and it is easy to marvel at the hold that a man so imperfect can have on his soldiers. How so many well thinking people can be so deceived is amazing to me!!!!!
Both of these true to life factual comments are the result of POLITICS become the new Religion in America. YOU are seeing history unfold right in front of your eyes!!!!
Meanwhile, “nones”—atheists, agnostics, and those claiming no religion—have grown rapidly and today represent as large a sector in America as the Church once did.
That means the MORALS of Christianity are becoming less and less seen in America BUT Political Positions are more relevant!
THAT my dear friends is the reason why here in America we see ABORTIONS as a right for women to have.
HOMOSEXUALITY is a right for the person to choose!
HOMELESSNESS is now acceptable.
LAWLESSNESS is acceptable and even expected.
AUTHERITY of the Law is deplored.
You see......Irrational politics, have drained the MORALITY by inflaming passions, and they are likely to worsen as Christianity’s hold, in particular, continues to weaken and ideological POLITICAL positions intensity and fragmentation rise.
Now I may be completely wrong her, but it seems to me that American faith, is as fervent as ever; it’s just that what was once religious belief has now been channeled into political belief. Political debates over what America is supposed to mean have taken on the character of theological disputations. This is what religion without religion looks like.
Now, take the time to THINK! Sit at your computer, read this and THINK!
Folks.......Without Christianity, we as Americans no longer have a common backbone upon which to fall back on.
No wonder the newly ascendant American ideologies, having to fill the vacuum where religion once was, are so divisive. They are meant to be divisive. On the LIBERAL democratic left, the “woke” take religious notions such as original sin, atonement, ritual, and excommunication and repurpose them for secular ends. Adherents of wokeism see themselves as challenging the long-dominant narrative that emphasized the exceptionalism of the nation’s founding which was the CHRISTIAN FAITH!
Whereas Christianity sees the Promised Land as being above, and in the future......in God’s kingdom, the utopian LIBERAL WOKE left sees it as being in the realization of a just society here on Earth with MAN in charge!
BUT.....On the right, the fundamental conservatives adherents of a Trump-centric ethno-nationalism still drape themselves in some of the trappings of organized religion, but the result is a movement that often looks like a tent revival stripped of Christian witness. Donald Trump’s boisterous rallies were more focused on blood and soil than on the son of God. Mr. Trump himself played both savior and martyr, and it is easy to marvel at the hold that a man so imperfect can have on his soldiers. How so many well thinking people can be so deceived is amazing to me!!!!!
Both of these true to life factual comments are the result of POLITICS become the new Religion in America. YOU are seeing history unfold right in front of your eyes!!!!
In my response to Major's post, when the door of Truth closes, another door opens where the sheep may stray to the "nones." This is a serious concern, brothers and sisters.
There is truth to what Via, Cosia and TiC were sharing and this is why it's so important to pray for your Pastor. If you don't have a Pastor, please pray and fast that God will lead you to one who is anointed.
Whether you already have a Pastor or are seeking one who is anointed, make an appointment with him and ask the tough questions and truthfully express your concerns. Afterall, we all have a desire to grow in Christ.
I read in this thread that some men and women bought their pastoral ministry. I knew of a couple of people who did this in our community. I made an appointment and met with them. I asked them questions. They all spoke good and "winged" their answers. Their church membership is "getting by" but at the end of the day, are they being discipled and growing? This is sad but God knows everything.
In the meantime, there are Pastors who remain constant, tend to the flock, teach and preach sound doctrine, spiritually invest in the growth of each disciple and continue their personal study daily. These Pastors are out there.
God bless you all and your families.
Great post!
Well I don't know what the Lord is planning about this but I will certainly Pray for the Lord to Lift up these pastors who are probably nearing retiring age. And to the New ones would are drawn to office.
The politics thing is a distraction, a tactic of the enemy. I'm pretty sure both sides of the political spectrum are as infected with corruption as the centre is by now.
Young people are drawn into politics today more than I saw in the past. We didn't care who run the shop when we was young as long as we were free and happy. we had jobs to go to.We trusted our politicians because we didn't know any how to run a country. But now lots of students at colleges and Unis especially female ones are very heavily influenced by politics and are deep in discussions about the state of our countries, its a good thing, but I notice an aggression in their walk. They dont like it when you dont agree with them. They dont even want to listen to your side. = Cancel Culture.
The politics thing is a distraction, a tactic of the enemy. I'm pretty sure both sides of the political spectrum are as infected with corruption as the centre is by now.
Young people are drawn into politics today more than I saw in the past. We didn't care who run the shop when we was young as long as we were free and happy. we had jobs to go to.We trusted our politicians because we didn't know any how to run a country. But now lots of students at colleges and Unis especially female ones are very heavily influenced by politics and are deep in discussions about the state of our countries, its a good thing, but I notice an aggression in their walk. They dont like it when you dont agree with them. They dont even want to listen to your side. = Cancel Culture.
And what is that?
Hello Via;
I agree wholly with you. When it comes to the church we're attending, we pretty much share our testimonies and talk Jesus during tea and crumpets. Keeping the bloody politics out of it, it's a very upbeat fellowship.
A couple of months ago during a gathering lunch after Church my wife received a very disturbing call (issue from our former Church) and when she got off her cell everyone could see she was disappointed. She opened up to everyone and one of the senior members asked everyone to stop so we could pray. That ministered to the both of us.
Later I uplifted Hazel and shared in Scripture how she could resolve the issue with the members who called her.
Since then God resolved the issue while using her and it's behind us.
The 2nd Coming of Christ.
At my granddaughters school. They are teaching her about recycling.
I mean, come on, why cant kids just be kids? She's only 5, and by the time she's 6 she will probably be on the way to worrying more about the fact that she accidentally forgets to put a water bottle in the correct bin than her actual studies..
I get it though, the green movement has some good things about it. I just don't agree with an agenda, because nothing good ever comes out of politics anymore in a godless society.
I mean, come on, why cant kids just be kids? She's only 5, and by the time she's 6 she will probably be on the way to worrying more about the fact that she accidentally forgets to put a water bottle in the correct bin than her actual studies..
I get it though, the green movement has some good things about it. I just don't agree with an agenda, because nothing good ever comes out of politics anymore in a godless society.
The Green Movement is closer to a religion than politics complete with it's own god called 'Mother Nature' and it's various recycling rituals. They see mother earth as being under attack and are willing to practice population control and/or sacrifice human lives (think babies) to save the environment.
But what are we to do with all the empty cans, and bottles then?
I do get your views. But it dosnet help the build up of the pollution of plastic in the oceans. Which are a mess if not dangerous to the sea life.
Edit: Spelling
That type of stuff is fine, it's the political side and should stay there but now the movement has turned into a religion for the reasons I mentioned (and many others).