Secular Churches

Melizza

Melizza

Apologies in advance if this topic doesn't meet the requirements.

I just wanted to hear the different views and OPS on the above topic. 2 years ago I attended a Church Conference and it ran for about a week offering different types of workshops and events. In the last night, they had a couple of guest Pastors preach and then finished the night off with Praise & Worship.

Now everything was going smooth up until the last bracket of the night in which the Youth performed a skit (to be honest I had absolutely no idea what the purpose of the skit was about) but they had some of the kids dress up in 'alien', and 'ufo' type of costumes and parading around the stage giving everyone a last minute entertainment.

THIS unsettled me. I just felt as though they insulted God and that they just tarnished the Word by incorporating 'worldly' ideas and themes (not that the Word can be tarnished) into the Church service. My heart was saddened and I walked away praying for the Church and it's Leaders.
 
Melizza said:
Apologies in advance if this topic doesn't meet the requirements.

I just wanted to hear the different views and OPS on the above topic. 2 years ago I attended a Church Conference and it ran for about a week offering different types of workshops and events. In the last night, they had a couple of guest Pastors preach and then finished the night off with Praise & Worship.

Now everything was going smooth up until the last bracket of the night in which the Youth performed a skit (to be honest I had absolutely no idea what the purpose of the skit was about) but they had some of the kids dress up in 'alien', and 'ufo' type of costumes and parading around the stage giving everyone a last minute entertainment.

THIS unsettled me. I just felt as though they insulted God and that they just tarnished the Word by incorporating 'worldly' ideas and themes (not that the Word can be tarnished) into the Church service. My heart was saddened and I walked away praying for the Church and it's Leaders.
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I am encouraged that you had the forethought to pray for that church.

I as well as you find what you described as disturbing to be done in a church.

Personally, over the years I have made some people upset because I do not allow "Magicians" to perform in our church. Some can not look beyond the obvious to see that it is deception engineered to get our focus off of Christ and onto worldly things.
 
Melizza said:
Apologies in advance if this topic doesn't meet the requirements.

I just wanted to hear the different views and OPS on the above topic. 2 years ago I attended a Church Conference and it ran for about a week offering different types of workshops and events. In the last night, they had a couple of guest Pastors preach and then finished the night off with Praise & Worship.

Now everything was going smooth up until the last bracket of the night in which the Youth performed a skit (to be honest I had absolutely no idea what the purpose of the skit was about) but they had some of the kids dress up in 'alien', and 'ufo' type of costumes and parading around the stage giving everyone a last minute entertainment.

THIS unsettled me. I just felt as though they insulted God and that they just tarnished the Word by incorporating 'worldly' ideas and themes (not that the Word can be tarnished) into the Church service. My heart was saddened and I walked away praying for the Church and it's Leaders.
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Could they have been giving their understanding of how we as believers do not belong to this world...for we are like aliens 1 Peter 2:11?
 
Cturtle said:
Could they have been giving their understanding of how we as believers do not belong to this world...for we are like aliens 1 Peter 2:11?
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I would hope so - however I did notice that their were other red flags happening throughout the Conference such as playing that Coldplay song "feels like magic" while waiting for people to arrive, and other worldly songs. IMO you do not/should not mix the things of this world to Glorify God.
 
Holy:
  1. apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness
    1. apartness, sacredness, holiness
      1. of God

      2. of places

      3. of things
    2. set-apartness, separateness
קֹדֶשׁ qôdesh, ko'-desh; from H6942; a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity:—consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed (thing), holiness, (× most) holy (× day, portion, thing), saint, sanctuary.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H6944&t=KJV

See also G40, G53:

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G40&t=KJV

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G53

How "Holy" (separated/ special/ set apart/ revered/ sacred) is the current 'church' of this world? In this world?

Will there be faith left in Him when He comes? Does the church sacrifice Truth and focus purely on Grace alone to be "relevant" to the death culture of the world? What have we done.......
 
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It takes so much effort to run a church, prepare sermons, pastor members, organize plays. We need to bear this in mind. It is only when we actually want to do such that we realize how 'useless' we are. It is so easy to get things wrong. For something to slip. Especially if a church is a moderate size. We need to look past many things and grasp that anything done for God is better then nothing. Our chief focus needs to be on examining the scripturalness / intentions of the leading elders / pastor's weekly message. IE Ensure the rudder of the ship has the Holy Spirit guiding it.

I don't believe there is such a thing as a secular church. As long as the definition of church is fellowship in Jesus's name / a place where Jesus is lifted up.
 
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KingJ said:
It takes so much effort to run a church, prepare sermons, pastor members, organize plays. We need to bear this in mind. It is only when we actually want to do such that we realize how 'useless' we are. It is so easy to get things wrong. For something to slip. Especially if a church is a moderate size. We need to look past many things and grasp that anything done for God is better then nothing. Our chief focus needs to be on examining the scripturalness / intentions of the leading elders / pastor's weekly message. IE Ensure the rudder of the ship has the Holy Spirit guiding it.

I don't believe there is such a thing as a secular church. As long as the definition of church is fellowship in Jesus's name / a place where Jesus is lifted up.
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Nicely Put there @KingJ
There are some pastors that I know who pastor some very awesome church's and they have a system that they use.

1. If it is something where unbelievers or the not saved will be attending then there are certain things they won't do.

2. When they know it is just the members there then they operate in another manner.

This may sound odd but in truth works well. Nothing to scare the non believer Or confuse them with things too deep for a new believer to grasp.

They never compromise the word of God or try to impress the unsaved with worldly ways.

Blessings
FCJ
 
Personally for the skit, I would have chosen the Resurrection of Christ. ;)
I think the leaders of the Church have become a little misguided as to the purpose of the skits; aliens and UFO's are not in-keeping with...well...Christianity.
I think you have shown great maturity by praying for the Church and its leaders; from what you describe, I think they need it.

Father,

Allow the leaders of the Church and the Church as a body to be guided onto the righteous path and away from the path of lunacy. I know You know what is best for the Church and I pray that You strengthen the leaders and the flock engraving Jesus's story on their minds (not aliens, UFO etc. :giggle:).
In Jesus's name.

Amen!
 
KingJ said:
It takes so much effort to run a church, prepare sermons, pastor members, organize plays. We need to bear this in mind. It is only when we actually want to do such that we realize how 'useless' we are. It is so easy to get things wrong. For something to slip. Especially if a church is a moderate size. We need to look past many things and grasp that anything done for God is better then nothing. Our chief focus needs to be on examining the scripturalness / intentions of the leading elders / pastor's weekly message. IE Ensure the rudder of the ship has the Holy Spirit guiding it.

I don't believe there is such a thing as a secular church. As long as the definition of church is fellowship in Jesus's name / a place where Jesus is lifted up.
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You are right! Pastoring a church is a full time job and in most cases, a thankless one.

The key to doing it is "Teamwork". A pastor must have in place Elders, Deacons and counselors to help him or it will not get done.

A pastor that divides his congregational families into equal parts, and assigns a deacon/elder to each one of those divisions is going to be successful. Then when a member, or family crisis comes up, that deacon who is responsible for that family is the 1st call. Most of the time he can speak for the pastor, pray for the family and make the decisions needed to fix the situation. Then he can report to the pastor so that everyone is involved and any follow can be made as needed..

But I must say to you that not only is there secular churches, there are according to the USA tax code......"Satanic Churches".
They are tax exempt exactly like the 1st Baptist church in your home town.

The Universalist Church is secular, as is the American Humanist Association.
 
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HolyGround said:
Personally for the skit, I would have chosen the Resurrection of Christ. ;)
I think the leaders of the Church have become a little misguided as to the purpose of the skits; aliens and UFO's are not in-keeping with...well...Christianity.
I think you have shown great maturity by praying for the Church and its leaders; from what you describe, I think they need it.

Father,

Allow the leaders of the Church and the Church as a body to be guided onto the righteous path and away from the path of lunacy. I know You know what is best for the Church and I pray that You strengthen the leaders and the flock engraving Jesus's story on their minds (not aliens, UFO etc. :giggle:).
In Jesus's name.

Amen!
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Amen!
 
Major said:
You are right! Pastoring a church is a full time job and in most cases, a thankless one.

The key to doing it is "Teamwork". A pastor must have in place Elders, Deacons and counselors to help him or it will not get done.

A pastor that divides his congregational families into equal parts, and assigns a deacon/elder to each one of those divisions is going to be successful. Then when a member, or family crisis comes up, that deacon who is responsible for that family is the 1st call. Most of the time he can speak for the pastor, pray for the family and make the decisions needed to fix the situation. Then he can report to the pastor so that everyone is involved and any follow can be made as needed..

But I must say to you that not only is there secular churches, there are according to the USA tax code......"Satanic Churches".
They are tax exempt exactly like the 1st Baptist church in your home town.

The Universalist Church is secular, as is the American Humanist Association.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Well said!
 
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