Comments on: This REALLY Hurts …

By: Louise

Louise — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:41:57 +0000

oh ouch

in the world and not of the world

By: Ronnie Burgess (MandoRon)

Ronnie Burgess (MandoRon) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:48:52 +0000

If people don’t see anything different in our lives, then they’ll end up saying “what’s the point of God?”. It’s important that we talk about how God is changing us and what he’s doing in our lives. And we must live differently, too.

By: Brad Hafner

Brad Hafner — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:52:41 +0000

http://www.etpalestine.com/podcast.html

This sermon is from last week about how the church has been influenced by American culture. It’s a great word. Listen if you want.

By: Deane

Deane — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 16:53:29 +0000

I think Paul stated it this way:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

If those in the church are or appear to be conformed to the patterns of the world, then it appears to have nothing to offer to those outside of the church.

By: Eric Frisch

Eric Frisch — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 03:50:30 +0000

Agree – I wrote about this a couple of days ago:

http://www.themusiciansmind.com/1/post/2009/06/changing-faith.html

By: fmckinnon

fmckinnon — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 20:30:40 +0000

Hey Gang, quite the discussion happening at http://bit.ly/jL7kv – When It Hurts, why Denominations are in Decline, chime in!

By: fmckinnon

fmckinnon — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:34:52 +0000

New blog post: This REALLY Hurts … http://bit.ly/bReCB

By: Tracie

Tracie — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:03:56 +0000

What I don’t understand is this is just one man’s point of view in studies of non objective information so how can it really be of much value. Very good points. It makes a point that I could pray for that mainline Protestantism religion to have motivation for seeking after God. But the truth is Jesus never walked this earth questioning religions. He spoke of questions of the heart. He made the people of the bible look inside themselves and question their own actions. The same goes for us now.

By: Shannon Lewis

Shannon Lewis — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:54:04 +0000

All Mainline Protestantism offers is moral relativity, vague hope, ‘nice’ ideas, but their God isn’t powerful, their Bible is merely a book of opinions, as is their view of morality – what motivation is there within that worldview to seek after God or attend church?

By: Shannon Lewis

Shannon Lewis — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:50:59 +0000

If we are to stay true to the quote, they are talking about “Mainline Protestantism”, which is the opposite of Evangelical Protestantism – the liberal church’s vision of the faith is no different than the philosophy of the world, which is why their numbers have been declining for so long – why go to church, when they offer nothing different from what you’ve already got. All Mainline Protestantism offers if moral relativity, vague hope, ‘nice’ ideas, but their God is powerful, their Bible is merely a book of opinions, as is their view of morality – what motivation is there within that worldview to seek after God or attend church? I can’t think of any whatsoever, unless one just likes the traditions and formality of it all.

Evangelicalism – which literally means “Centered-on-the-Good-News-of-the-Evangel (ie – Gospel of Christ)” – however offers something different: absolute truth, morality, grace, and an experience of a God who reveals Himself in humanity. That IS different from what the world has, and isn’t mere tradition for tradition’s sake. It is true that many who try to wear the word “Evangelical” these days, really aren’t – neoEvangelical at best – so it blurs the picture a bit. But among those who truly believe and are attempting to live the Gospel as set forth in God’s revealed Word, there really is a different between what we live and offer than what the world has, which is no different from what most of Mainline Protestantism offers.

By: Tracie

Tracie — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:41:09 +0000

Yep true true. The only thing I have is that
message you speak of I think should be a part of how we live our Sat-Monday lives. So yes we should be set apart different on how we live. But there is that whole concept I hear how Christians are hypocritical. They are better than us. I just think we should be different on how we love. I dunno if that makes any sense. Hope so.

By: Fred McKinnon

Fred McKinnon — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:29:44 +0000

True, true … but I think our christian culture has shifted and spends a LOT of time on grace, acceptance, and relevance (to the extremes of becoming entertainers), and the message of holiness, being set apart, different … it’s essentially gone.

By: Tracie

Tracie — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:27:15 +0000

Yeah but what I mean is that we are humans too. We fail. We hurt people. But we could, or I know I could, stop pretending since I am Christian, that I am superhuman. So I think we should not abuse grace, but show that we are the same. Get out of the way of trying to pretend we are not. Then that allows God to show up. SO in a way we will be different in the end. We will show the world that Christians do screw up but the difference is let’s offer grace, and forgiveness that we believe Jesus offers us.
That is my soap box I suppose.

By: Fred McKinnon

Fred McKinnon — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:12:44 +0000

I think that’s the essence of what is being said – people aren’t seeing the “difference of God” – we, Christians, don’t walk and talk much differently than mainstream non-Christian america in many ways. We watch the same trash on TV, we cheat on our spouses (same ratio of divorce as non-Christian), etc ….

By: Tracie

Tracie — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:06:40 +0000

I disagree. Religion can be the same. The different has to be the God in us.

By: Shannon Lewis

Shannon Lewis — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:50:47 +0000

p.s. – I mean, seriously, if you don’t really believe that the Word is inspired, and aren’t convinced that Jesus is the only way, you don’t have much, do ya?

By: Shannon Lewis

Shannon Lewis — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:48:41 +0000

Not only is it a problem with “Mainline Protestantism” (which has long ago grown liberal and been in numerical decline for years), but has even begun to affect portions of what was once considered “evangelicalism” (i.e. – the “Bible Believers’). But yes, very true.

By: heather b

heather b — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:41:13 +0000

absolutely agree! Why would anyone want more of the same thing? People are looking for something different, something powerful, something fulfilling.