Why do you hate church?

TheCypressTimes.com ^ | 04/12/2010 | John G. Winder

[Patriot1259]

New video contest on YouTube.

A Detroit area pastor is taking a different approach in trying to get more people to show up for church services. “If you look at Jesus, he hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes, drunks, people who hated religion, and heard their stories.We figured we should do the same,” says Chris Lambert, Pastor of Ekklisia Church.

[Persevero]

I can’t go along with soliciting insults of Christ’s bride.

[hometoroost]

“If you look at Jesus, he hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes, drunks, people who hated religion, and heard their stories.We figured we should do the same,” says Chris Lambert, Pastor of Ekklisia Church.

Sounds like he needs to move to DC and work the Capitol and White House.

[the_daug]

I don’t go to Church cause you do not teach the pure Gospel.

[keats5]

I love attending worship services. Really, it is the highlight of my week.

[rjsimmon]

A Detroit area pastor is taking a different approach in trying to get more people to show up for church services. “If you look at Jesus, he hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes, drunks, people who hated religion, and heard their stories. We figured we should do the same,” says Chris Lambert, Pastor of Ekklisia Church.

And the Master changed every single one that He 'hung out' with. He preached repentence and salvation. Not once did He condone or overlook the sin, He addressed it and gave the sinner the only path to the Father. His only admonishment was: "Go forth, and sin no more."

[Rays_Dad]

Bingo. This This This

[Nosterrex]

This is another goofey idea in trying to “get people to church.” These people like to point to Jesus as an example, but they are very selective in the things in which they appropriate. Did Jesus ever say to people, “Why do you hate the Temple?” or “Why do you hate Judaism?” Jesus did not use gimmicks, nor did his disciples. If you have to entice people to church, you are not following the examples of Jesus.

[SMARTY]

MY church is a social club for married people. So I stay away.

[sportutegrl]

“If you look at Jesus, he hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes, drunks, people who hated religion, and heard their stories.

I love how Jesus lumped tax collectors with the rest of that group. Says what he thought about that 'profession'.

[presently no screen name]

Very few do, unfortunately.

[presently no screen name]

Bump!

[1951Boomer]

Great point, rjs. I’ve finally caught on to this trick that people use when they say Jesus hung out with all the wrong people in all the wrong places, that he was not judgmental but accepting, blah, blah, blah. My adult daughter has a Christian friend who tells my daughter that she is being “judgmental” whenever my daughter stands firm on her own convictions about an issue or when she does not condone certain behaviors. Jesus ALWAYS required CHANGE and NEVER allowed people to stay as they were. He himself claimed that the gospel is an “offense.” We should be as loving and merciful as the day is long, but in the end, there is only one truth, and He is it.

[ShadowAce]

Says what he thought about that 'profession'.

Those tax collectors were a very different breed than what we know today.

Rome mandated a certain amount be collected--but only told the collectors how much they expected. The tax collectors would go around collecting as much as they could, and what extra they collected (above what Rome wanted), they got to keep.

That's how they made their living. Today, it's just following the law that Congress makes.

[HospiceNurse]

I don’t “hate” going to church, but it would be nice if the Pastor had ever read the Bible rather than purchase sermons.

[HereInTheHeartland]

““If you look at Jesus, he hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes, drunks, people who hated religion, and heard their stories.We figured we should do the same,” says Chris Lambert, Pastor of Ekklisia Church.”

I see nothing wrong with this statement in itself.

“Religion” can mean anything. Jeremiah Wright has “religion”. The Pharisees had “religion”.

[rjsimmon]

Absolutely, Boomer. The Master instructed us to stop judging by mere appearance, but to make a righteous judgment (John 7:24).

We are not to act as if we are the arbiter of someone's fate, merely that we present God's answer as spelled out in His Word.

[oldenuff2no]

Sounds like a more honest group than I find in church. I won't go to church because I can't stand the liars who I have to sit beside. I know all of them and I know exactly who they are the other 6 days a week. Pretenders one and all. And more than a few of them family. For me to join this group would be condoning their hypocrisy and I won't do it.
Love Thy Brother on Sunday and Thy Brothers wife on Monday, and Tuesday, and his daughter on Wednesday..... There is also another reason. The local Churches are the gossip centers of earth and I hate gossip. There are six words that allow a person to say anything they want with no accountability,"Do you know what I heard." These words should be made part of the sermon because they are the most heard words in any church.

[999replies]

I appreciate your thoughts on this thread. Christian snobbery is disgusting these days, especially on FR.

[ShadowAce]

I'm truly sorry to hear of your church experience.

Mine is the opposite. Truly biblical preaching from a well-prepared pastor, and (as far as I know) true bible-believing Christians around me.

We are not a "feel-good" church. Nor are we a prosperity church. We learn directly from the Word.

Very uplifting to me, and I have experienced a lot of personal growth since attending.