Posted on 07/29/2012 11:43:48 AM PDT by jmaroneps37
What began as a highly anticipated premier for movie-goers in a Colorado community suddenly turned to tragedy when an unstable man entered the theater and began shooting. Lives were lost, scores were injured, and the nation will relive this episode over and over on news outlets for years to come.
As accusations are made and calls for gun control fill the airwaves, the question arises: “How did immorality, violence, and death corrupt a once Christian-influenced American culture? The answer to that question lies within the Christian community.
In 2011, a twenty-year “State of the Church” study by the Barna Research Group showed a drop in church attendance by 7% to 59%. Weekly Bible reading dropped from 9% to 62%. 29% of Christians volunteered at church compared to 41% in 1991. Founder George Barna warned that American Christians have become complacent.
".. country founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs, and whose official motto is “In God We Trust,” ungrounded believers are being assimilated into secularism. They have left their first love, Jesus Christ, for the allure of this world.
Paul warned of the ramifications of disobeying God’s precepts: Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused. (Romans 1:21 NKJV)
Violence, perversion, obscenity, vulgarity, and lewdness via television, movies, music, fashion, education, and the internet have desensitized the church. Instead of standing its ground, the church has “adapted” to the secular status quo. Entire denominations have forsaken truth to lean on their own understanding.
America has lost its fear of the Lord and is set up for judgment…….
This nation will stand if the church stands …….
(Excerpt) Read more at coachisright.com ...
BUMP
Isaiah 59 says “God is not too weak to save you, and he is not becoming deaf. He can hear you when you call. Buere there is a problem - your sins have cut you off from God.
God has stopped listening to America until America starts listening and returns to Him.
This nation isn’t in decline because people stopped going to church. People stopped going to church because we turned our culture into an anything goes, all about me, instant gratification society.
The churches began to adapt to this society and became weak and useless. Or they held to tradition and lost the younger generations. What does traditional Christianity offer to people who can’t wait until tomorrow, much less eternity?
I read the Barna survey results and notice that they love to tell us what we do wrong, but are not very useful at telling what to do to fix it. This is because no one knows. Or is willing to say it.
The truth is that this society has left God in a closet, or propped Him up on a shelf. They take Him down and dust Him off when they want Him, but them put Him back when they are done.
So, He has turned his back on us. We deserve it, just as Israel did more than once in the Old Testament. We will suffer and people will rediscover God. If they return to Him, then He will return to us.
Or, He will let the church be reduced to the truly faithful and then He will judge humanity.
Either way, we are not going to save society by revitalizing the church. Society will revitalize the church when it is ready to return to God. The challenge is for the faithful to stay faithful as this period of tribulation gets worse and to keep the doors open so that the people will know which God to return to when they are done being stiffnecked.
Inviting God back to our nation begins with repentance. We still believe that He owes us something just because we have a church on every street corner.
Church shouldn’t be a rock concert.
I’m old school, though.
You should come to Church in an attitude and dress of humility and decency.
Not everything ‘goes.’ God Is. Your saying something against Him doesn’t let you off easy and never has.
Church shouldn’t be all warm and fuzzy, either. Life isn’t.
Bush’s Fault
Christ is coming back for a spotless bride. That's the church, and the church is Holy Spirit indwelling, transforming, and perfecting every believer.
Believers don't have much time to get it right.
>>Church shouldn’t be a rock concert.
Old school people told Charles and John Wesley that hymns shouldn’t be drinking songs. If the music opens the heart to worship, then it is good. I’m “only” 50 years old, but a Chris Tomlin or Hillsong song prepares me for worship much better than 90% of the UM Hymnal. But, then they can take it to extremes with long guitar riffs or drum solos that are all about the artist and not conducive to worship.
But the real danger in the contemporary church is the message. If the message tells you that you are righteous and good, regardless of your actions, it is bad. If it ignores the gospel, or subverts it into the “social gospel”, then it is bad.
All we can do is be ready at all times, for He may come at any time. He will take a spotless bride away with him regardless of our actions or associations, and the guy sitting in the pew next to you may wonder where you went. Or it may be you or I who is sitting there wondering. But “the church” isn’t a building full of perfect people. It is all of the individual believers who faithfully wait, fearfully repenting and praying for salvation.
The 'post-modern' church has reduced God to a buddy, a best friend.
Jesus is our friend, but God is also HOLY, OMNIPITANT. He is GOD Who cannot look upon sin, but loved us so much He gave His only Son to die for the sins of mankind. The power of His blood is also not being taught in many churches.
"The church" is a figurative term used to refer to the body of believers, individual believers who are sealed with the Holy Spirit for eternal life.
God doesn't expect believers to be perfect, but He does expect them to do their best to lead righteous lives.
Praise music in amphitheater settings is deafening. Organ ‘interruptions’ and arpeggios are silly.
I used to think less of people who sang the old hymns, like “I Walk in the Garden Alone,” as hicks. “A Mighty Fortress” was just loud.
I’ve changed. I like very few Praise songs and don’t want to feel like I am going to listen to a rock band.
I believe I am in the minority now, though.
Let me give a real example of what being in a Church can be. True story.
I know someone who used to sing as a soloist in a big church choir. One Maundy Thursday, at the end of the evening Maundy Thursday service, a thunderstorm rolled into town. At the end of Mass, lightning clapped, the wind howled through windows that had been blown open, and the Christ candle went out.
For such a time as this . . . http://patburt.com/
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