Christian 'megapastor' blasts believers on Dec. 25 dispute (defends decision to close)

World Net Daily ^ | December 19, 2005

[NYer]

With many large churches across the U.S. announcing they won't be open on Christmas Day, some pastors are defending their decision to stay closed, even going so far as to blast those who question their motives.

Among them is Jon Weece, pastor of Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Ky., who received complaint e-mails from Christians in all 50 states.

"I was deeply saddened by the knee-jerk response of the Christian community as a whole to give the benefit of the doubt to the media and not a church or a brother in Christ," Weece said in his Dec. 10 sermon. "I'm still troubled that more Christians in this community specifically did not stand up for us knowing what this church represents."

(Audio of the entire sermon is available here.)

Weece blamed Satan the devil for using the Christmas issue as a distraction, prompting Christians to bicker among themselves.

"People are not the enemy," he said. "The devil is, and it is obvious that he has been at work in this situation."

Weece said the services being offered on Christmas Eve were still technically the "first day of the week" if one went by the custom of starting days at sunset, which some believe was the case in Jesus' day.

He went on to note: "Christmas began as a pagan holiday to the Roman gods, and if we were to really celebrate the historical birth of Jesus, it would either be in January or mid-April. I'm only pointing out the historical technicalities not out of intellectual arrogance, but again because of the illogical, ill-informed and even hypocritical arguments that were aimed at me personally this last week."

Weece also said Jesus himself walked all over opinion and tradition: "Do not lose sight of the controversy that Jesus incited by turning traditions on their head. And always remember in the economy of Jesus, the one whose birthday so many are claiming to be so passionate about, Jesus placed value and emphasis on people over policy and procedure and protocol every single time."

Meanwhile, the largest Christian church in South Florida has reversed itself on its closure Christmas Day, and now says it will be open for a single service next Sunday morning, Dec. 25.

Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale now promoting its Christmas Day service online after initially announcing a Dec. 25 closure

Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale originally decided to give its members and workforce a day off to spend with their families on Christmas, even though it falls on Sunday, its traditional day of worship. Instead, it had scheduled a slate of extra services for Saturday night, Christmas Eve.

Pastor Bob Coy

"I've been called a bad person and a shame to Christianity," pastor Bob Coy told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "It made me realize that many people misunderstood our motives."

But after an onslaught of negative public reaction from both inside and outside his congregation, Coy had a change of heart.

"Say it isn't so," read one e-mail, according to Coy. "You're shutting your doors on Jesus' birthday. I'm appalled at the message you're sending to the community."

Coy also was advised by some church members who said they wouldn't be able to attend services on Christmas Eve, and preferred to come on the actual holiday.

"Christmas is filled with unrealistic expectations," he said. "I don't want to fuel that. If people need Jesus on Christmas, I want to make Him available."

The entire issue has exacerbated the national Christmas controversy at a time which many believe is supposed to harken back to the Gospel of Luke's "peace on Earth."

"There is no biblical mandate that we meet on Sunday, only that we meet," writes Larry Baden in an online messageboard. "This is clearly a nonessential issue. Nobody's orthodoxy stands or falls on having a Sunday service. Nobody's salvation depends on having a Sunday service."

Minister Jeff Chitwood contends: "I think the issue centers on canceling worship on a day that is supposed to be centered on Christ. Too many times the church accuses the world of taking Christ out of Christmas but now the church is the one changing things because a day centered on Christ conflicts with schedules. What kind of message does it send to those who we have condemned in the past? At our church we are rescheduling service times but not eliminating the opportunity to worship on a day centered on Christ."

One poster said true worship is about much more than just singing or attending a church service.

"The way I greet my family when I go home from work is an act of worship. The way I talk to my co-workers. The dedication I give to my employer. The passion and inspiration I find in teaching or writing or editing or reading or mowing the lawn or ironing my shirts. ...

"Let's all just focus on God this Sunday. He's a big Guy. I'm sure those who look for him will find him – even if they don't set foot in a church building."

[JeffAtlanta]

There's your problem.

Why? The prophets of the old testament did not consider worship an obligation - they loved it.

While not a prophet, David is another example - his heart longed for the Lord. While in exile and living on the run, I doubt that David made it to organized worship very often, but he was never closer to the Lord.

My point is that worship is not a "job" and if a person considers it as such, then maybe they should rethink their relationship with God.

[A2J]

You may see it as such, but I think altering the worship schedule to accommodate the comfort of men is not such a petty thing, and can be quite the slippery slope.

You're right.

I suppose those damned Christians of the first couple of centuries deserved persecution for meeting in fields, mountain caves, catacombs and the like. After all, they were so "accommodating."

May they burn in hell.

(/sarcasm)

[j_k_l]

"You think the OT prophets didn't attend Temple services? On what do you base this?"

Please show me chapter and verse where a prophet went regularly to the temple? When a prophet showed up in public it was usually bad news for the people in his community. Most prophets lived in seclusion because it was part of the burden of their call. When they spoke, their words were from God so they wisely kept their words few and the connection with other people rare.

“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:23-24

The "where" is never mentioned because it is not important. The condition of the heart of those who worship is what is essential.

[Larry Lucido]

Well, okay, but did he exhort "them" or just rant to his own folks? At least he had other topics to talk about. :-)

And look at me. I guess I can mind my own business too. :-D

[Larry Lucido]

:-)

[A2J]

along with its "bishop"

So, you are Catholic.

[afnamvet]

I'm continually amazed at how much attention people pay to what someone ELSE'S church does. Five churches in the country close on Christmas, and everyone else is in a tizzy. I don't go to any of those churches, and will be at Christmas service. I just don't get it.

I don't either. We will be home Christmas worshiping God with friends and family. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[A2J]

My pastor didn't have nice things to say about closing church on Christmas this past Sunday.

Wait...I thought Christmas was this Sunday.

Sounds to me that your pastor is just taking the opportunity to say that his "church" is better than others.

Why doesn't he just buy some TV/radio time and say it?

[SoothingDave]

You're trying to tell me that OT prophets were "renegades" who didn't obey the Law, and that's why God chose them to deliver his messages?

SD

[khnyny]

"Catholics can criticise these "megachurches" for being closed on Christmas Sunday, because Catholic Churches are never closed on Christmas or Sunday.

Just more opportunity to molest the masses at the masses?"

Sorry to point out the obvious, but if you really loved Jesus (like your tag line says) I think you would try harder to refrain from the bitter, vitriolic comments. It's not clever, and makes you sound like a bigot.

[Sloth]

He went on to note: "Christmas began as a pagan holiday to the Roman gods, and if we were to really celebrate the historical birth of Jesus, it would either be in January or mid-April.

All the more reason NOT to accommodate it.

[j_k_l]

Regardless of where you are this coming Sunday, I sincerely wish you a

Merry Chrismas!!!

[JeffAtlanta]

It's not clever, and makes you sound like a bigot.

It's cool for Catholics to belittle Protestants, but when Protestants point out serious problems in the "Church" then they're bigots?

Like I said before in this thread, "live by the sword, die by the sword" - if you start throwing stones and don't act like an innocent bystander when some get thrown back.

[AmishDude]

At every church I've ever attended, there were Christmas eve services and a Christmas day service. Even if Christmas day fell on a Tuesday. It was usually just one service even if the church regularly had two in the mornings. At my old church in Pittsburgh, there's a 10am service replacing the usual 8:15 and 11:00 Sunday services.

[Larry Lucido]

Nah, "SoothingDave" was the one who suggested that it's okay for one Church to assert superiority over another because of their expanded schedule. A2J just called him on it. Appropriately.

[A2J]

Jesus was also in the Temple on every Sabbath and observed the law.

That's because He was a Jew and had to do so in order to remove any chances of being accused of violating the Law. In other words, He did so so that you and I wouldn't have to.

But remember his words to the woman at the well (John 4)?

Jesus said that a time was coming (i.e., after His resurrection) that "an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father."

News flash: we're in that hour and no longer need to go to a building to worship God, although that's never stopped the Pharisees from saying otherwise.

[Larry Lucido]

Thanks! A blessed Christmas to you and yours, too!

[SoothingDave]

It's cool for Catholics to belittle Protestants, but when Protestants point out serious problems in the "Church" then they're bigots? Like I said before in this thread, "live by the sword, die by the sword" - if you start throwing stones and don't act like an innocent bystander when some get thrown back.

Who belittled Protestants on this thread? Can you point it out to me?

I have criticised these megachurches who have made this decision, and as another pointed out, this is 5 or 6 churches and not a general Protestant position.

So what was said that was so cheap of a shot that it requires making jokes about molestation and criminal priests?

SD

[SoothingDave]

Nah, "SoothingDave" was the one who suggested that it's okay for one Church to assert superiority over another because of their expanded schedule. A2J just called him on it. Appropriately.

I criticsed a perfectly criticisable decision by these megachurches. You think that justifies making molestation jokes and smearing priests?

SD