Posted on 03/19/2008 6:39:55 PM PDT by TonyRo76
Where do rich and famous Christians find their spiritual community? Not at church, according to D. Michael Lindsay, a columnist at USA Today. After five years of interviewing 100 prominent evangelicals including Hollywood celebrities, athletes, business executives, and two presidents, he reports that sixty percent were not regular attendees in a local congregation. They tended instead to meet with other high-level Christians for fellowship in private Bible studies.
Gary LaFerla, whose credentials include being a senior pastor, CEO, published author, and executive coach, has worked with Christian leaders in business and the arts for over 25 years and had a somewhat different experience. Most of the Christian business executives he knows do go to church and interact with believers from different income levels, but many Christian artists are not solid in their church attendance, especially those who perform as Christian artists for religious audiences. They leave for a number of reasons, he said, some because of personal sin, others for involvement in Christian outreach to seekers, be it personal evangelism in private bible studies or domestic and international missions.. “You have to give them a lot of credit,” LaFerla said of the latter.
But one of the biggest reasons he listed for Christian stars’ departure was disillusionment. “They perform in mega-churches, and unfortunately see contradictions behind the pulpit. Others have too many options: too much wealth with too little accountability.”
LaFerla said he and his family are “praying and considering the start [of] a new work among businesspeople outside of the local church,” geared primarily for interested non-Christians and new believers. They’ve attracted some interest, he said; “We’ll see where it goes.”
"scripture doesn’t say we have to be at the local UMC, or whatever each Sunday, we’re just told to get together!"
and
"Our culture has substituted this cultural constuction called 'church' for the biblical 'ecclessia.'"
Thoughts???
I’m not particularly religious so I’m not positive about this, but didn’t Jesus say something about “wherever people meet in my name is a church” or something to that effect?
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As for the article I would imagine that alot of these christian authors or athletes might spend much of the year traveling so maybe they are in different churches from sunday to sunday.
I have struggled with this church issue for years and come to the belief that if a Pastor believes he has a call to minister to Hollywood, he'd better just get himself a “tentmaker’s” job in Hollywood so he knows how tough it is for his congregants.
True Eklesia means called out ones.. not building or organization or even assembly.. The english word church has suffered shape shifting.. from Eklisia.. Where ever two or three congregate there am I in the midst.. The "I" being the Holy Spirit.. If the HS is not there you are probably gossiping..
I agree. The Bible says not to forsake the assembling together, but does not imply how often, and the first church met in homes.
I’ve known it for years. Sorry I didn’t share with you years ago. A good lively Bible Study beats a boring church service by strides.
Pretty much, for all intents & purposes...
Matt. 18:20 actually says "where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."
Dang...you're pretty good for a guy named "satan" ;o)
That is a... charitable perspective.
It is a... realistic perspective for people in Hollywood at least.
Or a baseball player who is a Christian and on the road.
Or a musician who is a Christian touring.
The Sabbath is not about ritual — it is about the reality of people’s lives in Christ.
Yep!
[Jesus] said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. –Mark 2:27
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