Even the lyricists have a heartbeat on why people don't seek divine counsel anymore.

Sing it Bob....

Well, I admire their enthusiasm. I know the ONE passage of scripture they rely on in order to explain/justify their rather strange practices. I won't go into why I think they are more than a little misdirected though.
However, when I see any church whose congregation has no young people in it I can be fairly certain there is some sort of problem in that church.

Back to the original purpose of this thread and the movie trailers; Where is the movie available that was being promoted by the trailers? Did I miss a link to it?

The movie is two plus hours... I think Youtube would have all of it in segments for free to watch?

Anyway, here's the 1st hour...

A guy in front of me in church this past Sunday was busy sipping on a cup of coffee and checking his phone when he wasn't busy looking around. That was during the service. It's quite likely he isn't a believer and that casual approach to the things of God is common today. It irritated me but it gave me the opportunity to pray for him.

I don't doubt that if you quizzed most pastors they'd say they estimate less than half of their attendees truly know the Lord, or are known of Him. That might be being generous.

LOL

When the rattlers and the cyanide come out, RUN!!!

Soren Kierkegaard (early 1880's), Danish theologian and philosopher (and some call the father of existentialism = subjective truth, and a individualistic breaking away from the objective of the world) might have chipped it very close to the green when he said:
"The great reason that people now do not turn to the God of the Bible is no longer intellectual; it is because they refuse to bow their knees before the Living God."

Blessings,
Mark

I believe that the church enrollment decline has much to do with the church's themselves. In some churches they appear to pick everybody and anybody in there desperate search for pastors.How many times have I had to sit through an off base boring sermon? I remember being forced to attend communicant classes and then having to stand before the entire church and "confess" my beliefs and become a member. Even though I was really to young to really know. It was the "right thing to do".
I remember other churches that prohibited dancing or fishing on a sunday, and all of the Catholic kids could not eat meat on friday and that church preaching that your parents were not married in the Catholic church they really were not married. Meanwhile how many priests were sexually molesting young boys?Being called a "Black Protestant".
In one church I attend they routinely keep moving ministers around.
These days a number of churches have opted into or considering allowing gay marriages or ordaining gay pastors.
I'm a member of the Free and Accepted Masons which are looked down upon by the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutherans.
Remember how the Vatican played footsies with the Nazis during WWII? How about the religous divide between northern and southern Ireland?
I consider myself a Christian but the above mentioned things have sure left a sour taste in my mouth.

The cool thing about God, he allows some people to believe he is good and wants prosperity and healing and good things. You know, if a kid asks his dad for a loaf of bread only an evil father will provide him with a snake.

And he allows others to believe God gives them cancer to teach them a lesson and that he takes young kids from their parents because he needs a rose on the mantle of heaven.

I can choose to believe the bible and there is nothing anyone can say that will dissuade my beliefs.

(allows = freedom of will)


Ain’t it cool.

Thus the theme of this post Fisher Man.
There's never been a perfect believer and there will never be a perfect church until Christ returns a 2nd time, but the traditional Apostolic Marks and Works of an orthodox Christian Church have drifted widely (as they had 500 years ago the Reformers would argue) and that's always the way us sinful humans operate. We tend to run to the opposite end of the ship of anyone we don't agree with. I'm not as guilty of that as I once was, but I'm still guilty at times.

Like the truthful lyrics.
Prone to wander (us).... Amazing Grace (God).

Glad the trumpet hasn't sounded quite yet.
Still more time for God to gather.

Blessings,
Mark

I was raised a catholic and went to catholic school for 7 years. My kids went to the same school and church for 5 years. My biggest problem with the church was that over the years it seemed like the rules and teachings were always changing to keep the membership happy. I believe that a religion is a religion and it should be taught one way no matter what you believe in and that's it. I praise those of you that do not bend the rules and have full faith in your religion.

There is a big difference between going to church and being a christian.

Don’t allow men to destroy your belief in Jesus.

Mark, was Smyrna a "perfect" church in Revelation 2:9? I know they were warned of persecution, but I can't find any criticism of the church.

I'll try again, though I'm losing hope of getting an answer.

Why do Christians display so much rancor and venom against homosexuals, while welcoming adulterers and drunks into their churches?

The adulterers are the people who remarried except for adultery by a former spouse. Never saw a pastor eject or criticize them, though I expect a gay couple holding hands in church would receive a different kind of welcome.

Danny, I'll bet you ten bucks I don't get a straight answer.

Jim

I'll give you a straight answer. They are both lumped in the same, James. Neither one of them are ok with God but man choses to react to one and not the other because the unnatural course of two genders of the same together. Neither are in God's favor unless they change their ways and live their lives according God's standards.

Because the purpose of Christianity is to spread the Gospel and turn hearts to God. Not to judge as if we are God ourselves. I don't know how to make it any straighter for you. I don't think Christians display any extra venom towards homosexuals or any other sinners. We welcome anyone into our church, not just those who fit a certain criteria. It is our job to show those people the love of God, not to judge them and turn them away as if we are God ourselves. If I ever see someone turned away from the doors of our church it will be the last day I attend. I'm not condoning the sin of any group, and I'm not saying homosexuals should be ordained, I am simply saying it is our job to present the Gospel to these people and pray for them to be forgiven of their sins.

Your example isn't accurate. If someone came into church toting a bottle of everclear they would receive the same reaction as homosexuals holding hands. If someone came into church and stole another mans wife they would receive the same reaction as homosexuals holding hands. When Jack down the road has too many beers on Saturday night and comes into church on Sunday and gets down on his knees and asks for forgiveness, that's Christianity. Picking up the pieces of the most broken and putting them together for the Kingdom of God, that's Christianity. Using the LEAST likely of people to rise up and spread the Gospel, that's Christianity. Forgiveness because Jesus Christ died for our sins (that even includes you James). Your view of God only accepting the most holy is wildly inaccurate. That was the whole reason Jesus was sent to die for our sins. Not so we could all be perfect, but that we could be redeemed.

spot on!

James, your question should use the word "some" or a "few". Most Christian churches now even allow openly gay pastors and some have since the seventies. Christians are a widely disparate group of people, who even have widely disparate thoughts about Jesus.

The United Church of Christ, a mainline Protestant denomination with about 1.3 million members, has allowed gay clergy since 1972, gays since 1959 and practiced gay marriage since 2005.

https://www.hrc.org/resources/stances-of-faiths-on-lgbt-issues-united-church-of-christ

Most people, who are Christians, belong to this long list of churches that accept LGBTQ's now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations_affirming_LGBT_people

Times have changed. There are only a relative few of the old hate the gays, but pretend to only hate the sin, Christian churches left.

Keith

Pay the legal fund Jim. Thank you for supporting trapping!
Well actually, to example how this works.... I will pay your $10. To who and where do I send it for Jim? A gift he has not merited. I'll cover you.

Orthodox churches would teach and possibly discipline the sin, while embracing the sinner (everyone).
You're confusing legalism (Old Testament Rules and Regs meant to turn Israel's heart to YHWH) with the New Covenant (Testament) of Jesus.
Faith though Christ only.

Toss the legalism. It's heresy.
Ain't nothing we can do but thank God for Grace.
No need to despise the sinner in the pew next to you unless you yourself hold on to legalism, condemned by Jesus, and may still coming to grips with the grandeur of God's gift of Grace to those who never merited any of it.

Blessings,
Mark

Mark, would you preach in a church that had a gay couple holding hands in the front row?

Jim