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Stained glass idols

Have Church Buildings become more important then the poeple in them?

  • Yes

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  • I have not given it much thought, can't say just now

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  • Total voters
    2

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Henry

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there is a larger Church in our area, that boast of the good works they do. I know a lady who was a member of that Church, who got hurt and could not work. When she went and saked for some of this help they bragged about, she was patted on the head and told "We'll be praying for you".

I called and after a few weeks finally got the secratary of the person who is in charge of the helps funds. In short I was told they just didn't have the money to help people, and were very restrictive about who they would help. Which as it turns out means they help those who work at the church only.

Well, this same Church just built a buidling, one of FIVE in the campus. Each a full Church in itself, that mostly stand empty. Which cost $3.5 Million dollars ! How do I know that? That pastor bragged about it, and how great God was to provide the money.

so lets do the math, need a building BAMMMM $3.5 Million dollars all the sudden manefest itself. But a little old lady needs her rent paid, well there just isn't money for that?

Hmmm, and the power bill at this place is several thousand dollars every month. But still, nothing for helping people.

This is the problem with "Church" it has become a PLACE and not people, the same people that say WE are the Church, then turn around and putr their money in a PLACE and not in a WHO.

When you put the PLACE above the WHO that makes the PLACE a god, and traditional Churches have become idols.

I think that Jesus would say to this man who would let a only lady go to the street "sell all that YOU have built and give it to the poor"

And he would be just like the rich man, and say no.
 
Henry said:
I think that Jesus would say to this man who would let a only lady go to the street "sell all that YOU have built and give it to the poor"

Very true observations, Henry. I have had the same thoughts myself. The church today (around the world), is in a very sad state indeed. Too many churches are vain, plain and simple. They care more about their building than they do about people. They'd rather have stain glass windows, than a shelter for the homeless.

There is a church in my city (I was so pleased when I found out), they don't have their own building, so they rent the gymnasium of a local highschool for their Sunday meetings. I wondered (with 400 members) why they hadn't started building their own church yet. Well, ti turns out that they are builidng a Crisis Pregnancy Center right now! How wonderful is that?! This is the way it should be!!!! Rather than build themselves a fancy building to meet in (rather than a school gym), they are spending their money on building a fully staffed crisis pregnancy center! Such a better way to spend God's money!!! :)
 
Henry said:
there is a larger Church in our area, that boast of the good works they do. I know a lady who was a member of that Church, who got hurt and could not work. When she went and saked for some of this help they bragged about, she was patted on the head and told "We'll be praying for you".

I called and after a few weeks finally got the secratary of the person who is in charge of the helps funds. In short I was told they just didn't have the money to help people, and were very restrictive about who they would help. Which as it turns out means they help those who work at the church only.

Hello Henry,


:biggrin

See, there is a benefit to large churches.... they help there own workers.



Seriously, maybe the debt on the 3.5 million dollar structure is siphoning off all the funds received?


And... just as we will be known my our fruit, churches are know by their "fruit" also... they may boast all they want, but the "fruit" is more actual evidence of the good works of the church.

~serapha~
 
As I have said, The idea that a church is a building of bricks and mortar is a heresy!
 
Blue

There is certainly a reason that we do not find the early church building churches, they knew better then we do today that WE are the Church, they had a much better understanding of that idea.

And not being strapped to a placel left them open to doing the work of God which is helping poeple.\



serapha

You are deffending an instatution not the Church.


See, there is a benefit to large churches.... they help there own workers.

They ONLY help their own worker, not even the years long member can receive help after so many years if paying tithes. This is not a benefit nor is it biblical, you find for me the scripture that teachers we as a Church are called to help only those who serve in the BUILDING.

You see that is the whole problem, this group will help those who are serving the god they realy worship, the building they meet in.

Seriously, maybe the debt on the 3.5 million dollar structure is siphoning off all the funds received?

Who said there was debt? NO, the pastor called on people to give BIG money and they did, one man donated $100,000 !! But at the same time he is asking for large sums of money for this building, he say "give us your pocket change we use that for helps funds" While they collected sveral $100,000 for the building in a service, they collected JUST $1,000 for helps.

That is a sad state of the heart of the church, and clear example of what they are really worhsiping.


And... just as we will be known my our fruit, churches are know by their "fruit" also... they may boast all they want, but the "fruit" is more actual evidence of the good works of the church.

You are right, and the fruit of this church are hurt, rejected brothers and sisters. That were rejected being told they did not have the money, and then see a multi million dollar building go up.

evanman

I agree with you.
 
A building is just a tool. Like any other tool it can be used or misused. There are congregations in multi million dollar facilities that are changeing the world. The purpose of the church is not to feed the needy. That is one part of ministry, but from what I see in scripture, the things being said here are more common to the words of Judas than those of Jesus. Maybe we should look at how nice our houses and cars are also. We recently had 31 people leave our church over an issue like this. Strange thing is that the giving stayed the same. Appearently their issue was more about greed than grace.
 
Most of the churches I go too are small,,,some are the Little church in the Dell type. Not here anyway but when I hear of places like the "Crystal Cathedral" I do think so.....I think they set more store by thier churches than the people inside..so maybe but I haven't thought enough about it.
 
IndianaEnoch

The purpose of the church is not to feed the needy.

Perhaps you should re read Matt 25:31-46

And still the fact remains that the NT Church met in small groups in homes, the building did not come untill 300 years later. Only then becuase of the Roman influences on the Church at that time.

Nost sure what the point is that you are trying to make in saying that the giving stayed the same after several poeple left. Do know that Mormons are very wealthy and give much to the Church, well the mormon Church is wealthy. Do not judge Gods intentions based on money, lest every wealthy cult would be justified as well.

Eve

I have some home work for you, perhaps you will get this concept. Read very carefully the 14th chapter of 1 Cor. Pay close attention to the instructions that Paul is giving to the Church in the way we should conduct a meeting and also note at the end of that chapter that Paul makes a point to say that these instructions are from the Lord.

Then after carefull and honest concideration, try to apply those instructions to the typical traditional Church that we see today.
 
Thank you Henry but I am quite familiar with the subject on speaking in tongues in chruch...I don't go to chruch..I visit diffrent churches with the singing group I belong too...I go for music concerts..I go for charity events...I go for festivals..I go for dinner on the ground....but I do not belong to any particular church...I have Ménières syndrome so I am limited to where I can go and what I can do...

I keep saying this over and over and you keep missing it....
 
Eve777

Speaking in tonges in church ?? Who said anything about that ?? There is much more to that chapter then mere tongues, actually what I am refering to is after that bit about tongues.

And if you do or do not attend Church means nothing. We are not talking about what you do, we are talking about the instructions that Paul gave to us, and the question was can a larger traditional church follow those instructions or not?
 
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