Before I left mine they were preaching new agey spiritualism that is essentially Buddhism. They want prayer to be you sitting in silence and clearing your mind to listen to God. They even recommend Christian mantras. Not a surprise, because the program, called "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality" often quotes Thomas Merton who was a communist, turned preist, who became a Buddhist and died at a monastery in Thigh land. Then my pastor was caught plagiarizing word for word YouTube sermons. I guess he got the idea while sitting in silence?
This program revolved around contemplative prayer. I did a deep dive into the sources and they all come from very questionable people like Thomas Merton, a straight up heretic called Phyllis Tickle who said "Jesus isn't the only way" and going way way back to the desert fathers who believed sin itself resides in human bodies and the only way to defeat sin is to harm the body through starvation and self flaggelation. I thank God for giving me the little sense that something was wrong and needed looked in to.
Wow, listening to God, eh? That's a novel idea for a Christian. If ONLY we had some sort of collection of words that we believed were the inspired, inerrant words that God set down for us to listen to and learn from and become more like him with... Some sort of... Blblum, or Bookle, or something.
That's the silliness, we'd watch this video and read this book about contemplative prayer then discuss it, but never read this book or biblium or scriptorium. My favorite thing was that it advocated a Sabbath, but changed the definition of Sabbath. It can be anything like hiking or playing music.
This is why I love my church. We've got two hymns, one right after the opening prayer, and one after the announcements and before the pre-sermon-prayer, but then we get down to business with anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half of deep diving into the scripture. The Meat of the Word. The sunday morning Bible Study (WHICH COVID HAS KILLED, AND I EAGERLY AWAIT THE RESURRECTION OF,) is just about an hour of study and cross reference and understanding everything in the context of the day it happened and its relation to previous, and following, events in the scripture.
They DO have a time for those who love the hymns, after the sunday night prayer meeting, but before the evening service, where people get to pick a favorite and sing. And hey, I get it, it's good not to just study but to praise the Lord. But I'm not a very emotion based man, and I prefer to praise inwardly as I conform to his image and triumph over temptation and adversity.
i attend the Church of the Green Growing Things. i attend daily. i spend a lot of time on my knees, talking to Him, and i find biblical answers in my work. also, i make sure to surround myself with Christian friends outside of my church; (wherever two or more gather in My Name, I am there). i also attend the Church of the Furry Things (that which you do for the least of Mine, you do for Me) as i rescue.
i've never really found a church i was comfortable in, probably bc i'm not a fan of crowds, or the new-age mumbo jumbo that strays from The Word. (see also, pete booty-jug and whatever church he attends).
A litmus test I use for churches today is whether they will say marriage is between a man and woman in their statement of beliefs on their website. It’s not my only measurement tool, but it’s a big sign if they’re silent on it.
So many churches have been bowing to social pressure. Pastors get paid by donations and you need butts in seats to get donations. There are many out there that won't compromise their beliefs but there are so many that will.
Fortunately, most churches record their services and put them on Facebook or Youtube. You can look around and try to find a church that you can rely on for solid messages. I recently watched a few sermons from John Hagee and really enjoyed his preaching. I have no idea where his church is but as long as he's on Youtube it doesn't matter.
Can't wait to drop this truth bomb on my "Christian" friends and relatives who have allowed BLM to brainwash them. I always said many Christians are too gullible (they use forgiveness as an excuse for ignoring the truth about other people's bad behavior) and BLM proved it.
As satirical as it is, it’s not far off. I’ve stopped going to my church after they virtue signaled. Only God can judge me.
Before I left mine they were preaching new agey spiritualism that is essentially Buddhism. They want prayer to be you sitting in silence and clearing your mind to listen to God. They even recommend Christian mantras. Not a surprise, because the program, called "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality" often quotes Thomas Merton who was a communist, turned preist, who became a Buddhist and died at a monastery in Thigh land. Then my pastor was caught plagiarizing word for word YouTube sermons. I guess he got the idea while sitting in silence?
Look up contemplative prayer. People use it to add some extra "spice" to their prayer life. It's as if God isn't enough for them.
This program revolved around contemplative prayer. I did a deep dive into the sources and they all come from very questionable people like Thomas Merton, a straight up heretic called Phyllis Tickle who said "Jesus isn't the only way" and going way way back to the desert fathers who believed sin itself resides in human bodies and the only way to defeat sin is to harm the body through starvation and self flaggelation. I thank God for giving me the little sense that something was wrong and needed looked in to.
BINGO! Here is an article about a leftist city worker that was in the local paper the other day with those exact words:
https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/springfield-author-earns-international-recognition/KEFHML7EPRGBZBS574OJV5TAWE/
Wow, listening to God, eh? That's a novel idea for a Christian. If ONLY we had some sort of collection of words that we believed were the inspired, inerrant words that God set down for us to listen to and learn from and become more like him with... Some sort of... Blblum, or Bookle, or something.
That's the silliness, we'd watch this video and read this book about contemplative prayer then discuss it, but never read this book or biblium or scriptorium. My favorite thing was that it advocated a Sabbath, but changed the definition of Sabbath. It can be anything like hiking or playing music.
This is why I love my church. We've got two hymns, one right after the opening prayer, and one after the announcements and before the pre-sermon-prayer, but then we get down to business with anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half of deep diving into the scripture. The Meat of the Word. The sunday morning Bible Study (WHICH COVID HAS KILLED, AND I EAGERLY AWAIT THE RESURRECTION OF,) is just about an hour of study and cross reference and understanding everything in the context of the day it happened and its relation to previous, and following, events in the scripture.
They DO have a time for those who love the hymns, after the sunday night prayer meeting, but before the evening service, where people get to pick a favorite and sing. And hey, I get it, it's good not to just study but to praise the Lord. But I'm not a very emotion based man, and I prefer to praise inwardly as I conform to his image and triumph over temptation and adversity.
Free Presbyterian. There's not too many of is, in the USA at least. But who knows, maybe you have one close by.
Mm hm. Used to travel two states away every sunday morning to go to church, rofl. It was an interesting childhood.
i attend the Church of the Green Growing Things. i attend daily. i spend a lot of time on my knees, talking to Him, and i find biblical answers in my work. also, i make sure to surround myself with Christian friends outside of my church; (wherever two or more gather in My Name, I am there). i also attend the Church of the Furry Things (that which you do for the least of Mine, you do for Me) as i rescue.
i've never really found a church i was comfortable in, probably bc i'm not a fan of crowds, or the new-age mumbo jumbo that strays from The Word. (see also, pete booty-jug and whatever church he attends).
No, people can judge you, as well. Their authority is a tad lower than Yahweh's, to say the least lol.
What is Satire but the Truth that cannot be said seriously?
A litmus test I use for churches today is whether they will say marriage is between a man and woman in their statement of beliefs on their website. It’s not my only measurement tool, but it’s a big sign if they’re silent on it.
I look for that too. Although before that I look for the name Jesus somewhere on their front page. You'd be surprised how many don't even have that.
At this point, I wouldn't classify Leftist churches as Christian. They preach a different, man-centered gospel.
Most of them are very studiously not preaching a very COVID-centered gospel right now. LOL.
Matthew 6:27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
No faith.
Machen predicted all this with Christianity and Liberalism.
Liberalism is a different religion from Christianity.
Protip: You don't need a church to worship the Lord. You just need an open heart.
So many churches have been bowing to social pressure. Pastors get paid by donations and you need butts in seats to get donations. There are many out there that won't compromise their beliefs but there are so many that will.
Fortunately, most churches record their services and put them on Facebook or Youtube. You can look around and try to find a church that you can rely on for solid messages. I recently watched a few sermons from John Hagee and really enjoyed his preaching. I have no idea where his church is but as long as he's on Youtube it doesn't matter.
Can't wait to drop this truth bomb on my "Christian" friends and relatives who have allowed BLM to brainwash them. I always said many Christians are too gullible (they use forgiveness as an excuse for ignoring the truth about other people's bad behavior) and BLM proved it.