Church attendance in decline

[RdJ]

9 hours ago, D. Adrien said:

Two things:

* The feminization of many churches, where many men just do not have a sense of being welcomed and perhaps it plays into a large number of young men seeking fellowship in the Orthodox Church.

* The never exiting the shallow teachings of the many churches. Never delving into the meat of Christianity, just keeping it shallow and mellow.

Feminization? We always had groups for men so they could talk without their wife talking all the time, but in Holland people don't pay and only huge churches can have a paid male pastor, so what you sometimes get is that the man works and the wife may preach for free.

[Ray12614]

Interesting post . . . and one that is near and dear to my heart. I believe the scriptures concerning being a 'functioning' part of the body of Christ, members in particular, each having giftings and contributions to the local church body as a whole.

However, I have learned since joining Worthy that Church attendance in Worthy forums is about an 50/50 concept with many here who do not assemble by choice. They split hairs seeking an reason 'why' they cannot attend for a multitude of reasons. I used to get very frustrated about this, then after conversing with several key regulars that there is an disconnect between agreeing with the concept of assembling and the actual practice of assembling.

Some (I have learned) try to compensate for their lack of obedience to scriptures by substituting knowledge of scriptures, and attempting to transform themselves into 'arm chair theologians' who are right about every subject brought up in the forums. Many times they are correct and I can learn from them. Yet . . . something seems off and strangely distant when the possibility of meeting and fellowshipping with them during times when I occasionally travel through their local areas. To some extent I understand that we want to keep any relationships 'online and impersonal so we can share our feelings and difficulties anonymously. Still . . . . as Iron sharpens iron we can 'sharpen' each other by hearty counsel and fellowship . . . right?

My heart goes out to those who cannot attend church locally due to health reasons, distance, or transportation issues. Sometimes there just isn't any authentic NT church in their area they live in.

Yet the NT principal to assemble, and the command to not forsake the assembling together remains . . . . May Jesus help all to find their place in their local assemblies.

Grace and Peace to you and yours . . . Ray . . . 

 

[Neighbor]

10 hours ago, D. Adrien said:

The feminization of many churches, where many men just do not have a sense of being welcomed and perhaps it plays into a large number of young men seeking fellowship in the Orthodox Church.

Hi, I am I guess mostly ignorant of these feminized churches. I don't even know what that means. 

As to the orthodox church, are you including or meaning the Greek orthodox church? I ask because I do have association and some limited knowledge of the Bible being brought to the American Greek orthodox churches. That priest who resisted ar now asking for Bibles and are engaging in  more than ritualized  worship  by sharing word by word verse by verse studies of the Bible. If they are growing numerically  perhaps it is because a thirst for the word is being met like it wasn't before .

 I suspect that thirst is there for many outside of Orthodox heritage. That the need can be met, and is being met in at least some if not many churches in several sects or denominations plus at  independent local bodies that gather in modest to large numbers today.

The real need at all being expository preaching/ teaching/sharing of the word of God. That, I believe, the Holy Spirit uses to enhance mightily the joyous experience that is to heed the call by the Spirit to turn about to Yeshua as Lord and to grow or become grown in sanctification as knowledge enabled by the Spirit works the mercy of God over us.

[Dennis1209]

I anticipated this years ago with the advent of gay rights, identification, and identifying one’s self by an abominable sexually immoral act, and more is coming. Convoluting words and meanings:

1. Gay ~ Merry; airy; jovial; sportive; frolick-some. It denotes more life and animation than cheerful.

Belinda smiled, and all the world was gay.       Pope.

2. Fine; showy; as a gay dress.

3. Inflamed or merry with liquor; intoxicated; a vulgar use of the word in America.^[1]

There is more on the horizon popping its evil head up in addition to gender identity, sex change, mandatory pronouns, legal rights, and protected classes. Hate speech laws and the Bible as hate speech are surfacing. As was mentioned, there is a demonic push for animal identification. Who would have ever thought this would happen in the not-too-distant past?

Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Animal identification is leading towards the acceptance and legalization of bestiality, as plain as day. How much eviler will the world get before Christ’s return?

Homosexual and pedophile clergy are not the exception these days, but they are becoming the norm. The RCC is a den of them, and those Protestant denominations that have gone back under the umbrella of the RCC are not far behind. Is it a stretch of the imagination to foresee a day soon when a clergyman stands behind the pulpit to introduce his or her new wife, an eighty-pound German Shepard dog?

The preceding was undoubtedly not discussed around the dinner table when I was growing up.

 

 

---

^[1] Webster, Noah. Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language., Foundation for American Christian Education, 2006.

[D. Adrien]

55 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

As to the orthodox church, are you including or meaning the Greek orthodox church?

Probably. I was viewing a YT video posted by an Orthodox Priest conversing on a survey he conducted on his facebook page. None of his peers know why the surge in seekers, but he did mention that they are also losing long time attendees as well. Nevertheless, many of the Churches participating in his survey have said that there is a need to increase the size of the parking lots and to try and accommodate the increase in attendance. Most of those responding were located in North America.

[warrior12]

2 hours ago, luigi said:

The reason why a lot of people (especially younger people) are leaving numerous religious denominations, is the hypocrisy they find in them, where a way of living is preached, but another is lived.

That maybe true, but there is much more to it than stated.   Ask the question, who is the ruler or God of this world, did not the bible say Satan is 2 Corinthians 4:4.  People don't see the physical aspects of Satan, but his works are to disguise, presents evil as good and the rest that denotes him.  Clever indeed.  Why go to church, when you can get all the creature comforts at the tip of your finger, right from the couch. The hospital and the marvel of modern medical wonders can prolong the life of men, so they are blinded to the truth of scripture until tragedy strikes and then still the hearts are harden to many.

The last couple of decades has produced periods of calm and prosperity, that has put many to sleep and trust in man's ability to solve many of our physical needs.   

Mystery  Babylon the great, the mother of abominations is captivating minds with sensuality and seduction.  Seducing spirits are very powerful and has great strongholds on the minds of men. Its' a yoke that has to be broken and then the blindfold is removed to see the truths of the gospel.  

[RdJ]

12 hours ago, D. Adrien said:

 

* The never exiting the shallow teachings of the many churches. Never delving into the meat of Christianity, just keeping it shallow and mellow.

If people refuse to pay they shouldn't whine. If a restaurant is free it's a soup kitchen. Not some culinary stuff. I went to a church in my city. A woman whined that they started 5 mins too late. Guy said: Hold your horses. We all work for free here. The preachings, sometimes great when a good preacher preached, but he almost never preached. Next week sister so and so came babble about mothers day and the next week some guy talked about sex. I dont blame them. It has to be cheap or for free. Then this is what you get.

[Know Jah]

also Jesus said the love of the greater number would cool off. Also people see the hypocrisy in many religions

[Know Jah]

I think really should be one church. If there is only one God, there should be only one faith/belief. However today there are thousands of differing beliefs.

[existential mabel]

6 hours ago, RV_Wizard said:

The United Methodist Church recently voted overwhelmingly to welcome practicing homosexuals not only into the churches, but to the pulpit.  While church is the proper place for sinners to go and gain the strength to repent from their sin, the pulpit is absolutely NOT the place for sinners to go and lead others.  Moreover, how does ANY church turn a blind eye to sin and pretend to teach the word of God?  The homosexual agenda is being forced into our society at all levels.  Our surgeon general can't even define what a woman is.  Political leaders are claiming there are multiple genders.  Schools teach that you can be anything you want to be; including a cat.

False doctrine is everywhere; even here in this forum.  The Bible, Genesis in particular, has been marginalized and called a record of myths by professing Christians.  Even though the Bible is available in so many forms even the illiterate can listen to it and learn from it, only 59% of Americans now read it at all.  How can we, as Christians, resist false doctrine if we don't know the truth?

the Methodist Church ...oh boy i did attend for a short while and then they announced that they were going to do gay weddings ...suffice it to say i left...not mentioned if they will recruit gay pastors...i did have a chat with the minister ...who couldnt see what was wrong...she has tried to get me back but i think what about communion and the church that accepts, to put it bluntly, sodomy.

where does that put Christians who hold to the faith? when sin is being dismissed...where can a Christian go for spiritual guidance are my thoughts regarding this.