OK…Here’s a reason not to go to church

Posted on December 21, 2009 by theoldadam

 

By Graham Smith
Last updated at 3:01 PM on 21st December 2009   Seattle Cops James Pitts and David Toner Pwned After Trying to Take Photographer's Camera by Thomas Hawk

 
 A clergyman has been criticised as ‘highly irresponsible’ after advising his congregation to shoplift following his Nativity sermon.

Father Tim Jones, 41, broke off from his traditional annual sermon yesterday to tell his flock that stealing from large chains is sometimes the best option for vulnerable people.

It is far better for people desperate during the recession to shoplift than turn to ‘prostitution, mugging or burglary’, he said.

The married father-of-two insisted his unusual advice did not break the Bible commandment ‘Thou shalt not steal’ – because God’s love for the poor outweighs his love for the rich.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1237470/Priest-outrages-police-telling-congregation-My-advice-shoplift.html#ixzz0aKuuGuVv

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What in  Heaven’s name is happening ?

My own church body (the ELCA) promotes fornication and homosexuality, so I’m not just pointing the finger at others.

I think a high up muckety muck in the Anglican Church just gave a nifty talk the other day extolling the virtues of the Taliban, for cryin’ out loud.

All I can say is , “Come Lord Jesus, come.”

PS- I know there are plenty of good pastors and churches out there. I am blessed to be in a faithful congregation with a faithful pastor.

Lord, please lead people to churches that are faithful to your Word.

 

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Why go to church?

Posted on December 20, 2009 by theoldadam

  Make worship of God into something that you are comfortable with.Mother's Day by Spencer Finnley

Stay home on Sunday. You don’t need to go meet with a congregation to worship God, do you?  Enjoy some needed and well deserved down time with your family.

Teach your kids what really is important in life…the family. It’s more important than anything else, right?  It’s so important that many churches do not even gather on Christmas day.

Church pews, and stained glass,  pastors , and Sacraments…isn’t all that stuff  just “religion”?

So relax. Do it your way. Get comfortable.

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I think this is exactly what the devil would say, and is saying.

 

 

What do you think?

Filed under: Why go to church?, Worship | 11 Comments »

Off to be killed…

Posted on August 16, 2009 by theoldadam

…and then raised again.Be More Human / Mehr Mensch Sein by an untrained eye

Not going to receive any special instructions. Not going to find out any secrets for spiritual living.

Not going to get prodded with the stick of how I should be feeding the poor and helping the sick, and visiting the lonely…(all of which I should be doing).

I am going to receive the Word of God. I am going to (by the grace of God) receive from Him His law, in order to kill me off yet once again to my little ‘No  thank you God I can do it myself ‘ project. And then recieve from Him His promise of life, the forgiveness of my sins, my salvation…in the gospel, and in the body and blood of our Dear Lord who has poured out Himself for me (us)…which is pure gospel (no law).

This is a picture of baptism, by the way.

Death and Resurrection.  Repentance and Forgiveness.  Dying and Rising.

 

Isn’t that enough?

 

Filed under: Baptism, Dying to Self, Holy Communion, Repentance, The Gospel, The Law, The Sovereignty of God, The Word, Why go to church? | 3 Comments »

The 3 H Club

Posted on December 8, 2008 by theoldadam

We’ve all heard of 4H, the clubs that help kids learn good citizenship and life skills with an agriculturally based program…well, how about a 3H Club?

 Health, Happiness, and Holiness…the three H’s.  This seems to bsummit1.grchicken.JPG by Farm and Dairye the focus of many churches in America.

Is there anything wrong with those things? Is it the chruch’s job to get them for you, or teach you how to get them?

Filed under: The Church and the Word, The point of it all, Why go to church? | 4 Comments »

Take a leap of faith…

Posted on August 29, 2008 by theoldadam

What is stopping you?

You have felt that warm tug on your heart-strings and you know that someo Flying Leapne is calling you. The Lord Jesus is saying to you the exact same thing He said to Abraham and Sarah, to Moses, to David, to Paul.

  He is telling you that right now you are on a path that is leading you to the graveyard and that very soon you will succumb to the forces that rule this world. You will die. All of your plans, all of your work, all of your hopes and dreams in this world, and you yourself, will be lowered down to the bottom of a grave.

Yes, He is telling you that. But He is telling you something far more important. He is telling you that He loves you and forgives you all your sins. He is telling you that He is right there with you as you suffer in this life on the way to the grave. He is telling you that He suffered and died…FOR YOU…and that He will embrace your lifeless body, lift it up to Himself and breathe into it new life. He will breathe into it eternal life, undefiled life, a life unto Himself where there will be no more suffering or death. He gives to you a life of unimaginable joy and perfect peace in service to the One who IS LIFE and who creates all things.

The Lord Jesus loves you so much that He gives you a peek at your future ahead of time. He gathers you together with others whom He has called. He gathers you that you might be comforted in the love of His family. He gathers you so that you might hear Him speak to you in His Word of promise from the mouth of a preacher, and the words of His holy scriptures. He gathers you that you would partake of Him and become one with Him in baptism and holy communion. 

The Lord Jesus has taken a flying leap across a span so immense, a chasm so wide, from His righteousness to our sinfulness, that we cannot comprehend it. But yet He has done this for us solely out of His great love and mercy for sinners.

So why don’t you take a flying leap?  Well,  Jesus Christ has taken the leap for you and there is actually nothing that you have to add to that…nothing at all. But He would love for you to speak to those who have not yet heard of His great love. He would love for you to gather in worship to Him and to comfort and support others in His family. He would love for you to be there on Sunday (or whenever) so that when others come to hear, that the doors will be open and they won’t be there all alone.

 Why don’t you take the leap? What is it that is keeping you on your own?

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