End Times and Current Events

General Category => Fellowship => Topic started by: FervorForFaith on November 16, 2014, 03:35:56 pm



Title: Attending a Church Building
Post by: FervorForFaith on November 16, 2014, 03:35:56 pm
Hey everyone, not sure if this goes here. If it goes somewhere else, please move it to the right location (sorry in advance!) Ultimately, I'm looking for advice.

My wife and I have been going to a non-501c3 IFB church building for the past two years now. They have some major issues (immodest dress by some women, one-man pastor system, "take back America"/Tea Party Republicanism [and subsequently 'Obama is Hitler 2.0 and the Antichrist'], correcting the Bible with "the Greek" from the pulpit, Christ's Mass and Easter, looking down on non-tithers, unnecessary contentiousness, etc. It's quite a list!) but there are a handful of genuinely saved people there that my wife and I like to fellowship with, so we keep going.

I had a stomach illness last Sunday, so we didn't go last week. This week, my wife and I took our two young sons (one is almost 2, the other was just born in September - one reason why I've taken a break from making videos ;)) and went today, first for the morning Bible study and then for the sermon. My wife had a VERY uneasy feeling about today, and I started to feel it as it went on, too.

1) They were having a Thanksgiving dinner after the service, so there were a lot more people there than there normally is (free food will do that).
2) John McTernan was doing a guest sermon today, so again, there were more people there than normal.

But what astonished me the most is that when we walked into the sanctuary, next to the pulpit was a nice, big, flatscreen TV on the wall. It has never been there before today, so it gave me a bit of a shock. They used it for the sermon today and it wasn't anything crazy (they put up the Bible verses he quoted and showed some applicable pictures, etc.), but just the fact that they now have [what looks like] a 50" telescreen in the sanctuary gave me chills. We left before the sermon was even over, and everyone just kind of looked at us like we were nuts or something.

On the car ride back, we honestly started questioning whether we wanted to continue going. It's just things are starting to pile up with this place that it's harder and harder to justify going. And this is a pretty well-known non-501c3 IFB pastor, he has a radio program that plays on two different radio stations in the area, and is the pastor of two church buildings, as well. So really what I wanted to know, from some fellow brothers in Christ, is:

1) Do you think we over-reacted to abruptly leave like we did?
2) Do you think we should stop going all together?

Thank you all and may the Lord Jesus Christ richly bless you!


Title: Re: Attending a Church Building
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 16, 2014, 08:20:13 pm
bro FFF - first off, are you sure this is a non-501c3 church? The reason why I'm asking is b/c if you haven't yet, go to the Ohio Secretary of State web site, and look up to see if your church's name on it.(it's a 501c3 if they file articles of incorporation with their respective state)
http://www2.sos.state.oh.us/pls/bsqry/f?p=100:1:0:::::

With that being said - I can empathize with you - I know we are supposed to separate from these apostates, but it is easier said than done doing so. I know scripture says to FLEE, but again it's easier said than done. But with the events unfolding as you describe - I believe this IS THE perfect time to flee!

I will say this - Praise our Lord Jesus Christ that he's given you and your wife alot of discernment over what's going on. It's just sad to see that alot of (professing)Christians just don't see the signs written on the walls all over the place.

Alot of what you're seeing is what I see at the "church" I go to too - but the difference being that the one I attend is a reprobate SBC one that's a 501c3, preaches out of these other perversions, is slowly making a transition to CCM, does Richard Foster-type "studies", etc.

You should be thankful over what the Lord is showing what is around you - yeah, this church bringing in some big screen tv is a big red flag(and the timing of it).

As for that pastor - if this isn't a 501c3 church, wouldn't surprise me if he's Jesuit-trained - looks like he's being taken care of(financially that is) very well. And he's a pastor of TWO church buildings? Honestly, doesn't sound like he puts feeding the flock THE priority. Through my experiences - I've had pastors that would do other activities OUTSIDE of their churches during the week - ultimately, they didn't care about their flock.


Title: Re: Attending a Church Building
Post by: Christian40 on November 17, 2014, 02:51:45 am

On the car ride back, we honestly started questioning whether we wanted to continue going. It's just things are starting to pile up with this place that it's harder and harder to justify going. And this is a pretty well-known non-501c3 IFB pastor, he has a radio program that plays on two different radio stations in the area, and is the pastor of two church buildings, as well. So really what I wanted to know, from some fellow brothers in Christ, is:

1) Do you think we over-reacted to abruptly leave like we did?
2) Do you think we should stop going all together?

Thank you all and may the Lord Jesus Christ richly bless you!

To be honest

1) It is your right to leave if you want to no problem with me

2)
Quote
They have some major issues (immodest dress by some women, one-man pastor system, "take back America"/Tea Party Republicanism [and subsequently 'Obama is Hitler 2.0 and the Antichrist'], correcting the Bible with "the Greek" from the pulpit, Christ's Mass and Easter, looking down on non-tithers, unnecessary contentiousness, etc.

Well something isn't right here, not telling you what to do but i find all that stuff irritating and then vexing i would leave perhaps a house church would be better.


Title: Re: Attending a Church Building
Post by: FervorForFaith on November 18, 2014, 09:52:16 pm
bro FFF - first off, are you sure this is a non-501c3 church? The reason why I'm asking is b/c if you haven't yet, go to the Ohio Secretary of State web site, and look up to see if your church's name on it.(it's a 501c3 if they file articles of incorporation with their respective state)
http://www2.sos.state.oh.us/pls/bsqry/f?p=100:1:0:::::

Thanks for that link. I found out that it used to be incorporated back in 1988, but it was cancelled in 1998. There's no other record of it.

Quote
With that being said - I can empathize with you - I know we are supposed to separate from these apostates, but it is easier said than done doing so. I know scripture says to FLEE, but again it's easier said than done. But with the events unfolding as you describe - I believe this IS THE perfect time to flee!

Yeah, we've decided to stop going. Even though it's non-501c3, it's still getting too leavened.

Quote
I will say this - Praise our Lord Jesus Christ that he's given you and your wife alot of discernment over what's going on. It's just sad to see that alot of (professing)Christians just don't see the signs written on the walls all over the place.

Alot of what you're seeing is what I see at the "church" I go to too - but the difference being that the one I attend is a reprobate SBC one that's a 501c3, preaches out of these other perversions, is slowly making a transition to CCM, does Richard Foster-type "studies", etc.

You should be thankful over what the Lord is showing what is around you - yeah, this church bringing in some big screen tv is a big red flag(and the timing of it).

Yeah, it's worrisome that people don't see a problem with it. It's like, they see the Rick Warren stuff and recognize it, but they refuse to see hypocrisy or compromise in their own backyard!

Absolutely! I hope I never take for granted what the Lord has done for me and what I know now because of Him. I've learned so much more from studying the Bible on my own than I ever learned at the church building.

Quote
As for that pastor - if this isn't a 501c3 church, wouldn't surprise me if he's Jesuit-trained - looks like he's being taken care of(financially that is) very well. And he's a pastor of TWO church buildings? Honestly, doesn't sound like he puts feeding the flock THE priority. Through my experiences - I've had pastors that would do other activities OUTSIDE of their churches during the week - ultimately, they didn't care about their flock.

I don't know about that. I could be wrong, but I don't think he's a Jesuit. What bothers me is that he purposely avoids certain topics that his biggest tithers don't want to hear about. One woman (who gives a lot) said that if he preaches on modesty (women wear skirts/dresses, men wear pants, etc.) she'll stop going (meaning her tithes and offerings will stop coming, too). So he won't preach on it. My wife feels very strongly on the issue, and he's actually tried to get HER to talk to the other women about it!

Yeah, he pastors two buildings in two different cities.


Title: Re: Attending a Church Building
Post by: tennis shoe on November 19, 2014, 11:40:26 am
What bothers me is that he purposely avoids certain topics that his biggest tithers don't want to hear about. One woman (who gives a lot) said that if he preaches on modesty (women wear skirts/dresses, men wear pants, etc.) she'll stop going (meaning her tithes and offerings will stop coming, too). So he won't preach on it. My wife feels very strongly on the issue, and he's actually tried to get HER to talk to the other women about it!

Jesus didn’t stifle His words because of money. Unfortunately, too many churches have bowed down to this lesser god of lucre.

Years ago, when I visited England, I saw very old churches with purchased pews. Several pews had a little door on them with a family name inscribed.

I see that nothing has really changed since then.


Title: Re: Attending a Church Building
Post by: Mark on July 05, 2016, 09:03:51 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lglUi9mF3PY