Willow Creek Community Church, one of the largest churches in the Chicago area, will be closed on Sunday, Dec. 25--because it's Christmas.
Although thousands of the faithful usually flock to the South Barrington church and its satellites on Sundays, Willow Creek is joining several other evangelical megachurches across the nation in choosing not to worship as a congregation on Christmas Day.
Instead, they will urge members to focus on family at home, rather than filling the pews.
"At first glance it does sound contrarian," said Rev. Gene Appel, senior pastor of Willow Creek. "We don't see it as not having church on Christmas. We see it as decentralizing the church on Christmas--hundreds of thousands of experiences going on around Christmas trees. The best way to honor the birth of Jesus is for families to have a more personal experience on that day."...
A hypocrite is someone who says that they do not believe in something and then they do the thing that they do not believe in. Well I am not a hypocrite because I say that there are unscriptural parts to the Mass and I really do not participate in the unscriptural parts to the Mass.
If when everybody passes away and Christ will not require of them that they had belonged to a particular visible earthly church in order to gain entrance into Heaven then it does not matter to Christ that someone who has received Him as their Savior continues to attend the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church or one of the Mainline Protestant Churches. Christ will only require of everybody when they pass away that they had been joined to the invisible church by receiving Him as their Savior in order to gain entrance into Heaven.
Well the entire Mass is not unscriptural. There are scriptural parts to the Mass like the Apostles and Nicene Creeds, Penitential Rite, readings from the Bible, the Lord's Prayer, the Eucharistic Prayer(Except for the mentioning about the Mass being a sacrifice and the mentioning of the intercession of the Virgin Mary and the Saints) that has the words that Christ used at the Last Supper and prayers to Jesus. So quit stating that the entire Mass is unscriptural when that is totally illogical.
I do not participate in the unscriptural parts to the Mass and I only participate in the scriptural parts to the Mass.
I know that there are some heresies in the Roman Catholic Church and that is why I dispense with the unscriptural RCC doctrines and do not participate in the unscriptural parts to the Mass.
I know that the Council of Trent and the Catechism states that all RC's have to believe all RCC doctrine or else they are anathema. Well guess what? I do not care that I would be considered anathema. I am not considered anathema officially because the Priest of the local Roman Catholic Church that I attend does not know what my true beliefs are and that I do not believe all RCC doctrine.
"What about the people who do not have families or their families live far away and they have not been invited to spend time with anybody? Their only interaction with a person might just be at that chuch service."
SADLY, PEOPLE GET SO CAUGHT UP IN THEIR OWN LIVES THEY FORGET THAT OTHERS MAY NOT BE LEADING THE PRIVILEGED TYPE OF LIFE THEY THEMSELVES ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE.
After reading this article I am reminded of this quote. I don't know wrote it but it seems applicable.
"Christianity began as a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. When it went to Athens, it became a philosophy. When it went to Rome, it became an organization. When it went to Europe, it became a culture. When it came to America... it became a business."
I wonder what churches in my home state will be closed ,alot of the dead demonimations usually are and some of them close for Superbowl (football)=idolatry, so this is just another excuse for a carnal worldly pastor to get lazy.
I really didn't intend to deviate from the topic of the thread, but here is my response to your statement: First of all, I was talking about Roman Catholic doctrine in general. Number two--my response was not addressed to anyone in particular. Why do you always get on the "defensive" when anything about the RCC is mentioned? Could it be that you are under conviction to get out of the RCC and are trying to justify your being there by saying that the Mass is not entirely unscriptural? Have you ever read the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent or Vatican II? All of these documents are "man made" and unscriptural. There is NO part of the Mass that is scriptural--you cannot pick and choose which parts are and are not scriptural---it's like the Bible--it is either the Word of God or it isn't--
You say "Who cares what the Council of Trent and the Catechism states that if anybody does not believe that the bread and wine are the actual flesh and blood of Christ then they are anathema?" Well, Mr. John Yurich, I care--that's why I and alot of others on many of these threads are trying to get you to see the heresy of Roman Catholic Church.
Does not matter whether you believe the lies of the Catholic church or not.
If you don't believe the lies and you still go, then you are being hypocritical.
A piece of pie that is 80% poison is still not good to eat.
You argue you do not go for the unscriptural parts... well, just because they may read a verse or two from the Bible does not mean the Lord is pleased. His name is not recorded in the Catholic faith.
Who cares what the Council of Trent and the Catechism states that if anybody does not believe that the bread and wine are the actual flesh and blood of Christ then they are anathema? I sure do not care what it states. I am not some stupid ignoramas blindly believing and following all RCC doctrine especially the unscriptural doctrines. I am a college graduate who is able to think for myself and ascertain which RCC doctrines are scriptural and should be adhered to and which RCC doctrines are unscriptural and should be dispensed with and which parts of the Mass are unscriptural and should not be participated in and which parts of the Mass are scriptural and should be participated in.
Any RC who blindly believes and follows the unscriptural RCC doctrines and who participates in the unscriptural parts to the Mass must be unable to think for themselves or else they would do like I do.
BTW--didn't mean to get started on the doctrines of the RCC---saw that it was mentioned in one of the posts here---then looked to see that the topic of the thread was "Mega-Churches Closing for Christmas"--my opinion on that is: It is very wrong to close churches for Christmas.
God's Word says: By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)
And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Hebrews 10:11-12) ****************************** The Roman Catholic Church says (Canons & Decrees of the Council of Trent) ON THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST
CANON I.-If any one denieth, that, in the sacrament of the most holy Eucharist, are contained truly, really, and substantially, the body and blood together with the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and consequently the whole Christ; but saith that He is only therein as in a sign, or in figure, or virtue; let him be anathema.
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)
Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; (Hebrews 9:25)
For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26)
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)
Christ suffered "once for all"--IT IS FINISHED means His sacrifice is finished and therefore His suffering is also finished!! NO MORE SACRIFICES are needed!! Christ's blood is sufficient.
What about the people who do not have families or their families live far away and they have not been invited to spend time with anybody? Their only interaction with a person might just be at that chuch service. I think that is just WRONG! Closing a church for low attendance is WRONG! What about the precious few that do attend? Are they not worth it? It would be better to just spit in their face and tell them that they are not worth all the trouble. That is just WRONG! Jesus never bowed down to the majority, he was always there for the individual. If the head Pastor does not want to come in then have an assistant do it. Anyway, I think the BEST time to GO to church to worship our Saviour is on His Birthday!! What an awesome pivilege that is. Merry Christmas
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