The survey shows that for nearly half of Christians, involvement in a local church body is a minimal part of their daily lives.
"Faith is relevant for many people, but church is not," says Bryan Wilkerson, senior pastor of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts. "People want to attend to the spiritual side of their lives, they are interested in God, but their experience of church has not been relevant. They say, 'Why do I have to sit through boring sermons and old music that don't speak to my real needs and problems?'"
"A growing element of the Christian population is disappointed with or frustrated by the local church," says D. Michael Lindsay, assistant professor of sociology at Rice University and former consultant with the Gallup Institute. In part, this trend can be attributed to factors within local church bodies themselves, such as lack of strong leadership or teaching....
"Jennifer Hua identifies herself as a Christian. ... "I do all of these things because I know from past experience I need to recalibrate my mind and my heart to be in tune with God," she says."
"James Smith also identifies himself as a Christian. ... he does not necessarily believe that his God is any different from the one his Muslim friend worships. "I don't think that God would be a God who would shut others out of heaven because they don't use the word 'Christian' to describe themselves," he says." _____
Jennifer Hua has a good working RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD --- she has the much needed "OIL" in her lamp !!!
James Smith has ReLiGiOn without RELATIONSHIP and he has missed THE FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL --- IT IS CHRIST AND CHRIST ALONE !!! Without SURRENDER *IN* CHRIST UNTO GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY there will be no entrance into THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
ReLiGiOn that promotes a mindless walk has lost THE TRUTH OF man's NEED TO BE CONTINUALLY RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF his MIND -- and those who teach their doctrines of **worldly gain** have lost THE CALL TO BE CONTENT IN ALL THINGS and are setting many Hearts on paths of covetousness, worldly lusts and discontent !!!
Dessie wrote: Absolute truth; so few realize this... God Bless you.
Jhawk44 wrote: You know, neither of you can convert one to one side or the other. It takes God to change the heart.
Amen Why do people keep repeating themselves to the same person ( one case in point I saw on this web site, "for over 5 years" Can you tell if someone is seeking the truth, or maybe a little bit in error? I think so, just as you should be able to tell if a person is just enjoying the spirit of the fight, face it the Gospel is foolishness to some. not my words, if it offends you, good
Solution to these church pollution is Spirit Revolution. 5 kinds of christians!? This is a plague! Old covenant & New covenat prophets, from Jeremiah to Jesus, even unto John on the Isle of Patmos, loudly & abundantly proclaimed this same massage: " Come Out of her, My People". All manufactured religions are simply copies of the real (true Christianity as delivered by Jesus and the apostles). As such they are "Babylon, the mother of harlots" and her harlot daughters ( Rev 17). " Come Out of her, My People". God has sure deliverance for the 'entrapped' but positive & prompt action is required to free those in the jail houses. Many scriptures instruct, as does Isaiah 52:2, "Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and...loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughters of Zion".
Lance Eccles wrote: Michael, I'm not that strong on history either, but I believe what got John Huss into trouble was his insistence that at Mass the faithful should receive the Blood of Christ in the form of wine, even though Christ is fully present under the form of bread. And people can indeed be led astray by false interpretation of Scripture. Scripture is not always easy to interpret, and the individual can easily go astray in reading it unguided.
Lance,
I think you illustrated your point very well. One of your most significant postings in all your years on sermonaudio.
Lance Eccles wrote: And people can indeed be led astray by false interpretation of Scripture. Scripture is not always easy to interpret, and the individual can easily go astray in reading it unguided.
Lance Would that false intrepretation of Scripture include things such as babies are born again in infant sprinkling?
Michael, I'm not that strong on history either, but I believe what got John Huss into trouble was his insistence that at Mass the faithful should receive the Blood of Christ in the form of wine, even though Christ is fully present under the form of bread.
And people can indeed be led astray by false interpretation of Scripture. Scripture is not always easy to interpret, and the individual can easily go astray in reading it unguided.
Ah, Lance, once again, I have to remind what a Christian believes, Protestants since the Reformation, and you should say Christians since the New Testament Church. Agree on the following five principles.
A Christian believes that it is: Individual repentance, one cannot be born a Christian. It is Christ alone, no belief in works or membership in a particular human organization. Grace alone, Christ's grace is completely sufficient for our salvation -- again no church can dole it out. Faith alone, again, we cannot add to what God has given us, or Christ's sacrifice is meaningless. Scripture alone, you should see enough examples of organizations that Christians would consider cults, because they have extra biblical authority.
I'm well aware, Lance, that the Roman Catholic Church is the largest cult that call itself Christian. This why I would hope you would make a,"Pilgrimage From Rome."
Lance Eccles wrote: Really? I can go into any Catholic bookshop and find plenty of bibles on sale.)
Lance Sure makes for a very significant religious decoration. It is not the selling of Bibles that matters it is the reading of Bibles that matters.
And it is not the reading of Bibles to fit ones personal religious agenda or indoctrination but to hear God personally for yourself.
Not being perfect on Catholic history isn't this largely what got John Huss burned at the stake, that he encouraged people to know Jesus Christ through the Scriptures not through religious ceremonies like the Mass.
Now about Catholics being for the most part abysmally ignorant of their parent's religion you are correct and yes many a Catholic has been seduced into some other religion
Or worse imagine they know and serve God when they're not even saved.
But one would be quite wrong if they ever thought the Holy Written Word of God would ever seduce an individual away from Truth Faith. Let God be true though every man a liar.
Jesus Himself states the Scripture Is Truth It is forever settled in heaven
IT CANNOT BE BROKEN
Everything God says concerning Him must be fulfilled
Michael Hranek wrote: After all your religion goes to great length to keep sincere Catholics from reading the Bible
Really? I can go into any Catholic bookshop and find plenty of bibles on sale.
When you were a Catholic, I wonder whether you actually learnt anything about Catholicism.
For many decades now, teaching of Catholicism in RC schools has been abysmal. Catholics grow up knowing nothing about their religion, and they are easily seduced away from it by all sorts of weird and wonderful tales. ("The Catholic Church teaches X, but look, here in the Bible it says Y.")
Lance Eccles wrote: Jim, I'm sure you're well aware of what I mean. The Catholic Church is the only fully Christian church. Mike Gedron is free to invent his own church and call it "Christian", but he (like Luther and Calvin) will have to answer to God for his arrogance. And "Who is a Roman Catholic?" Anyone who follows the teachings of the RCC, which are clearly spelled out. There is room for diversity in non-essentials, but anyone who rejects the essential teachings and still calls himself a Catholic is deluding himself. Dan Smedra is clutching at straws.
Lance How interesting.
Have you ever considered inventing their own religion and calling it Christian is exactly what the Roman Catholic Church has done.
After all your religion goes to great length to keep sincere Catholics from reading the Bible as what it is the Holy Written Word of God from believing it and living by it. Why if they did they would see like Luther, and what the Baptist types have known for centuries before him, there is something frightfully amiss at the very core of Catholicism.
A different God ccc 841 A Jesus unable by himself alone to save sinneres. Successors(?) of Peter who teach things and do things enormously twisted from what Peter taught lived
katteker wrote: There is only one type of christians and they are drawn by the father to Christ. The ones who think they are christians.will depart from Him if He tells them they cannot come any other way. They assumed that He was nuts telling them this while they stood next to Him. Remember this and repent of your fleshly coming for this has to be spiritually understood and condems ALTAR commers! God gave us a manual and we better read and obey scripture.
Quite true that the Father draws them to Christ. He causes them to believe through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. But I would not be so dogmatic as to say that everyone who does not fully understand this is not saved. Remember salvation does not depend on a perfect knowledge of all doctrines, but depends on the grace of God.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36
To say all who answered an alter call are not saved is not correct. The real question is what does the person believe about Jesus Christ.
There is only one type of christians and they are drawn by the father to Christ. The ones who think they are christians.will depart from Him if He tells them they cannot come any other way. They assumed that He was nuts telling them this while they stood next to Him. Remember this and repent of your fleshly coming for this has to be spiritually understood and condems ALTAR commers! God gave us a manual and we better read and obey scripture.
Lance Eccles wrote: ....anyone who rejects the essential teachings and still calls himself a Catholic is deluding himself....
Lance, there is no use confessing to an earthly priest. Mere mortal men cannot forgive your sins. "Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?" Mark 2:7
When Jesus said to the disciples "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained" John 20:23, he was talking about sending the disciples to preach the remission (or forgiveness) of sins through our only mediator, Jesus Christ. The proof is in the many verses, for example:
"And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." Acts 10:42,43
See also Acts 13:38,39
Remission (forgiveness) of sins is not obtained by an earthly priest hearing a confession in a confessional box and pronouncing an official declaration of absolution. You won't find that in the Bible. Remission of sins can only be obtained by going to our only priest and mediator, Jesus Christ.
Lance Eccles wrote: Jim, I'm sure you're well aware of what I mean. The Catholic Church is the only fully Christian church. Mike Gedron is free to invent his own church and call it "Christian", but he (like Luther and Calvin) will have to answer to God for his arrogance. And "Who is a Roman Catholic?" Anyone who follows the teachings of the RCC,
Lance I thought you'd like to hear Calvin's answer. Quote;
"Therefore, we need wisdom to discern the true church of God, as I have already said. As the mother of God’s children, we ought not to misuse or sully her name. Unfortunately, this is precisely what has happened and continues to occur to this day. It is a common error in our day to use the term ‘church’ to obscure and hide God’s truth from the people. What else do the PAPISTS do when they call themselves ‘the church’ so proudly and publicly? They have managed to seal up the mouth of God, as it were, and trample his Word underfoot. Indeed, they no longer even refer to it, all the while accepting unreservedly that which has been fabricated in their own minds, both declaring it and submitting to it."
Jim, I'm sure you're well aware of what I mean. The Catholic Church is the only fully Christian church.
Mike Gedron is free to invent his own church and call it "Christian", but he (like Luther and Calvin) will have to answer to God for his arrogance.
And "Who is a Roman Catholic?" Anyone who follows the teachings of the RCC, which are clearly spelled out. There is room for diversity in non-essentials, but anyone who rejects the essential teachings and still calls himself a Catholic is deluding himself.
Dr. Alan Cairns | 11/2/2009
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This why I would hope you would make a,"Pilgrimage From Rome."
IT CANNOT BE BROKEN 
