The state of the church today.

[ironglowz]

  That being the state of the church overall today. not excluding any denomination or non-denomination.

   Those attending "affirming" ...sin ignoring churches are also leaving...although those deeply trapped by some favorite sin, may stay.

  The big, mega-churches are falling apart, the big churches which are little more than Rock & roll concerts, seem to be following. 

    Then there are the "affirming" churches, who seem to think that grace covers al..so keep on sinning if you wish.  This error is called Antinomianism".

    The young people/families are disbursing.

   They got tired of the glitter and often trickster atmosphere, some are just stepping away from God, others, who truly want to learn and follow the savior are hungering for a place where they can hear the true gospel preached, with the same fervor and level of truth as trhe first century preachers did.

       Today, our Pastor Josiah brought some of those first century preachers, back for an encore !

  If you like sound, Biblical preaching, try Pastor Si !     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIvdcTKYqW8

   With such preaching and a no-nonsense program all round, I predict the church will grow, since there are still some seeking Biblical truth !

[DDZ]

Kind of disagree that mega churches are falling apart. There is one about 20 miles from me that just added a 4th service, because the three they had were becoming over crowded. Meaning four to seven hundred people at each.
 One Saturday evening, and three Sunday morning. Never been there, but hear that there is a short message from the pastor, then lots of entertainment. I still feel plenty of people go to church to be entertained, and/or hear what they want to hear. Lots of pastors that give into what the masses want. Entertainment, and feel good messages, instead of telling the masses what they actually need to hear. It equals more money in the pastors pocket, and more people attending.

[ironglowz]

Kind of disagree that mega churches are falling apart. There is one about 20 miles from me that just added a 4th service, because the three they had were becoming over crowded. Meaning four to seven hundred people at each.
 One Saturday evening, and three Sunday morning.

 

  If I were a banker they came to for funds, it would be a clear "thumbs down", one of the poorest investments to deal with !  You said it yourself :

     "  Never been there, but hear that there is a short message from the pastor, then lots of entertainment. I still feel plenty of people go to church to be entertained, and/or hear what they want to hear. Lots of pastors that give into what the masses want. Entertainment, and feel good messages, instead of telling the masses what they actually need to hear. It equals more money in the pastors pocket, and more people attending."

  People who want solid, Godly preaching.. and here's and important part; study the Bible some on their own, such would never be content in such a context as a mega church !  Many people are totally out of touch with the spiritual side of things..

  I mean the Godly spiritual side of course, since there are two major spiritual forces in all creation, and we are with or without God.. 

  Jesus said   "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters abroad."  (Matthew 12:30)

  Here is why if I were a banker, I would jump into the mega church pit..    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba4-89A819I

  Just consider you were a member of Joel Osteen's church , 16,000 attendees on Sunday. Your wife, Mom or sister get ill or need counselling, do you think for one moment that Joel will jump in his Lambo (or whatever) and run right to your home or hospital?

   Suppose your teenage son goes off to college and meets a prof who has intellectually bullied him into a atheist stance...would a mega church pastor set aside at least a couple hours to counsel and  educate him from his error?  Not likely, I presume !

  Yet the hometown Pastor, if he is Biblical and not trying to copy the mega entertainment complexes, will visit you brother atb the VA hospital, comfort your little girl
   after her puppy or kitty got run over!

  In those 16,000 member, mega church folks be bringing meals over for a week, when you suffer some kind of tragedy in the family ?  You know the answer !

    If your Pastor studies regularly, stays steady in prayer and fasting, to the point where his exegesis still refreshes and reinvigorates each Sunday, and the days
    in between, consider yourself blessed and study with him, learning a whole new way with him.

  Again, I urge you to check out the message I posted.  You may well find it refreshing, just as our life long church attenders found it !  When they heard verses, more completely explained by a Pastor that diligently studies and prays.

  Pastor Josiah preaches...    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIvdcTKYqW8