God save us from your 'children'!
What's wrong with these pictures? And yes! they're all true!
1. A pastor preaches that he has a neighbor who isn't friendly so he says; "Hello" to him 4 or 5 times and then quits speaking, since the neighbor never answers him.
The pastor then follows that with; "Do I hear an 'Amen'?".
Wouldn't that be a pride issue? He won't speak to me so I won't speak to him?
As Christians aren't we called to be the 'light' and the 'salt'?
A non-Christian not acting Christlike? Why would they? Seems like even the "Christians" can't be!
No "Amen" from me. Jesus didn't quit on us after 4 or 5 times. He went all the way for us.
"For while we were yet sinners Christ DIED for us."
2. A Sunday School teacher is talking to a church member. The church member is talking about inviting a man from his work to church. He says the man is an alcoholic but that he has a good heart. The SS teacher says; "How can he be a good person if he's an alcoholic?"
Wow~ when did 'their' sins become worse than 'ours'? And what kind of church is it when we can't invite sinners in? Wouldn't that leave all our 'churches' empty if perfection is the standard? Jesus would be the only one in. Doesn't sound like a part of the Kingdom of Christ! Christ came for 'sinners', 'unrighteous', 'sick', etc.
"For I came to save sinners."
"The only difference between 'us' and 'them' is GRACE!"
3. A five-year-old child leans his chair back on two legs.
The Children's Chapel teacher tells him that if he can't behave he'll have to go to 'Big Church'.
Ahem~ Wouldn't it better to explain to this small child about the safety factors involved? (e.g. If you lean back in the chair it could fall and it could hurt you. We don't want you hurt.)
And the most important question that comes to mind is: When did going to church become a threat and a punishment?
4. A pastor's wife doesn't want to ride to the women's meeting alone since it's dark. So another woman agrees to ride with her though she has to bring her grandson with her, along with her mother (who's visiting).
The pastor's wife is so hateful to the grandchild that the visitor (the great-grandmother) vows that she will never attend anything at the church again.
5. A woman was a member of a church. She quit attending and much time goes by. When asked why she hasn't been coming, she replies; "No one invited me."
The pastor preaches about that woman and says that she shouldn't have to be invited.
I say why not? Why was she out for so long? Did she miss a week or two and no one cared enough to check on her?
Why shouldn't members who have been out for a while NOT be invited back?
Does Jesus not 'invite' us back when we've left the fold?
6. A family has Bible study at home on Sunday evenings. They have a personal revival going on in their family and enjoy the study and prayer as a family.
The preacher condemns all who don't attend and says that if they are really saved they would want to be at the building at the designated time.
Really? You must attend a man-made building to be a follower of Christ? Since when? The apostles had 'home churches' where they got together in each others' homes. When did Scripture tell us that it has to be a building designated as a 'church' for believers to gather? Isn't the important thing to be fellowshipping with other believers while praying and studying the Word of God? Isn't growing in the Lord the goal?
7. A church deacon gets a phone call during a Wednesday night 'prayer meeting'. The phone call last through the whole 'service'.
Two women have a conversation as follows:
1- I wonder what that was all about?
2- I'll let you know.
1- Huh? How? You weren't there...
2- Doesn't matter X (the deacon) will tell Y (his wife) and she'll tell me. I'll tell you.
1- Well, that lets me know never to go to a deacon with a problem!
Lets me know the same thing! When you can't trust the 'church family' there's a BIG problem! When deacon's (or pastor's) wives are noted for having loose lips, then there's some problems that need to be addressed! And the men need to get some control at home!
8. A family brings visitors with them regularly! The visitors don't want to come back. Another family wants to invite visitors but is afraid that the visitors won't be warmly welcomed because they are less than desirable.
Is it that ALL the visitors have a problem or is that the 'church' does? Hmmm....
9. A mother is chastised by a deacon's wife for wanting to invite a local youth who has a bad 'reputation'.
The mother says that she has heard the rumors but that she had a discussion with her daughter who told her that the youth had always been polite to her.
The mother realized that she had been guilty of making judgments based on 'rumors' instead of knowledge.
The deacon's wife told her that she just couldn't believe that any kind of caring mom would want that youth around their child.
Ouch!
The mom replied that as a caring mom she would be there to 'protect' her daughter if need be, but that she couldn't believe any church wouldn't want that youth. She stated that she thought it would be better to let him learn about Jesus and have his heart opened especially if all the rumors were true.
~Sigh~ Where to begin on this one!
10. A church member (let's call him 'tradesman') helps out another church member with some work on his house. The tradesman doesn't ask for pay and doesn't mind helping out a brother in Christ.
The pastor pulls the tradesman aside afterwards and cautions him about doing free work and cautions him that they could come back and sue later.
~Uh... Does anyone have any real faith anymore? Do we not trust that God will see us through?
11. A church member mentions that she can't get her husband to attend Sunday night services. The woman she mentions it to is a deacon's wife, who's reply is: "Well, "X" (the deacon) is holier than "Y" (the member's husband).
*GASP*
God save us from your 'children'!
1. A pastor preaches that he has a neighbor who isn't friendly so he says; "Hello" to him 4 or 5 times and then quits speaking, since the neighbor never answers him.
The pastor then follows that with; "Do I hear an 'Amen'?".
Wouldn't that be a pride issue? He won't speak to me so I won't speak to him?
As Christians aren't we called to be the 'light' and the 'salt'?
A non-Christian not acting Christlike? Why would they? Seems like even the "Christians" can't be!
No "Amen" from me. Jesus didn't quit on us after 4 or 5 times. He went all the way for us.
"For while we were yet sinners Christ DIED for us."
2. A Sunday School teacher is talking to a church member. The church member is talking about inviting a man from his work to church. He says the man is an alcoholic but that he has a good heart. The SS teacher says; "How can he be a good person if he's an alcoholic?"
Wow~ when did 'their' sins become worse than 'ours'? And what kind of church is it when we can't invite sinners in? Wouldn't that leave all our 'churches' empty if perfection is the standard? Jesus would be the only one in. Doesn't sound like a part of the Kingdom of Christ! Christ came for 'sinners', 'unrighteous', 'sick', etc.
"For I came to save sinners."
"The only difference between 'us' and 'them' is GRACE!"
3. A five-year-old child leans his chair back on two legs.
The Children's Chapel teacher tells him that if he can't behave he'll have to go to 'Big Church'.
Ahem~ Wouldn't it better to explain to this small child about the safety factors involved? (e.g. If you lean back in the chair it could fall and it could hurt you. We don't want you hurt.)
And the most important question that comes to mind is: When did going to church become a threat and a punishment?
4. A pastor's wife doesn't want to ride to the women's meeting alone since it's dark. So another woman agrees to ride with her though she has to bring her grandson with her, along with her mother (who's visiting).
The pastor's wife is so hateful to the grandchild that the visitor (the great-grandmother) vows that she will never attend anything at the church again.
5. A woman was a member of a church. She quit attending and much time goes by. When asked why she hasn't been coming, she replies; "No one invited me."
The pastor preaches about that woman and says that she shouldn't have to be invited.
I say why not? Why was she out for so long? Did she miss a week or two and no one cared enough to check on her?
Why shouldn't members who have been out for a while NOT be invited back?
Does Jesus not 'invite' us back when we've left the fold?
6. A family has Bible study at home on Sunday evenings. They have a personal revival going on in their family and enjoy the study and prayer as a family.
The preacher condemns all who don't attend and says that if they are really saved they would want to be at the building at the designated time.
Really? You must attend a man-made building to be a follower of Christ? Since when? The apostles had 'home churches' where they got together in each others' homes. When did Scripture tell us that it has to be a building designated as a 'church' for believers to gather? Isn't the important thing to be fellowshipping with other believers while praying and studying the Word of God? Isn't growing in the Lord the goal?
7. A church deacon gets a phone call during a Wednesday night 'prayer meeting'. The phone call last through the whole 'service'.
Two women have a conversation as follows:
1- I wonder what that was all about?
2- I'll let you know.
1- Huh? How? You weren't there...
2- Doesn't matter X (the deacon) will tell Y (his wife) and she'll tell me. I'll tell you.
1- Well, that lets me know never to go to a deacon with a problem!
Lets me know the same thing! When you can't trust the 'church family' there's a BIG problem! When deacon's (or pastor's) wives are noted for having loose lips, then there's some problems that need to be addressed! And the men need to get some control at home!
8. A family brings visitors with them regularly! The visitors don't want to come back. Another family wants to invite visitors but is afraid that the visitors won't be warmly welcomed because they are less than desirable.
Is it that ALL the visitors have a problem or is that the 'church' does? Hmmm....
9. A mother is chastised by a deacon's wife for wanting to invite a local youth who has a bad 'reputation'.
The mother says that she has heard the rumors but that she had a discussion with her daughter who told her that the youth had always been polite to her.
The mother realized that she had been guilty of making judgments based on 'rumors' instead of knowledge.
The deacon's wife told her that she just couldn't believe that any kind of caring mom would want that youth around their child.
Ouch!
The mom replied that as a caring mom she would be there to 'protect' her daughter if need be, but that she couldn't believe any church wouldn't want that youth. She stated that she thought it would be better to let him learn about Jesus and have his heart opened especially if all the rumors were true.
~Sigh~ Where to begin on this one!
10. A church member (let's call him 'tradesman') helps out another church member with some work on his house. The tradesman doesn't ask for pay and doesn't mind helping out a brother in Christ.
The pastor pulls the tradesman aside afterwards and cautions him about doing free work and cautions him that they could come back and sue later.
~Uh... Does anyone have any real faith anymore? Do we not trust that God will see us through?
11. A church member mentions that she can't get her husband to attend Sunday night services. The woman she mentions it to is a deacon's wife, who's reply is: "Well, "X" (the deacon) is holier than "Y" (the member's husband).
*GASP*
God save us from your 'children'!
posted by Michele | 6:13 AM
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