Evangelicals: What Happens to Your Luke-Warm Members

[SteveVH]

I assumed you were talking about the style of the service. It seems that I have been alone in addressing that aspect.

Look at the language used going to stay focused on a ** sacrifice** by contrast on my church’s public bulletin board we list the start time of the **celebration **service. It just seems easier to me to be passionate about celebrated then sacrificing

But it was Jesus who was passionate about sacrificing and He gave the ultimate sacrifice. He is the focus, the entire reason for the Mass. It was His sacrifice that did it all. But we also refer to the celebration of the Mass because by His sacrifice we are saved and that is truly something to celebrate. We were not saved by a celebration, however, we were saved by a sacrifice and it is this one sacrifice that is made present to us at each Mass. What we celebrate is the fact that God transformed the most offensive crime in the history of the world, the killing of the Creator by the created, into the greatest blessing in the history of the world. But we cannot turn our heads away from Christ’s sacrifice, ever. We are called to pick up our cross as well.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Problem is, 4square, the Mass, which has existed for 2,000 years, is a perpetual participation in the one sacrifice at Calvary for our sins. We mystically participate in the event outside of time. Christ makes Himself present for us, offers himself to the Father and we witness our salvation unfold. We also take part in this sacrifice and become One with God through it. It is implicit that we’re celebrating the joy and magnitude of our salvation within a sacrificial context. What’s NOT to celebrate in this sacrifice? God makes himself tangiably present and enters our very bodies and souls and builds us up sacramentally for eternal life? Call me nuts but I think that’s pretty cool! No need to sugar coat things with hip and now terminology like “celebration” when we can call the Lord’s sacrifice what it is----a sacrifice.

I assumed you were talking about the style of the service. It seems that I have been alone in addressing that aspect.

Look at the language used going to stay focused on a ** sacrifice** by contrast on my church’s public bulletin board we list the start time of the **celebration **service. It just seems easier to me to be passionate about celebrated then sacrificing

 

[marbles_the_cat]

No need to sugar coat things with hip and now terminology like “celebration” when we can call the Lord’s sacrifice what it is----a sacrifice.

So true, and good point!
Honestly, there are many people in evengelical churches who only act enthusiastic. (I recall the one woman who drove my family to a penecostal church for a time, singing chorises all the way to church but never during the week.)
Maintaining your faith will always be a challenge. I would vote for resisting peer pressure.

 

[MSSheBear]

Okay, just to set your expecations, if and when you become Catholic - the above ratio probably won’t change in a Catholic parish.

To be honest, in almost all human organizations I have ever been in: churches, army, boy scouts, work, this is pretty much the case. Most of the work is done by the active few.

Maybe if we were a different species… like ants.

So how that doesn’t surprise me and I assume that every church functions in a similar fashion.

 

[DElias]

Honestly, there are many people in evengelical churches who only act enthusiastic. (I recall the one woman who drove my family to a penecostal church for a time, singing chorises all the way to church but never during the week.)

As a point of clarification, Evangelicals do not equal Pentecostals. Beyond this, I know exactly what you mean.

 

[Nanabelle]

I have a question for evangelical and pentecostal type Christians.

Do they get kicked out of the church for not being passionate? Do they just go away on their own? Or do they pretend to be passionate to blend in? Or is there actually something about your faith communities that prevents people from becoming lukewarm?

Sometimes, just the opposite. Awww…Trying to protect the little children. Or… Being the only person, much less… A woman… Standing up and voting NO during a meeting with the deacons, elders, etc. Whatever they go by now…