Got a flyer in the mail advertising a NEW exciting church. I think I might go..

[puzzleannie]

Okay, so living in the desert (Las Vegas, to be specific) I first must say I see people showing up for mass in flip flops, shorts, tee shirts, and (gag) halter tops. To me, it’s inappropriate. No matter how hot.

down here we blast the AC trying to force those folks to cover up a bit. we’ll show 'em.

yes Texas is full of such church-as-entertainment venues, if that is a person’s first contact with the gospel, so be it. If Catholics were doing our job evangelizing, they would have no reason to go elsewhere. We should take it as a wake-up call to evangelize and bring the gospel to all those who have never heard it. thankfully our diocese is committed to doing just that and launches Disciples in Mission in every parish this month.

 

[Brian_C]

I actually got a postcard in the mail advertising a new “church” in a movie theatre. They have service in the morning before the movies start. They actually said in their brochure “no making out in the back row”. They also mentioned serving popcorn at the service.

Lol, my parish actually began in a closed movie theater just after WWII

 

[lizaanne]

It’s church for the un-churched. They get them in with the flashy bands and happy clappy music on Sunday, then they have Bible study on Wednesday night with the more “serious” members.

My ex-fiancé was a member of a Willow Creek church. We would go to RCC Mass on Saturday night and his service on Sunday morning which was in a high school auditorium. It was for me a nice Christian entertainment, but nothing even coming close to worship.

I found it interesting though, that he always preferred mass for the “important” holidays like Holy Week of Easter and Christmas. He just could never get past the whole pope thing.

Anyway - been to one of these places before and I can see why they are packing them in to the rafters. It’s very easy and appealing, and while they might talk about making bad choices in your life, they never mention sin and the consequences of sin in a person’s life. It’s really very sad actually - they miss the mark on so many key issues. But everyone goes away feeling refreshed and happy that they have “gone to church” so they never realize that all they have done is been entertained into a clueless stupor.

I suppose from a sheer making choices of what to do with your time aspect, that it’s better than sitting on the couch eating Cheetos, but the dangers of missing the mark spiritually are still just as grave as sitting on the couch with orange fingers.

They truly need our prayers.

~Liza

 

[axolotl]

This is a serious flyer? You’re kidding me.

I’ve gotten similar fliers, one for a church that is 100% religion free.

momentumchurch.com/

While this one only has “real people” dressed silly.

cuyahogavalleychurch.com/ and is for the most part disgruntled ex-Catholics.

 

[axolotl]

I actually got a postcard in the mail advertising a new “church” in a movie theatre. They have service in the morning before the movies start. They actually said in their brochure “no making out in the back row”. They also mentioned serving popcorn at the service.

Cinemark in Valley View? There are a few movie theatre churches around.

 

[Melissa]

I say God Bless them, they’re trying to appeal to the person who has never heard the word of God. Honestly could a person completely oblivious to the Christian faith walk into Mass and get the bare bolts of the Gospel? The Mass is great I love it, but I learned to love it from reading and study. If you don’t know what’s going on it’s intimidating, no one welcomes you or says hello. I don’t know I think Churches like this are better than not going at all.

OTOH, I’ve had the experience of coming out of Mass and finding a very similiar flyer on my windshield (and by the looks of it, all my fellow parishioners, too).

 

[artist3189]

This is the culture of ‘I’, it all about ‘Me’, you see it in the adverstising aimed towards children, in TV shows and movies, why wouldn’t we expect that kind of showmanship in worship. It’s more about what WE get out of it rather than what we GIVE to God. Much of the new Evangelical movements from the Mid West are very ‘I’ centered, read about Kenneth Coplands (Ken Hagin) ’ Word of Faith ’ nonsense and other ministers like them, it’s the ‘money is good, wealth is good’ movement. I deserve, I should reap, I should benifit. Just praise God and sit back and watch those gifts multiply. More the better.

 

[BlestOne]

I guess us Catholics are totally out of touch to believe it is supposed to be about glorifying God, and worshipping. It is now about what makes me feel good about myself. Boring? I am enthralled at mass when I am learning something new! I don’t want to be entertained…I WANT TO BE FED!!!

This stuff all sounds so selfish to me… but then that is what i said 20 yrs ago to a guy who was trying to convert me with the whole, “Do you know where you are going after you die?” line. When he said he was absolutely sure he was going to heaven, I asked how he could presume to know God’s heart. I told him it sounded selfish…it wasn’t about worshipping God it was about only him.

I have gotten flyers like this too. I frankly don’t think they are doing anyone a favor, including the person who otherwise would not be a believer. I think God tugs at our hearts…gives us that desire to know him. People who go to these church services are being mislead and they think everything is OK. Well, it isn’t! What a rude awakening they will receive one day when they realize that it isn’t about entertaining me or making me feel better about myself.

 

[RNRobert]

Okay, so living in the desert (Las Vegas, to be specific) I first must say I see people showing up for mass in flip flops, shorts, tee shirts, and (gag) halter tops. To me, it’s inappropriate. No matter how hot. That said, at least they are there.

I’ve seen the same thing here in Florida. And yes, as our parish priest said, it is good that they show up at all,

**BUT…

**I’d like to know how many of them would show up for a job interview dressed like that?

Still, I think it’s the culture in general. You can go to a nice restaurant and find people dressed like slobs.

 

[Brian_C]

OTOH, I’ve had the experience of coming out of Mass and finding a very similiar flyer on my windshield (and by the looks of it, all my fellow parishioners, too).

I think the offending church would be well-served by a blitz with “Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth!”

 

[Contarini]

It sounds like a hippie thing.

Hippy?

About as far from it as you can get. This kind of church draws respectable middle-class young people.

Sure, many of the forms of worship originated in the 60s, but they’ve come a long way since then.

I’d respect this sort of thing a lot more if it were really a “hippie thing.”

Edwin

 

[netmilsmom]

Sounds like the “The Hooters Church”.

 

[lak611]

Cinemark in Valley View? There are a few movie theatre churches around.

That’s the one!

 

[Loren_1of6]

The one just up the street from us in a funeral parlor uses the slogan “This is not your parent’s church!” They assure the interested that “Shorts are acceptable, flip-flops optrional.”

Their main message seems to be that our parents’ churches are stuffy and inhibitive. Their church, on the other hand, allows you to do what makes you feel good. That sounds like a pretty sad theology to me.

 

[carol_marie]

The one just up the street from us in a funeral parlor uses the slogan "This is not your parent’s church!" .

I’m so glad the second century Christians didn’t feel that their “parent’s church” was beneath them.

 

[jonfan]

There is one of those churches near my house. They wear thier short shorts and harley t-shirts. Some even come in flip-flops. t does not look to me like they have respect for God. But that’s just my take on it.

Well in all honesty I think folks in Harley shirts should be able to praise God in a church just as much as a man in a $2000.00 suit.

 

[lak611]

Well in all honesty I think folks in Harley shirts should be able to praise God in a church just as much as a man in a $2000.00 suit.

I agree. But I do feel that they should praise God in a regular church, not a “Christian entertainment complex”.

 

[mystified]

Had to go back to the top to see where you are from. Though your were describing my old parish. The Harley T-shirts, and at least one advertising a topless bar, are all too common there. Flipflops, why not, the pastor wears them even when he gets around to vesting for Mass.

 

[colliric]

I agree. But I do feel that they should praise God in a regular church, not a “Christian entertainment complex”.

I now agree with this statement.

These people have dressed up their own churches to practically turn their “worship services” into youth rock concerts.

I am not in opposition to that, But I am in opposition to this kind of thing “Replacing” solemn worship of god through prayer, communion and scripture readings.

I would like these kind of events if they complemented the Catholic Mass, by being a kind of “Friday night youth group rock concert” thing than a replacement of the submissive, pennant-full respectful Sunday mass services.

I also believe no one should apply the bible to their own agenda(Like some pastors do, they tell you how it supposedly tells you how to live, at least from their point of view), they should comment on what it says and it’s actual clear teachings only(which is what catholic priests do during the sermon).

Plus it needs to be read as a separate “A Reading from the gospel accori…”, rather than as part of the sermon itself. This is so the layperson can sit for a moment and meditate on the clear message expressed in whatever passage was read.

To me, in turning the mass into a “rock concert”, limiting communion to “once a month” or “once a fortnight”(some churches do this practice.) and trying to apply their own agenda to the bible, they are committing the mortal sin Luther once charged the catholic church with doing, putting themselves ahead of God’s purest teachings.

I personally think these churches are in danger of become the book of revelation’s “False Prophet” in that they apply their own meanings to the bible in their services by going “it means this… and you must apply to your life through this…”.

The catholic church service allows one to contemplate the meaning of the bible for one self, but with the correct mindset that it is only the beginning, that the new testament should be literally read and understood(Not interpreted by someone else who does not take it entirely literally), and that we need to be familiar with traditional catholic teaching on it.

 

[Cardinalsong]

I agree with you Mike… if someone is a non-believer and this flyer will movtivate them to check out God - that’s wonderful.

But… I think that these sorts of churches don’t draw in the unbeliever - because let’s face it, an unbeliever’s mind is pretty much made up. If they wanted God, I think it wouldn’t take a flyer to motivate them. So instead of reaching the “lost” I think these sort of churches draw Christians from OTHER churches. It’s the Protestant shuffle. (I feel I can say that being a former Protestant who church hopped) Everyone flocks to the “new church” offering the better music - more interesting teachings - better people… and then after they’ve been there awhile, they realize the same people who bugged them at the Church of the Spring are now attending the Church of the Vine and the Church of the Brook has just formed with AWESOME music… so off they go.

It seems these churches are more like social clubs rather than places to worship God. If it was all about God - they wouldn’t need to advertise the “AWESOME band in a casual atmosphere.”

Maybe I’m wrong on this… but to me it all sounds so shallow & totally centered on “US” rather than God.

I get these things practically every week & I toss them in the circular file!