Help Please

[Byrd]

Does anyone have any knowledge of a program called "Be The Church, Put Your Faith In Action"? The reason I am asking is because our church is implementing it in September. From what I understand, it will consist of sermons from the pulpit, small group studies, and training, and on the last Sunday of the month we will CANCEL our morning service to go into the community to do good works...

The reason I am concerned is because we have done Rick Warren's 40 Days of Purpose, we do the S.H.A.P.E. program, and have done the Alpha Program in the past. Our church is advertised in the paper as a "no pressure" atmosphere, where you can be comfortable, etc. I am very concerned because we never hear about the Blood of Christ, there is never a challenge to come to Christ from the pulpit, etc.

I have a degree in Theology, and have taught an adult S.S. class for several years, (which i just resigned) and in my class I always challenged the people to live Holy lives, witness, get into the Word, pray, feed themselves, renew their minds, etc. We just finished a series on the Christian life where I taught on the Blood atonment of Christ, the Cross was enough, assurance of salvation, stuff I thought was basic, and the people loved it because they had never heard of it before!

So I am concerned about the direction the church is heading, we are growing by leaps, and everyone loves that, but numbers are not the be all & end all if people are not coming to Christ, and being discipled.

Please give me some feedback, and by the way, my background is Pentecostal Holiness, and this is not a Pentecostal church.

Am I being too judgmental, has my theological past experience tainted my view of the church?

[icebear]

I am very concerned because we never hear about the Blood of Christ, there is never a challenge to come to Christ from the pulpit, etc.

This would concern me too... i don't think you are overreacting.


We just finished a series on the Christian life where I taught on the Blood atonment of Christ, the Cross was enough, assurance of salvation, stuff I thought was basic, and the people loved it because they had never heard of it before!
its good that they respond positively to this, they know in their hearts they need it, if it is at all possible to continue doing such things, i'd jump on it if i were you. If they won't hear it, it might be time to leave. Find out if they are still open to the basics, the whole point, because if the "put your faith in action" program does not have room for salvation then it is on the brink of uselessness.

but numbers are not the be all & end all if people are not coming to Christ, and being discipled.
that is among the most important of things

Please give me some feedback, and by the way, my background is Pentecostal Holiness, and this is not a Pentecostal church.

Am I being too judgmental, has my theological past experience tainted my view of the church?

If they are depending on works, and ignoring salvation there is a problem IMHO and i would not think you are being judgemental were you to find yourself another place to fellowship and worship.

[icebear]

You don't claim to be a Christian when your bed partner (just a phrase) is a man who worship's Budha.



i did not know that about him. say i'm living under a rock, but at the first i didn't like the Purpose Driven stuff, but i never did any research myself... i had already decided it wasn't for me.

how much more odd is that to me. and still, his 'teachings' are accepted so widely?

[Biblenuggetlady]

Sing4Him will give you the low down on this, I let her know about your thread. Your spiritual discernment is telling you "run". This is completely a church running through the Emergent door.

[Sing4Him]

reviewing this.. I'm having a very busy day today..

so far.. this is not good:

Guide to Prayer-Walking And Observation in the Community
Purpose: Seek God's guidance, mercy, and transforming power in the community; enhance the church's sense of connection with the community; cultivate spiritual readiness for ministry.
Suggested uses: Organize one or more prayer-walking and observation teams as part of the process of selecting or preparing for Faith in Action service projects, and/or the church's ongoing goal of reaching out to the community; lead service project team leaders in a prayer-walking and observation exercise as part of training and spiritual preparation for Faith in Action weekend; continue a prayer-walking ministry in the community after Faith in Action.


-- allow times of silence for God's spirit to speak to you

This connects with this site.. NOT GOOD!
http://www.waymakers.org/index.php?p=about

“saturation prayer,”

This is all about "Contemplative Prayer" period. It is an false deceptive way to pray that is NOT Biblical.

Contemplative Prayer—A mystical prayer practice that leads one into the "silence" but in actuality leads away from God.

Definition of Contemplative Prayer: As it is expressed in a modern day movement is mystically (i.e. based on a technique or method) in which one empties the mind of thought through repetition, usually of a word or phrase or focus on the breath. In this case the silence would be an absence of thought, all thought.

[Sing4Him]

Who is behind Faith in Action?
The Faith in Action campaign is a partnership between Zondervan, the nation’s leading Christian publisher, Outreach Inc., the nation’s leading provider of church communication resources, and World Vision, one of the largest Christian humanitarian organizations.




Info on Zondervan..NOT GOOD!

ex:
Zondervan and the 2007 National Pastor's Convention - Pulling Out All the Stops


The 2007 National Pastors Convention (presented by Zondervan publishers) carries a heavy-weight line up of speakers. >From Ruth Haley Barton to Brian McLaren, next year's convention will not be lacking in New Age sympathizing, meditation promoting speakers. John Burke, president of Emerging Leadership Initiative, was recently a speaker at the Ancient-Wisdom Conference, and says this of the church of the future:
What do a Buddhist, a biker couple, a gay-rights activist, a transient, a high-tech engineer, a Muslim, a twenty-something single mom, a Jew, a couple living together, and an atheist all have in common? They are the future church in America! Most of them are in their twenties or thirties and became followers of Christ in the past five years. Many are now leading others in our church.

[Sing4Him]

How will FIA help transform my church?
The Faith in Action experience is designed to help transform your church from the inside out

It has always been the Bible and the message of the cross that transforms a church..

here is man made growth ideas.. all human.

[Sing4Him]

Why Do Faith in Action?

Change Your Church from the Inside Out
Change focus to "others" instead of "ourselves"
Raise awareness of local, national and global needs
Create closeness and unity as your church members work side by side
Deepen spiritual commitment and church involvement
Make every person realize that they can make a difference!
Reach the Community Through Service
Build relationships between your church and community organizations
Reach unchurched friends by inviting them to come serve with you
Improve the reputation of your church in the community
Plant spiritual seeds through service
Share God's love in a tangible way
Move your members from inactive to active
Dont Just Go to Church. Be the Church.

That's enough to make one sick.

Reputation
a program over God's word
and this one:
Plant spiritual seeds through SERVICE!!!!
(where's the gospel??)

[Sing4Him]

and of course it's connection with World Vision:

Featured Organization - Faith in Action founding partner World Vision

World Vision offers several ways for your church to put its Faith in Action. Through our various programs, your congregation can get involved in serving the poor globally as well as locally. Here are just a few examples of what we offer.

AIDS Caregiver Kits. Assemble kits used by AIDS caregivers in remote regions in Africa.
SchoolTools. Remove some fo the roadblocks to education by providing needed school supplies to children both here in the US and around the world.
30 Hour Famine. Great for youth groups or the whole church. Fast for 30 hours and raise funds for food-related programs around the globe. Every $30 raised will help provide food and basic care for a child for one month.
Who we are: World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.


Of course it is good to help the poor.. but the message of the cross is totally NOT the priority.

My questions:

1,Do save the starving and they still go to hell... or
2.Do we saved the starving by feeding them with God's Word and the message of Jesus' salvation.

seems the concentration is only on #1 You can easliy look into all of this and see the absence of the gospel message.

[Byrd]

Thank you so much for the insight...it makes me sick to think my church is going in this direction. Please pray that God will give me the spirit of Wisdom concerning how I should react to this. I am so tired of programs that have no meaning, I want to hear a sermon, and see people walk the isle to come to Christ. What is going on with the Church today? I think I am a dinasour, could someone please explain what the emerging church, and the seeker friendly church are? I would appreciate it!