ChurchRater.com: How’s Your Church Doing?
- Posted on February 09, 2010
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- (48) comments
For example... here are some examples of what was written about one church.
Free juice. Free coffee. Sometimes free pastries. Free internet. You know, to check your email while worshipping the Lord.
It's like everyone is encouraged to consume caffeine during the so-called service, confusing the "presence of the Lord" with drugs.
Leather sofas, fireplaces, a coffee-shop area with high-top glass tables. Flatscreen monitors to see what's happening inside, in case you just can't pull yourself off the sofa to make it into the so-called church.
The "sanctuary" is really as state-of-the art soundstage, with jumbotron screens, movie theater seats, and cup-holders for your coffee.
By being so plugged into secular culture, the place is -- by definition -- unholy. By using the worst of consumerism to allegedly make a point about God, churches like Crossroads Community church do nothing but propagate blind acceptance of the status quo.
This church earned one star.
But, you can also respond to the ratings, as did one person to the rating above:
It doesn't take much of a read to discover that "XXXXXX" is a disturbed individual at many levels. There is a huge lack of self-awareness with this person. A read through his bio makes it clear that his self-image is shared by him and, I suspect, no one else. If he is a "writer" - then where has he been published outside of the internet - a place where anyone with a desire to type some words and hit send can be "published." Someone in their early 20s is not equipped to make the scathing, sweeping theological indictments he readily dishes out to churches he visits one time only in the XXXXX area. "XXXXXX" if you read this, get some therapy. If you can't afford it, check out county services for decent free options. You will discover that therapy plus meds can work wonders for those suffering with grandiosity.
So... what do YOU think about this church rating website?
Todd
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Helen on Thu, February 11, 2010
Job wrote: Other then the fact the creators found the website necessary I am very troubled that there is a seperate category for �un-believer�. I am sorry, but just by giving them their own platform to voice their opinion you�re indirectly approving of their lack of faith in Christ.
I don’t see how - we’re simply respecting their ability to notice things about churches. Do you think someone who isn’t a Christian is any less able than a Christian to notice, for example, whether people in a church are friendly and welcoming or not? If so what do you base that on?
I’m familiar with the theology which says Christians and people who aren’t Christians are poles apart, but in reality that’s not what I’ve observed.
As well as respecting their ability to notice things we’re also asking their opinion because many churches hope people who aren’t Christians will come to their church. So it only makes sense to ask them why they would/wouldn’t come.
Job when you say these things about ‘unbelievers’ do you think it draws them to you and makes them want to become Christians (followers of Christ)? If so, fair enough; but if not then saying them is in conflict with the Great Commission isn’t it? What if people who aren’t Christians are reading your comments?
JOB on Thu, February 11, 2010
Helen,
I don’t think I said anything about unbelievers in my comment that doesn’t align with the word of God. I believe the purpose of church meetings are for the assembly and edification of the saints. All are welcome, unbelievers and believers alike, and should be greeted like they are but that doesn’t change the purpose of the meeting.
I believe when a unbeliever enters a Christian church they should be expecting to hear a message about Jesus, his saving love, God’s hatred of sin, and the hope of the Gospel. If we are asking an unbeliever to play closer attention to what the ushers are wearing or wether ther was ample parking we could be distracting them from there real need, Jesus. There are enough church people worrying about the little things, trust me.
23If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
24But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
25And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
David Buckham on Thu, February 11, 2010
JOB in my first post I said that church is not for the edification of saints, nor is it for the outsiders/lost. Church is for God. If we, as ministers and those who serve in the local church, make it for God the side effect is the saint will be edified and the lost can be saved.
The ideology that church is for us and not them or vice versa is what creates the rift. There are so many books on making church pleasing or unoffending or open to a certain group, but what about God.
all about Christ,
David Buckham
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