Just wondering why we spend our time praising pastors of "Mega" churches and ignore the dedicated men that work 40 hours a week and pastor our little local churches!!
There are still pastors that know the names of every member of the congregation...visit the sick in hospitals,preach Sunday morning and night and conduct Wednesday night services,bury the dead,marry folks and do it all for the love of the work. They have broken hearts,burdens that are untold and love unending...yet we never mention their name in prayer or in our conversations.
We are impressed by the size of the congregation,rather than by the size of the kingdom of Heaven that has welcomed the sinners saved by grace.
The Apostle Paul was not a professional minister..he worked for a living and gave his life to convert sinners. He never had a book signing,Tv "SHOW" or warmed up to political greats to make him look better.
I attended a Christmas Eve service in a Mega Church in the Houston area..it was impressive..so was a broadway production of,"Damm Yankees". What I got out of that meeting was that they wanted to sign me up for their emails and newsletters and get my committment for a montly donation..to hell with my soul.
Remember the movie,"Show Me The Money"? Show me the converts..changed lived. That's what matters.
If I'm out of step with the modern religion..so were the New Testament Christians!
Yes, I was raised in a very small country church, then married and attended a small church in Chisom (sp)outside of Montgomery where we lived. Mignon is a small country church in a huge building. But, almost every room is the home of an ongoing ministry; the Soup Kitchen, Prayer blanket, Caps for Christ, Crisis Closet, Women's Monday Prayer, Men's Sunday Prayer, Youth Ministry, Parlor for Showers, etc., Woodworking class, Small Group studies, playground used by the public also, and most important, the meeting room for our worship. It is a small room with straight chairs, no pulpit to speak of, no piano, just a keyboard, but we seem to always have a very special Guest meet with us there. Our interium pastor is a true man of God, loving and caring for the individual AND the church and where we need to go. I praise God for the Christian friends who gather there each Sunday. Now, I have preached my lesson and I will keep quiet on churches, no churches, home churches, or outside churches. I just thank God for every one. (And I thank him for the opportunity to "converse" with all of you.)
Like Shirley,one final word about churches.
The writings of Paul in the New Testament were written to encourage,strengthen and point out their failures.
The Book of Revalation speaks to the 7 churches..praising their work,damming their lukewarmness and offering restoration.
No way am I in favor of bashing churches that are the Bride of Christ...but,be it far from me to embrace anyone that runs up the flag and says,"We're a Church"...and does not meet the scriptural defininition of the church.