Guest Posted January 1, 2005 Share Posted January 1, 2005 groan... Churches are like restaurants with the pastor being the chef... What a way to start 2005 with communion size wafer/diet portions of leftovers. Tithe??? I'll give to ADRA before I pay any more tithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cricket Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 Guess what? We did have something more than a typical topical New Year's sermon. My husband gave the sermon this morning. He spoke from three stories in the Bible about how people should refocus on God and that everything else will come to them. If this is a typical topical sermon, and this is what you preach so often against, then, JimBob7, I have to no longer sympathize with your cause. Guess what? I gave tithe this morning; I gave toward Pathfinders; I gave toward the local church budget AND my money went to ADRA. I'm sorry to hear that you'll no longer be giving tithe dollars. When we give our faithful tithe in return, God blesses us greatly!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Nan Posted January 2, 2005 Moderators Share Posted January 2, 2005 We had a sermon based on 2 Samuel 9, on David's kindness to Mephibosheth - David wanted to show Jonathan's son /Saul's house "the kindness of God". The sermon developed along predictable lines but was refreshing and encouraging. God is kind to us beyond anything we deserve, now and in His promises in the hereafter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 Thanks for the replies.. Here we go again... Quote: how people should refocus on God and that everything else will come to them. So this is a religious self service formula? Refocus on God and I will get my goodies? Quote: When we give our faithful tithe in return, God blesses us greatly!! Another self-serving formula? We return the 10% and we get goodies? Do you see the trend again..?? Do it the world's way and get messed up..do it God's way and get goodies? Yeah the basic point is correct..it is the approach.. The "Purpose driven life" book...mentioned and studied on this site brings out this narcissistic, self serving, self help attitude and approach in churchianitiy..It does so in the very first section of the book. The trend continues......what is in it for MEEEEEEE.. This approach is ok for down and out messed up, entry level, non churched, people who are searching for security m, structure and stability, answers.....yet is the clergy supposed to keep this gimmee, gimmee, gimmeee, I need, I need approach every sabbath??? They are so fortunate that I am not GC ministerial director.... I would have a pile of PINK SLIPS on my desk ready for the axe to fall. This constant theme/approach promotes selfish meism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 Nan, Does your pastor ever give clues at the beginning of the sermon as to what gives him the idea for the choice or topic of the sermon? Hey..ya know what...God is kind, merciful, gracious, forgiving..gives us better than we deserve....and YET.. There is going to be a massive slaughter at the 2nd coming... How does that fit into the equation?? What was your pastor trying to achieve? Calm some guilt ridden, stressed out , insecure, paranoid members? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Gregory Matthews Posted January 2, 2005 Moderators Share Posted January 2, 2005 Friday evening, we had the Lord's Supper. Sabbath, January 1, we had a sermon by a pastor from an Island in the Pacific. He beagan by tellling us of the sermon he had prepared, and its main point. Then he told us that he strongly felt that the the Lord had impressed him, Friday evening, to spak on Romans 3:23. So, he had put aside his prepared sermon, and immediately worked on a new sermon. His theme was that God had done it all, we had all sinned, but God had effected reconcillation, and he wished that all of us would be reconcilled to God, and to each other. He was visiting in the U.S. for a few days. We leared of it, and immediately asked him and his wife to join us in worship, at our travel expense, which we accepted. As a church, we have provided funancial support to a SDA School on his Pacific island, and we have sent people over to help. We are sending two over in a few days to teach in that school. He could have used his time to wind us up for continued giving. He did not. He simply spoke on Romans 3:23, the gifts of Christ, and reconcillation. Jim, would his sermon have met your standards? I do not know. But, that is what we had. Quote Gregory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 We had communion, but the sermon was really neat as was the prayer. It was a 3 part prayer with a Bible reading before each prayer. We prayer to the one that lost their lives in Asia, we prayer for the grieving families and we prayer for those who are helping. At the end of the service a special offering was given. All the money from that offering will be going to ADRA. Also we honored 2 poster that have been at our church for 20 years. Quote .....Love others as well as you love yourself. Matt 22:39 (The Message Bible) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Quote: he strongly felt that the the Lord had impressed him, Friday evening, to spak on Romans 3:23. So, he had put aside his prepared sermon, and immediately worked on a new sermon. His theme was that God had done it all, we had all sinned, but God had effected reconcillation, and he wished that all of us would be reconcilled to God, and to each other. He simply spoke on Romans 3:23, the gifts of Christ, and reconcillation. Jim, would his sermon have met your standards? I do not know. But, that is what we had. My standards? Nope. But am I going to risk blaspheming and or 2nd guessing the Spirit of God? Naaa. I realize that that you wanted to post something here and you were probably challenged on how much to write..I appreciate the reply. The first thing I see is ONE verse..you know how I would react to that. The second is the choice of verses..the most entry level there is. Is this what SDA groups should hear? Maybe the message was for one person there in the congregation with God knowing that one person would listen and all others were already spiritually deaf..I could speculate in a zillion different fashions. Maybe there were some who think they arrived and the message was a wake up call that they were all sinners like everyone else. etc, etc, etc, etc.. then there is the reconciliation..many do not go into enough application and depth about this part.. This is why so many are really not reconciled to God.. this is shown in the life outside the church doors. It reminds me of the beginning of Hebrews 6...as if the speaker was saying NO to Paul...let's stay and suck the milk from the mammary gland forever. He wanted all to be reconciled to each other? What brings individual interpersonal reconciliation? Did he imply that if the hearer can feel that God wants to be reconciled to the individual then they sense awesome love and can react in kind to someone who they have a grudge against..?? This can be valid...yet if this was so simple then we could all just be satisfied with preaching one message.. Preach Rom 3:23 every sabbath... Isn't that all we need is to be reconciled to God and each other and we are ready for the 2nd coming and heaven? So scrap the rest of scripture..it is just filler. Now I know I am not being fair and doing his message justice because I know you did not post his complete message here. Maybe it was one of the freshest messages you have heard in a while..I don't know because I don't know how your pastor/chef at your church cooks. How was the exit of the listeners from the church..? Did they leave quick? What was the comments to the speaker at the door or on the platform after the service?? I watch all of this when and after I hear a speaker.. You see I don't go for ME, ME, ME...I watch to see if the listeners were blessed or did they go...well,,, that was just another trite boring typical SDA NFDMTTS.. Happy New Year Greg..God bless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Quote: We had communion also. Our pastor had a brief sermonette that led into the foot washing service then on into communion. It was wonderful. If I was Conference president.... I would make sure that PASTORS receive TITHETTES for sermonettes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Nan Posted January 3, 2005 Moderators Share Posted January 3, 2005 The church was the Italian church in Sydney with an attendance of about 20. We are not members there, had gone because my husband had taken the SS lesson. The minister was a visiting speaker and he did not give any clues. He just gave a timely and appreciated message. (This is summer in this country and many of the regular ministers are on holiday. This church shares a pastor who is currently on leave and retiring soon to his native Greece.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Ok,,thanks for the reply... I was just thinking...of how I ocassionally give a homeless streetperson some money and if they think it is timely after they say God bless to me.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Nan Posted January 3, 2005 Moderators Share Posted January 3, 2005 Any thing given in love should be timely....even if only for the giver. But I would imagine the recipient is sincere in that statement also. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darlene Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 I'm really glad not all pastors meet your standard in sermon presentation, JimBob. I think a biblical, theological sermon without anything that applies to our lives would be a very boring sermon. Don't mean to be rude, just trying to let you know that what one person likes in a sermon is not always what other people like in a sermon. The standard you use to measure a sermon may not be the standard that another person uses. We have a very wonderful and effective pastor who, though not a super dynamic presenter, gives very effective and thought provoking sermons. This week he first of all talked about the disaster in the Pacific Rim and the unselfish service needed to deal with this situation and then challenged us to let the Lord use us in service; service in our community by helping people, service in giving Bible studies, service in doing work to prepare our church for an evangelistic series in the Fall of 2005, and service in giving our whole heart to God and letting Him use us in His service. What better sermon is there than one that draws us into a closer relationship with Jesus? Now, that's what I call a good sermon! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Quote: I'm really glad not all pastors meet your standard in sermon presentation, JimBob. You aren't alone by a long shot...there are many out there who can't endure doctrine. Quote: I think a biblical, theological sermon without anything that applies to our lives would be a very boring sermon. I agree..and does this phrase of yours mean that that is what my standard is?? How many times have I mentioned that a sermon needs to be clear , relevant, timely and practical for contemporary times?? Quote: Don't mean to be rude, just trying to let you know that what one person likes in a sermon is not always what other people like in a sermon. The standard you use to measure a sermon may not be the standard that another person uses. of course..that is why I call them clueles and or poorly trained. Quote: We have a very wonderful and effective pastor who, though not a super dynamic presenter, gives very effective and thought provoking sermons. This week he first of all talked about the disaster in the Pacific Rim and the unselfish service needed to deal with this situation and then challenged us to let the Lord use us in service; service in our community by helping people, service in giving Bible studies, service in doing work to prepare our church for an evangelistic series in the Fall of 2005, and service in giving our whole heart to God and letting Him use us in His service. What better sermon is there than one that draws us into a closer relationship with Jesus? Now, that's what I call a good sermon! Yep and everyone went home and did everything he mentioned and were sanctified and will be soon ready for translation. None went home to the same worldly rut there were already in.. When was the last time you were at a sports event with cheerleaders...how long does the euphoria last??? TILL THE GAME IS OVER! TILL THE WORSHIP SERVICE IS OVER!! Darlene..thanks for the reply...like I say..most pastors are clueless and or poorly trained. Of course most of the members will come back next week to get their religious pep talk and theological therapy session. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicodema Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 I'd like to hear some bold sermons where SDA preachers trained in understanding eschatological Bible prophecy demonstrate clearly the significance of events transpiring right now (and I'm not talking the tsunami here, folks, though it's fine if they want to include that too) and boldly stand up against the beast that is on the rise. That would slay my day and make my cake. Quote "After such knowledge, what forgiveness?" -- T.S. Eliot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 That would be nice Nico..I think there are a couple...usually in the religious liberty camp... the thing that gets me is how authentic???...it is usally a bunch of current event speculation. Has happened so often even to EGW..where the use contemporary events to interpret prophecy.. I remember John Stevens from the Pacific Union Conference putting out ..Earth's Fading Freedom quarterly news brochure..was always interesting with beast, and catholic news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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