"Why are so many Churches DYING?"

[Mark H. Stevens, Th.D]

I know some will read this and think I am over reacting or overzealous, but remember this one thing…Satan wants you to remain ineffective! If your church is stagnant, prayer meetings dead, and the people of God immature that’s where the devil wants you to stay! Rise up and decide today to address the question, “Why is my Church dying?” I think our churches have become “clubs”, If you don’t wear the right clothes and know the right people, you can’t ever advance in the “Kingdom of Church”! It is a shame that many of churches in the inner city are filled with insensitive people that look down on people that don’t dress like YOU DO! The fashion show MUST stop! Ministry means servant-hood and caring! If you can’t hug a homeless person because you are wearing Gucci or Armani, then you need to go to the altar for some serious prayer!

[Hezekiah Ben Israel]

Are you blind?

[newview]

No I am not blind. Neither am I stupid.
However I am patient.

So tell me: where does it say in the scriptures that the saints are NOT to gather together on Sunday to pray, to sing, to prophesy, to encourage, to dance, to bring their offerings, to exhort or to teach?

Let me say this:
I dont do Christmas and I don't do Easter however - if we happen to have the day off - we go gather with the saints. And in this country most people have those days off. We never attended a church that locked the doors because of what others were doing.
I have never came across a scripture that says we are not to.'
And my job allows me to have off and my husband works for himself - so Saturday and Sunday sound like sure bets to gather together. We have no reason or excuse not to.

[Hezekiah Ben Israel]

It says in in the 10 commandments. The Lord said that you are not to have any god's before him. If you worship on Sunday, you are worshipping the Sun God. Read those scriptures above. You know in your heart those scriptures are right, but you, like Cain need to have it how you want, and not how the Lord says.

I am not trying to offend

[newview]

Brother Hezekiah,

I have no problem with scriptures.
What you are having a problem with is finding a scripture that tells the saints they cannot gather together on Sunday to pray, to sing, to prophesy, to encourage, to dance, to bring their offerings, to exhort or to teach.

Admit it. There is none.
Let God be true. Allow His word to stand on It's own.
Believe me it will be alright.

[BruthaPharoah]

THE MORE RESONABLE QUESTION IS WHERE DOES IT TELL YOU TO HOLLOW THE FIRST DAY ???

BECAUSE WE SHOULD BE DOING WHAT THUS SAITH THE LORD RIGHT???

[Mark H. Stevens, Th.D]

AMEN

[newview]

HahHah,
Bro Mark...we just high-jacked your thread - didn't we?
Sorry.
May one reason some congregations are dying is because the Lord is weeding them out.
Maybe.

[Hezekiah Ben Israel]

I agree with that. Amen. At least me and Brother Mark can agree on that. What that sista said about knowledge and understanding.

[BruthaPharoah]

The Roman calendar included the day of the Sun [Latin dies Solis] for worship of the sun (Sol Invictus). On 7 March 321, Constantine I, Rome's first Christian Emperor , decreed that Sunday (dies Solis) would be observed as the Roman day of rest

.

[Hezekiah Ben Israel]

I hope these brothers can learn to see the truth in the word.

[Mark H. Stevens, Th.D]

First of all, of the 10 commandments listed in Exodus 20:1-17, only 9 of them were restated in the New Testament. (Six in Matt. 19:18, murder, adultery, stealing, false witness, honor parents, and worshiping God; Rom. 13:9, coveting. Worshiping God properly covers the first three commandments) The one that was not reaffirmed was the one about the Sabbath. Instead, Jesus said that He is the Lord of the Sabbath (Matt. 12:8).

In creation, God rested on the seventh day. But, since God is all powerful, He doesn’t get tired. He doesn’t need to take a break and rest. So, why does it say that He rested? The reason is simple: Mark 2:27 says, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." In other words, God established the Sabbath as a rest for His people, not because He needed a break, but because we are mortal and need a time of rest, of focus on God. In this, our spirits and bodies are both renewed.

[Hezekiah Ben Israel]

Listen to what you wrote. If God does not change, do you think he would change his Sabbath. Let's be reasonable, and not look to your own understanding. Just follow the scriptures, and you do well.