AND thought provoking, instead of authoritarian, thought numbing, and controlling?
I would be impressed too, with that alone.
Maybe that shoots my theory, that if they hit the big time, things go for the worse.
Hamm.....yeah, 30 minutes max with a calming, imploring message.
This church wasn't filled with people with plastic smiles and a veneer of christian-faith.......or 50 other slanderous stereotypes that I heard while in twi. Sure, I know......every church is different. But one of the reasons why I started this thread is to give a personal account of WHAT I FOUND.
The further I step back and look at twi's "system of moving god's word"....... the more DISCONNECT from society I see. At least in this instance, this church is grounded into community involvement and rolling up their sleeves to assist in a variety of efforts.
Twi is a self-serving, elitist, abusive-household that won't even walk across the street to help his neighbor.
We also have attended mega churches, and smile. They have a good thing going. Our church when it gets to big then splits and a new one is started. So the main starter church will not be over whelmed with people. It may take the offshoots 2-5years to grow to the point of building a church. In the meantime we have met at a high school. There is aways something for anyone and everyone to participate in. Accountability is a key in the small group settings, and that is just in your growth and relationship with the Lord. If you need help in that area. It's NOT about your dress, the way you raise your kids, blow your nose etc. It's a good thing. I would encourage anyone to check them out and you decide. Don't let your Way experience talk you out of it. Thanks for letting me bend your ear awhile. :)
One thing I liked about TWI was that there actually was a network of believers to cover many things. For example, people praying for stuff at the House of His healing presence at ROAs or even at the local level. One year I knew ahead of time that I would be spending 4 days in LA so at the ROA I went to the way of the usa tent and asked questions and got a BCs phone # and got to go to a twig a mile from where I was staying in LA. Cool.
I did go to a mega church 2 years ago and it was the same thing. If you came before the main sermon started they had stuff for adults, stuff for teens, stuff for younger kids, and really great music. It just feels good to have, as the thread title says, mega options.
I go to a home fellowship, and on the way there every Sunday we pass a mega church and this guy wearing an orange vest is (I don't mean this derogatorily) just parking cars for Jesus and having a great time doing it. He waves at us as we drive by. I wouldn't be afraid to check out THAT church.
One thing I liked about TWI was that there actually was a network of believers to cover many things. For example, people praying for stuff at the House of His healing presence at ROAs or even at the local level. One year I knew ahead of time that I would be spending 4 days in LA so at the ROA I went to the way of the usa tent and asked questions and got a BCs phone # and got to go to a twig a mile from where I was staying in LA. Cool.
Yeah........a long, long time ago (1974-1984) there WAS an exciting network of believers. Traveling around the country was fun and way believers would invite you over for dinner and let you spend a night or two. One could travel from coast to coast.....stopping night after night and hitting a twig now and then. Probably had alot to do with being lots younger back then, too.
I did go to a mega church 2 years ago and it was the same thing. If you came before the main sermon started they had stuff for adults, stuff for teens, stuff for younger kids, and really great music. It just feels good to have, as the thread title says, mega options.
Mega-options......so MUCH variety. Most of these mega-churches has 5 or 6 services each weekend.
Saturday evening............more casual and young-adult oriented
Sunday 8:30 am..............for the early risers (and active people who have lots planned on Sunday)
Sunday 9:30 am..............contemporary service and sunday school activities
Sunday 10:45 am............the large, "full-service" gathering, most attendance
Sunday 4 pm..................(or 5 pm) geared towards teenagers and young adults
To me, it's no surprise why these mega-churches are a mega-center for Christian families........there is something for the whole family. Not like twi, where teenagers feel isolated and embarrassed to attend repetitive home fellowships with boring consistency. In the 90s, martindale basicly told parents to use the strong-arm approach with their teenagers and mark&avoid them if they refuse to stay committed, jumping thru the hoops, etc.
I go to a home fellowship, and on the way there every Sunday we pass a mega church and this guy wearing an orange vest is (I don't mean this derogatorily) just parking cars for Jesus and having a great time doing it. He waves at us as we drive by. I wouldn't be afraid to check out THAT church.
IMO, to exclusively attend a home fellowship (8-16 regulars) is detrimental to one's spiritual growth.......so isolated and all. Sorta like being snow-bound with no electricity (or years).....and running your own space heater which could possibly burn down your own home.
quote: IMO, to exclusively attend a home fellowship (8-16 regulars) is detrimental to one's spiritual growth.......so isolated and all. Sorta like being snow-bound with no electricity (or years).....and running your own space heater which could possibly burn down your own home.
Isolated? I'm not isolated from God. I'm really not too worried about my spiritual growth at this point.
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Ham
thirty minutes? wowser..
AND thought provoking, instead of authoritarian, thought numbing, and controlling?
I would be impressed too, with that alone.
Maybe that shoots my theory, that if they hit the big time, things go for the worse.
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skyrider
Hamm.....yeah, 30 minutes max with a calming, imploring message.
This church wasn't filled with people with plastic smiles and a veneer of christian-faith.......or 50 other slanderous stereotypes that I heard while in twi. Sure, I know......every church is different. But one of the reasons why I started this thread is to give a personal account of WHAT I FOUND.
The further I step back and look at twi's "system of moving god's word"....... the more DISCONNECT from society I see. At least in this instance, this church is grounded into community involvement and rolling up their sleeves to assist in a variety of efforts.
Twi is a self-serving, elitist, abusive-household that won't even walk across the street to help his neighbor.
Good riddance to the smugness.
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coolchef
glad you had a good experience
what is thier web site?
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Ca_dreaming
We also have attended mega churches, and smile. They have a good thing going. Our church when it gets to big then splits and a new one is started. So the main starter church will not be over whelmed with people. It may take the offshoots 2-5years to grow to the point of building a church. In the meantime we have met at a high school. There is aways something for anyone and everyone to participate in. Accountability is a key in the small group settings, and that is just in your growth and relationship with the Lord. If you need help in that area. It's NOT about your dress, the way you raise your kids, blow your nose etc. It's a good thing. I would encourage anyone to check them out and you decide. Don't let your Way experience talk you out of it. Thanks for letting me bend your ear awhile. :)
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dmiller
I've never been to a mega-church,
(well -- except for the Catholic one I attended as a kid).
Though I have been to some pretty small Baptist churches,
and yes -- they showed all the love, etc., for me as a *newbie*,
even though I wore jeans, and a t-shirt.
No *love-bombing*, no prosylitizing, just a friendly ---
"Hi, how are ya? I'm so and so. What's your name".
It was a refreshing respite, from what I was used to in twi.
:)
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johniam
One thing I liked about TWI was that there actually was a network of believers to cover many things. For example, people praying for stuff at the House of His healing presence at ROAs or even at the local level. One year I knew ahead of time that I would be spending 4 days in LA so at the ROA I went to the way of the usa tent and asked questions and got a BCs phone # and got to go to a twig a mile from where I was staying in LA. Cool.
I did go to a mega church 2 years ago and it was the same thing. If you came before the main sermon started they had stuff for adults, stuff for teens, stuff for younger kids, and really great music. It just feels good to have, as the thread title says, mega options.
I go to a home fellowship, and on the way there every Sunday we pass a mega church and this guy wearing an orange vest is (I don't mean this derogatorily) just parking cars for Jesus and having a great time doing it. He waves at us as we drive by. I wouldn't be afraid to check out THAT church.
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skyrider
Yeah........a long, long time ago (1974-1984) there WAS an exciting network of believers. Traveling around the country was fun and way believers would invite you over for dinner and let you spend a night or two. One could travel from coast to coast.....stopping night after night and hitting a twig now and then. Probably had alot to do with being lots younger back then, too.
Mega-options......so MUCH variety. Most of these mega-churches has 5 or 6 services each weekend.Saturday evening............more casual and young-adult oriented
Sunday 8:30 am..............for the early risers (and active people who have lots planned on Sunday)
Sunday 9:30 am..............contemporary service and sunday school activities
Sunday 10:45 am............the large, "full-service" gathering, most attendance
Sunday 4 pm..................(or 5 pm) geared towards teenagers and young adults
To me, it's no surprise why these mega-churches are a mega-center for Christian families........there is something for the whole family. Not like twi, where teenagers feel isolated and embarrassed to attend repetitive home fellowships with boring consistency. In the 90s, martindale basicly told parents to use the strong-arm approach with their teenagers and mark&avoid them if they refuse to stay committed, jumping thru the hoops, etc.
IMO, to exclusively attend a home fellowship (8-16 regulars) is detrimental to one's spiritual growth.......so isolated and all. Sorta like being snow-bound with no electricity (or years).....and running your own space heater which could possibly burn down your own home.
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excathedra
i prefer this one
jammies
smokes
drinks
turn off teaching if you don't like it
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johniam
quote: IMO, to exclusively attend a home fellowship (8-16 regulars) is detrimental to one's spiritual growth.......so isolated and all. Sorta like being snow-bound with no electricity (or years).....and running your own space heater which could possibly burn down your own home.
Isolated? I'm not isolated from God. I'm really not too worried about my spiritual growth at this point.
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