www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall retention of charismatic evangelicals

I was probably not exact enough in my original question. What I meant was the kind of churches where there is lots of hand clapping, singing, stomping, lights twirling like a disco, people dancing in place or in the aisles. The kind you see on television where the pastor has that perfect pompadour hair style, expensive suit, perfect teeth that must have cost as much as my 2000 Honda, etc. Whether they are "evangelical", "fundamentalist," "Pentecostal," or go by any other name. The churches are almost a caricature of the old fashioned "tent revival." I'm not concerned with the name of the church, what they call themselves or even if they are Catholic. I mean the ones that seem to be a lot of show business.

Does that help?

Tim

How about a pastor riding a mini bike through a ring of fire? I've seen a church advertise itself to have a very loud "show business" type of worship service.

It's a megachurch in the Woodlands north of Houston. It is popular and has a substantial attendance, but it is a relatively new church and I know nothing about it.

Terry

Evil Knievel for God? I don't know. If it takes that kind of thing to bring people into a church, they must be starved for entertainment, not starved for God's love. There's a big difference. (Altough it all depends on how one looks at it, I suppose. God's love can be quite entertaining. Just not the same kind of entertainment as riding a bike through a hoop of fire.)

It seems to me that if someone is attracted to that kind of spectacle, they are looking for something other than Jesus. And they aren't going to stay around very long. Each Sunday would have to be bigger than the previous Sunday. What's next--shooting the pastor out of a cannon? Bungee jumping into a pool of sharks? To what purpose?

Tim

How about snake handling?

Actually, he didn't jump through a ring of fire but he is as showy as one who would. A clip from this video (of the motorbikes) is what I saw in a commercial:

But it shows the style of his preaching.

Terry

Shooting the pastor. Now there's a thought. I'll bet I'm not the only one who has had that thought run through his mind.

I actually thought about that aspect--snake handling. But did not want to go there.

Tim

It took me a few days but I read this article. I have met quite a few Protestant charismatics who are a part of the current development of the movement Fr. Seraphim Rose reacted against.

I liked this quote: "One does not know at what to marvel the more: at the total incongruence of such hysterical feelings and experiences with anything at all spiritual or at the incredible light-mindedness that leads such deceived people to ascribe their contortions to the 'Holy Spirit,' to 'divine inspiration,' to the 'peace of Christ.' These are clearly people who, in the spiritual and religious realm, are not only totally inexperienced and without guidance, but are absolutely illiterate."

Even though my grandfather was (and remains) a Protestant, I must confess that there was wisdom in his words when he spoke of Pentecostals. He said he saw the "devil in their eyes".

Terry