Am I Over Reacting

[Cow Poke]

And that is how people get conned by the prosperity "gospel", Was it not said that we should be as innocent as doves and as wise as serpents?

I believe it was!

[KingsGambit]

I readily grant that there are parts of the Bible that are hard to understand, but the general message at least should always be clear. And the particularly difficult passages (like Ezekiel's bizarre visions) aren't going to be the subjects of very many sermons. There's no reason any adult without a learning disability shouldn't be able to handle reading one of the gospels.

(Though I wonder if the lady who said she couldn't handle the Bible tried reading a King James Version or Young's Literal Translation or something. That would actually make sense.)

[Thoughtful Monk]

I wouldn't want to sit through The Story. The sunday teaching or message should go directly through scripture and, sometimes, urgent messages for the current era.

But I also find Christian inspirational books to be boring -- at least what I've picked up.

For books if you mean authors like Lacado, Yancy, any televangelist, I agree. If they aren't boring, they're light weight.

When I wrote the OP, I was thinking of authors I read like CS Lewis, AW Tozer, or that book of Spurgeon sermons I've been wanting to read.

[Thoughtful Monk]

From the Amazon reviews, it sounds like your church is far from the only one doing this. It's supposed to be an abridged version of a chronological bible, but appears to have been poorly executed (and the NIV is about the most boring translation out there). I certainly wouldn't be satisfied with such a church. Then again, I'm dissatisfied with Protestant churches in general, so the difference in this case is merely one of degree. I don't think anyone would be satisfied with that level of Christianity for long; either they're going to drift away from the faith entirely or leave for something more substantial.

I would characterize the church as a social club with a steeple. The Story is the perfect theological weight for them to have "a form of godliness but denying its power." - 2 Timothy 3:5.

[Teallaura]

I readily grant that there are parts of the Bible that are hard to understand, but the general message at least should always be clear. And the particularly difficult passages (like Ezekiel's bizarre visions) aren't going to be the subjects of very many sermons. There's no reason any adult without a learning disability shouldn't be able to handle reading one of the gospels.

(Though I wonder if the lady who said she couldn't handle the Bible tried reading a King James Version or Young's Literal Translation or something. That would actually make sense.)

Yeah - some folks haven't realized that there are other translations than the KJV.

[Christianbookworm]

Looking for a better church? Or is there a way to improve things? A spiritual defibrillator?

[Teallaura]

For books if you mean authors like Lacado, Yancy, any televangelist, I agree. If they aren't boring, they're light weight.

When I wrote the OP, I was thinking of authors I read like CS Lewis, AW Tozer, or that book of Spurgeon sermons I've been wanting to read.

I like Lucado - but as a devotional, not for serious study.

[KingsGambit]

I've never read Tozer but I read JP Holding's scathing critique, which has been enough to keep me away.

[Cow Poke]

Looking for a better church? Or is there a way to improve things? A spiritual defibrillator?

And, by the way....

If you're looking for the perfect church, and you find it - don't join it, cause you'll ruin it.

[Teallaura]

Just a comment - I don't know the situation so I'm not commenting on it specifically but the general idea - if there's something wrong with our church, we are either part of the problem or should be part of the solution. Just meaning, the door shouldn't be our first recourse when things get tough.

[Christianbookworm]

Just a comment - I don't know the situation so I'm not commenting on it specifically but the general idea - if there's something wrong with our church, we are either part of the problem or should be part of the solution. Just meaning, the door shouldn't be our first recourse when things get tough.

I know. I was wondering if there was anything he could do to help things. Dying churches are awful.

[Mountain Man]

Yeah - some folks haven't realized that there are other translations than the KJV.

Hey, if it was good enough for Jesus and Apostles, it's good enough for me!

[QuantaFille]

Just a comment - I don't know the situation so I'm not commenting on it specifically but the general idea - if there's something wrong with our church, we are either part of the problem or should be part of the solution. Just meaning, the door shouldn't be our first recourse when things get tough.

At the church I mentioned, my mother did confront the pastor and he just shrugged it off. Things continued as they were, and I found a new church. My parents followed soon after. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to steer an organisation like that towards a new direction when they're so far off course. It's not impossible, though, for church leadership to realise what needs to be done and then do it. For those of you who know who Dr Heiser is, he has recently accepted a job at a church whose pastor has realised that they needed some deeper study, and has Dr Heiser working on developing some courses to that end.
So, you could try talking to those in leadership of such churches, but you might try seeing if you can put together a Bible study or something for those who are unwilling to leave but still want deeper content.

[KingsGambit]

At this point in time I am more concerned with faithfulness to scripture than how "deep" things are. I left my church of 26 years after they made the switch to affirmation of homosexuality. Given that Scripture portrays this as a salvation issue, it's not something I can agree to disagree with.

The church we have been attending here is one I could not join because they have a super specific list of things you have to believe to join (one of which is Calvinism, which I don't hold to) but that's not a deal breaker for me. I mean, if I can't be a formal member, whatever. I actually find the teachings to be very useful and edifying.

[Christianbookworm]

And, by the way....

If you're looking for the perfect church, and you find it - don't join it, cause you'll ruin it.

I was referring to the OP's church. Which sadly seemes to be below average. I don't know what the average USA church looks like though....