Revival this week !!

[Boaz]

lol , You know I face a lot of questions pretty regular (Texans say 'pretty' to expound or mean more) how I can be a Baptist and not only accept other churches but to promote them . I get a kick out of it ! As an Independent Baptist I am given leave or latitude to lead all to Christ . Mine is not the only church , there are many doing good work and gaining glory for GOD .

As a child we would visit kinfolks regular , that included going to church with them as they did with us when they visited . We had Baptists (mainly Southern) , Methodists , Pentecostal , Seventh Day Adventist , Catholic and Primitive Baptist .
As a child it was all about the same for me . I was to be quiet , sing when it 'happened' and suffer through the sermon being still and keeping my mouth shut , lol . Mom always had a pack of Juicy Fruit gum and a piece of paper to write or draw on to occupy me . If you acted up she took you outside give you a whopping and shamed you . When you went back in you minded . It worked out ok !

I didn't realize till much later I didn't have many of the preconceived prejudices that many would have only going to one church their whole life . As a child they all seemed to deliver the same message ....they just did it in a different way .

Aunt Babe .
Aunt Babe was a Seventh Day Adventist , she visited because she lived in a tiny town in Oklahoma and had to have some medical tests run so she came to 'visit' . We all hated to see her come , not because she was an Adventist but because she was just naturally mean as a rattlesnake . Condescending , hateful and purely divisive .
Mom was cooking big meals since she was staying and made bacon , eggs and don't remember what else . She served Babe a plate full of food and it had bacon on it . Babe come unglued (Adventists don't eat pork) !! Went to ranting she could.t eat bacon ! Mom was trying to cater to her but forgot
about the pork deal .
Mom backed up to the counter and said ; You grew up on pork and you ain't goin to hell ! What do you want to eat ! lol , it shamed aunt Babe , she shut up and apologized . Next morning she asked for bacon when mom wanted to know what she wanted . lol , my mom was a strong woman .

[Boaz]

When I was bout 10 years old I was standing outside the front of the church waiting for mom or dad to come out and go home . There was 3 or 4 old men talking , they were talking bad about those going to the Catholic church down the street . Mom came out and we started for the 62 model Rambler in the parking lot . As we were walking I asked if Catholics were bad people . She kept on walking . When we got to the car she turned and said ; Charlie , Catholics are not bad people...they just worship GOD in a different way . No more else was ever said .

[Boaz]

I was raised Baptist but taught to respect others worship practices . Now you might think that would confuse a child but it's quite the opposite , I was taught to 'respect' ones ability to chose the way they worship . Not confusing at all , actually clarifies acceptance of methodology of worship .

[jmort]

Raised Roman Catholic
Currerently card carrying Southern Baptist
Have been a member of a Dutch Reform church
Attended non-denominational and Full Gospel churches
Would attend any of them again

[Boaz]

lol , good for you !

[Boaz]

I might have to pick your brain on the Dutch Reform Church , never visited !

[Boaz]

Dad was a Mason . Being a Mason is not going to church .But in Texas The Masons always say ...we just take a good ol boy and make him better . Dad was solid , a good man , infinite patience to a fault and when that patience played out due to my hardheadedness he ripped off that old brown work belt and showed me the error of my ways . Praise GOD for dad . He taught me much .
Dad was born in a dugout near Stage Stand Oklahoma in 1901 . He was run over by a truck in 1915 . Both knees crushed , he spent 2 years in a bed unable to walk . He was raised Penicostal but mainly believed what he read in his bible . He walked with a limp but woe to the one that called him a cripple or a gimp . His teaching was general and practical by biblical standards . Leaving decisions to me ...a hard teacher .

[jmort]

It was a "mega-church" in So Cal and I doubt even half the people attending knew it was a Dutch Reform Church. Once I found out, I did some due diligence and found I agreed with the denomination. The Pastor kind of set his own course from what could tell. I agreed with him less than I did with the "official" church doctrine. Was baptized there. I have attended a couple mega-churches. They seem to adopt a very similar approach.

[Boaz]

jmort I started in a fair size Southern Baptist church when I was bout 10 years old . It morphed into a mega church , I attended it for 42 years , went to a smaller Independent Baptist church (same basic doctrine) and enjoy the closer fellowship and outreach works .

[jmort]

We get around 30 on Sunday. We are a family, but only a couple young families attend. That is not good. We need some more young blood in our Body

[Boaz]

I understand . Preach the word . Witness and show diligence . They will come . I have seen and experienced it . The weak will fall to the side , the tears will be cast . But the committed will bring them in . Built up your own then seek lost .

[Boaz]

Have you seen the light ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtolv9kM1qk

[Boaz]

Will you fly away ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BPoMIQHwpo

[Boaz]

Put up a testimony or hymn/song ?

[GhostHawk]

Growing up in a village of a 135 souls counting dogs everything was divided on 3 lines.

Republican or Democrat.

Water (was the person you were talking to above you or below you.)

Catholic or Lutheran?

We were outsiders, Methodist who drove 8 miles every sunday to church.

The Lutherans tried hard to get our family. Dade was a pillar of the community, a solid man, and one who got things done. As the Lutheran church was just 2 blocks down the street we were in it often, marryin's and buryin's.

Then one day the Catholic priest knocked on our door after supper. Now we knew him well. A good sized portion of his flock was from our village and any community event would see him there.

He had a problem. They wanted to build a new church. And they knew we had just finished ours. But they wanted to rebuild on the same ground. Which meant for over a year they would have no place to hold service. I think they had originally wanted to talk to Dad about contractors and such. Dad was on the board of trustee's and very involved.

Well; dad working with the trustee's and the pastor negotiated a deal with them. For 15 months we shared a building.

Holidays we ran multiple services, and swapped preachers. So if it was mostly Catholic mass the Methodist preacher would do the Sermon and vice versa.

There are many church's, faiths, doctrines, differences of opinion.
To me all of that is irrelevant.

There is ONE Lord, and either you believe and follow him, or you don't.
Choose your church to suit yourself. But remind yourself that the church is run by man, and has been for 2000 years. That is a lot of time for man to screw things up. And mankind is good at that.

As Jesus went through the temple driving out the money lenders and corrupt I believe he will someday go through our church's. And all those who gave him lip service only. Who were Christians only for an hour on Sunday will hear "I knew you not"

And those who truly believe and follow him, who work for him. Will hear "Thou good and faithful servant, well done!" And no one will care which church they attended.

Which are you? Who do you serve?

[Boaz]

Thank you GhostHawk .

[Boaz]

Are you washed...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf-5kzeSbXY

[Boaz]

I posted this last week in a thread , thought it appropriate here also . Have a great Sunday today !

Luke 2;9-16

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And so the prophesy was fulfilled . Our Savior had come . Immanuel , GOD with us . The rest is history , the words , example and sacrifice to pay our debit we could not pay . We say we are his children . Our Lord came to save us and offers a better life lived in his example and eternal life through payment of our sins . He did all he could to save us from ourselves . So ! How are you holding up to your commitment ? Personally I could use a little work .

[WRideout]

I had not been in a church for a couple of decades, when I finally decided it was time to take my kids to the Methodist church where they had been invited for social events. I dropped in to the adult Sunday School, and talked with people while waiting for it to start. One lady asked, "Where do you usually go to church?" I answered I had not been in a long time, but I was raised Baptist. A couple of other people kind of looked down at the table and said, "I was raised Baptist." I felt like I was at a 12 step meeting; "My name is Wayne, and I was raised Baptist!"

Wayne

[Boaz]

Wayne I laughed when I read that ! Thank you !