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02-11-2004, 02:14 PM

^^^^^ I attended the same church for a long time, but always felt that something wasn't right. I quit attending, then started going again when i was really lost and a loved one was suffering from depression and I had no idea what else to do- yet it still didn't feel right. The church had multiplied in population and come to find out, now you have to go through a long period of member classes to become an official member before being a part of any group- choir, drama, ushering, etc. I really felt then that it was getting out of hand.
This church thrives on expensive, classy fashion, as well as interior/exterior design of the place, promoting itself like crazy, and a lot of materialization & lack of acceptance is flooding the church, losing its true purpose. They turn down or ignore people that don't look like them, and all I hear about is gossip and judgements. Now this chuch is also overpopulated, having to have 3 sermons every sunday, they have a shuttle in the huge parking lot, and now have also built a seperate building called Champion Centre, and have basically changed their previous name- Covenant Celebration Church. First of all, I find the new name taking away the purpose and meaning.
The new place has a frickin huge cafe and bokstore- almost like a Barnes & Noble, serving Starbucks coffee.
It's all about popularity & profit, now.

Now, for me, if I were to attend a church, I would want to immediately sense and feel the purpose of church and its beleifs & meaning, with an intimite environment putting aside judgement and bringing a friendly, warm, sincere vibe. I could care less if I go to a high School auditorium for a sermon with only about 100 people there and a pastor who greets you as you come and leave and never preaches the same thing over and over, and also preaches without sounding "preachy"- where they encourage sharing experiences & stories, ideas, and an open mind. Just simply reading out of the bible and going off in a wild tangent about what he read and telling us what we need to do is something that does not work for me.
I know this may seem like it's going off-topic, but my point goes for the church itself on how "preachy" and prosthleytizing it can get to be.

02-11-2004, 02:14 PM	#26 (permalink)
:::OshnSoul::: Guest	^^^^^ I attended the same church for a long time, but always felt that something wasn't right. I quit attending, then started going again when i was really lost and a loved one was suffering from depression and I had no idea what else to do- yet it still didn't feel right. The church had multiplied in population and come to find out, now you have to go through a long period of member classes to become an official member before being a part of any group- choir, drama, ushering, etc. I really felt then that it was getting out of hand. This church thrives on expensive, classy fashion, as well as interior/exterior design of the place, promoting itself like crazy, and a lot of materialization & lack of acceptance is flooding the church, losing its true purpose. They turn down or ignore people that don't look like them, and all I hear about is gossip and judgements. Now this chuch is also overpopulated, having to have 3 sermons every sunday, they have a shuttle in the huge parking lot, and now have also built a seperate building called Champion Centre, and have basically changed their previous name- Covenant Celebration Church. First of all, I find the new name taking away the purpose and meaning. The new place has a frickin huge cafe and bokstore- almost like a Barnes & Noble, serving Starbucks coffee. It's all about popularity & profit, now. Now, for me, if I were to attend a church, I would want to immediately sense and feel the purpose of church and its beleifs & meaning, with an intimite environment putting aside judgement and bringing a friendly, warm, sincere vibe. I could care less if I go to a high School auditorium for a sermon with only about 100 people there and a pastor who greets you as you come and leave and never preaches the same thing over and over, and also preaches without sounding "preachy"- where they encourage sharing experiences & stories, ideas, and an open mind. Just simply reading out of the bible and going off in a wild tangent about what he read and telling us what we need to do is something that does not work for me. I know this may seem like it's going off-topic, but my point goes for the church itself on how "preachy" and prosthleytizing it can get to be.