5 Churchy Phrases That Are Scaring Off Millennials

Quotes from the article, by Addie Zierman: 

"We don’t want to hustle to prove our faith; we don’t want to pretend. We want to be accepted, not analyzed." 

... 

"You’ve heard us say that we like Jesus but not the church, and it’s not because we’re trying to be difficult. It’s because the Jesus we read about enters into the pain of humanity where so often the church people seem to want to float above it."

Read more, here. 

"Bible Based" Church

"My church was a building where everyone would come to once a week to worship God – just like the Temple in the Bible.

I encouraged everyone it was God’s will that they bring their tithe to this building – just like the Temple in the Bible.

I organised musical worship, that placed God high up in heaven and the rest of us far away on earth – we were always ‘reaching up to him’ – just like the Temple in the Bible."

Read the rest of the story by Joey Dazzler at http://mickmooney.com/bible-based-church/

18 Mistakes I made as a Senior Pastor

by Jim Palmer

Putting church over community.
Putting orthodoxy over love.
Putting certainty over wonder.
Putting teaching over conversation.
Putting polished over real.
Putting answers over questions.
Putting membership over friendship.
Putting Christianity over Christ.
Putting knowledge over action.
Putting style over substance.
Putting appearance over authenticity.
Putting functionality over beauty.
Putting religion over spirituality.
Putting holiness over humanity.
Putting accountability over acceptance.
Putting heaven over earth.
Putting reputation over risk.
Putting charisma over compassion.

Who needs Religious Freedom?

Religious freedom has its obvious benefits. But in the long run, it contributes to the creation of institutionalism in various flavors as we see in countries that are open to religious freedom.

The unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ thrives in countries where there is absolutely no religious freedom. Christians there are not killed because of doctrinal differences. They are tortured and killed for their unwavering trust in the Name of Jesus.

It was His Name that put the early disciples in trouble. It was by that Name that they were conduits of countless miracles. It was by that Name that they turned the world upside down - all amidst the fierce opposition and persecution (for a detailed picture, read the Acts of the Apostles). To them it was all about Him.

Wherever that Name is oppressed, His Gospel (not churchianity) thrives. Perhaps we should pray that the religious freedom that we enjoy be taken away?