Gotta love those preachers
Off to evangelize in Austria (78.3 percent Christian), Poland (91.4 percent Christian), Bulgaria (83.8), Czech Republic (28.9), Romania (98.9), Ukraine (96.1), and Belarus (80+).
posted by Allthenewsthatfits at 1:37 PM
6 Comments:
What percentage are hypocrites?
Several of those countries have a "State Church" very much like the situation in England with the "Church of England" - lots of names on the rolls for practical and legal reasons but almost nobody (sometimes literally nobody) in the congregations or attending or participating. Don't be fooled by the numbers. Where ever there is a "State Church" that's the situation. doesn't make any difference if its Roman Catholic, some Protestant "brand", or one of the Orthodox "brands". Most US churches carry a lot of deadwood on their rolls.
That may be so Rev. Hank, but you guys aren't interested in getting them to go back to the church of their family, their youth, and yes, their nation. You want to get 'em all "converted" to a particular brand of "Jesus is your friend" "church doesn't matter" "it's just a personal relationship" type of American "Christianity".
If the missionaries would urge people to learn about their own "brnad" of CHristian faith, and urge people to understand that knowing Jesus is more than just a "personal relationship", I'd be all for it.
Having a state church has nothing to do with committment to God and His people and "running the race that is set before us", in either direction. A state church is not necessarily an impediment to knowing loving and serving Jesus Christ--or are you saying that the hundreds of millions (yes 100s of millions) of Christians from places with state churches over the centuries were all just "marking time"? Better go read some of the acts of the faithful from RCs, Orthodox and even early Protestants. State churches are only an "impediment" to the modern American mindset--not in reality. As for the C of E, it's not their "state church" status that's the problem it's their total departure from orthodox Christian teaching.
Just because they have a state church may only mean those people aren't committed to your particular brand of American Christianity. It doesn't mean they aren't committed to Jesus Christ--and His church.
Some of those "state churches" were saving people and preaching the faith a thousand years before anyone thought of the name Luther or Calvin or Campbell or even "United States".
And the faithful there have been laboring under tyrannical despots and horrible persecution that Americans couldn't comprehend if it walked up and bit us on the behind.
One thing they DON'T need is clueless AMerican preachers coming in and telling thenm how to follow Jesus Christ.
WE need to learn about THEIR "brand" of Christianity and urge them to "get back to their church roots and get back with God."
Sorry, you hit one of my nerves. I know you're trying to do the right thing and trying to let people know the Gospel. I just think we're doing it ass-backwards trying to go and impose American-style individualistic Christianity without ever having the slightest comprehension or respect of THEIR experiences, THEIR church, THEIR faith, THEIR lives.
5:46
I guess that is nerve for you! I actually agree with most of what you say. My only point was that high numbers on the rolls is not indicator of the actual level of commitment and participation. The implication of the original posting was that due to the supposed high percentage of Christians the efforts to increase commitment and participation were misdirected. My comment was not about any particular approach. What's pretty clear is that "one size doesn't fit all".
By contrast, the United States is only 78.5 percent Christian. So I'd recommend these preachers stay at home & tend their own business.
What baffles me is how so many otherwise sensible people can still claim to believe all this religion nonsense. Religion is about power and control, nothing else, cloaked in a lot of mumbo-jumbo originally concocted to pacify an illiterate peasantry. This is the 21st century, not the 1st.
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