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Post by JohnMark on Jan 15, 2012 7:59:48 GMT -5
Marie and I went to a place called Berean Bible Church last week. Compared to what we have visited since moving back here in July it was great. First impressions can be off a bit so I am still cautious.Although the name sounds like a hyperdispensational group they are not with those people. I would prefer a thoroughly Baptist church but so far the ones we have visited just haven't been very good for many reasons.
They used to have about 50 people, so I was told. Now due to several factors, mostly moving away to get jobs elsewhere, there were only 8 there including us. They use the KJV and the minister does expository preaching. This beats the joke and story format we have found at most churches we went to before. They don't use the "karaoke machine" to put lyrics on the wall. They actually use hymnbooks!
We really don't like projecting words on the wall to sing by. It usually leads to entertainment like mini movies before or even during preaching. We were at one church and they went to one song being projected before the previous one had been finished. Talk about confusion! Some sang the new song while others tried to finish the first one, all at the same time. This wouldn't happen when using hymnbooks.
This place is only 16 miles away so it is no real problem to get there. The folks seem friendly. I have not yet asked their views on baptism and Lord's supper. I suspect they will be loose about that. Marie and I believe that the supper should be given only to regular members in good standing and that baptism should only be accepted in a membership transfer if the church is the same faith and order.We would be considered Landmarkers for the most part as far as that goes and there are few of those around this state.
The women dress modestly but do not use coverings. There are very few assemblies around here that we know of that do. So, we will try to make do with what we find and trust God for how it goes.
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Post by JohnMark on Feb 2, 2012 15:23:48 GMT -5
Now that we have been to this church a few more times we are starting to see some things. I have noticed that while the pastor uses the KJV to preach from, he likes to correct it a lot. He has been to Bob Jones University and I read somewhere that the people there have a marked tendency to do this. For example, last Lord's Day he was preaching from the Gospel of John. He spoke for a while on the short verse," Jesus wept."
You would think this wouldn't take much in the way of explanation. However, the preacher went into this discussion of what "the original Greek" said. After he was finished I was not sure whether Jesus wept or not. I am not joking when I say this.
He has used this a lot in his preaching.Sometimes it makes me wonder if we can know at any given time what the real meaning of a text might be if we don't know Greek. I realize that the KJV is a translation but I sort of doubt the minister's knowledge of Greek can compare to that of the translators.
While at our initial visit the atmosphere was very reverent and the style of preaching serious, this has changed a little bit at each of our following visits. Every time there has been a very informal air to how things are conducted.Jokes and stories are starting to take up more time. It seems to be increasing. We had more than we wanted of this sort of thing in the past.We would rather not have joking from the pulpit. We feel it is just not the place for it.
So, what now? We will give this assembly a few more tries. Last time the preacher's wife wore pants, which really surprised us. They do not wear coverings but as dress had been pretty conservative this was unexpected.We shall see what happens!
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Post by Brother Ben on Feb 2, 2012 17:26:40 GMT -5
He has used this a lot in his preaching.Sometimes it makes me wonder if we can know at any given time what the real meaning of a text might be if we don't know Greek. I realize that the KJV is a translation but I sort of doubt the minister's knowledge of Greek can compare to that of the translators. The difference, some people don't know, is that the KJV is a literal translation. This means the translators went to great lengths to finds words to carry the text, word-for-word, out of the original languages into English. The modern translations, on the other hand, are called "dynamic equivalents." Instead of a word-for-word, it's thought-for-thought. So, what you have is the translators opinion on wording. THEN, you complicate that with the different manuscripts and you have the word of God being taken out of God's hands and put into the hands of men. "Jesus wept." In the original Greek it says, "Iēsous dakruō" this means, "Jesus wept." Now, wasn't that simple, class? Hang in there JohnMark, Jesus is coming back soon and we won't have to listen to this stuff.
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Post by JohnMark on Feb 5, 2012 23:08:43 GMT -5
Today the preacher did make the comment that he thought when Lazarus was raised that he probably was levitated and brought to the entrance of the tomb as he wouldn't been able to walk. He said he planned to go to the movie theater in heaven and ask to see the Lazarus movie so he could know for sure.
This type of speaking is his trademark. He made the comment that when Martha was upset about taking care of the house while Mary listened to Jesus that she was saying things like: Oh, my toilet's not clean!
This just comes across as irreverent to us. I don't understand why preachers feel the need to talk like this. He certainly is not the first one we have heard speak in this vein. We want to hear the truth of the Word told with sincerity. Is that too much to ask?
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Post by Brother Randy on Feb 6, 2012 8:54:22 GMT -5
Kind of like chasing rabit trails. To be able to sit and listen to good solid preaching is alway a blessing and up lifting.
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Post by Brother Ben on Feb 6, 2012 10:05:49 GMT -5
Today the preacher did make the comment that he thought when Lazarus was raised that he probably was levitated and brought to the entrance of the tomb as he wouldn't been able to walk. He said he planned to go to the movie theater in heaven and ask to see the Lazarus movie so he could know for sure. This type of speaking is his trademark. He made the comment that when Martha was upset about taking care of the house while Mary listened to Jesus that she was saying things like: Oh, my toilet's not clean! This just comes across as irreverent to us. I don't understand why preachers feel the need to talk like this. He certainly is not the first one we have heard speak in this vein. We want to hear the truth of the Word told with sincerity. Is that too much to ask? It's like public school, they have to dumb down the message for people who feed from the world's media trough. Unlike Christ who bids one, "Come up higher," they are content to stay in the far country.
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Post by JohnMark on Feb 7, 2012 10:52:57 GMT -5
Ben, You might be right about that. As there were only 6 people present (all adults) you would hope such wouldn't be necessary. I suppose he could be doing it from habit though. In any event, we don't like it and if we stay much longer I will ask him about it. I may be opening a huge can of worms in so doing but it won't be the first time!
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Post by JohnMark on Feb 26, 2012 17:19:46 GMT -5
Well, after a lot of thought and prayer, we stopped going to the Bible church. Today we went to an independent Baptist church that was started recently. They have taken over an old (circa 1870) building. They are very conservative and so far no stories and jokes. They are about 22 miles away so that isn't too bad. We shall see how it goes.
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