"Big Pulpit" in NYC

[Berean]

Sunday, 9:05 a.m. “Jesus said he came to give you a rich and satisfying life,” the pastor preached. “My purpose is to equip you to lead a rich and satisfying life. This desire to give you a rich and satisfying life comes out of his goodness.”

He scribbled “goodness” on an easel. He drew arrows pointing to holiness and love. Congregants tapped notes on laptops. His sermons are plainspoken, cadenced instruction, conversational chats that, he will say, “have everything but a fireplace in the back.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/nyregion/24pastor.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

 

[PresbyDane]

 

[WaywardNowHome]

*sigh* Not another one..

 

[Josiah]

His God is a benevolent God. “God is for you, not against you,” he said. “There is a whole lot taught about God is going to get you and throw you in hell. I don’t believe that. I don’t teach fire and brimstone.”

Like I havnt ever heard this nonsense before! Reminds me a bit of Joel Osteen on the Larry King show answering questions about the exclusivity of the Christ.

He runs a tight, corporate-style church. Years ago he visited American Express and said he wanted to see its customer-service training program. The Amex people wanted to know the business he was in, and he said a church. This was an odd one, they thought, but they gave it to him. For 10 years, he schooled his staff in handling parishioners like credit-card customers. Right up until he decided he liked Disney World’s ways even better. “Now,” he said, “we say, ‘FedEx-fast, Disney-friendly.’

This is Shocking. What Bible are they reading!?

 

[Rich Koster]

Acts 20 17Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called(S) the elders of the church to come to him. 18And when they came to him, he said to them:


(T) "You yourselves know(U) how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19(V) serving the Lord(W) with all humility and with(X) tears and with trials that happened to me through(Y) the plots of the Jews; 20how I(Z) did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and(AA) teaching you in public and from house to house, 21(AB) testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of(AC) repentance toward God and of(AD) faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained(AE) by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23except that(AF) the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that(AG) imprisonment and(AH) afflictions await me. 24But(AI) I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only(AJ) I may finish my course and(AK) the ministry(AL) that I received from the Lord Jesus,(AM) to testify to(AN) the gospel of(AO) the grace of God. 25And now, behold,(AP) I know that none of you among whom I have gone about(AQ) proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26Therefore(AR) I testify to you this day that(AS) I am innocent of the blood of all of you, 27for(AT) I did not shrink from declaring to you(AU) the whole counsel of God. 28(AV) Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all(AW) the flock, in which(AX) the Holy Spirit has made you(AY) overseers,(AZ) to care for(BA) the church of God,[c] which he(BB) obtained(BC) with his own blood.[d] 29I(BD) know that after my departure(BE) fierce wolves will come in among you,(BF) not sparing the flock; 30and(BG) from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31Therefore(BH) be alert, remembering that(BI) for three years I did not cease night or day(BJ) to admonish everyone(BK) with tears.

 

[awretchsavedbygrace]

ugh...I'am so tired of this.

 

[AThornquist]

He runs a tight, corporate-style church. Years ago he visited American Express and said he wanted to see its customer-service training program. The Amex people wanted to know the business he was in, and he said a church. This was an odd one, they thought, but they gave it to him. For 10 years, he schooled his staff in handling parishioners like credit-card customers. Right up until he decided he liked Disney World’s ways even better. “Now,” he said, “we say, ‘FedEx-fast, Disney-friendly.’

This is Shocking. What Bible are they reading!?

Wait--they read the Bible?