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Jesus Christ's Superflock
Megachurches have found the secret to attracting the unchurched?and it's not just the Sunday service.
In South Barrington, Illinois, just northwest of Chicago, lies a 155-acre campus resembling a junior college or perhaps a manufacturer of something clean, like pharmaceuticals or computer parts. On one side of the main compound is a greensward, on another side is a five-acre reflecting pond, and out in front are vast black slabs of endless parking, where swarms of men wearing reflective vests and radio headsets assist drivers attempting to find an open space. Shuttle buses loop around the lots; sometimes it's so busy that off-duty cops are hired to help direct traffic.
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Continued From Above
It looks like a mall on a busy holiday weekend, but it is the Willow Creek Community Church, and it could be any weekend. In almost every city or suburb of more than 200,000 there is a similar megachurch, as they are known, a product of suburban sprawl, religious marketing, consumer demand, the entertainment economy, and the good old-fashioned yearning for communal experience. Megachurches draw young, committed, and energetic members; listen to parishioners talk and you will hear a refrain of growth—"we're growing"—as if it were proof of redemptive success. And they deliver a highly emotional product: the marriage of group affiliation and a conversion experience, complete with videos, pop music, and other modern dramatic flourishes.
You might have predicted their rise from shifting demographics alone. Mainline denominations are drying up. In rural communities and cities, congregations of fewer than 100 are shutting their doors at a rate of 60 a week. Megachurches, meanwhile, have increased in number by 30 percent in the last four years. Out in the suburbs, Christianity is experiencing the same consumer shifts that occur when Sam's Club or Costco comes to town. Megachurches can have congregations that are black or white, evangelical or not; half belong to no traditional denomination. Scholars call them "postdenominational churches" or parts of the "new apostolic reformation." Their own laity call them "purpose-driven" or "seeker-sensitive" churches. Detractors call them McChurches or Wal-Mart churches. But whatever they are called, they deserve to be taken seriously, if only because they help explain why George W. Bush is still sitting in the Oval Office and how suburban malaise can be transformed into a multitude of organized, values-driven voters. Not by happenstance did Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ play the megachurch circuit before making its theatrical debut. These are the churches that held get-out-the-vote rallies and stressed the importance of politics in the service of religion.
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Comments
"Snakes In The PULPIT"
will expose all mega pastors
www.sankesinthechurch.com
(Dallas Texas) National Talk Show Host Reuben Armstrong, the Author of Snakes in the Pulpit, has scheduled a live emergency chat on Thursday August 16th 2007 from 6:00pm to 7pm central standard time.
Since Armstrong’s book has been getting national and global attention, he wants to interact with some of his viewers.
Due to the over response of the thousands of positive emails and positive phone calls to the Armstrong Staff about the book Snakes in the Pulpit which is scheduled to be released on August 29th 2007, Armstrong said that he feels it is his duty as a Talk Show Host to chat live with his millions of viewers as requested. Armstrong said that the emails and phone calls has encouraged him so much that he would like to announce that there will be a 3 part series to Snakes in the Pulpit. During an interview with the media, Armstrong said that he is crying out to everyone who has been deceived by the False “PROPHITS”. Armstrong’s second book will be titled My Cry out to the Mega-snakes which he will use real life stories of people that have been abused by these so-called men of God. The Reuben Armstrong show live Broadcast can be seen nationally on www.reubenarmstrongshow.com or on 8 TV stations around the world.
Live Chat Information
August 16th 2007 from 6:00 p.m. to 7pm CST
Log on to www.reubenarmstrongshow.com
Click on the tab “chat with Reuben” and you will be directed to the chat page
This Broadcast is open to any one who would like to participate in this open forum. Please, if you want to chat live with Reuben you need to be there real early first come first serve as there will be hundreds of people chatting about this controversial book.
The Reuben Armstrong Staff ask that everyone act civilized. If the chat gets out of hand, we will be forced to close the chat immediately.
Please forward this information to everyone you care about:
BISHOP EDDIE LONG AND BISHOP T.D. JAKES "ATTACK" TALK SHOW HOST REUBEN ARMSTRONG
Dallas, TX (snakesinthepulpit.com) - It started after a radio interview in Atlanta, Georgia.
Two of the four top Mega -Pastors that have been exposed in the book "Snakes in the Pulpit" are now THREATENING Talk Show Host Reuben Armstrong.
Armstrong is the author of "Snakes in the Pulpit", which is now available for purchase on his website at www.snakesinthepulpit.com
Armstrong said it's no surprise that the enemies are trying to attack him. "When you are dealing with so-called men of God, you expect the worst."
The book which exposes Eddie Long, Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar and TD Jakes on how they are using the Word of God to manipulate true believers for Fame and Fortune is scheduled to be released to the public August 29th, 2007. Armstrong said during a press conference with the media, "the Devil knows that by exposing these so-called men of God his party is about to stop."
Armstrong nor his staff went into details about the attack, but clearly state that "God is his Protector and no weapon form against him shall prosper."
The Reuben Armstrong Show was recently dumped by Streaming Faith, a Christian based site after exposing some of their beloved ministries. Armstrong said during a recent press conference, "It's not about Streaming Faith nor about the employees of Streaming Faith. It's about getting SOULS to Christ and that's the main focus."
Armstrong's show can now been seen on his website, www.reubenarmstrongshow.com, and is broadcasted on TV in 8 states.
Media Contact:
Reuben Armstrong
972-333-9526 or 1-877-773-8236
Email us: reubenshow@hotmail.com
Web: www.snakesinthepulpit.com
Your book raises many questions. I am a Christian, and listen to all four Preachers regularly. They are all inspirational. I hope they are God's anoited, and not false prophets!If these are true men of God and you ridicule them unjustly, then God will deal with you as he did with Saul. On the other hand, if you are right about these men, exposing them is the right thing to do.
Totally fascinating piece of editorial. It tore at the very core of my being, which has been conflicted about organized religion for the last 40 years. I feel worse than ever. But i shall not relinquish my faith and/or belief that god exists and that He is our lifeline to salvation.
I am so sad for you, with all the wrong things that are
going on you choose to take apart the church of God.
The four churches you are talking about are churches
that teach the word with bible in hand. They give
to the poor in various programs every week. pick apart
God's best they can take it. We will be praying for you. May God bless and forgive you.
What nerve! I suppose there are no "white" snakes in the pulpit. After all, you didn't attack not one white preacher and we all know there are hundreds of them. Anyhow, you apparently are hoping to get rich yourself. Well, you can't point a finger at anyone else when you're guilty of doing the same thing.
I am interested in why there is so much mud slinging going on. Was it not Jesus who said in John 8:7, (6-8 in Context)This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her”. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
I will not cast a stone on any TV Preacher, for I am not without sin. Either the Bible is all True or it is all False. It is YOU that decides which way it goes. The Bible is not all Literal, it has Types and Shadows, Metaphors, Parables, etc. To take the Bible totally literal, you would have to cut your hands off and gouge your eyes out in order not to sin. Now is anyone actually going to do that? Jesus spoke a lot about money, power, hell, and love, along with a few other topics.
John 20:29 reads, Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. I haven’t seen Jesus, yet I believe that he was born of a virgin, in a stable in Bethlehem, at 12 Jesus was teaching the priests, and at 30-33, Jesus healed the sick, made the blind see, cast out demons, slept, ate, walked, talked and prayed over the people he healed, and especially the 12 He picked to carry His Message on. He was bloodily beaten, spit on, laughed at, ridiculed, then, they hung Him on a tree, where He shed His blood for humankind, died, three days later, he rose, took the keys from hell, and is LIVING at the RIGHT hand of God the Father. That is the MESSAGE THAT WE SHOULD BE TELLING!
1 John 4:20 tells me, If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? This is what people are doing when they gossip and laugh about what others are doing in the Name of Jesus. The Bible is clear that to stand for Jesus, we will be criticized, ridiculed, laughed at, attacked - verbally as well as physically, accused of false teachings, be spit at, talked about, lied about, and WE WILL SUFFER FOR OUR NAME’S SAKE, JESUS! I am ready, are you?
ISNT A SHAME THAT GODS TRUE BELIEVERS CANT TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRUE AND THE FALSE. CURE FOR THIS, GET AQUAINTED WITH GODS WORD AND NOT THE TRADITION OF MEN THAT HAS BEEN AND IS BEING TAUGHT BY MOST OF THE SO CALLED MEN OF GOD.
I stand with my Brother in him exposing these profits. Church is a business. It is about making money. They do not preach the truth of Almighty Yahweh and lead people to a false deity in that of jezeus and do not follow the Commandments of Yahweh. Yahweh Said that if you love me then you will keep my commandments the do not keep the Sabbath and they do not lead any one to Yahweh. they are sun worshipers. They worship on sun thus they worship not Yahweh but jezeus. How is just another in the line of sun deities that can not save you, but only send you into eternal damnation. repent and turn back to Yahweh and stop following these pimps.
If you want the truth Seek and you shall find it. www.bethyah.org
I am reluctantly posting this response due to the ridiculous nature of this topic. Unbelievable that this author has stooped so low in an attempt at being successful. Why would one seek success by ridiculing others? I truly support the need of God's people being informed and not misled, but clearly you are not the messenger. What will judgement day look like for you?
The Lord says, in His word to Expose the Deeds of Darkness. As a former member, employee and armor bearer of Bishop I.V. and Bridget Hilliard....I say, "Preach the Word." Let the word of God be true and EVERY man a liar. Continue to stand up for TRUTH! Stop the deception, manipulation and fleecing of God's people.
I pray that all is well with
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu Aug. 13, 2009 11:03 AM PDT.
I pray that all is well with you and that the you continue to seek the Lord for truth. Thank God that you were sensitive to His Spirit and removed yourself from that situation. May the Lord continue to bless and cover you!
Hi.
I found your Web Site by Google
And I wish you the best you can get,
the peace of God through Jesus Christ.
Welcome to visit my Site.
Allan Svensson, Sweden
Why does the revival tarry? It is because God's
people tarry to obey the powerful command of
the Lord in Rev. 18:4. This is the most powerful
revival message of the Lord to his people in our time.
www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/INDEX.HTM
As in the days of Lot, it is now. Lot was not interested
to leave Sodom. God sent two angels to rescue him,
and they must persuade him to leave Sodom. When
he yet lingered, one of the angels said to him:
"Flee for your life sake ..."
Just like as Lot, God's people are not interested to
leave the great Babylon, but finally they must flee
for their life from there.
www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/PAGE88.HTM
God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge
because their preachers have rejected knowledge.
Hosea 4:6-11. Instead to preaching the truth of the
Assembly of God, they have preached lies about the
Assembly of God. The Pentecostalists have abused
the expression "Assembly of God" and used it as a
name of their church.
The coming revival, a nameless revival
www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/POWERFUL.HTM
Why was the Pentecostal Revival stopped?
www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/CRISIS.HTM
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