| Author | Message | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 433 Registered: 1-2003 |
Well, they have let a woman replace the Holy Spirit in their lives...so what do you expect!! Confusion is right. | ||
| Pw Registered user Username: Pw Post Number: 198 Registered: 6-2004 |
Pheeki...what on earth is a SDA Cowboy Church? Dare I ask? I can only imagine what a SDA or JW funeral is like. How can anyone take comfort in thinking their loved one is just buried in the ground with no real hope of knowing whether or not they are truly saved until a resurrection day? Thankfully we know about our salvation now because of the Holy Spirit that lives within us, and the kingdom of God is within you. | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1160 Registered: 11-2002 |
I love most anything cowboy. What is a SDA Cowboy church? We have a local biker church down the street from me. On Sunday mornings all the local bikers go to church there in their leathers and church. Is a cowboy church like that only geared to cowboys? | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 434 Registered: 1-2003 |
Well, it was started as a Cowboy church with the concept of allowing members to wear jeans and boots, IOW: be casual. Now it has evolved into part Cowboy and part people in all sorts of dress, jeans to fancy dresses. The members wear jewelry and makeup and they serve clean meat at the potlucks (something I never saw at traditional SDA churches). It isn't very reverent in there, I must say. The pastor stands at the front of the church with a microphone thinking he is pretty cute and funny and he tells jokes and kids around with people and they yell stuff back at him...he always asks what they want for potluck next week and people yell out options...all this is done in the church service. Then he preaches for about 10 min. and it's over. He almost preaches R by F. but throws in the "but"...you have to keep the Law..."but" I don't keep the Law to be saved, I keep it to please Jesus. I say, if the Law can't save you, how can it lose you? You know, I don't even think about the Law anymore, I just live, knowing I have the Holy Spirit. I don't agonize over law keeping anymore...can anyone relate? I know I am forgiven, do I go out and purposely break the Law? Not that I know of...but Jesus said, (paraphrased) "Even if you think it, you've done it." I believe He said that for a lot of reasons but mainly for the benefit of people who do make the claim they "keep" the Law. There is still palpable arrogance at the Cowboy church, much like most of the SDA churches I have been in...their arrogance stems from their pride in being a "warm and accepting" church. They have gone totally overboard...one of their members got ahold of the microphone and started going on and on about how the pastor needed to open the eyes of the church they visited (they did some meeting together) because they were so cold and this church would really teach them something and she said it angrily. Really strange. Then of course Ellen's spector creeps in from time to time...the pastor (during his prayer) said something about "before probation closes" and begged the Lord to "tabernacle" with them in the church (as I addressed above). I had to leave and the man stationed at the door (in his zealotry to be "warm") practically restrained me to keep me from leaving out of concern. I was like, "Dude, let go of me." He wouldn't until I gave him a reason as to why I was leaving...I finally said "I came to hear my husband play the piano and the organist keeps drowning him out!" and he let me go. They also harped on tithing and said we needed to return the "part" that belongs to God...I have news for them...it all belongs to God! Then he asked for above and beyond offerings, etc. He must be in good favor with the conference because he told the congregation the daily average checking account balance was 33 thousand dollars. It certinally is different, but I am struck by the lack of reverence there...it's like a stand-up comedy show or talk show atmosphere...they have several roving microphones and people just talk and joke...it's weird. They advertise in the local papers to get disenfranchised SDA back into the fold. They say, "try us, were different, come back." and you know most former SDA's are tied to the Sabbath, they can't seem to worship in Sunday churches so they go nowhere...the church is full of such people and is also full of people who have fallen from grace in the local SDA stronghold town due to scandal, etc. Thus the SDA town refers to it as the "reject church." So arrogant of them to do so! So that is where I found myself last Saturday... | ||
| Pw Registered user Username: Pw Post Number: 201 Registered: 6-2004 |
Pheeki....this church sounds like a bad episode of Hee-Haw...(actually they were all bad episodes). | ||
| Lydell Registered user Username: Lydell Post Number: 652 Registered: 7-2000 |
Susan 2, there are real (non-SDA) cowboy churches in the west. The father of one of my husband's former flight students is a cowboy preacher, name is Ron Moore and he is based in Kerrville, Texas. The churches he pastors meet in barns, the pews are haybales, the songs are country/western style, sunday school for the kids involves roping. Ron has another unusual part of his ministry. He enters "cowboy poetry" contests at rodeos. For those of you who don't have a clue what that is, it is poetry that is spoken while country music is playing. Apparently the stuff others do can be pretty raunchy. Ron's is a presentation of the scriptures. Monty tells us that his dad likes to not be the first to do his poetry. He thinks it's pretty funny to hear the others do their poetry. Then his dad stands up and does his. Monty says he always gets a kick out of watching the guys who come after his dad trying to clean up the stuff they do. Now I generally am not a big fan of country music! But we have heard some of Ron's stuff, and it is just plain fun to listen to. Some of my favorites are, "Resist the Devil and You Won't Have Fleas" and "Another Trip Around the Mountain". Ron always tries to have his cowdog Will with him, since many of the poems talk about Will. It's just fascinating to hear about all the different ministries the Lord comes up with, isn't it? No one is left out of his reach....bikers, surfers, skateboarders, wackos worried about extra-terrestrials....the Lord cares about us all. | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 436 Registered: 1-2003 |
Pw, that is almost exactly like it is... "Grandpa, what's for supper?" | ||
| Carol_2 Registered user Username: Carol_2 Post Number: 203 Registered: 2-2002 |
Amen Lydell! I LOVE my church, but I know many of you would think it rowdy and loud. Mac Powell, the lead singer for "Third Day" if any of you are familiar with them, is a member at my church which can give you an idea of the kind of music. But it blesses me so incredibly - the worship I experience there is beyond words!!!! But then again, I totally respect those of you who like the old hymns and more traditional worship style....for me though, it just doesn't do it! It is awesome, like Lydell said, that NONE are out of His reach. Love and prayers, Carol2 | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1170 Registered: 11-2002 |
Pheeki, are you in California? I only ask that because the local SDA church is very similiar to the dysfunctional one you mentioned. I have previousely mentioned on here how unreverant the local SDA church is. Some on here took me to mean that it was just an informal worship style. No, it's not just informal. It's total chaos. The SDA minister here even does that microphone thing you mentioned. We ocassionally have people from the congreation I attend say testemonies, things they are thankful for, even giving a testemony occassionally about miracles we have experienced but where I go these are done with respect to being in the House of the Lord. At the local SDA church there s such chaos that even during prayer the children are running up and down the isles and playing and talking. About a year ago I went to this church with my mom and twice I turned and told the people behind me to stop visiting because other people actually came to church to pay attention and to worship. The last straw was when these people were visiting during prayer. I told them that if they needed to visit so bad that they couldn't be respectful during prayer they shouldİleave the building. They did. That was the 3rd time I'd told them to quiet themselves. There were several senior citizens sitting right in front of the disrupters. Often senior citizens have a hard time hearing. Often too senior citizens won't be assertive when they should be and maybe especially not in church. I mentioned the small country SDA church that I attended frequently as a child. We did not use the SDA hymnal there but rather a Country and Western Christian songbook. BTW, country and western music and cowboy music ARE NOT the same thing, just for you all to know. My community has a cowboy poetry club. Also, When I lived in Hawaii I was invited to a Hawaii'an Country and Western hoedown. Wondering just what that could be I just had to go. It was more fun than I would ever have immagined. It was a local Country and Western band playing real country and western songs. Only catch was that they were playing these songs with a ukalaile and some of the traditional Hawaii'an and drumming was incorperated into the music and while the guys were trying to two-step most the women and children were doing the hula to that music. After being totally dumbstruck for a few minutes I figured Well, when in Rome do as the Romans do and I went and joined in and had a lot of fun. On that entire sland was not even one country radio station. And, did you know that the largest cattle ranch in the United States is in the state of Hawaii? It's true, it is. | ||
| Pw Registered user Username: Pw Post Number: 203 Registered: 6-2004 |
I didn't mean to say that anything with a western related theme was silly, just the fact that the SDA somehow incorporated that format into trying to recruit a particular group. Hopefully people won't get "roped" into that. In fact across the street from the Calvary Chapel I attend, there's a Triple Cross Ranch church that meets outside each week near the riding stable. I'm not really into the cowboy theme myself, it's a good outreach for those who are. I'm into carol-2's style of music. Third Day...awesome band. They just played a huge concert here a few weeks ago in West Palm Beach. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 790 Registered: 3-2004 |
That cowboy church sounds different. I like all kinds of music, but I am not familiar with Third Day. Just goes to show how familiar I am with modern music. I like music with life to it and talks about Jesus. I also like the traditional Christian music. Country/western is something I like to dance to and I do like country Christian music. God just wants us to love Him and worship Him and to make a joyful noise to Him. He is awesome. Diana | ||
| Pw Registered user Username: Pw Post Number: 205 Registered: 6-2004 |
I highly recommend Third Day. They have a very unique sound. It varies in different styles, be it fast or mellow, but their message is very much focused on Jesus. You can check out their website and sample some of their tunes. | ||
| Carol_2 Registered user Username: Carol_2 Post Number: 205 Registered: 2-2002 |
I do love Mac Powell's voice (he's the lead singer,) and he is such a fine Christian! Just to toot his horn a little, he goes to summer camp with the high school kids at our church, and just asks to serve.....will do whatever he's told......I think last time he went he was a food server. And when he is in town, I see him always with one of his kids, sitting in the rear rocking and taking care of them....seems like he's an awesome husband and dad. He has a smile for every one and is very humble. Just a good guy! | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 606 Registered: 7-2003 |
Carol, it's nice to hear testimonies about those we "listen" to on the radio. I like knowing it's not "just" a job. Thanks for sharing. | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1175 Registered: 11-2002 |
My very favorite Christian singer is John Michael Talbot. He also has a website. He is a monk (Catholic) and he lives on a ranch monastary in the South. For those of you who are not US Americans the term The South refers to the southeastern states. To cut expenses when he is on tour he travels in his motorhome. All the proceeds from his music and books, etc. goes to the missions and orphanages that his monastary is involved with. I was blessed in that I heard him in concert a bit over a year ago. It was very special for me because I took my elderly SDA mother with me to the concrt and she thorougally had a wonderful evening. | ||
| Lydell Registered user Username: Lydell Post Number: 653 Registered: 7-2000 |
Carol_2, sounds like you'd like our church too. Isn't it nice to "discover" all these Christian musicians after leaving SDA? | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1176 Registered: 11-2002 |
Well, I guess if we ever need to do some serious reminising we could always get out our 33 rpm's and listen to Del Delker or the Harolds Quarett. Do any of you remember that musician from campmeeting who could whistle? I loved listening to that man. He would whistle entire hymms. The ABC store sold an album by him on which he whistled around 10-12 hymms. He had been on t.v. programs and various shows because of this awsome talent. And, the Adventists have that traveling singing group that sings a song called, "There's Gonna Be A Picnic In Heaven". I guess no one ever told them that EGW said not to go to picnics. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 793 Registered: 3-2004 |
Susan_2, You always write something at which I can laugh and I laughed at the bit about EGW saying no picnics. It is amazing the people I am learning about. There is one SDA singer I really like. His name is Witney Phipps, I think. He has a lovely bass voice. I knew him when he was 16 years of age in Montreal, Quebec and liked to hear him sing then. Diana | ||
| Belvalew Registered user Username: Belvalew Post Number: 65 Registered: 7-2004 |
I've seen Witney Phipps in person, heard him speak (he knows Gospel!) and he is now performing with the Gaithers. The group you were talking about is The Heritage Singers. Their music is wonderful and filled with hope and Christ. I've often wished that SDA's would really listen to the words of hymns because you can almost always find the Plan of Salvation clearly phrased in songs. | ||
| Pw Registered user Username: Pw Post Number: 207 Registered: 6-2004 |
EGW said not to go to picnics? That's what the SDA's do during their breaks at camp meetings. This woman obviously did not enjoy life, it seems everything is wrong to enjoy. Too bad Prozac wasn't around while she was writing (or should I say "copying") her visions. Can you imagine what she'd have to say about bands like Third Day? |
