Ex-Church of Christ Support Board

agricola wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 12:17 pm No problem.

The thing is - Jewish congregations rarely 'split' over 'doctrinal differences'. That just isn't really a thing, I suppose. Also, we are invariably a minority - it isn't like there are seventeen possible nearly options! Usually there is one place, or up to three, perhaps, even in good sized cities. REALLY large cities may have a few (low) dozen synagogues, though.

I believe the C of C is fast becoming a minority. If they don't change they will wipe themselves out of existence altogether.

The CoC has always been a minority, actually - they just never wanted to admit it. Although it is certainly widespread in Tennessee and Texas and states in and around those - but as for being a part of the broad tent of 'all Christians', it is a blip.

faithandmore wrote: ↑Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:56 pm

agricola wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 12:17 pm No problem.

The thing is - Jewish congregations rarely 'split' over 'doctrinal differences'. That just isn't really a thing, I suppose. Also, we are invariably a minority - it isn't like there are seventeen possible nearly options! Usually there is one place, or up to three, perhaps, even in good sized cities. REALLY large cities may have a few (low) dozen synagogues, though.

I believe the C of C is fast becoming a minority. If they don't change they will wipe themselves out of existence altogether.

The coC's hard line position on divorce and remarriage alone will eventually render them extinct. Well over half the population of this country will experience the unfortunateness of divorce and that effectively disqualifies them from membership. So, you have already decreased the pool of possible converts by half and then you factor in that they are selling a fairly unattractive product and it is easy to see them going the way of the Shakers.

Do many or most CofCs still use the old song books and sing songs written in the early 1900's? Having a praise team is tantamount to mere "entertainment" in their minds, as I understand it, and therefore condemns you to hell. Is that correct? But isolating themselves into a corner of complete disconnection with a culture to me is as non-Christian as any group can get.

SolaDude wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 9:31 am Do many or most CofCs still use the old song books and sing songs written in the early 1900's? Having a praise team is tantamount to mere "entertainment" in their minds, as I understand it, and therefore condemns you to hell. Is that correct? But isolating themselves into a corner of complete disconnection with a culture to me is as non-Christian as any group can get.

Replying a month later (I haven't been here in awhile). Most CoCs still have song book, but project the songs onto a screen, with both words AND music. And the music definitely incorporates newer praise songs. In one mainline church I've been to they sing mostly new songs. Another one has a real mix of old and new.

NI-CoCs have a number of new hymnals and they incorporate a-capella arrangements of newer well-known praise and worship songs, but they also have a number of members around the country who write hymns, and many are excellent. These folks got started writing as a result of R. J. Stevens' singing school in Eastern Oklahoma.

The hymnals the mainline churches use also include a number of hymns by their own songwriters. The NI hymnals use songs by both mainline and NI writers, but the guy (whose name escapes me now) who puts out the mainline song books doesn't seem interested in the NI songwriters.

The singing and writing of new songs became HUGE in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Not as many churches are having annual "singings" now, but that period really helped with the variety.

I've been an atheist for 10 years now and I'm STILL a member of an NI-CoC. *sigh*

Lerk wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 12:52 pm I've been an atheist for 10 years now and I'm STILL a member of an NI-CoC. *sigh*

I'm sorry, Lerk. That has to be really soul-draining. Do you have any plan for when you can leave?

Ivy wrote: ↑Tue Mar 22, 2022 9:35 am

Lerk wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 12:52 pm I've been an atheist for 10 years now and I'm STILL a member of an NI-CoC. *sigh*

I'm sorry, Lerk. That has to be really soul-draining. Do you have any plan for when you can leave?

Probably never. I have a son who's a minister and we had quite a disagreement last year. We worked it out and are on good terms now, but it's just not worth the risk.

BUT I don't go by myself anymore. We recently changed congregations, and while I hoped my wife would accept a different denomination or at least a mainline CoC, her conscience got the best of her.

Surprisingly, there are only a few people we were previously acquainted with there, and I've been able to start "fresh", basically with no expectations about how involved I would be. So far, on the many Sunday mornings she's unable to get out, I've stayed home, too.

One of the deacons talked me into Wednesday prayers and Sunday Lord's Supper (on the end, no speaking), but then I begged off the prayers and he was very understanding about it. So if I have to show up one Sunday morning every month, even if my wife isn't there, I can just spend my time reading. It isn't nearly as crowded as the last place we were at so I can easily sit alone.

Turns out my wife isn't especially happy there. The preacher is totally 1960s (in his speech, and he wears a suit on Wednesday night!). His Bible classes are interesting, but his sermons are either what would be considered "milk", or else stereotypical CoC talking points. I guess he just doesn't know what to preach on. Fortunately, that means my wife isn't especially interested in being there, and I can be content with our frequency.

Splitting n spitting

My Presbyterian church had people insisting on gluten free wafers and I'm pretty sure they would left over it.

The church my father has served since 1989 had a history of splitting, somewhat coming back together and then splitting again. This includes 2 such incidences in his tenure. They probably would have asked him to leave at some point but they realized they couldn't bring in anyone else for what they pay in salary (maybe a 20 year old kid but that would be a disaster with their demographics.) It was always divorce and someone wanting a kitchen or to make a donation to Ohio Valley University or the regional children's home a line item in the budget. His main competitor closed down 2 or 3 years ago. At the time, Dad's crew was turning out a whopping 11 on a Sunday and what filtered in from the mainline church brought them up to 14. They probably could have had a couple more but Dad wanted to be an ass about the need for repentance from some of the founding members of the mainline church.