Ex-Church of Christ Support Board

Obviously, the coc is against a Good Friday service (or similar) since it is not ‘authorized’ however they had so many extra services that I can’t find in my New Testament (see list below). How in the world do they justify these?

• Elders Meeting
• Gospel Meeting
• Ladies Meeting
• Singing
• Mens Meeting
• Potlucks
• Vacation Bible School
• Wednesday Bible Study (can’t be called a worship service)
• Bible Debates
• Bible Camp
• Sunday Evening Worship (twice on Sunday is not authorized)

I've known a lot of COCers (including myself) who attended Christmas and other 'non-authorized' services at the 'denominations.'

Lev

Pitts S2C wrote:Obviously, the coc is against a Good Friday service (or similar) since it is not ‘authorized’ however they had so many extra services that I can’t find in my New Testament (see list below). How in the world do they justify these?

• Elders Meeting
• Gospel Meeting
• Ladies Meeting
• Singing
• Mens Meeting
• Potlucks
• Vacation Bible School
• Wednesday Bible Study (can’t be called a worship service)
• Bible Debates
• Bible Camp
• Sunday Evening Worship (twice on Sunday is not authorized)

None of these are authorized. They made up the "expediency" thing to support what
they thought was best.

Lev wrote:I've known a lot of COCers (including myself) who attended Christmas and other 'non-authorized' services at the 'denominations.'

Lev

I've been attending the 'non-authorized' Holy Week services at the Presbyterian Church this week, and have greatly benefited from it.

In regards to meeting twice on Sunday, even though it's not authorized it still needs to be done to show everyone that the CoC is just as religious as the Baptists! The CoC can't let those silly Baptists do anything that would make them look less religious!

Opie wrote:In regards to meeting twice on Sunday, even though it's not authorized it still needs to be done to show everyone that the CoC is just as religious as the Baptists! The CoC can't let those silly Baptists do anything that would make them look less religious!

Even the Baptists are now letting their flocks run free on Sunday nights. Shame on the cofc for stealing their members' family time!!!

....Stealing their family time to administer three songs and a prayer, mini-communion for the morning slackers, and a sermonette. AND THEY HAVE TO BE THERE OR ELSE!!!

There is no scriptural authorization for Sunday evening services or Wednesday night "Bible Study."

Most C o C folks claim that if the elders have decided to hold service/meeting at those times, members are obligated to attend. Hebrews 10:25 is then quoted in favor of such.

Opie wrote:In regards to meeting twice on Sunday, even though it's not authorized it still needs to be done to show everyone that the CoC is just as religious as the Baptists! The CoC can't let those silly Baptists do anything that would make them look less religious!

I was part of a COC that did away with Sunday evening services. They were subjected to a lot of criticism in the COC journals and through plain old gossip.

Lev

Lev wrote:

Opie wrote:In regards to meeting twice on Sunday, even though it's not authorized it still needs to be done to show everyone that the CoC is just as religious as the Baptists! The CoC can't let those silly Baptists do anything that would make them look less religious!

I was part of a COC that did away with Sunday evening services. They were subjected to a lot of criticism in the COC journals and through plain old gossip.

Lev

A couple of the more liberal / moderate mainline CoC congregations in my neck of the woods have done away with Sunday night services. My understanding is that not very many people were showing up. I'm not sure if this is a growing trend, or just a local anomaly.

Pitts S2C wrote:Obviously, the coc is against a Good Friday service (or similar) since it is not ‘authorized’ however they had so many extra services that I can’t find in my New Testament (see list below). How in the world do they justify these?

• Elders Meeting
• Gospel Meeting
• Ladies Meeting
• Singing
• Mens Meeting
• Potlucks
• Vacation Bible School
• Wednesday Bible Study (can’t be called a worship service)
• Bible Debates
• Bible Camp
• Sunday Evening Worship (twice on Sunday is not authorized)

Nice list, as none of these can be authorized using the same logic the coc uses against other churches, but when you're a hypocrite you don't have to give a dam.

People always look at me like I have three heads when I tell them that the church I grew up in had no problem with Santa, exchanging gifts, the Easter bunny and hiding eggs, but a Christmas or Easter church service was absolutely wrong. Now that I have been through a proper Christmas and Easter service, it makes me even more mad that the CoC uses these days to bang fists and condemn denominations to hell for those. Do they really think God is looking down on them smiling for bashing all these other churches and frowning down on those that have a special service for those days? But then again the CoC God is one that can't wait for us to screw up so he can cast is into hell, or at least that's how they make him seem.

BTW, awesome list! Too bad it wouldn't do any good whatsoever bringing that list up to a CoCer who has a problem with Christmas and Easter. They're too stubborn to even take into consideration anything that anyone else has to say. Most of them can't look past their "I'm right, you're wrong, end of story." attitude.