Ex-Church of Christ Support Board

The Every-Holiday Sermon: "Millions of people will pick this day as one of the few days out of the year to worship the Lord, but weee worship the Lord every Sunday."

"People tell me that homophobia is immoral! Are they gonna tell me that this book *holding up Bible* is immoral!?"

"People ask me why we don't use a piano for worship. They say that the Bible doesn't tell us not to use instruments for worship. My answer is that the Bible doesn't tell us not to look at pornography, but we know that it is a sin."

True..the Bible doesn't specifically say to use an instrument. However, C o C does many things for which the Bible gives no authority. It justifies such with the "necessary inference" or "expedient" principles.

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“You get out of Church what you put into it”

What they really mean is…..when there is a horrible preacher or song leader it’s my fault for not trying hard enough while sitting in my pew. The lousy preacher or song leader always gets a free pass.

Pitts S2C wrote:“You get out of Church what you put into it”

What they really mean is…..when there is a horrible preacher or song leader it’s my fault for not trying hard enough while sitting in my pew. The lousy preacher or song leader always gets a free pass.

That one was never true. I put so much into the service and always came up wanting. I was a song leader, minister, etc. I commented in class. I actively tried to get something out of that wretched pile of condor shit, and always came up empty. It's not my f**king fault that there wasn't any substance to it at all.

Pitts S2C wrote:“You get out of Church what you put into it”

What they really mean is…..when there is a horrible preacher or song leader it’s my fault for not trying hard enough while sitting in my pew. The lousy preacher or song leader always gets a free pass.

"Well, we don't go to church to be entertained!"

Wow, how many times have I heard that one!!!

Opie wrote:

Pitts S2C wrote:“You get out of Church what you put into it”

What they really mean is…..when there is a horrible preacher or song leader it’s my fault for not trying hard enough while sitting in my pew. The lousy preacher or song leader always gets a free pass.

"Well, we don't go to church to be entertained!"

Wow, how many times have I heard that one!!!

Right....never understood this. We're not there to be "entertained", but the incompetent
people running the place are never called in to account. It's another case of blaming the messenger for
the cofc's countless shortcomings.

Ashes wrote:The Every-Holiday Sermon: "Millions of people will pick this day as one of the few days out of the year to worship the Lord, but weee worship the Lord every Sunday."

Oh yes, the ridiculous "we're better than you" sermons. They spend more time hammering on denominations and rules they have made from the 'command, example, necessary inference (CENI) formula than on Jesus. Then they will sprinkle in Jesus right before the invitation. Hypocrites, with their command, example, necessary dog crap logic.

I always hated how the majority of sermons focused on "the rules" that the Church of Christ got right and all the denominations got wrong. Rarely would you hear sermons on how to be a better person. Never would you hear sermons on how to help other people. But several times a year you'd sure hear one bashing denominations for using mechanical instruments in worship, you'd also get the ones about those evil denominations having a kitchen in their building, and of course we can't forget the "We're better than everyone else!" sermons on Christmas and Easter.

I never understood where they would condemn denominations for having kitchens or some sort of fellowship hall. After all, it was always hammered into us that "this is just a building. WE are the church!" but if a baptist church wants to have a kitchen, suddenly it's, "How DARE you put a kitchen in the Lord's house!?"

Another huge CoC pet-peeve of mine was the whole thing with (insert any denomination here) going to hell because "they don't do what the bible says." Oh really? How do you know what those people do in their every day lives? But that's the thing. The CoC doesn't care what the bible says for the most part except for the four hours a week that their butts are in the pew. I don't see any CoC members out helping the poor or feeding the hungry, but damn it, they don't use a piano in service so their ticket to heaven is punched. Meanwhile, I see other churches out in the community helping others and doing amazing things, but don't think for a second that they'll get to heaven. They have a kitchen in their building, which obviously isn't authorized, so there's no way they'll get into heaven.

There are SO many things that are completely twisted in the CoC teachings, but the biggest one I think is how they're the exact same as the first century church and the only ones going to heaven. I'm not convinced that all, or even most of them truly believe that. But for the ones that do...really? You think God is going to send 99.9% of the world population to hell for eternity, and the 0.1%, if that, of faithful CoC members will go to heaven? Absolutely unreal and arrogant of them to believe that and for the preachers to constantly preach that.

Visiting family I recently heard a big name but aging well past his prime preacher make a very odd analogy. That when you want to know how to do something it is best to go the expert or the manual so that you can receive instruction. He says "I love to play golf. My father played golf and taught me to play when I was a young boy. I have a whole shelf of books on playing books, books to tell me what to do in any given situation. How to get out of a hazard, how to hit a slice, fade, or backspin. It gives exact instruction on everything. But to tell you the truth I am just happy if I hit the ball and it goes. (audience chuckle) I am just glad to not miss it and and be embarrassed (chuckle chuckle). And really that is how the Bible is it tells you how to get yourself out of any bad situation you may find yourself.....and on and on"

My wife and I both commented later we were thinking the same thing. Then why not conclude that "we are just happy to have made it to the building" and forget all the expert detailed instructions?

This Easter Sunday we were visiting other friends church and they had a young man with almost 1 year of preacher school instruction under his belt. He made the comments about how the denominations are all talking about Jesus and Easter but he knows we have seen the movies and know all about its so no need to go over all that. He instead was going to talk about the importance of attending every service. And then he paused and made the comment that however he still thinks it is legitimate and valid to preach about Jesus death and resurrection. Whew...glad to know that. Now let's get back to that urgent burning topic of attendance.