Comments on: Advertising Ashes http://ceruleansanctum.com/2005/04/advertising-ashes.html Looking for the 1st century Church in 21st century America Fri, 18 May 2012 15:18:04 +0000 hourly 1 By: Dan Edelenhttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2005/04/advertising-ashes.html#comment-6400 Dan Edelen Fri, 29 Sep 2006 14:57:07 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=308#comment-6400 There is nothing wrong with making a church hospitable to those who come. In fact, I believe this to be essential for a healthy church. Just because a church is attempting to be more friendly and hospitable does not mean it's on the road to hell. However, hospitality and friendliness CAN'T be a substitute for the Spirit of God. Therein lies the issue. So cultivate hospitality and friendliness, have coffee and donuts, have people talking for an hour after the service is over, but make certain the Spirit of God is in the service and is driving the hospitality and friendliness. Otherwise, it's not honoring to God. There is nothing wrong with making a church hospitable to those who come. In fact, I believe this to be essential for a healthy church. Just because a church is attempting to be more friendly and hospitable does not mean it’s on the road to hell.

However, hospitality and friendliness CAN’T be a substitute for the Spirit of God. Therein lies the issue.

So cultivate hospitality and friendliness, have coffee and donuts, have people talking for an hour after the service is over, but make certain the Spirit of God is in the service and is driving the hospitality and friendliness. Otherwise, it’s not honoring to God.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2005/04/advertising-ashes.html#comment-6397 Anonymous Fri, 29 Sep 2006 02:32:10 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=308#comment-6397 My church too has made some changes to make visitors feel more welcome and I don't feel the Holy Spirit anymore and I am struggling to not leave on a weekly basis. Maybe it is my anger, because I am angry at the church even though I know the pastor has a deep heart for God. My church too has made some changes to make visitors feel more welcome and I don’t feel the Holy Spirit anymore and I am struggling to not leave on a weekly basis. Maybe it is my anger, because I am angry at the church even though I know the pastor has a deep heart for God.

]]> By: L.L. Barkathttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2005/04/advertising-ashes.html#comment-6382 L.L. Barkat Thu, 28 Sep 2006 13:57:10 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=308#comment-6382 Oh, thank you! This expresses my sentiments so deeply... and I like Patricia's comment... the coffee and donuts are "junk food" in place of the real food which the Spirit holds out to us... "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without price...listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food." (Is. 55:1,2) And, maybe this focuses the problem for us... maybe we have too much "money" in various ways... which leads us to "spend [our] money on that which is not bread" (v.1) I know I am sometimes guilty of unwise "spending." Oh, thank you! This expresses my sentiments so deeply… and I like Patricia’s comment… the coffee and donuts are “junk food” in place of the real food which the Spirit holds out to us…

“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without price…listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.” (Is. 55:1,2)

And, maybe this focuses the problem for us… maybe we have too much “money” in various ways… which leads us to “spend [our] money on that which is not bread” (v.1) I know I am sometimes guilty of unwise “spending.”

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