There are 380,000 churches in the US. 27x more churches than McDonalds. Just as a %, I wonder how many have their first priority as religion?

It’s a business here.

This feels like a sad attempt to garner attention for their business.

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:
There are 380,000 churches in the US. 27x more churches than McDonalds. Just mathematically guessing, how many have their first priority as religion?

It’s a business here.

You’re backwards. Most have their priority in their religion. Mega churches and mega conferences and celebrity preachers are the VAST minority of churches in America and a “wealthy” preacher (compared to other vocations) is even more a minority.

As usual, the Bee is on top of things.
https://babylonbee.com/news/9-...urch-mens-conference

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Originally posted by Veeper:
It's not just mega-churches. My own church, which is not necessarily left or right leaning, allowed one of our leaders to set up a Sunday afternoon "local creek cleanup" effort, described as a "way to put our faith in action".

Cleaning up a city-owned nature space for the city spreads the awesome soul-saving power of the Gospel, or something.

I’m trying hard to figure out how anyone could have a problem with your church performing volunteer civic cleanup… that ABSOLUTELY spreads the Gospel by being a light in the community. It shows the community that the church is invested in the PEOPLE of the community. It creates a great relationship with civic authorities for the church… permits, parking help, public security, a voice in civic matters (Christ’s voice.)And finally it creates opportunities for the public to see the group at work, ask questions, and possibly hear… THE GOSPEL.

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Originally posted by dsiets:
As usual, the Bee is on top of things.

https://babylonbee.com/news/9-...urch-mens-conference

Gun eating. Dang.

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For some reason, church men's conference entertainment is now a topic of conversation. To avoid falling into any controversy, making sure your church's men's conference has the right opening act scheduled should be a priority.

To help out, The Babylon Bee has put together the following list of ideas for your church's next men's conference:

Monster trucks with chainsaws attached to them: Combining every man's love of enormous pickup trucks and highly dangerous gas-powered cutting tools.

Whiskey-tasting/axe-throwing combo event: There's literally nothing that could go wrong by combining these two activities.

Andrew Tate: Don't pass on the opportunity to learn from the world's foremost teacher on masculinity.

Karate master who goes through the crowd and kicks everyone in the crotch: Time to find out who the toughest men in the congregation really are.

Mark Driscoll vs. Conor McGregor cage fight: An epic battle between a brash, loud-mouthed bully and Conor McGregor.

Gun eating contest: Sissy boys shoot guns. Real men eat them for breakfast.

Boxing a kangaroo: Bring back this classic from 19th-century fairs.

Have all the guys share their feelings, hug each other, and then cry while singing "Good Good Father": Just like the Apostles used to do.

Chippendales dancers: What good Christian men don't want to watch shirtless, oiled-up, masculine men perform?

If the list above doesn't give you any ideas for your church men's conference, just find your nearest male stripper/sword swallower. It seems to be the go-to these days.

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Originally posted by YellowJacket:

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:
There are 380,000 churches in the US. 27x more churches than McDonalds. Just mathematically guessing, how many have their first priority as religion?

It’s a business here.

You’re backwards. Most have their priority in their religion. Mega churches and mega conferences and celebrity preachers are the VAST minority of churches in America and a “wealthy” preacher (compared to other vocations) is even more a minority.

I’m not sure I can be backwards when I asked a question. I’d wager though that our guess at a percentage is probably a little different yes. I’d also wager that MOST, by definition is probably correct, but ENOUGH are foul that it makes trusting the whole system difficult. And trust is kind of important here.

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:
There are 380,000 churches in the US. 27x more churches than McDonalds. Just mathematically guessing, how many have their first priority as religion?

It’s a business here.

You’re backwards. Most have their priority in their religion. Mega churches and mega conferences and celebrity preachers are the VAST minority of churches in America and a “wealthy” preacher (compared to other vocations) is even more a minority.

I’m not sure I can be backwards when I asked a question. I’d wager though that our guess at a percentage is probably a little different yes. I’d also wager that MOST, by definition is probably correct, but ENOUGH are foul that it makes trusting the whole system difficult. And trust is kind of important here.

My bad, it looks like you assert your opinion at the end “it’s a business here.”

Trust should be in Jesus and His word not a church made up of a bunch of sinners (as we all are.) The people “in charge” of every church will screw up. And if they screw up big enough or teach a Gospel that isn’t in The Bible, go elsewhere. But don’t let it come between you and the Truth of God’s Word. We are all responsible for our relationship with God.

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Trust should be in Jesus and His word not a church made up of a bunch of sinners (as we all are.) The people “in charge” of every church will screw up. And if they screw up big enough or teach a Gospel that isn’t in The Bible, go elsewhere. But don’t let it come between you and the Truth of God’s Word. We are all responsible for our relationship with God.

Well said Yellow Jacket.


It seems as though some of these so called Christian leaders are getting far too caught up in what the world is trying to put forth as being manly. It reminds me of when I see one of those twenty or thirty something guys who think that growing out a beard, wearing flannel, and being an expert in the craft beer world somehow makes then manly.

The Bible has a lot to say about what makes a man.

The verse in my signature line for starters.

Here are few other examples that can be found in the Bible.

- Be a good example
- Be a seeker of wisdom
- Be a seeker of righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, patience, and meekness
- Be the spiritual leader of your family
- Put into action servant leadership
- Speak the truth
- Control your tongue
- Control your anger
- Make God first in all things
- Esteem others higher than yourself
- Love your wives as Christ loved the church
- Put away childish things

If only Christian leaders would just go back to the Word of God and preach it....No need to put a modern spin on it or try to dress it up.

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If only Christian leaders would just go back to the Word of God and preach it....No need to put a modern spin on it or try to dress it up.

Some of us still do. I for one have experienced significant pressure and some persecution for it.

I take as a badge of courage.

quote:

Originally posted by AKSuperDually:

quote:

If only Christian leaders would just go back to the Word of God and preach it....No need to put a modern spin on it or try to dress it up.

Some of us still do. I for one have experienced significant pressure and some persecution for it.

I take as a badge of courage.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (KJV)

https://twitter.com/MattWalshB.../1780079101048414382



It’s not as bad as the male stripper but last year apparently that same Christian men’s conference had a guy riding a tank over a bunch of cars while shooting fake guns in the air as fire shot out of the ground and a band played 80s hair metal. It’s like a parody of the modern church’s outreach to men. I can imagine this exact scene if Luke Wilson had visited a mega church in Idiocracy.

@Para.

Sorry for any confusion about my post. I wasn’t talking about the male strippers as being the same thing.

I meant that a ministry which focused on IG/Twitter/etc would be the same thing.

We have to go where the lost are, to help them find their way to God.

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I can imagine this exact scene if Luke Wilson had visited a mega church in Idiocracy.

Sounds exactly right to me.

AFAIC, that shit is worse than a male stripper, if for no other reason, the egregiously bad taste.

Even with all the perversions of our culture going on right now, I find this difficult to believe. For anyone to think this shit is in any way proper or even acceptable- they have to be nuts or straight-up con men.

The real problem, though, is the audiences (as noted before, these are not congregations). For those people to sit there and accept this blasphemy- incredible. Church for idiots, I guess.

quote:

Originally posted by Veeper:
It's not just mega-churches. My own church, which is not necessarily left or right leaning, allowed one of our leaders to set up a Sunday afternoon "local creek cleanup" effort, described as a "way to put our faith in action".

Cleaning up a city-owned nature space for the city spreads the awesome soul-saving power of the Gospel, or something.

Are You comparing the video in the first post to picking up litter at a local creek?

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
What is this faggotry? Someone explain this to me, if you can, please.

From their website:

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The Stronger Men’s Conference exists to empower and motivate men to live out God’s view of manhood and be the best husbands, fathers, and leaders God has called them to be!

Watch:

https://twitter.com/CollinRugg.../1779660848933560503

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This definitely does not represent Christianity and most real Christians find what you've posted revolting as it should be. Someone on FB posted the video and I checked it it and the pastor of that church, if he can be called a pastor, is a disgrace for allowing such a display to take place at a men's conference. I do applaud the guest speaker for speaking out against it before he was asked to leave. With that said every sincere Christian man should have walked out of the church also but unfortunately many chose to stay.

I heard an analogy that Christianity is like a broad river but with pretty rocky banks. There's a lot of leeway to traverse down the river but go one millimeter too far and your ship is aground.

It's always a tough call about Christianity. The Founder habitually crossed the lines deemed sacred by the religious leaders of his day: hanging out with prostitutes, drunks, tax collectors/Roman collaborators, healing on the Sabbath, not admonishing his followers when they "reaped" some grain to chew on the Sabbath, etc.

But, yeah, I think it's safe to say a pole used by a sword swallowing act may have crossed the line. It used to be muscular men ripping apart phone books and bending steel cookware.

Rey HRH,
The Power Team was AWESOME!!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
...The Founder habitually crossed the lines deemed sacred by the religious leaders of his day: hanging out with prostitutes, drunks, tax collectors/Roman collaborators, healing on the Sabbath, not admonishing his followers when they "reaped" some grain to chew on the Sabbath, etc.

But, yeah, I think it's safe to say a pole used by a sword swallowing act may have crossed the line. It used to be muscular men ripping apart phone books and bending steel cookware.

Yeah, Jesus was "hanging out" with sinners to preach the good news and call for repentance. It's the sick, not the well, that need healing.

But this so-called church leader is gathering his followers for entertainment. And, the guest pastor was right to call them out.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 12131,

In the time before the printing press, when the masses were illiterate, the church was a necessity, and to be sure, the fellowship afforded by the church is of great importance; the shared experience. But, when you get right down to it, Christianity doesn't require the edifice of the church.

One's relationship with God takes place within one's self, and the fellowship can be provided without a formal place of gathering.

And certainly, the obscene pagan spectacle seen in that video, and the stuff just shy of a monster truck rally, is a deep perversion of the fellowship.

quote:

One's relationship with God takes place within one's self, and the fellowship can be provided without a formal place of gathering.

This has always been my thinking.