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What is "Seeker Sensitive?"
- Thread starter aisling7
- Start date
GrinningDwarf
Just a humble servant
It's usually taken to mean that services will be conducted is sush a way that non-Christians are not offended or driven away. That sounds good, but it can mean that essential Christian truths get swept under the rug, so to speak. Stuff like sin and repentance.
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CoffeeSwirls
snaps back wash after wash...
That's in the User CP, under... Edit Profiles, I think. You do have to declare yourself a Calvinist, by the way. There are many who post in this forum who are marked as a Christian (not that Calvinists aren't Christians first) or by a denomination.
Regarding seeker sensitive services, I'd have no problem with them if they were actually designed for the benefit of the seeker.
Romans 3:11
no one understands; no one seeks for God.
John 4:23
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
Regarding seeker sensitive services, I'd have no problem with them if they were actually designed for the benefit of the seeker.
Romans 3:11
no one understands; no one seeks for God.
John 4:23
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
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Bob Moore
Reformed Apologist
"Seeker sensitive". Ah, I wish there were seekers. But there are none.
Romans 3:11, There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God;
This is speaking of the natural man. Apart from the call of the Holy Spirit it is impossible for any man to 'seek after God'. It is by grace that we are saved, through faith, and that faith does not come from ourselves (Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore there are no 'seekers'. Yes, there are people looking for so-called spiritual answers, but they are not going to find the truth unless and until God calls them out.
A major problem in the church today is that any profession of faith, no matter in what, is accepted as valid. Naturally enough the usual outcome is that the person eventually falls away, claims that Christianity is false, that God's promisses are false, and that the whole idea of accountability before God is bogus. This happens because, I'll say it gently, 90 percent or more of what claim to be Christian churches are flatly clueless with regard to the nature of saving faith.
Could I go on? You betcha. But this will do for now.
Romans 3:11, There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God;
This is speaking of the natural man. Apart from the call of the Holy Spirit it is impossible for any man to 'seek after God'. It is by grace that we are saved, through faith, and that faith does not come from ourselves (Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore there are no 'seekers'. Yes, there are people looking for so-called spiritual answers, but they are not going to find the truth unless and until God calls them out.
A major problem in the church today is that any profession of faith, no matter in what, is accepted as valid. Naturally enough the usual outcome is that the person eventually falls away, claims that Christianity is false, that God's promisses are false, and that the whole idea of accountability before God is bogus. This happens because, I'll say it gently, 90 percent or more of what claim to be Christian churches are flatly clueless with regard to the nature of saving faith.
Could I go on? You betcha. But this will do for now.
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McWilliams
Senior Veteran
Truly it is compromise! The thinking is that, Oh, if we can just get them to come play basketball or see a drama, or puppets or christian rock group, THEN we can tell them of the gospel!
Not a biblical approach! If we are faithful to God's word and the gospel is preached we are fulfilling our responsibility. That is what Paul commands Timothy. No instructions are given for entertaining them first to get them there with a 'bait and hook' premise. God takes care of their interest in His word and the gospel or they wouldnt be there eager to listen and learn. God, through His Holy Spirit causes regeneration. If a person begins coming to church because of other issues, then walks an aisle, signs a card, prays a prayer they can be caused to think they are then saved when in fact they remain totally lost until they see themself as a depraved sinner and come to call upon a holy God in repentance, pleading for His mercy! When this occurs their eyes and ears open and they see God's Word in a totally new light, the scripture takes on new meaning, they hunger to know more and more of His grace! God in His great mercy has saved their soul! When this happens for real they are so humbled, so grateful that their goal is to be true to Him and persevere in His grace forever! Soli deo gloria!
Not a biblical approach! If we are faithful to God's word and the gospel is preached we are fulfilling our responsibility. That is what Paul commands Timothy. No instructions are given for entertaining them first to get them there with a 'bait and hook' premise. God takes care of their interest in His word and the gospel or they wouldnt be there eager to listen and learn. God, through His Holy Spirit causes regeneration. If a person begins coming to church because of other issues, then walks an aisle, signs a card, prays a prayer they can be caused to think they are then saved when in fact they remain totally lost until they see themself as a depraved sinner and come to call upon a holy God in repentance, pleading for His mercy! When this occurs their eyes and ears open and they see God's Word in a totally new light, the scripture takes on new meaning, they hunger to know more and more of His grace! God in His great mercy has saved their soul! When this happens for real they are so humbled, so grateful that their goal is to be true to Him and persevere in His grace forever! Soli deo gloria!
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- Sep 5, 2005
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My daughter attends a seeker sensitive church in the Willow Creek association. I've attended with her once - the best way I can describe the service would be "Gospel for Dummies." More experiential than expositional. They have dozens of programs, a bookstore, a coffee shop, smoke & light shows during the music - which is very concertlike in nature, powerpoint presentations during the "message." The sermon lasted (at the most) 15 minutes and I believe the pastor utilized 2 or 3 Bible verses. For me, who is used to a 45 minute sermon with multiple Scriptural references it was pretty light weight.
Oh - and they won't be having Lord's Day services on December 25th (although they will have 5 identical services on December 24). Neither will they have services on December 31st or January 1st.
Oh - and they won't be having Lord's Day services on December 25th (although they will have 5 identical services on December 24). Neither will they have services on December 31st or January 1st.
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Paleoconservatarian
God's grandson
edb19 said:
My church is definitely heading in this direction.
We don't normally have smoke and light shows during the music, but we did one Lord's Day and that raised a major alarm for me. More and more skits, which are getting longer and more elaborate, a coffee shop that recently opened, and the sermons are getting noticeably shorter, although it's still very Scriptural. We often have a speaker come give a speech instead of a sermon. There will be a service on Christmas... one service, instead of the 3 we normally have each Lord's Day. Which means a lot of people won't come. I am very worried, because we seem to be trying to entertain "seekers" into church and keep those who are in the church amused, rather than edified. It's not as bad as many of the stories I hear about other churches (I think there is still much meat mixed in with the ever-increasing portion of milk), but it's getting there.
That other "seeker-sensitive" churches are worse is very frightening. I feel that these practices are more harmful to "seekers" than helpful. I think it distracts from what the "seekers" ought to be seeking. I also think that we should take the worship of God more seriously than we tend to.
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Imblessed
Reformed Baptist with a Quaker heritage
I go to a seeker sensitve church, but thankfully it hasn't fallen into what some of you have described---actually, strangly enough(a good strange), it's less now. We used to have a lot of skits, but haven't seen one for over six months or more now.....and we haven't been involved in any of the "multi-denominational" things that have gone on in Richland County this year....not even so much as a mention that anything like that was happening...
About a year ago, I was starting to dispair because the services were not real meaty, and I felt like I was hearing the same thing over and over again, but this last year our pastor has done some real good series, very in depth, and thought provoking. I've seen a change, and it's a change away from the stereotypical seeker sensitive churches. I think our pastor and the other leaders started realizing that they were compromising maybe just a little bit to get people "in the doors". I've noticed that they haven't placed as much emphesis on it. I think word of mouth is doing most of our growing...that and our outreach programs, like Kindness in Action, the food drives, our association with Richland Family Services, etc etc
We do have a band and powerpoint and a coffee shop, and a "bookstore"(which is actually bibles and past series and sermons), etc etc but I like having all of those things...! I don't think it takes away from a church---as long as the sermons are good and biblical!
About a year ago, I was starting to dispair because the services were not real meaty, and I felt like I was hearing the same thing over and over again, but this last year our pastor has done some real good series, very in depth, and thought provoking. I've seen a change, and it's a change away from the stereotypical seeker sensitive churches. I think our pastor and the other leaders started realizing that they were compromising maybe just a little bit to get people "in the doors". I've noticed that they haven't placed as much emphesis on it. I think word of mouth is doing most of our growing...that and our outreach programs, like Kindness in Action, the food drives, our association with Richland Family Services, etc etc
We do have a band and powerpoint and a coffee shop, and a "bookstore"(which is actually bibles and past series and sermons), etc etc but I like having all of those things...!
I don't think it takes away from a church---as long as the sermons are good and biblical!
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How sad...While I am disturbed by the Super Church-Marts I am seeing, I think many churches should be "seeker sensitive." Some of the larger churches I have been to seem to assume that I have a map of their frighteningly large church. This is very annoying when you have small children. Where have all the deacons gone?! A lot of times, the people at the door who are supposed to be greeters do not say a word as I stand there with heavy 2-year-old in my arm and a rambunctious 4-year-old in tow. As for there being no seekers, I do believe that for many conversion is a process; and while that process is wholly initiated by God, I do believe that many(speaking of the elect here) "seek" until they find the presence that has already found them. In the presbyterian churches in my area, the converts testimonies speak of a struggle, a process.
What do you think would be a good way to be "visitor friendly"?
I'll start.
1. Greeters who are compassionate towards mothers and children and the lonely, frail, disenchanted, etc. I believe this should be performed by deacons and their wives as they have been chosen to serve. This should be viewed as a ministry of lightening someone's burden, in some cases literally.
2. A few back seats should be reserved for tardy visitors.
This is all I have for now.
Jackie
What do you think would be a good way to be "visitor friendly"?
I'll start.
1. Greeters who are compassionate towards mothers and children and the lonely, frail, disenchanted, etc. I believe this should be performed by deacons and their wives as they have been chosen to serve. This should be viewed as a ministry of lightening someone's burden, in some cases literally.
2. A few back seats should be reserved for tardy visitors.
This is all I have for now.
Jackie
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