How can we get more people into the church? How many times have you seen this question?

Question

This occurred to me at work tonight, that the whole "gay issue" the church is pushing is really detrimental to its numbers. Good hearted, intelligent, open minded people everywhere with gay friends, who know gay people, maybe even have gay family members are leaving the church because they know that gay people are just people, and the intolerance is not something they can agree with. The people who are staying behind are the close minded and judgemental (not all of you guys, but wait)and these people are nowhere near as much of a credit to Christ's message as the people who are leaving the churches. The harder the church comes down on gays, the worse they look, and they push away a lot more people than just those homosexuals they consider undesirable--how to get more people into the church? the answer seems simple, accept everybody unconditionally, but the church has drawn it's line in the sand .........Does anybody else see this?

Answer 1

Absolutely, I agree with you on hundred percent....they want to have this strict code of conduct and push away the people that are closer to God than the ones that are still in the stone age and don't want change..We are all children of God, whatever color or sexual orientation, and as such should be treated in that fashion.
God's love is unconditional, why can't the churches love the same way.....I stopped going to church a long time ago....I prefer to praise the Lord in my own way, with my actions and pure Heart, I know he understands.

Answer 2

Yeah. The problem is, though, that the church can't soften its views indefinately. Sooner or later they have to stand for _something_ to retain their identity as a religious tradition. Homosexuality today is gaining acceptance, but not rapidly enough to ensure the immediate downfall of the church on those grounds alone.

Let's face it, Endora. If the church really was accepting, loving, and progressive, you and I would probably join them next sunday.

Answer 3

While I agree that some churches condemn gay people without showing the love that God asks of us, the Bible plainly condemns homosexual sex as it does numerous other sins. Every kind of sex, except that which is between a married couple, is condemned. Pride, arrogance, slander, gossip, deceit, envy, lying, idolatry, unrepentance, and on and on. The truth is that a lost person is lost whether he's homosexual or not. Yet, homosexuality gets loads of attention and these other heinous sins are ignored.
The sin of homosexuality cannot be whitewashed into the pretense that it is acceptable to God, however it is not worse in the eyes of God then is pride or envy. It is time that we showed compassion to the sinner without excusing the sin--whatever it is.

Answer 4

christians are going into the closet, and gays are coming out. in order for gays to be accepted, religion (churches) had to be weakend. as a start, prayer was outlawed in schools. using the Bible as their guide to their faith, most christians still reject homosexuals as an aborration of God, not as a physical condition. I don't see the human race suviving (multiplying) in a healthy way if this continues.

Answer 5

I disagree with you. For starters my church does not push it's members to get new members. Secondly no one in my church berates or ostracizes Gays.

Thats the lie that you Christian bashers push on everyone. You lump all of Christianity in with the small 1% radical ones. Christianity is about loving all mankind.

I guess you also think all Muslims belong to Al Qadea as well. Get out and get to know a Christian before trashing them.

Answer 6

okay okay I GOT A GREAT IDEA!!!!

Okay first, we create a set a beliefes that many people agree with and are willing to join just do to its greatness!!!!

INstead of creating marketing and political schemes to push religion on them. have you seen some of those pastures? They are like really good sales people.

People should decide for themselves, they dont need you gimmicks.



Second though, Ya i think its very hippocritical what they are doing now. They wont accept you unless you meet a standard. I knew a ladie who was pretty poor and did drugs at my old church, then i over hear a ladie telling her she isnt welcomed any more!!! NOt welcomed in the house of god!!!

Answer 7

It's not the churches fault directly. It's the Bible...both Old and New Testaments. Jesus did condemn homosexuals whether or not you think he is god. In Matthew 5:17-19 and in other places in the NT he endorses the old laws saying not one jot or tittle shall be removed. The real enemy of homosexuals and all of humanity is the Bible itself.

http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com

Answer 8

That's funny because no one has left my church because of that...

You see Christians shouldn't care what the world thinks. They should care what God thinks. This is untrue though... alot of churches are going toward this Gay is OK thing even though the bible condems it. This just fulfills scripture..

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.

I see it and the line should stand when the bible says things like...

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

You don't have to like it, but there it is. The bible condems it, not christians, so be mad at God not at Christians.

Answer 9

In a way it's a good thing since we can see the church loosing members and influence on people in our communities, and the people turn to support each other, a thing the Church claims to support but fails to do.

I will ring your doorbell and run away!!!

Answer 10

What is more important....getting people into the church or obeying God? Leviticus 18:22 says "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination".