The Church Has Become a Circus... Literally.
By Todd Friel

If you don't see this, you won't believe it. This is a picture of Methodist Pastor Jim Lavender riding an elephant during an outdoor church service.

Oh wait, it gets worse. Advent Lutheran Pastor Rick Hartmann of Melbourne, FL. (aka, Richarto the Clown) attempts to justify dressing like a clown to lead communion by stating that "clown" means "clod" (buffoon), and God used a clod (of dirt) to make man. Therefore, if God can use a clod (of dirt), He can use a clod (a circus clown) to do good. Got it?

Furthermore, Richarto the Clown (aka, Pastor Rick Hartmann) claims the New Testament says we are supposed to be servants, and the word for servant means "clown." Actually, it doesn't. And even if it did, it is preposterous to think that pastors are supposed to dress like BimBam for church.

Hold on, Pastor Richarto's word study isn't over. He claims we are to be "fools" for Christ. Therefore, we should put on face paint and honk horns during worship. Sorry Pastor, each word for "fool" in the New Testament refers to intellect, wisdom and understanding… not wearing floppy shoes.

But wait, there's more! Here is a picture of some Episcopalian priests holding up the elements for Clown Communion in New York City.

Just what in the world is going on here? How does a grown man conclude with a straight face, "I think it would be a good idea to dress like Wiggles for church?" There are three reasons.
Ecclesiology. These pastors believe that the Sunday church service is to be used to draw "seekers." For starters, only God seeks. Second, church should be an assembling of the saints, not a tool to gather people who want to see ChooChoo.
Holiness. These pastors must not understand that our God is a consuming fire. When Isaiah was in the presence of God, he said, "My mouth is unclean." Isaiah experienced first hand that God is high, holy and inapproachable light. What must Pastor Cornflake think God is like?
Sola Scriptura. The reformers believed that "faith came from hearing and hearing from the Word of God (Rom.10:17)." Modern church growth methods apparently forget that verse as they believe we must entertain people into the Kingdom. Clown pastors have a low view of Scripture.
John Wesley said, "Ignorance of the nature and design of the Law is at the bottom of most religious mistakes." It could be argued that these ministers do not understand the Law of God.

Romans 7:12-22 tells us that the Law of God is a perfect representation of God's character. If these ministers understood that God is so high and holy that we cannot even covet our neighbor's property, perhaps they would not be so quick to turn the Lord's Supper into a silly gimmick.

Paul warned the Corinthian Christians to examine themselves prior to participating in communion. Some were weak, sick and even dying because they were not. We can only imagine how God feels about clown communion.

To put this into perspective, imagine a secular business using a clown to lure people into their establishment in hopes that the poor, unsuspecting clown seeker will purchase their product. Oh wait, car dealers and McDonalds already do. Unfortunately, Jesus is neither an automobile nor a hamburger.

Somebody tell that to Pastor Chuckles.

Distributed by http://www.ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com

Oh my word Brother! I would not have believed such a thing possible if I would not have seen those pictures myself. Teh mere concept of this is preposterous. Then to see the "definitions" given is really adding icing to the cake.

In Christ,
George

My friend calls it "Six Flags over Jesus". Not just this, but the way most churches are "worshipping" today. I know it is a derogatory term, but you get the picture.

So many "christians" are on their way to Hell it is not even funny.

Love in Christ,

Jim

Methodist, Advent Lutheran, Episcopalian
I don't mean to split hairs here
But even if there was an IFB in the list

Where is the Church here?
Just because they call themselves church don’t make it so.

These teach other gospels.
They are entertainers they have no idea of who Jesus is.
That is they have other jesuses
They want money more people = more money

Bro. Harold

That's right Harold. A cat can call himself a duck all day long, but does it make it true?

Just like the money-changers in the temple. It's amazing that even the entire covenant has changed for salvation and the way men approach it has not.

The more things change the more they stay the same.

I think the only way to make a true change is for man to finally evaluate himself and realize he is, in fact, the way the bible says, a totally depraved human being, and change that way according to God's Word.

I believe that was the hope of our founding forefathers here in America, that men of government would "quit themselves like men" and reject their fleshly desires. Little did they know......


Love in Christ,

Jim

This post was last modified: Fri Mar 07, 2008 01:56 PM by Jim.

That is blasphemy in the 1 hundreth degree.

This is precisely where I felt many CCM/multi-trans.Bible Churches are headed today and to some extent even IFB (numbers only) churches. I tried to open a thread on Church-Patriotic worship services to get this subject out there. I'll reprint here;
---------------------------------
ChuckieTrout Wrote:
I would like to see how others feel about Church-Sanctuary Patriotism???
I have this discussion every year at 'patriotic' times with choir directors, church members, family members etc. I am first of all very patriotic as I'm sure most Christians are. I have been under arms & uniform for 30 years of my life, but when asked to do any activities promoting this in Church I've been very reluctant to take part. I attend worship services for praise & worshiping our Lord, Creator, and Savior first & foremost. I find that a lot of hoopla and banner waving is over the top where Godly worship is concerned. I seem to be in the minority in my Church circles though. I think our best forum for our patriotic faith is in the secular realm (parades, assemblies, etc.) as a form of witness to the lost in (their court so to speak). Feel free to use this letter or re-frame it as you see fit to open a thread or discussion.
Thanx in advance.......ChuckieTrout

--------------------------------------
Responding to; Brother Chuck,

I can't agree with you more. I was in the Marines for a time and am also reluctant to take part actually in anything other than that what is directly glorifying to God as dictated by His Word. Like you, we are in church to worship our Lord and Saviour, not promote any one countries ideologies (Render unto Caesar, etc.)..........
I am however, extremely patriotic as we live in the greatest country in the world and we have a great privilege we often take too much for granted.

It's a good topic to discuss. Let me know if you have any questions.

Love in Christ,
Jim

I am a veteran of the Viet Nam Era having served in the Navy. I was also raised in a career Navy family. My Dad spent 30 years in the Navy being a vet of WWII, Korea and a few other more "minor" conflicts.

Personally I don't see anything wrong with the patriotism in Church unless it is overdone. On the Sunday closest to something like Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July or something similar we sing things like God Bless America and so on. By being overdone I mean that I do not think any of this should infringe on the time for the sermon or be to such a level it becomes a distraction.

However this is the way I was raised and the way it has been practiced in my since the time I was saved. Therefore it is the only way I know. I could not even begin to give you scriptural support for this sort of activity in Church yet somehow I believe it is there.

I am curious as to what others have to say on the subject.

In Christ,
George