What some call ‘Hard liners’ today would have been considered moderate even liberal in the 1950’s.My dad lived the hard line but did not preach it. When ‘cuff links’ became popular and he made a mistake of buying a dress shirt that required them, he had mama put two buttons together. He refused to wear a ‘tie tack or tie pin’ he always used a safety pin from the rear of the tie. His reason? IF we are against jewelry, I will not wear it. He never preached that. I asked him later when I was trying to preach, he said, No need to run folk off before they have a chance to get saved.Many of our churches have ‘fallen off’, losing some old folk in attendance, because we are allowing sins (?) like ‘movies, jewelry, and pants on ladies in church. Some even still reject the TV (at times for good reason). I do sympathize with some of these people because they sat under some of the most hard lined pastors in the COG. right or wrong they were endoctrinated (brain washed?) with a constant diet of DO NOT! Some fo the stands were actually not BAD! But they did raise a few nay=sayers who caused lots of good preachers a very hard time.I could name a few names from the 50’s but there is no need now. These guys were over the top with Holiness (my way) or Hell.I am thankful for my dad’s life. He did have one fault as a pastor. If he had one member (tithe payer or not) who thought TV was a sin ther would be none in the parsonage. So in my time in a parsonage we never had a TV, I watched it at the memebers houses. LOLDo you remember when TV was a sin?In your life time how have you changed, becoming more liberal than your youth? ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
To the first question, I don’t think legalism (extra-Biblical holiness), is the same as being orthodox and conservative. I think orthodox Biblical belief is what is considered hard line today. (such as a belief in a real Jesus, a real heaven, and a real hell).
I certainly agree JD, But for folk who were sujected to that teaching of ‘extra-Biblical holiness’, week after week for years makes it hard for them to desern the ‘extra’ or Pharisee attitude. Of course people of my generation and before are fast disappearing and I am positive God is a good judge.I have only attended a couple of what are called ‘mega churches’ one seemed too wild for me, the other felt comfortable as far as truth. And iot did do me good to think this many folk are interested in Jesus, but I fit better in the smaller churches ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
I certainly agree JD, But for folk who were sujected to that teaching of ‘extra-Biblical holiness’, week after week for years makes it hard for them to desern the ‘extra’ or Pharisee attitude. Of course people of my generation and before are fast disappearing and I am positive God is a good judge.I have only attended a couple of what are called ‘mega churches’ one seemed too wild for me, the other felt comfortable as far as truth. And iot did do me good to think this many folk are interested in Jesus, but I fit better in the smaller churches . ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
Oh, the memories. Like your dad, my dad was not at all a clothesline preacher (which doesn’t mean that he didn’t occasionally mention the need for modest dress–especially if a style was creeping into the church that threatened to cross the line).I didn’t even know long sleeves for men was a thing until I came home from school one day and my sister pointed out that dad was wearing short sleeves. I started crying! Later my dad told me some important things…He said that, when he was evangelizing, he purposed to try not to do anything that would disqualify him from preaching anywhere. Because he and my mother dressed quite conservatively, doors to some holiness gold standard churches were opened to him. He couldn’t have preached there at all if he and my mother wore wedding bands, tie clasps, etc. In fact, I don’t even recall my mother wearing a brooch. I have a picture of my dad FISHING on a pier…with a tie on. Ha!The point was, as my father told me, there were things he did out of love and respect for some very good men who were very conservative. He could have stayed busy without revivals in those churches, but he wanted to be able to go anywhere the Lord opened the door. He didn’t preach hard or harsh messages on dress or worldliness–at least in what was often called worldliness. Yet some of those very strict churches would have him back over and over for revival.He wore long sleeves NOT because he was convicted about it, but because there were some who felt that men ought to wear long sleeves…and so he did his best not to offend. Today, we would roll our eyes at such a thing. Most today, I think, would say If they don’t like how I dress, tough! But that was just not how my dad operated. He got to go to some really great churches–uber-conservative and even what was then probably deemed loose or liberal. He made many friends from across the spectrum–I’m sure the conservatives liked him at least in part because he dressed right, and the liberals probably liked him because he wasn’t a harsh or clothesline preacher.
I just told my wife you described my dad better than I could have. THANKS.I do appreciate men like your dad. I remember those, although I would have preferred dad to be a Baptist preacher most of my growing up, as I grew older and older he looked better and better. (I wouild have settled for Methodist! LOL________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
I used the question, ‘Do you remember when TV was a sin?’ as an example. Of course I never thought it was a sin as a youngster. But once on my first trip ‘away from my life time pastor (dad)’, I sat under a hard liner. He was a man of God of course, so I was so convinced he was right I sold our TV and gave the money to the church.I was convinced if a woman ‘cut/trimmed’ her hair she had sinned. We were married 30 years before I bought my wife a wedding ring. I could go on and on. School sports were a sin. etc.Since I have been there I know how some folk can still hold those ‘legalistic’ teachings JD referred to. I guess what I was asking is how many still remember those time. I am glad they are mostly gone, or at least I can chose to attend a church that is more ‘biblical’ in their basic beliefs without being ‘blackballed’. Now it ain’t my cup of tea, the smoke, dimmed lights black ceilings etc, but I must admit I looked around when I visited and saw some real tears, dedicated worship by young people as the Word was delivered. I thanked God these young folk were worshiping. ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
Great observations. Change is vital. Repentance means change. The word disciple (Gr. mathetes) means to be a learner. If we aren’t learning and changing, we’re moving in the wrong direction. Our learning and change should be bringing about more and more FREEDOM, FAITH, LOVE and LIFE. BONDAGE, FEAR, MEANNESS and DYING are exactly what Jesus came to redeem us from. So I enjoy much more freedom now than I did when I was younger. I give people more freedom too!
What is this place, a masonic lodge? I was told it was a church, seemed like it was with a little twist. Never been in a Masonic Lodge, no one would ever invite me, never knowed why!I had a friend, COG Evangelist, who was a lodge member, he was a little strange come to think of it. ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
Hey, Ole Timer, ‘cordin to Flat and Scruggs, dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music were the characteristics of the club down the street what lured the woman who just would never make a wife to a home-lovin man.
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