The earlier practice of the Church had been more or less to employ in worship under the presidency of the pastor or pastors, the gifts of the congregation.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Meanwhile the Church more and more provided for the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, by practically chaining His influence to the hierarchy and the sacraments.
A service of worship is primarily a service to God. When we realize this and act upon it, we make it a service to men.
If there were more temple work done in the Church, there would be less of selfishness, less of contention, less of demeaning others.
While attendance at traditional churches has been declining for decades... the evangelical movement is growing, and it is changing the way America worships.
I'm not a pastor; I've never been on staff at a church.
All Church power is, therefore, properly ministerial and administrative. Everything is to be done in the name of Christ, and in accordance with his directions.
Over the years, I have studied church history as well as the contemporary church, and I noticed how rare it is for a God-glorifying transition of leadership to take place in a local church.
I was called to start a mission, not a church. There is a difference.
Most churches are run by preachers who went to seminaries, who decided to be preachers when they were 18, 19, 20 years old. These preachers never met a payroll. They don't know how the world works.
There is a kind of thinking in the Church that wants to reduce the priest to a mere functionary, a managing director, where administration rather than doctrine and worship are to determine the form of the Church.