Colored Lights/Smoke Machines/Strobe Bright Lights

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Narrow Is The Way

Who are you calling extreme? Don't judge my methods. I am trying to reach the lost by any means possible. You cannot draw lines here. People are lost and I have to reach them. Can you show me Bible where beer drinking is wrong? I want specifics. Thou shalt not drink a beer. Thou shalt not have a bikini contest to reach sinners. It is not there. You won't find it so I am now free to reach the world. I am no longer in bondage to the old way of doing things.

She is not talking about your methods of winning the lost, which we all know you did not really mean. She meant your dumb post.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Narrow Is The Way

What's wrong with a beer garden out back? It's time to reach the world. Those guys are stuck in that old mindset. I need scripture. Thou shalt not have a beer garden behind the sanctuary.

people don't get drunk on colored lights or fog...good grief.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Romans 14:22

Well, I'm a newcomer to posting but have lurked for a long time. Hi everyone!

My take on the smoke and mirrors is that I have seen emotional altar calls but no long lasting fruit. It is sort of like the seed that was thrown by the wayside. These types "did not understand" and the wicked one quickly took it away. (MT 13:19)

It appears that it is an emotional response without any understanding of the gospel and it is easily swiped away by the enemy.

As one of my former Pastors used to say, "if your saved by music you can fall away by music". I don't know if that was verbatim but it was something similar.

FIrst of all it's not smoke and mirrors

Second you can have emotional alter calls with no lasting fruit in any situation. Humans are emotional all their own without colored lights or anything else

BTW I think it is absurd to say someone is saved by music. Nobody believes they are saving people by music. Only Jesus saves. If all a church does is play music from a to z then sure. But that is not usually the case. They preach the word and people respond to the message

[Balanced]

Balanced is who I am and balanced is what I try to be.

Can we go too far with the lights, fog, etc. and miss out on the real reason for worship?
Can we get so caught up in entertaining that we don't entertain the Spirit of God?
Can we get too much like the world and be ineffective in reaching souls?
Can we be so interested in just numbers that we forget about the one who numbers the hairs of our head?

Of course we can!
But on the flip side of the coin:

Can we be so stuck in doing things the same way we did 50 years ago that people, especially young people and kids, are not attracted to our churches?
Can our methods become out dated and ineffective?
Can we miss out on the harvest God has for use because we still want to use a sickle instead of a combine?

Sure we can!

Changing the method is not the same as changing the message.
We need to use methods that work in our time and in our situation.
What works in your area may not work in mine.
What works for one preacher may not work for another.
But that doesn't make either one wrong!

We must follow the will of God in everything we do and pray over anything we do.

I work in children's ministry and we use all kinds of things to get the point across to the kids. Bubble machines, clowns, illusions, balloons, beach balls, silly action songs, etc. But the focus is always on Jesus. If we lose Him as our focus, then all that we do is in vain.

In every children's service we have, the kids go from the "fun" stuff to the the closing alter call where they feel the presence of the Holy Ghost.
This month is our children's month and so far we have seen 2 receive the Holy Ghost and many be renewed. We have also had many in the alter seeking Him. Some who come from homes where there are many gods, but never the true God.

If we can use "things" the reach them (and no not partaking in their sin) then we must do all we can.

[StillStanding]

Ain't no fog machine comin' between me and Gawd!

[Narrow Is The Way]

Originally Posted by Michael Phelps

I second the nomination.

Of course, given enough time, I'm sure there will be a dumber one to eclipse it.

But, for now, I'm in.

You ultra cons. are killing me. Calling my post dumb because you don't agree with my methods of evangelism. You still haven't provided scripture and verse. You cannot preach standards. They are old and out of date. I am trying to reach the lost by all means possible.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by 1Corinth2v4

CC1,
My my........God, forgive those people that think colored lights and smokes machines can stimulate the mind and set the mood better than you possibly could.


I guess these people started off in the spirit and have become perfected in the flesh!

Ah Mr Hyde returns.

CC1 did not say anyone can do anything better than God. However God wants us to to things. If we can just sit back and let God I am sure He will do a much better job. Imagine no preachers...just God preaching, or don't you think God can do it better? God can, but God chooses to have us work.

And if all we need is the anointing, then get rid of the music, get rid of the mics, get rid of everything.

Have you ever considered that the things we use are neutral?

People for years have loved Pentecostal music and worship and that was their reason for visiting Pentecostal services. When they do they are there to hear the word preached.

You have the house lights on, they are fluorescent. Other times they have other lights on. Some people just like the house lights. Some like the colored lights.

Some old timers like slower "I see a Crimson Stream of Blood" and the younger ones with more energy like faster "Have a little talk with Jesus", but in the end it's what is preached that matters.

I have been in plays and concerts with colored lights, no fog or strobes and at the end there was a preaching and have had a lot of young people come forward to seek the Lord in prayer or receive the Holy Ghost for the first time. I have even seen Pastor's children. The lights and the music there did not bring them to an alter. It might have attracted them to the venue. Maybe even the lyrics to the songs or the theme of the plays spoke to them, but all in all it was the preaching of the word.

BTW most youth probably have never been in a club since most are for adults.

[TRFrance]

I think there are people who will always look for stuff to find fault with.

If we spent more time majoring on the majors, instead of majoring on the minors, the Body of Christ would be a lot better off.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

It was music that drove away the evil spirit from Saul as David played. Music is very powerful and in the hands of HG filled people it can do wonders.

Exactly.

This all kinda reminds me of a lost african tribe that found a polariod camera and snapped a picture and got scared because they thought the camera had stolen someone's soul...oh the evil camera

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by MikeinAR

I would agree that most of the church world today has decided it can do church without depending on the Holy Spirit to do what only he can do. Most of my generation thinks that if you turn the music up a little louder, say the phrase over and over again, and jump up and down a few times, then the Spirit will move.

IMO, if your depending on strobe lights and smoke machines to set the atmosphere for worship, you may be depending on the wrong thing.

I still haven't read a response that tells me why these things draw attention and praise to HIM during a normal worship setting.

Again this is absurd. Just because they have good music does not mean they decided they don't need the Holy Ghost.

They draw young people TO where you are gonna preach to them. As it was stated Paul used an alter to a pagan deity to get their attention