Well, for starters, if you were a worldly non-believing New Ager who thrived on all the popular garbage on the radio and television; and who only believed in the rationale of life and not on the symbolic and spiritual nature of faith; and who would submit to no one other than their boss at work (Egalitarianism), what type of religious group would you be most interested in joining?
A. A modern group that is very similar to your current New Age culture?
Or
B. An antiquated group that completely contradicts your current New Age culture?
Most nonbelievers chose A! Not because they necessarily disagree with the antiquated group but because…well…the modern group says that they are the church and the nonbeliever feels more comfortable in a more familiar place such as the modern group. Some, I think, realize that they actually need the polar opposite of their current culture but the vast majority are taken by the similarities of the modern church movements.
Are you getting what I am saying here? Why go somewhere that requires you to work while worshiping and that requires you to put faith in symbolic nature, which is not easy for people – even many Christians? Why should people come to the Anglican Church rather than the Modern? The point of joining a church is to become saved, right? And if it can happen at a modern church than why go anywhere else?
It’s easy for a Modernist to say that others, such as myself, are divisive when we defend our faith against the modern movements. They only have to defend their faith against the nonbelievers and Catholics, who are both easy targets. And it is not considered taboo when a Modernist thrashes a Catholic to the dust.
It is really an extreme irony that the Modernist appears to be the most humble Church; they do not have to defend against other Protestant churches. It’s ironic because the very fact that they are not Anglican is absolutely divisive. The Anglican Church is the church of the English People. It has been since its inception in the 3rd century. Those that refuse to be a part of her are indeed dividing from her, causing her much pain by stealing sheep. I know that sounds like a harsh statement but what else do you call it? The Modernists KNOW what they are doing. They know that by creating a Modern worship service they will attract more people, many of the people that the historical church has been working on for hundreds of years. I’m speaking of the very dynamics of culture at large, the evolution of culture and how the Church never gives up on culture to eventually receive the culture’s kin into her bosom.
Anglicans must defend their faith against the Modernists! That is the bottom line. If Anglicans do not do this then the Romans eventually will.
The simple truth is that Catholic churches such as the English, the Roman and the Eastern (and okay, I’ll throw in the German Lutherans in there, also) offer much more than the Modern churches when it comes to salvation itself. The Scriptures speak of God choosing his elect, yes, but they also speak of the Holy Sacraments in which salvation is actually poured out to believers. Modern churches do not offer the sacraments. They offer empty memorials of just two of the sacraments.
Salvation is much more than saying a prayer. Salvation is about being a part of the Body of Christ that was offered to the Apostles and that has succeeded from the Apostles, not in mere idea but in real and genuine presence; a real and genuine presence that gives equity for eternity.
That is spot on. I have come to a point whereby i am not bothered much about the numbers on the pews. I have been to modern churches myself during a time of rebellion in my life. I am now back to the anglican church, which has been my family church for four generations. I understand now why people get attracted to modern churches. After enjoying the well composed musix for three years, i yearned for the smell of incense, doing the sign of the criss and kneeling at the altar. I realised that my spiritual life was empty and the God who was always so real to me began to be some kind of myth in my mind. I guess that was to be expected since i had always known God through the Sacraments.
Thanks. Your testimony is encouraging.