STRANGE REQUESTS OF MODERN-DAY CHURCHES 🤨

Would you go along with this??

Let's discuss something that's been on my mind: the peculiar demands of modern-day churches. Specifically, I'm referring to the requirements these churches impose on their parishioners. (Skip to 11:50 to hear about the strangest request a Healthy American received from their church.)

Think back a few years to when churches in California, like many other places, shut down due to the pandemic. We were attending a church we liked, but they decided to close to keep everyone safe. They believed it was the “right” thing to do to prevent gatherings for fellowship, prayer, and worship.

We were against this decision and reached out to some local non-denominational Christian churches we had attended, and I informed them that there was no law requiring them to close and suggested they could continue services for those who were comfortable attending in person while offering online sermons for those who preferred to stay home.

Despite my efforts, the pastors responded, thanking me for the information but choosing to keep their churches closed for “safety” reasons.

This led my husband, Pastor David, and me to start attending an outdoor church called Beach Church in San Clemente. It was a non-denominational gathering of freedom-minded people. We didn't start the church, but my husband began preaching there, and we held monthly services. Side note: We've recently been on hiatus as God has called us to minister in different ways. Pastor David now has a weekly show on YouTube called "True Hope Tuesday," where he shares spiritual encouragement for hope and healing.

Anyway, our experience with churches closing during the pandemic made us reevaluate attending these churches. While I know there are wonderful pastors, like Pastor Kemble from Capac Bible Church—a Bible-believing (non-Scofield) old-fashioned church—these modern churches often didn't resonate with us. (Take a look at Pastor Kemble’s Youtube channel here for some good old-fashioned preaching!)

By the way, Pastor Kemble will be our guest speaker in this month’s upcoming private webinar for our donors, where he'll offer spiritual encouragement and insights into why we're in our current situation. Email support@thehealthyamerican.org if you have questions.

One significant issue we had with these churches was their insistence on following the random “emergency” protocols strictly, which often conflicted with living without fear and placing faith in God. Aside from shutting their doors at the very time when many people needed even more spiritual care, once they re-opened months later, many required parishioners to cover their faces and, eventually, to get vaccinated. These measures didn't align with our beliefs, as we felt they contradicted the essence of worship and faith in God's protection.

My husband and I noticed a lack of emphasis on essential aspects of the Christian faith, like repentance and sin. Services often felt more like entertainment than worship, lacking the reverence and respect for God that we believe is crucial. The casual approach to prayers and the focus on creating a concert-like atmosphere didn't sit well with us.

Is this Church Request Going too Far?

Recently, a Healthy American couple wrote to me about a new requirement from their church which I share in my video above (11:50). They are greeters at their church in Southern California and were asked to get fingerprinted. They had no issue with fingerprinting in their previous jobs as flight attendants but felt it was unnecessary for a volunteer greeting position. They didn't want the government to know where they attended church and saw no need for fingerprinting when they weren't working with children.

I advised them to express their concerns to their church in writing and ask if there was a law requiring this. If the issue couldn't be resolved, I suggested praying for guidance to find a different church. This fingerprinting request added to our list of reasons for not attending modern day churches.

While modern churches may suit some, they don't work for us. We find spiritual nourishment in other ways and continue to seek a community that aligns with our beliefs. I appreciate your support during this time, especially after the recent loss of our two precious animals, Elsie and Teddy. Your messages and support have been incredibly comforting. You can view my latest video about the pain of losing a precious pet here.