DW, It sounds like the the same reason the Catholics have their altars. :-P Pax, Steve David Warner wrote: > The altar is the place of meeting and meaning business with God, to > surrender and acknowledge again and again His sovereignty and to bow before > Him. It is the place to publicly acknowledge the sacrifice on Calvary and > of renewed commitment to the Lord. > > D Warner > > -----Original Message----- > From: Steven G. Rockhill [mailto:revrock@...] > Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 9:10 AM > To: pastorsforum@... > Subject: Re: [PastorsForum] Another Purpose Driven to the ground church > > Why did this church have an altar anyway? Did they regularly perform > sacrifices on the altar? They must have forgotten somewhere that after > Jesus there is no longer a need for sacrifices for sins. > > Pax, > Steve > > Jeff Hallmark wrote: > >> >> > http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD04 > REL011307.htm > > <http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD0 > 4REL011307.htm> > >> >> >> First Baptist members say pew to new pastor's changes >> >> By JIM HAUG >> >> >> Staff Writer >> >> DAYTONA BEACH -- The Rev. David Cox modernized the altar of First >> Baptist Church of Daytona Beach with a hardwood stage, twin movie >> screens and music equipment worthy of a rock band. >> >> On Wednesday, Cox went to the same altar to defend his job, less than >> six months after succeeding the much beloved Bobby Welch as senior >> pastor of the area's largest congregation with 4,000 members. >> >> Cox is under fire on everything from his spending habits to his taste >> in church music. >> >> "I've tried my best to reach out to every one of you," Cox said at the >> beginning of the town hall style meeting that let the congregation >> vent its frustrations. >> >> "To the extent I've fallen short, I hope you'll forgive me." >> >> For many, the renovated altar has symbolized excess and misplaced >> priorities under Cox's leadership. >> >> Noting the absence of the cross, one church member said Wednesday the >> church altar looks more "like a Masonic Lodge than a pulpit." >> >> Church members put the cost of the renovations at somewhere between >> $300,000 and $450,000, which many say is impractical due to the timing. >> >> "Why are you doing all this when you're moving to a new church in >> three years?" church member Jimmy Woolyhand said in a telephone interview. >> >> First Baptist is planning to build a new church on 226 acres off >> Tomoka Farms Road and Interstate 4. The church celebrated the >> construction of a bridge to the site last November, but members >> complain about lack of communication about the progress of the >> construction. >> >> A long and so far unsuccessful search to find a buyer for the current >> church property that fronts Palmetto Avenue just north of >> International Speedway Boulevard has also put a strain on the >> congregation. >> >> In an allegation that was denied in a statement from Cox, the new >> senior pastor was accused of selling off the new church property near >> I-4 to a "beer drinking campground business." >> >> "There's a lot of rumors going around," said Les Wilkinson, a church >> deacon who led Wednesday's meeting. >> >> Cox has the unenviable task in replacing the much revered "Brother >> Bobby" Welch, who was pastor for 32 years before officially retiring >> in August. >> >> But Cox is not exactly new to the job. He served as a caretaker of the >> church during Welch's last two years when Welch was serving as the >> president of the Southern Baptist Convention. >> >> Welch is now considered "pastor emeritus." He could not be reached for >> comment. >> >> That many longtime church staffers have left since Cox took over is >> another source of contention, according to a church handout, which >> defended their leaving as voluntary. At the town hall meeting, the >> congregation complained about the departure of at least five staffers >> by name, including one who was fired only two years from retirement. >> >> The congregation is also questioning the salaries for Cox and other >> staffers while many popular programs, such as youth basketball and bus >> transportation for the under-privileged, have been eliminated. >> >> At Wednesday's meeting, church members said staff salaries comprise >> about 60 percent of the church budget. >> >> Much of the complaints are also cultural. Critics don't like Cox's use >> of the popular book "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren, his >> reference to First Baptist as a "campus" instead of a "church," and >> the change in music to a more contemporary sound. >> >> "I like the organ," said Jim Ward at the meeting. "I don't like the >> drums, guitars, (but) I'm older." >> >> On Jan. 4, about 60 disgruntled church members met in Port Orange >> without Cox present. After four hours of discussion, "nearly all >> raised their hands" when asked if they were in favor of dismissing >> Cox, according to a church letter. >> >> >> SNAP >> > > -- ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Pastor Steven G. Rockhill Lisbon Reformed Presbyterian Church PO Box 88 Lisbon, NY 13658 315-393-9041 revrock@... http://lisbonrpc.port5.com +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++