As usual Jim seems to say it so much better!!

God bless,
Jeff



>-----Original Message-----
>From: James W. Allen [mailto:jallen@...]
>Sent: Wednesday, 23 June 2004 9:07 AM
>To: soundofgrace@...
>Subject: Re: [soundofgrace] Officiating Pastors
>
>I guess, Neil, it would depend on what you mean by a "Christian
burial."
>
>We are not Catholics, to believe that the ground is sacred or that the
>disposal of the body in some specific manner has spiritual value for
the
>deceased, so the term really has no meaning in that context.
>
>If, however, you mean a "service in a church" or a "service with a
pastor,"
>I guess that depends on what the pastor is going to do. If the deceased
is
>an unbeliever, and his family want to have a service in the church in
which
>Christ can be exalted, then I see no reason to deny them this
opportunity
>to
>have the truth presented to their families and friends. It is a tricky
>thing
>to do well, but I have seen it done well.
>
>On the other hand, if you mean "should a preacher speak as if the man
was
>saved," then the answer is "no." A funeral is no excuse for dishonesty.
>
>
>
>James W. Allen
>jallen@...
>
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