What do you think about Elevation Church?

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jimmudcatgrant

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I just heard about it yesterday.  Supposedly, in 6 years, they have 10,000 people coming regularly in the Charlotte, N.C. area.  I live in N.C. but have never heard of the church.  I went to their website and started watching a sermon by their Pastor and founder.  Let me say, it's different.  The Pastor had his shirttail out, funky pants, blue tennis shoes.  I could live with all that, but his shirt was unbuttoned with no tee shirt so that his chest hairs showed.  I just didn't get that.  If a lady were to come to church that revealing I am sure someone would have something to say.  Well, maybe not the pervs, but you understand.  I know dress doesn't make the person, but are there any standards left?  Or maybe I am being too critical?  If the shirt had been buttoned up, or a tee shirt underneath, I am ok with what he had on.  It's just that the Pastor sets the standard, and he seems to be saying anything goes.  Any thoughts?  Has anyone ever been to the church? 

I went to their info on outreach, and they don't seem to support missions as I know them, but support a lot of charities and organizations already established in the area.  Sort of a social gospel type of thing, maybe?  Is this the church of the future?  Is this what people want?  Inquiring minds want to know.  Here is a link to the church:

http://www.elevationchurch.org/
 
There are many elevation churches across the country...my experience is that they try so hard to be "relevant" that they actually make themselves irrelevant.
 
I'm not familiar with that particular church, but apparently they have a "come as you are" casual dress code. As did my previous AG church. I have no problem with that in general, and even prefer it. But still, I'd expect basic modesty and a little good taste to be observed.

If the pastor left his shirt completely unbuttoned during the service, I'd say that's a little too casual. But outside at a church picnic on a hot day, IMO it'd be fine. OTOH, if during the service he left 2-3 top buttons undone so that some chest hair showed, that's perfectly fine with me. Men who button their shirts all the way to the top, unless they're wearing a tie, look like pencil-neck geeks.

Pencil Neck Geek
 
Izdaari said:
Men who button their shirts all the way to the top, unless they're wearing a tie, look like pencil-neck geeks.
Click to expand...

When I was in high school we used to call the top button of a shirt the "nerd button" because only nerds button it.
 
wheatpenny said:
Izdaari said:
Men who button their shirts all the way to the top, unless they're wearing a tie, look like pencil-neck geeks.
Click to expand...

When I was in high school we used to call the top button of a shirt the "nerd button" because only nerds button it.
Click to expand...

Good.  Only I don't measure a church by what was popular in high school.
 
Izdaari said:
I'm not familiar with that particular church, but apparently they have a "come as you are" casual dress code. As did my previous AG church. I have no problem with that in general, and even prefer it. But still, I'd expect basic modesty and a little good taste to be observed.

If the pastor left his shirt completely unbuttoned during the service, I'd say that's a little too casual. But outside at a church picnic on a hot day, IMO it'd be fine. OTOH, if during the service he left 2-3 top buttons undone so that some chest hair showed, that's perfectly fine with me. Men who button their shirts all the way to the top, unless they're wearing a tie, look like pencil-neck geeks.

Pencil Neck Geek

So it's all about being cool, or looking cool?  Just as I suspected.  Dress doesn't make you cool or righteous, I understand that. But elevation church seems to think it makes you cool.  Anything but suit and tie, which I don't wear either except on certain occasions.  Modesty to me would be to have the shirt buttoned up, or wear a tee shirt underneath. 
Click to expand...
 
I think it's a strange name for a church.  It would be ironic if you had to take an escalator to get in. 
 
Elevation Church is really nothing that new at least in principle. It's basically Willow Creek: The Next Generation. There are of course differences between each church depending on who the pastors are but basically it is all about being relevant.
 
jimmudcatgrant said:
So it's all about being cool, or looking cool?  Just as I suspected.  Dress doesn't make you cool or righteous, I understand that. But elevation church seems to think it makes you cool.  Anything but suit and tie, which I don't wear either except on certain occasions.  Modesty to me would be to have the shirt buttoned up, or wear a tee shirt underneath. 
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No, it's all about Jesus. How you dress is at best a potential distraction. Buttoning the top button of a man's shirt without also wearing a tie is a fashion faux pas, similar to wearing socks with sandals (although we in the Pacific NW get a regional pass on that). Avoiding those is avoiding potential distractions.
 
The more I see on their website, the more troubled I am.

They have 12 codes they live by on the website.  Here is the most troubling:

4.  We Are United Under the Visionary
 
It is just a modern remake of the IFBx mentality. The appearance is different, the philosophy is the same.
 
What they tell you on their church websites is only what they want to tell you. The best way to find out about a church is to ask members or better yet find out from former members. I like to know such things as if they practice Biblical church discipline and if repentance is preached and required.  Jesus said he came to call sinners to repentance not simply to just call them to himself and let them live how they want. I'm not saying there is lack of discipline in Elevation churches - I don't have experience with them. But I find it hard to believe when considering the size of these churches or the number of house churches each church has that there's never been a problem. Even small churches have people that should be disciplined. I believe for example that an unmarried couple who are professing believers who are known to be living together and sleeping together which is fornication by the 1 Corinthians 7 definition who are members of a church should not be allowed to associate with other believers until they get married. I hate to think how many professing Christian churches are allowing this sin.
 
Castor Muscular said:
I think it's a strange name for a church.  It would be ironic if you had to take an escalator to get in.
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Elevation is also the name of  a U2 song released in 2001 - 3 years before the first Elevation Church.
Coincidence? Maybe. The song won a Grammy in 2002 so it was still probably fresh in people's minds when the first Elevation church started.
 
FSSL said:
It is just a modern remake of the IFBx mentality. The appearance is different, the philosophy is the same.
Click to expand...

As far as the way they treat their Pastor like a deity, I agree.  But the more I see about Furtick, the more I think he is built in the mode of the prosperity mold built in with the positive thinking mold.  He chastised one of the preachers he invited for preaching negative things.  But he did it indirectly through the pulpit.  I guess he has never read anything negative in the bible. like do not quench the Holy Spirit, or do not be drunk with wine.  Better take those out, I guess.  I always wonder how those who are positive thinkers fare when they run into a rebellious teenage son or daughter.  Wonder if they say yes to everything.
 
[quote author=jimmudcatgrant]...I guess he has never read anything negative in the bible. like do not quench the Holy Spirit, or do not be drunk with wine.  Better take those out, I guess.  I always wonder how those who are positive thinkers fare when they run into a rebellious teenage son or daughter.  Wonder if they say yes to everything...[/quote]

Those aren't what I would call the negative things in the Bible.
 
The numbers game
getting people in rather than discipleship
No theological core

All of the above also match IFBxrdom
 
FSSL said:
The numbers game
getting people in rather than discipleship
No theological core

All of the above also match IFBxrdom
Click to expand...

In IFBx however the numbers come from mainly outside the church. Many of these don't go to church.
 
rsc2a said:
[quote author=jimmudcatgrant]...I guess he has never read anything negative in the bible. like do not quench the Holy Spirit, or do not be drunk with wine.  Better take those out, I guess.  I always wonder how those who are positive thinkers fare when they run into a rebellious teenage son or daughter.  Wonder if they say yes to everything...
Click to expand...

Those aren't what I would call the negative things in the Bible.
[/quote]

Yes, but I wasn't talking bout you.  Furtick sees negative things as the following:  4.
prohibitory, as a command or order.

That is why he doesn't preach against the sin of drinking, adultery, etc.  And quenching the spirit is a sin which we are commanded not to commit.  I really don't get your point.  Oh, that's right, you never expressed one.
 
brianb said:
FSSL said:
The numbers game
getting people in rather than discipleship
No theological core

All of the above also match IFBxrdom
Click to expand...

In IFBx however the numbers come from mainly outside the church. Many of these don't go to church.
Click to expand...

That is debateable and moot. The.numbers.game is all about numbers.
 
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