30 AUG 08: A PURVIS-DRIVEN LIFE?

(BLOGGER'S NOTE: You may find the following item humorous, serious, or a little of both - but we offer these thoughts from time to time, as we keep a seventh-day Sabbath.)

Last weekend a reader sent us a fairly simple question, which started an e-mail discussion:

What churches do you attend? Do you ever go to Cascade Hills?

Could you recommend one to those new to the area.

Any e-mail with the words "Cascade Hills" in it admittedly raises a red flag for me now. Several messages over the years along those lines have turned into full-scale slams against Pastor Bill Purvis - and without one of those guest "Power Teams" picking him up to do it.

We've attended several Columbus congregations over the years. For the last several months, the primary one has been Cascade Hills Church - but that's ending after this weekend. In fact, we've intentionally timed this item to appear during the Saturday evening service. That way no one can block the door and usher us out as a potential threat.

We told the e-mailer we had doctrinal issues with some of the things Cascade Hills Church does during services, as well as some of the things its pastor preaches. It's not a matter of the clothing Bill Purvis wears during sermons, or the music played by the band -- although Purvis's defense of an unbaptized long-haired guitar player on stage made me wonder if he's read I Corinthians 11 lately.

We noted here several weeks ago that while Bill Purvis was on vacation in July, Cascade Hills Church played a series of recorded messages with Purvis doing the preaching [4 Aug]. I'm told this occurred for the second summer in a row. In Branson, Missouri, I think they call off the show if the big star can't appear in person....

Since Cascade Hills Church has a full staff of ministers, we told the e-mailer that approach to July services seemed curious. That brought another e-mail....

Dear Richard,

Allow me to ask you this. Do you know Bill Purvis personally? Have you ever talked with him one on one? I do know go there, but are you telling me that for the services while he was gone they played a taped message of Bill and had no guest pastor or associate pastor preach a message? If so, that sounds a little bit on the controlling side to me. However, if I recall that was a big debate a year or so ago, about the church being a cult.

Thanks,

ABC

We've talked to Bill Purvis twice in the last 12 months. One lengthy discussion was prompted by e-mail questions last fall about a change in Cascade Hills Church's bylaws [7 Oct 07]. That post wound up being quoted in a front-page Ledger-Enquirer story - but the newspaper still isn't so desperate for reporters that it quotes us regularly.

The second chat with Bill Purvis was much shorter, a few weeks later. We pointed out an incorrect Bible reference which appeared on the church screens. We were NOT concerned about the error, as much as the fact that no one else in the large congregation apparently mentioned it to him.

That leads to a big puzzle we've developed about the Cascade Hills Church congregation. During the months we've attended, not many members brought Bibles and hardly anyone seemed to take notes on the sermons. Perhaps they're going home and researching the things Bill Purvis says. Or perhaps they're going to work during the week and simply repeating his one-liners.

Of course, I know better than to judge a church simply by the members you meet at a service. They can be at all points in a spiritual journey, from sinner to saint -- which makes them a bit like the elected officials representing political parties.

I really don't think it's fair to call Cascade Hills Church a cult. But I suspect many members go for the "star" giving the sermon -- similar to Charles Stanley in Atlanta or Rick Warren in southern California. With Bill Purvis's "Real Time" appearing weekly on national cable TV, he has to beware not developing a really big ego.

But based on what I've heard Bill Purvis preach over the last few months, I don't see an ego problem. He's self-deprecating in talking about himself. And I'd think he'd be the first to say if you're attending Cascade Hills Church simply for him, you're there for the wrong person. He might want you to stay there to find the right Person, though....

So where else have we attended church lately? For four months last fall and winter, we attended the biggest Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Columbus. We've just posted our thoughts on the SDA's in general in our religious web area. But I hesitate to say I "have a beef" with them - since they don't tend to be meat-eaters.

I've also renewed an association with a former Columbus pastor who was fired in 2000 for opposing some denominational changes. He lives in Montgomery, and has a ministry holding "Bible discussions" by conference call several times a week. They're interesting and seem doctrinally sound. But it's not exactly worship - and I'm not sure if I should figure the long-distance bill into my tithe checks.

And we noted in March we're taking a "leave of absence" from the association I've attended for years [29 Mar]. So far, the only group doing better than that association on my notepad is the Montgomery minister. But I haven't driven to see him much, because of the cost of gasoline. Long-distance truly IS the next best thing to being there....

So where will our church search go next? We told ABC the location in an e-mail, but we are NOT prepared to reveal it here yet. We want to show up unannounced and privately - because it would be embarrassing for a congregation to welcome a newcomer with a red carpet and confetti.

In his last correspondence with me, ABC wrote: "Maybe we should just start our own church." I'm not sure how well that would work. After all, what if he's offended when I preach from the wrong Bible translation?

As it happens, I've been doing some Bible study lately seeking signs of the "right church" and true Christians. Perhaps one of the most overlooked passages is what Jesus says in Mark 16 - signs such as driving out demons, picking up snakes and drinking "deadly poison." Sad to say, some of that seems to be practiced only by Wicca groups.

If you're church-shopping as I am, I suggest you consider those five signs Jesus mentioned - but also how close the congregation and minister are to the Word of God. That means both the written word called the Bible, and the "Word who became flesh" known as Jesus. If other things take priority, be careful. For instance, there's no evidence that Jesus declared any U.S. politician the Antichrist....

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