What do you think?

[Karen-Annie]

I went to a funeral yesterday.The minister who did the service had also performed the ceremony for a wedding I went to a year or so ago.And,I'm sorry,I just don't think either is the time or place to be proseletyzing(sp).Yesterday at least 4 times he said that the best sendoff we could give the deceased was to accept Jesus into our hearts as our saviour right known to those present.And twice said that she(the deceased) would greet in Heaven those family and loved ones who accepted Jesus.Now I know this lady and I know that is not what she want said at her funeral.If she was more than a "casual Christian"(for want of a better description),she sure kept it a secret.

Thoughts?

[The Berean]

The alternative might be someone thinking, "Gee, I thought that guy was a Christian minister who believes in God's salvation. He never mentioned that at all. Maybe he doesn't give a damn whether I go to heaven or not."

[Batman]

Weddings and funerals are the perfect time to proseletyze. If you get married in a Christian Church and have a Christian funeral then you should expect a Christian message and offer of salvation. If you don't want that then don't hire a Christian minister to officiate those events. if you want to 'use' the church to feel 'religious' then dopn't bother.

[dancingqueen]

good point Batman.
Live as a Christian, die as a Christian.

[Karen-Annie]

There is a difference between carrying out the Christian rites of marriage and burial and proseletyzing.I Just think that what amounts to "altar calls",especially repeatedly, have a time and place and a wedding and funeral are not it.

[GenX]

Wouldn't this be like going to McDonald's and being upset they served hamburgers?

[Karen-Annie]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Speedy the Parrot</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wouldn't this be like going to McDonald's and being upset they served hamburgers? </div></div>

No,I don't think so.Burgers are a regular part on McDonald's menu.Altar calls,for want of a better word,are NOT a regular part of the "menu" at a wedding or funeral.I've been to enough such occasions in a number of Christian denominations in my life and have never seen them as part of such rites.

[Batman]

Then those ministers were not doing their job. They may have claimed to be Christian but were not really. Now if by 'alter call' you mean that the ministers were asking people to come up to the front and be prayed over to accept Christ as part of the ceremony then I think I could see your point. However every Christian minister is expected to share the gospel message of salvation at some point during 'any' service they are perfoming. This would be an invitation to submit to Christ as Lord and saviour in prayer either at home in private or with the minister sometime after the service. This is what I would expect.

I have never seen nor heard of any minister actually asking people to come up to the front like at a Billy Graham crusade during a wedding or funeral. If this is what you experienced, then I agree with you that this is probably not appropriate. Now I say probably because perhaps the couple being married or the person who passed on may belong to a group of believers where this practice is the norm for thier particular group. If that's the case then it is appropriate and anyone who is a guest from outside the majority of the group should respect that.

Now if the whole 'sharing the gospel message' thing offends you then don't attend any Christian weddings or funerals. There are civil weddings and secular funeral services readily available for anyone who does not want a Christian message given at their ceremony.

[The Berean]

If it's a "Christian" wedding, then I dont think its out of place for the minister to explain WHY!!