Christian Outreach Centre and St Stephen’s Catholic Church are two completely different Churches that are based on the same idea. Christianity is what brings these two vastly different churches together, however despite their common threads their opinions couldn’t be any more different. They both share similar core beliefs; however their views and opinions are widely different when it comes to Holy Communion, prayer, traditions and their history.
Christian Outreach Centre is a denomination within Protestantism. Protestantism first began back in the 1500’s when Martin Luther questioned the teachings of the Catholic Church. He questioned them because he felt no matter how carefully he followed the Church; he didn’t seem to be developing a closer relationship with God. Martin then wrote the 95 theses, which is considered the beginning of Protestantism. After going up against the Catholic Church for a number of years, Martin wrote the Augsburg Confession which was a document stating the Protestants beliefs. From here on, many different denominations started to develop some of these including Calvinism and the Reformed Church. One of the more recent denominations created was by Clark Taylor, whom in 1974 held a meeting in his Brisbane suburban home. Twenty-five people showed up, and this was considered the first movement by Christian Outreach Centre. This denomination of Protestantism has now spread over 31 countries with over 1000 churches. (Christian Outreach Centre Australia, 2008)
The history of both Churches plays a very big part in the creation of differences. This can be seen when attending the separate services. Christian Outreach Centre holds a service which doesn’t have a set liturgy and very minimal structure. In complete contrast to this, the Catholic Church has a strict liturgy called mass. Each mass follows a concrete structure that is never changed. This structure, has been built upon over millennium’s to form a traditional service now know as mass. During mass, Catholics can choose whether or not they would like to partake in Holy Communion. This is where some bread is eaten and some whine drunk to remember the sacrifice which Jesus did for us. During the Holy Communion Catholics believe that the bread and wine turn into the actual flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, Christian Outreach Centre performs Holy Communion very rarely. When it is partaken, the COC church believes that it stays as bread and wine and does not change into Jesus Christ. As well as this obvious difference between the two denominations and the partaking of Holy Communion, COC does not base its service on the Holy Communion, while the Catholic Church does.
Both churches share the common belief that Jesus Christ is second in the trinity and that he died on the cross to save humanity from their sins. Both also believe that the Bible is the word of God, and that by following it you become closer to him. COC believe that only Jesus can forgive you for the sins which you commit. In complete contrast to this, the Catholic Church believes that Priests can also grant forgiveness for sins. Another difference can be seen when discussing saints. COC believe that you can only pray to God and not traditional saints. As well as this it is said that anyone who follows Christ is in sainthood or already a saint (Christian Outreach Centre Australia, 2008). On the other hand, Priests and high up Clergymen in the Catholic Church determine whether or not someone can become a saint. It is advised to Church members by Priests to pray to saints for help and guidance through life (Catholic Australia, 1994).
Despite the many differences between St Stephen’s Catholic Church and Citipointe Christian Centre Christian Outreach College, both work in bringing people closer to God. Both of these Churches have their different opinions about tradition, beliefs and the Bible and this seems to be the only thing that will separate them.
Bibliography
Catholic Australia. (1994). Saints. Retrieved June 6, 2010, from CatholicAus: http://www.catholicaustralia.com.au/page.php?pg=prayer-saints
Christian Outreach Centre Australia. (2008). About Us. Retrieved June 6, 2010, from COC: http://www.coc.org.au/about/default.aspx
Christian Outreach Centre Australia. (2008). Statement of Faith. Retrieved June 6, 2010, from COC: http://www.coc.org.au/about/believe.aspx
Monday, June 14, 2010
Part A: Comment on COC
THIS IS A RESPONSE TO CODY'S 'REFLECTION ON CITIPOINTE CHURCH'. THIS CAN BE SEEN AT http://codybrutton.blogspot.com/
This has been written in response to Cody Brutton’s Reflection on Citipointe Church. She discussed the style of music which was played at Citipointe and how in turn it affected the audience. I have a different opinion of this and have written a response which is not meant to offend anyone, but just to voice my opinions.
While visiting the Citipointe Church, I also found the music very loud. Not only was the music loud, but various affects were added such as smoke machines and bright flashing lights (as Cody also stated). Cody went on to saying that this gave across the impression that people should feel free to be open about their beliefs. In my opinion however, the affect of all the lights and various added effects is more overwhelming than welcoming. As well as this Cody went on to saying that the atmosphere is very light hearted. However when the music is so loud, and the opinions of the singers is so strong, it can turn out to have the complete opposite of the wanted light-hearted atmosphere. In fact, it most probably will create a very tense atmosphere that is heavy and overwhelming. Not only did I find this theoretically correct, but also correct in practice as I visited the Church more than once. On each occasion, the music was loud and maximum effects were added. The atmosphere due to this was very tense and overwhelming.
Apart from this fact, my experiences with Citipointe Church were much the same as Cody’s. I also found that the preacher was enthusiastic and kept your attention. The other point which Cody stated that seemed to be a major part of the Church was that how it is aimed at teenagers and younger adults. I found this was especially true when the style of music is considered, as well as the style of preaching. This once again, is seen in practice where most of the church members are made up of either teenagers, or young families.
Overall my experience with Citipointe Church was partially the same as Cody’s. I found that the style of music made the service very overwhelming for newcomers, and restricted the chance of them experiencing God because of their focus on the music instead of him. The facts which Cody used, I also found in corresponding sources and all in all, Cody’s recount is accurate for her own opinions.
This has been written in response to Cody Brutton’s Reflection on Citipointe Church. She discussed the style of music which was played at Citipointe and how in turn it affected the audience. I have a different opinion of this and have written a response which is not meant to offend anyone, but just to voice my opinions.
While visiting the Citipointe Church, I also found the music very loud. Not only was the music loud, but various affects were added such as smoke machines and bright flashing lights (as Cody also stated). Cody went on to saying that this gave across the impression that people should feel free to be open about their beliefs. In my opinion however, the affect of all the lights and various added effects is more overwhelming than welcoming. As well as this Cody went on to saying that the atmosphere is very light hearted. However when the music is so loud, and the opinions of the singers is so strong, it can turn out to have the complete opposite of the wanted light-hearted atmosphere. In fact, it most probably will create a very tense atmosphere that is heavy and overwhelming. Not only did I find this theoretically correct, but also correct in practice as I visited the Church more than once. On each occasion, the music was loud and maximum effects were added. The atmosphere due to this was very tense and overwhelming.
Apart from this fact, my experiences with Citipointe Church were much the same as Cody’s. I also found that the preacher was enthusiastic and kept your attention. The other point which Cody stated that seemed to be a major part of the Church was that how it is aimed at teenagers and younger adults. I found this was especially true when the style of music is considered, as well as the style of preaching. This once again, is seen in practice where most of the church members are made up of either teenagers, or young families.
Overall my experience with Citipointe Church was partially the same as Cody’s. I found that the style of music made the service very overwhelming for newcomers, and restricted the chance of them experiencing God because of their focus on the music instead of him. The facts which Cody used, I also found in corresponding sources and all in all, Cody’s recount is accurate for her own opinions.
Part A: Christian Outreach Center
On the 30th May 2010, I attended Citipointe Christian Centre, which is part of the denomination Christian Outreach Centre. Starting at 8:30 am and ending at 10:00 am the service at Citipointe went for one and a half hours. Opening the sermon, was a young Church band which played loud music for Praise and Worship. During the music various staging techniques were used such as bright lights and smoke machines. After the music had finished, the Senior Pastor came on and led everyone in a prayer, before speaking for around ten minutes about the importance of tithes and offerings to the Church. Once he had finished speaking about tithes and offerings, a guest speaker was welcomed to the stage. The guest speaker then preached and shared the word of God, before leading the audience in a prayer and welcoming back the band to the stage. Once the band had finished leading the Church in praise and worship songs, the sermon was considered over and people went and socialised before leaving the church.
The history of Christian Outreach Centre is very short because of the Churches recent foundations. It is a denomination of Protestantism and its first meeting occurred in Brisbane 1974, where 25 people met in Clark Taylor’s house. He is considered the founding chairman of the Christian Outreach Centre, which has over 1000 churches in 31 countries. The growth of the Church started in 1975, where COC moved to a warehouse in West end Brisbane. After 10 years and more than 1000 people later, COC moved from West end to Mansfield in turn building facilities which could accommodate over 5000 people. Currently around 4000 people attend the church, which recently renamed to Citipointe Outreach Centre. (Christian Outreach Centre Australia, 2008)
In general, there is a core set of beliefs which members of the Christian Outreach Centre must believe. These beliefs can be seen in Christian Outreach Centre’s Statement of Faith (Christian Outreach Center Australia, 2008). All members must demonstrate that they accept the Holy Scriptures as inspiration and infallibility to their lives. As well as this members must accept that there is Godhead and this consists of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They must also believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and that he walked the earth to save us from our sins. Members are required to follow the Bible as closely as they can, and believe in the prophecies made by the Bible about the end times etc. Another less known belief is that to truly receive baptism in the Holy Spirit, you must speak in different tongues. By having faith in Jesus Christ the Lord and following him you will have a moral life. These beliefs stated here are core beliefs of Christian Outreach Centre. However with different Churches, there are small ideas which not all Churches share. (Christian Outreach Center Australia, 2008).
Citipointe Church is governed by a committee called the oversight. Senior Pastors and elders from each church in Australia report to the oversight of the state. These oversights then meet up three to four times a year to discuss and report on current Church problems. They then figure out how to improve the Church, and make it more appealing to the general public. This oversight is important in the structure of the Church as it allows it to adapt to modern times circumstances.
The liturgy of Christian Outreach Centre is not of a particular set structure unlike the Catholic Church. However most services consist of opening with praise and worship, then tithes and offerings, a message from the Bible, and then ending in an alter call-back which leads into praise and worship. The alter call back, is an uncommon practice which most Christian groups don’t perform. It is where the preacher asks anyone who was affected or could relate to the bible message, to come forward and receive some prayer. It is basically a call to salvation, and happens in nearly all Christian Outreach Centre services (Zaspel, 1998). Once the prayer has been received the band will lead the service once again in praise and worship. The style of the music played is loud and bright flashing lights are used in aide with smoke machines and many musicians. This gives the music a very overwhelming touch, which is used to intensify the atmosphere and represent God as very powerful present. The style is very much suited to young adults and teenagers, making the church more appealing to families.
Overall my experience at Citipointe Church was a memorable experience. This was due to the fact that right from the praise and worship at the start of the service, to the end with the alter call back; it was very high-paced and overwhelming service. However this also helped me understand why Christian Outreach Centre is such a successful Church. The reason for this, is because it is hard to forget and will stay in your mind, slowly convincing you to go back for more.
Bibliography
Christian Outreach Center Australia. (2008). Statement of Faith. Retrieved June 6, 2010, from COC: http://www.coc.org.au/about/believe.aspx
Christian Outreach Centre Australia. (2008). About Us. Retrieved June 6, 2010, from COC: http://www.coc.org.au/about/default.aspx
Zaspel, F. G. (1998). Is it helpful or harmful? Retrieved June 6, 2010, from Altar Call: http://www.biblicalstudies.com/bstudy/ecclesiology/altar.htm
The history of Christian Outreach Centre is very short because of the Churches recent foundations. It is a denomination of Protestantism and its first meeting occurred in Brisbane 1974, where 25 people met in Clark Taylor’s house. He is considered the founding chairman of the Christian Outreach Centre, which has over 1000 churches in 31 countries. The growth of the Church started in 1975, where COC moved to a warehouse in West end Brisbane. After 10 years and more than 1000 people later, COC moved from West end to Mansfield in turn building facilities which could accommodate over 5000 people. Currently around 4000 people attend the church, which recently renamed to Citipointe Outreach Centre. (Christian Outreach Centre Australia, 2008)
In general, there is a core set of beliefs which members of the Christian Outreach Centre must believe. These beliefs can be seen in Christian Outreach Centre’s Statement of Faith (Christian Outreach Center Australia, 2008). All members must demonstrate that they accept the Holy Scriptures as inspiration and infallibility to their lives. As well as this members must accept that there is Godhead and this consists of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They must also believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and that he walked the earth to save us from our sins. Members are required to follow the Bible as closely as they can, and believe in the prophecies made by the Bible about the end times etc. Another less known belief is that to truly receive baptism in the Holy Spirit, you must speak in different tongues. By having faith in Jesus Christ the Lord and following him you will have a moral life. These beliefs stated here are core beliefs of Christian Outreach Centre. However with different Churches, there are small ideas which not all Churches share. (Christian Outreach Center Australia, 2008).
Citipointe Church is governed by a committee called the oversight. Senior Pastors and elders from each church in Australia report to the oversight of the state. These oversights then meet up three to four times a year to discuss and report on current Church problems. They then figure out how to improve the Church, and make it more appealing to the general public. This oversight is important in the structure of the Church as it allows it to adapt to modern times circumstances.
The liturgy of Christian Outreach Centre is not of a particular set structure unlike the Catholic Church. However most services consist of opening with praise and worship, then tithes and offerings, a message from the Bible, and then ending in an alter call-back which leads into praise and worship. The alter call back, is an uncommon practice which most Christian groups don’t perform. It is where the preacher asks anyone who was affected or could relate to the bible message, to come forward and receive some prayer. It is basically a call to salvation, and happens in nearly all Christian Outreach Centre services (Zaspel, 1998). Once the prayer has been received the band will lead the service once again in praise and worship. The style of the music played is loud and bright flashing lights are used in aide with smoke machines and many musicians. This gives the music a very overwhelming touch, which is used to intensify the atmosphere and represent God as very powerful present. The style is very much suited to young adults and teenagers, making the church more appealing to families.
Overall my experience at Citipointe Church was a memorable experience. This was due to the fact that right from the praise and worship at the start of the service, to the end with the alter call back; it was very high-paced and overwhelming service. However this also helped me understand why Christian Outreach Centre is such a successful Church. The reason for this, is because it is hard to forget and will stay in your mind, slowly convincing you to go back for more.
Bibliography
Christian Outreach Center Australia. (2008). Statement of Faith. Retrieved June 6, 2010, from COC: http://www.coc.org.au/about/believe.aspx
Christian Outreach Centre Australia. (2008). About Us. Retrieved June 6, 2010, from COC: http://www.coc.org.au/about/default.aspx
Zaspel, F. G. (1998). Is it helpful or harmful? Retrieved June 6, 2010, from Altar Call: http://www.biblicalstudies.com/bstudy/ecclesiology/altar.htm
Part A: Reformed Church
On the 23rd of May, 2010 Werner and I visited the Redlands Christian Reformed Church. At around 9:00 am, once the 200 strong groups of church-goers fell silent, a band of all men was welcomed to the stage to begin the service. They led the church in Praise and Worship before the Senior Pastor formally started the sermon. He began by sharing news about what had affected and happened in the Church that week. The children were sent away to a Kids Club, and then the Pastor began to preach. Many prayers were said throughout the word, and once the Pastor had finished his preach the band again was welcomed back to the stage and the children were ushered back to the main assembly. Once again the all male band played some more songs and the service was closed. Drinks and nibbles were provided after the service to encourage socializing, however Werner and I then left.
First appearing in Europe at around the early 1500’s, the Reformed Church was recorded in the wake of the protestant movement. A French man named John Calvin was said to be the man who first started the Reformed Church, and to this day he is largely credited for starting the Calvinistic based churches in Europe. The reasons for John to create such a church, was because he believed that the current Catholic system, was corrupt and unholy. Then following the Protestant reformation, he broke apart from the main church and formed many different denominations from Protestantism which include Calvinism and the Reformed Church. The Reformed Churches of Australia were formed in 1952 in aide with the very few that were already setup. At current times, there are around 45 Reformed Churches of Australia to help and bring people closer to god.
The beliefs of different Reformed Churches across Australia, and in turn around the world can differ slightly from church to church. However there is a general set of core beliefs which all people of the Reformed Church must believe. They first must call themselves Christians, and in turn this means that they believe that Jesus in the Son of God and all creation is based around him. They also must believe that they are part of the Church because God called them together as people, to follow him and then in turn live with him. As well as these beliefs it is generally accepted that you must believe that the Bible is the Word of God, and it contains everything that any individual must know to gain salvation. From here on in it can be blurry and often confusing as to what each individual Church requires their members to believe. However as long as you follow these core beliefs, and live like Jesus did as much as possible, the rest of the individual’s beliefs can differ from ethical backgrounds etc.
The Christian Reformed Churches of Australia operate on three levels. The bottom most layer, is called the local congregation. This congregation is made of an elected Church council. While attending the service, the Church that Werner and I visited was currently electing their council. Slips of paper were sent around the audience to all of the members, and they had a choice to vote on who should be on the Church council. This Church council is the principle authority in the Churches, however submits itself to the wider assemblies on decisions that affect the Church as a whole. The second layer is called the Classis. This is the meeting in which all Reformed Churches in a particular region send two elders and their minister to discuss current Church events in the area. This occurs every 3 months and is considered an important addition to running the Church. The Synod is the last level in which all churches in the country meet up and discuss what can be made to improve the Church at the current time. All three levels of governance are important within the Reformed Church and each one can directly affect the individual within the Church. (Redlands Christian Reformed Church, 2010)
The main reason for attending the service at Redlands Reformed Church was to listen to the word of God and how to then in turn, improve your life and help you get salvation. This became evident when the Senior Pastor began his preach. Throughout the Preach, he constantly related the Bible to the common Church- goer’s life. This was done so that they could gain advice and help, if they were ever put in the similar situation as that of the one in the Bible. As well as this, the Senior Pastor talked for a while about current Church events, to further encourage you to become closer to the Church. As well as this music was a big part of the Church service, which in turn was sung to help you come closer to God.
The music which occurred at the beginning and end of the service was best suited for middle aged adults. The band was made up of a couple of guitar players, some singers and a pianist. The music which was played was not hymns or particularly soft, however it was not loud and rock-like either. It in fact was in the middle, providing a good balance between the traditional hymns and the modern charismatic style music. Keeping the music soft to a degree is believed to keep show respect towards God. This louder touch is used to interest members and combined with the respect is considered by the Reformed Church to be the perfect Praise and Worship music.
Starting on a bright Sunday morning and finishing just before midday, my experience with the reformed Church was very positive. The members of the Church were welcoming, and the atmosphere was very laid back yet still respectful. The Church had members and followers of all ages and kept them captivated throughout the whole service. Overall, it was a great experience to discover and experience different ways in which people worship the same God.
First appearing in Europe at around the early 1500’s, the Reformed Church was recorded in the wake of the protestant movement. A French man named John Calvin was said to be the man who first started the Reformed Church, and to this day he is largely credited for starting the Calvinistic based churches in Europe. The reasons for John to create such a church, was because he believed that the current Catholic system, was corrupt and unholy. Then following the Protestant reformation, he broke apart from the main church and formed many different denominations from Protestantism which include Calvinism and the Reformed Church. The Reformed Churches of Australia were formed in 1952 in aide with the very few that were already setup. At current times, there are around 45 Reformed Churches of Australia to help and bring people closer to god.
The beliefs of different Reformed Churches across Australia, and in turn around the world can differ slightly from church to church. However there is a general set of core beliefs which all people of the Reformed Church must believe. They first must call themselves Christians, and in turn this means that they believe that Jesus in the Son of God and all creation is based around him. They also must believe that they are part of the Church because God called them together as people, to follow him and then in turn live with him. As well as these beliefs it is generally accepted that you must believe that the Bible is the Word of God, and it contains everything that any individual must know to gain salvation. From here on in it can be blurry and often confusing as to what each individual Church requires their members to believe. However as long as you follow these core beliefs, and live like Jesus did as much as possible, the rest of the individual’s beliefs can differ from ethical backgrounds etc.
The Christian Reformed Churches of Australia operate on three levels. The bottom most layer, is called the local congregation. This congregation is made of an elected Church council. While attending the service, the Church that Werner and I visited was currently electing their council. Slips of paper were sent around the audience to all of the members, and they had a choice to vote on who should be on the Church council. This Church council is the principle authority in the Churches, however submits itself to the wider assemblies on decisions that affect the Church as a whole. The second layer is called the Classis. This is the meeting in which all Reformed Churches in a particular region send two elders and their minister to discuss current Church events in the area. This occurs every 3 months and is considered an important addition to running the Church. The Synod is the last level in which all churches in the country meet up and discuss what can be made to improve the Church at the current time. All three levels of governance are important within the Reformed Church and each one can directly affect the individual within the Church. (Redlands Christian Reformed Church, 2010)
The main reason for attending the service at Redlands Reformed Church was to listen to the word of God and how to then in turn, improve your life and help you get salvation. This became evident when the Senior Pastor began his preach. Throughout the Preach, he constantly related the Bible to the common Church- goer’s life. This was done so that they could gain advice and help, if they were ever put in the similar situation as that of the one in the Bible. As well as this, the Senior Pastor talked for a while about current Church events, to further encourage you to become closer to the Church. As well as this music was a big part of the Church service, which in turn was sung to help you come closer to God.
The music which occurred at the beginning and end of the service was best suited for middle aged adults. The band was made up of a couple of guitar players, some singers and a pianist. The music which was played was not hymns or particularly soft, however it was not loud and rock-like either. It in fact was in the middle, providing a good balance between the traditional hymns and the modern charismatic style music. Keeping the music soft to a degree is believed to keep show respect towards God. This louder touch is used to interest members and combined with the respect is considered by the Reformed Church to be the perfect Praise and Worship music.
Starting on a bright Sunday morning and finishing just before midday, my experience with the reformed Church was very positive. The members of the Church were welcoming, and the atmosphere was very laid back yet still respectful. The Church had members and followers of all ages and kept them captivated throughout the whole service. Overall, it was a great experience to discover and experience different ways in which people worship the same God.
Bibliography
Redlands Christian Reformed Church. (2010). Denomination. Retrieved June 6, 2010, from Christian Reformed Church: http://www.redlandscrc.org.au/denomination
Redlands Christian Reformed Church. (2010). Denomination. Retrieved June 6, 2010, from Christian Reformed Church: http://www.redlandscrc.org.au/denomination
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