Why I Like Roman Catholics...

(1) They have the Vatican. No other denomination has anything like it! It is like an actual, albeit small, theocracy! That is cool.

(2) They are global. They really are international. It is not that they want to be or hope to be... they actually are! You can find a Roman Catholic church almost anywhere in the world!

(3) Their priests are completely dependent upon the church. And the church takes care of them all their life. I am not just talking about a retirement check... I'm talking about a priesthood that lives, breathes, and dies 'the church.'

(4) They have an almost universal monopoly on the word 'catholic.' Yes, it technically means universal, but they already have the copyright... sorry protestants who quote the Apostle's Creed.

(5) Can anyone say: 'Organized.' They've had more practice than we protestants. They have evangelism down to a science... literally. Missions, polity, disagreement, councils, etc are all organized down to the detail. Ever read the Roman Catholic catechism? Organized.

(6) Ever found an ugly Catholic church building? Maybe, but not many actually exist. They really believe the church ought to be an embassy for the Kingdom of God. Therefore, they build churches like they envision Heaven to be.

(7) Their clergy are easy to identify. The Priests have the collar, nuns have the habit. All they have to do is walk into a room and everyone knows who they are!

(8) They are passionate about the sanctity of life. Lots (but not all) of protestants are too busy looking to draw a crowd to rock the boat on some issues. Not Catholics. Go to a pro-life rally and see how many non-Catholics you can find.

(9) They do not change much. Many Protestant denominations are chasing after fads and popularity polls... not our Catholic friends! There are some of them that still want to have service in Latin. Nobody at the Vatican is too disturbed about being "relevant."

(10) Have you ever seen the Pope's hat? That is awesome! Just sayin'.

What might you add?

Also check out similar blog posts...
Why I like Independent Fundamental Baptists.
Why I like Conservative Holiness Churches.
Why I like the Church of the Nazarene.
Why I like Small churches.

Why I like Snake Handling Churches.

Why I Like Small Churches...

I believe in small healthy churches!

(1) You feel more comfortable calling them your home church. Mega churches may have programs, but small churches have people. Not just a mass of faces, but a people you can come to know. A small church can become your church family.

(2) You can know the Pastor. The pastor isn't a celebrity (though he/she may want to be), he or she is your pastor. The pastor knows who you are, who your family is, and what you are going through.

(3) More participation! It is hard to do nothing in a small church. There tends to be a smaller percentage of pew warmers (although you can find them everywhere). It's hard to continue to be a spectator when everyone else is already doing three different jobs in the church. So don't get comfortable on the pew, they're looking for someone like you!

(4) There is accountability. If you aren't there, everyone knows. Your "spot" in your pew is obvious when it is empty. People ask you where you've been because they care. They are worried when you start "laying out of church." They miss you and genuinely love you.

(5) A small church is a small group! Large churches recognize the need to have small groups to connect people with one another and establish a more intimate setting for Bible Study. No need for that in a small church. Just come on Wednesday night!

 

                                             

(6) They don't care what the church fads are. They really don't care what cool things they should be doing during the worship service or whether their pastor looks like a model from American Eagle Outfitters. They couldn't care less about cliches, they are having church.

(7) Can anyone say "potluck." Enough said.

(8) They are stable. They may not have "break out" growth in attendance, but they can be faithful and consistent. Mega churches are sometimes built around the likeability of the pastor, the extravagant use of technology, or the numerous programs. If something disrupts the routine a mega church can find itself in decline quickly. (Of course this stability is a point of contention for the pastor who comes in to a small church and tries to change everything overnight.) Their stability comes from the fact that they tend to be slow to change, and not rush into everything.

(9) They don't care if the Pastor is gifted, just that he loves them. Now, to be sure, they would like to hear an excellent sermon, but the more they sense the pastor loves them, the more they enjoy his sermons (whether they really are good or not). In a mega church a pastor cannot express love to each congregant in anything more than words, so if the pastor cannot be a good preacher, administrator, etc he/she will fail! In a small church love trumps gifts/talent.

(10) Less business, more church. They don't require large budgets. Most don't care about committees or boards. They might occasionally raise money for a new window AC unit in the elementary Sunday School class or a new paint job in the parsonage, but as a whole, they just aren't too concerned about such things. No bells, no whistles... just being the church.

Any reasons you might add?

Also check out similar blog posts...
Why I like Roman Catholics.
Why I like Independent Fundamental Baptists.
Why I like the Church of the Nazarene.
Why I like Conservative Holiness Churches.
Why I like Snake Handling Churches.