David, we missed you last week! In today's podcast you sounded like you may have had a head cold so I am very glad that you seem to be doing well. I have been following you since week 4 and I will truly miss your weekly church synapses after week 52 (only 2 more weeks). May God continue to bless you. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us – the faith, knowledge, respect, and love you manifest have been inspiring and I feel that God is very pleased with your Christian efforts.
This morning YouTube recommended up your episode about churches being like dating. Your thesis was all about the follow up. This evening I get this. Your experience with one person following up with you is a great example of the point you were making 9 months ago.
It's good that the congregation is aware of the mistakes of the founder's past. And they recognize the importance of spiritual warfare. I just hope they don't become too extreme. Too much spiritual warfare can also be dangerous once we lose sight of God and take the battle into our own hands.
I think you're right to say it's a crazy story! ☺Dowie and Voliva are unbelievable! That was a good story though. God's eyes are still on Christ Community Church (CCC).
What a crazy and awesome story. For story points, I think this video wins. Wow. I had heard many things about Ahmadiyyah Islam, but because of this video I had to go and read up on Mirza Ahmad, fascinating. I find it extremely ironic and a little telling that the man who claims to be an incarnation of the inciter and winner of the most famous (actually the only one I had heard of) "prayer duel to the death" (it troubles me that that is such a fun phrase to say) would be so dismissive of the challenge made to him. What a wild story man. My personal perspective, if your tithes are used to build chapels, fund missions, print Bibles, you are probably okay. If you are buying the preacher's million dollar furniture, luxury vehicle, diamond rings, run away (oh, don't burn down the tabernacle, by the way), just run away. Also, if representing your faith to someone means tearing them down or BLASTING someone, well, I'm just not sure that that is what Christ meant when he said to "Let your light so shine before men…" As always, very excellent job, David. Thank you.
I am South African,interesting information on the Zion connection in South Africa,true that there are Zion churches here,one quite large with strange doctrines.
Good research. I grew up in Zion and have spent a lot of time researching its history. One thing you got wrong was that “his family left him”. The truth is, dowey had been waiting on an investment from the evangelical church in Chicago. The day he was set to meet them and receive funds, his wife ended up burning to death while straitening her hair with an alcohol bottle. Dowey took this as a sign from god he was smiting him. And that is said to be the time of his downward slope into insanity. The church ended up splitting, Mount Zion was formed in opposition, and dowey lead a tyrannical and dark last few years before he was forced out of the church. A lot of wild history there.
I grew up in Zion in the Christian Catholic Church. Even though I was born in 1944, not much was different for me since my family was one of the original families to settle in Zion. We had dietary laws as well as faith healing that was still practiced by some famiies. All the streets were in alapbetical order and came from the bible, I lived on Gideon Avenue. The city did eventually change but very slowly. There is a good book about the city, "Zion City, Illinois / Twentieth-Century Utopia by Philip L. Cook." The only correction I will make is that you misprounced Wilber Glenn Voliva's name. I would also make a correction to the the person who said it was his wife that died from from burns while straightening her hair, it was his daughter Esther and she was curling her hair. The only benefit form growing up in Zion was I always felt safe, not something that could be said today.
WOW! I think that is all I can say. My mother and grandmother moved to Zion in 1976, IL after settling in New York for a short time after they left Jamacia. We lived in Zion, IL and although I didn't attend CCC I've been there a few times. This video truly gave me some insight into Zion, IL. The craziest part about it is that I've lived in Eswatini (Swaziland) for the past 7 years and have come in contact with people who praise Zion, IL. I've had deep discussions with people who attend Zionist church and can attest that some weird theologies are going around. What a small world. Thank you for this video. Truly enjoyed it.
I’ve heard of many religious communities like Nauvoo but I had no idea about this one, I guess it was much easier to do that type of thing back in the 1800s than it is today
The church building looks beautiful despite the modern style and the defensiveness reminds me of my own former community when I was a Catholic, I guess the defensiveness comes from the community’s past.
Two churches left! Hope you enjoyed this week's visit. Let me know what you thought below.
Morning friend
David, we missed you last week! In today's podcast you sounded like you may have had a head cold so I am very glad that you seem to be doing well.
I have been following you since week 4 and I will truly miss your weekly church synapses after week 52 (only 2 more weeks). May God continue to bless you. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us – the faith, knowledge, respect, and love you manifest have been inspiring and I feel that God is very pleased with your Christian efforts.
This morning YouTube recommended up your episode about churches being like dating. Your thesis was all about the follow up. This evening I get this. Your experience with one person following up with you is a great example of the point you were making 9 months ago.
Sounds like Dowie's spending habits are in good hands with today's crystal cathedral types. 😂😂😂
Sorry you got down on your health.
Was it the choir singing or the congregation?
They sounded great.
We've heard so many that are little more than whispering.
In Nauvoo, all the roads are named pretty much like that also(just different name sources).
From your lion story, I'm beginning to see why churches are losing members, where did the love go?
Thumbs up to the man with no name for your attitude to D!
Crazy – I grew up in Zion, IL! This founder sounded like a real nutcase, lol
Wow that was wild, the man has done a lot of damage in the past, glad the church are now determined to get it right.
It's good that the congregation is aware of the mistakes of the founder's past. And they recognize the importance of spiritual warfare. I just hope they don't become too extreme. Too much spiritual warfare can also be dangerous once we lose sight of God and take the battle into our own hands.
Most Christians believe in winning a theological matter than looking into the soul. This makes me wonder where the legalism balance lies .
Whatever the past is – it should help the present be better like in churches.
Its amazing how you are able yo complete your goal of 52 churches in 52 weeks. 🤩
I think you're right to say it's a crazy story! ☺Dowie and Voliva are unbelievable! That was a good story though. God's eyes are still on Christ Community Church (CCC).
What a crazy and awesome story. For story points, I think this video wins. Wow. I had heard many things about Ahmadiyyah Islam, but because of this video I had to go and read up on Mirza Ahmad, fascinating.
I find it extremely ironic and a little telling that the man who claims to be an incarnation of the inciter and winner of the most famous (actually the only one I had heard of) "prayer duel to the death" (it troubles me that that is such a fun phrase to say) would be so dismissive of the challenge made to him.
What a wild story man. My personal perspective, if your tithes are used to build chapels, fund missions, print Bibles, you are probably okay. If you are buying the preacher's million dollar furniture, luxury vehicle, diamond rings, run away (oh, don't burn down the tabernacle, by the way), just run away.
Also, if representing your faith to someone means tearing them down or BLASTING someone, well, I'm just not sure that that is what Christ meant when he said to "Let your light so shine before men…"
As always, very excellent job, David. Thank you.
I am South African,interesting information on the Zion connection in South Africa,true that there are Zion churches here,one quite large with strange doctrines.
Good research. I grew up in Zion and have spent a lot of time researching its history. One thing you got wrong was that “his family left him”. The truth is, dowey had been waiting on an investment from the evangelical church in Chicago. The day he was set to meet them and receive funds, his wife ended up burning to death while straitening her hair with an alcohol bottle. Dowey took this as a sign from god he was smiting him. And that is said to be the time of his downward slope into insanity. The church ended up splitting, Mount Zion was formed in opposition, and dowey lead a tyrannical and dark last few years before he was forced out of the church. A lot of wild history there.
I live in Zion, on Gilead Street it is far from peaceful these days.
I grew up in Zion in the Christian Catholic Church. Even though I was born in 1944, not much was different for me since my family was one of the original families to settle in Zion. We had dietary laws as well as faith healing that was still practiced by some famiies. All the streets were in alapbetical order and came from the bible, I lived on Gideon Avenue. The city did eventually change but very slowly. There is a good book about the city, "Zion City, Illinois / Twentieth-Century Utopia by Philip L. Cook." The only correction I will make is that you misprounced Wilber Glenn Voliva's name. I would also make a correction to the the person who said it was his wife that died from from burns while straightening her hair, it was his daughter Esther and she was curling her hair. The only benefit form growing up in Zion was I always felt safe, not something that could be said today.
They also had to believe in Flat Earth.
WOW! I think that is all I can say. My mother and grandmother moved to Zion in 1976, IL after settling in New York for a short time after they left Jamacia. We lived in Zion, IL and although I didn't attend CCC I've been there a few times. This video truly gave me some insight into Zion, IL. The craziest part about it is that I've lived in Eswatini (Swaziland) for the past 7 years and have come in contact with people who praise Zion, IL. I've had deep discussions with people who attend Zionist church and can attest that some weird theologies are going around. What a small world. Thank you for this video. Truly enjoyed it.
I’ve heard of many religious communities like Nauvoo but I had no idea about this one, I guess it was much easier to do that type of thing back in the 1800s than it is today
The church building looks beautiful despite the modern style and the defensiveness reminds me of my own former community when I was a Catholic, I guess the defensiveness comes from the community’s past.
Wow! They knew the earth was flat! HalleluYAH! Thanks for the video! The Truth is being covered up about this town for a reason.
Yep, earth is flat and stationary according to the Bible 😄
My home town born and raised. Go zee bees