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Peru: Limeans attend U.S. church service in upscale movie theater

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

Catholics and other worshipers in Lima are finding new, more modern ways to attend church and receive religious messages.

In an article published in the Wall Street Journal, the international daily explains that a new generation of churches is using franchise marketing to spread "their own brand of religion".

Instead of searching for converts to a mainstream denomination, independent churches are forming global organizations anchored by a single leader, said the WSJ.

This has been the case in one of Peru's most upscale districts.

Ovalo Higuereta's Alcazar movie theater, which is surrounded by a Starbucks, a McDonald's a T.G.I. Fridays and a Chilis, is transformed into a branch of Reverend Troy Gramling's Florida-based Flamingo Road Church on weekends.

Almost 3,000 miles away, Gramling, who has a weekly attendance of 8,000 at his church in Broward County Florida, records sermons on DVDs to be played for congregations in Peru.

Affirming "The religious market is saturated in the U.S.", Manuel Vasquez, co-author of "Globalizing the Sacred: Religion Across the Americas," explains that pastors are now reaching overseas to increase their congregations.

According to Philip Jenkins, the author of "The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity", seven out of 10 Christians will live in Africa, Latin America and Asia by 2025.

For now, approximately 300 Peruvians are pleased with Mr. Gramling's 9 a.m. Spanish service, which is translated live, and his 10:30 a.m. English service.

Worshipers in Peru assure Gramling is their pastor and state that even though he is on a movie screen, "Sometimes you feel he is here".

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# Don Quijote says :
16 June, 2008 [ 16:47 ]

There's a fool born every minute.

It's a good business racket to get into..
collection plates, selling holy items (holy water, etc)

Conserdering how uneducated most Limeans are
they will fall for anything...
LOL

# The Preacher says :
16 June, 2008 [ 17:02 ]

Well Don Quijote, I guess you speak for yourself.

# Lopez De Castilla says :
17 June, 2008 [ 08:13 ]

Don Quijote, you are obviously a fool.
Some of the best universities in latin america are found in Lima, as well as the oldest in the whole of the americas (san marcos) and in the southern hemisphere, and also some of the highest numeracy and literacy rates in lain america.
What sort of pleasure do you get from attempting to insult Lime~os, do you think by insulting us you automatically qualify as an educated man? The only thing you could be (if you are not already) is a comedian, or some excuse for a clown. It is a great pitty that (and im being very genereous here) 'People' such as yourselves are even born- talk about a fool born every minute.

# mericorps says :
17 June, 2008 [ 14:56 ]

I think it is just as foolish to blame everything on religion as it is to blame nothing on religion.

It is a tool, some have used it for good, others for evil like everything else..charity, political parties, social movements, art movements, sports, hobbies.

It is people that are good or bad more so than entities. It is a coward's way out to blame an entity and not make people responsible for their own actions, or lack thereof.

# Preist's Son says :
17 June, 2008 [ 15:50 ]

Look at all the religious nuts trying to justify their childish beliefs LOL


Most people grow up believing in fairy tales like Santa Claus and silly Gods like Jesus, Allah or Jehovah.. but some people actualy educate themselves and stop believing in Santa Claus and silly religious garbage and so-called Gods. The mass of fools continue to believe in religious because it is too hard for them to come to grips with REALITY and the fact that when you die it is the END. The selfish Christian will say "NO NO It can't be like that. I must live forever" so they delude themselves into thinking they will live forever and some daddy in the sky will be there to protect them.. so they never have to think seriously about life, they waste their lives sitting on the couch watching tv, eating all day, and working so they can buy materialistic goodies... conviently igorning the fact they will die someday and that they wont be able to take their goodies with them.

Christians always get offensive whenever you try to point out reality to them. Don't blame them, they have to.. otherwise they might actually have to use their brains and think "oh my goodness, what if there is no life after death... no no  the horror... look at all the time i wasted of my precious life..." Such poor fools... They are only fooling themselves... Wake Up... You arent going to live forever in some gilded marble palace in the sky HAHAHA