Mini-Rant about Churches...

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kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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After reading all the replies (I posted early in the thread), I think I am going to have to eat my words.

At the same time I was saying "I don't claim there is one right way to worship" I said "but I'm not convinced that turning a church service into a hour-long variety show is evidence of a spiritual endeavor. The statement 'You should come, it's FUN' points that out. "

I disagree with myself. :)

It was presumptuous of me to say there's no spirituality in a service of that style. While that type of worship may not work for me, it may be exactly right for others. The church I belong to is a "Christian" church (a type of semi-independent church), which holds that "Where the Bible speaks, we speak; where the Bible is silent, we are silent." The Bible does not mandate a type of worship, and therefore each congregation is free to design a worship service that is appropriate to their membership. I was wrong to characterize a high-energy service as a variety show. If I offended anyone who enjoys a service of that type, I do apologize.
 

wQuay

Senior member
Nov 19, 2000
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<< i do *not* think that churches should strive to be like Starbucks or whatever. i thought the whole point of church was that it was a house of god and that you go there to get closer to him. if there is a god (which i doubt) i bet he's pissed off cuz people are remodeling his house so that they want to go to it more often. >>



Amen.
 

ProviaFan

Lifer
Mar 17, 2001
14,993
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Having not read the whole thread (since I have other things to do and don't have time at the moment), here are a few random thoughts on this...
First, I think a balance is good, some music, etc, and also some sermon. I go to an independent Baptist church, and one of the problems there is some of the older people's interpretations of what is "good" music and what is not. For example, this church has a radio broadcast each Sunday morning. Since we (myself and the other person who runs the sound equipment and is teaching me about it) were running out of "good" music to play on the broadcast, he got some instrumental (piano) music that was a little snappier (southern gospel style crossed with country, I guess it would be called?). Needless to say, as far as I know, the people who actually listen to the broadcast like the music, but it is those few who don't who complain loudly about it. And that brings me to another point, why do these older people feel that their personal musical tastes have to dictate what everybody listens to? Personally, I don't care, and I will listen to my Aerosmith CDs at home, and just not talk about it at church ;)
 

PistachioByAzul

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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But it seems like this is kind of a general entertainment displacing enlightenment. I like the messages of that Dr. "there's a spiritual solution to every problem" guy who appears on PBS. Now that's a really inspiring Christian. That kind of hard introspection I think is fading out of organized religion, and is being replaced by a mindset of basically drawing people into the fold, using superficial appeal. It's unfortunate that Churches are inspiring inflated spiritual confidence, instead of offering substance.
 

Mikelh

Senior member
Dec 9, 2000
212
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<< But it seems like this is kind of a general entertainment displacing enlightenment. I like the messages of that Dr. "there's a spiritual solution to every problem" guy who appears on PBS. Now that's a really inspiring Christian. That kind of hard introspection I think is fading out of organized religion, and is being replaced by a mindset of basically drawing people into the fold, using superficial appeal. It's unfortunate that Churches are inspiring inflated spiritual confidence, instead of offering substance. >>



I like that! Substance is what is needed! That substance is The Cross of Christ and The Word of God!

Drawing people to the fold is a myth. It can't be done! Only God can open the eyes of the lost and draw them to Himself, through Christ and His work on the cross. Entertaining churches are feeding the ego of professional pastors and their close aides. Please consider this: There will always be, among the membership of any local church, the saved and the lost who attend there. But God will one day call it to order.

There are many churches that exist for the reason of substance. Start visiting, and ask the Lord to guide you along the way.

Michael
 

rgwalt

Diamond Member
Apr 22, 2000
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I used to attend one of the so called Megachurches before I moved to go to grad school. I think one of the reasons that churches like that have been growing is because that the Church has so much more to offer its members with such a large congregation. My church was a fun place to go on Sunday and worship. How I choose to worship is none of anybody's business but my own. It is my relationship with God, and I'll worship in the manor I feel comfortable with. One problem of the mainstream protestant denominations is that so many of them are no longer scripture based. A friend of mine went to a sermon at a methodist church that was based on a movie about a couple (the man and the women both were married to other people) who met up once a year to have a weekend affair. WTH?!? That is no basis for a sermon!

I guess what I'm saying is that churches have been reborn to be more appealing to the public. I will grant you that. However, they have also been remade so that they are once again teaching the word of God. This is a good thing. If this results in the death of mainstream protestant churches, then that is what happens I suppose.

gopunk- I think you and that article are making a mountain out of a mole-hill.

Ryan

 

QueHuong

Platinum Member
Nov 21, 2001
2,098
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<< Your posts had a distinctively negative connotation from the start, which makes me doubly quick not to take you seriously. >>



Oh, you mean when I said "if there's a god" in one of my first posts? I'm sorry, you sensitive prick, that I don't believe in your god. I guess when you see that someone is questioning the existence of god, whatever he says has a negative connotation to it from the start.



<< As for taking words out of context, "Hi pot. You're black." >>


I reread what you said and I did in fact take your words out of context, perhaps you should reread what I said instead of getting on your high horse and calling me a hypocrite without recognizing your own fault. We're both guilty, you're just too stubborn to accept that you could be...OMFG....wrong.
 

Athanasius

Senior member
Nov 16, 1999
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Well, biblically "church" is the people, not the building. Since church is supposed to be a community of people, then its main purpose is to build relationships and learn how to love and serve each other through a greater understanding of, and thankfulness for, the mystery and the wonder and the grace and the holiness and the love of God.

Personally, I think that kind of "church" is hard to maintain if the number of people gets too big.

Jesus said, "Consider the lilies of the field. They do not sow or reap, yet even Solomon in all of his splendor was not clothed like one of these."

There is no doubt that a megachurch has a certain kind of splendor to it; but that kind of splendor doesn't compare to the simplicity of building Christ-like relationships. If one has to choose, the latter far exceeds the former as the lily of the field exceeds the mega-splendor of Solomon. And when Solomon walked in his wisdom he would be the first to tell you that.

P.S: gopunk, you don't need to go to church to talk to the "Big Guy." If it suits you, a lily-filled field might take you higher ;)

But I think I understand what you are saying.