Thursday, March 02, 2006
Bring out the hottubs!
Ask yourself, "What is the purpose of going to a church service?"
We all have our different reasons for going, but my main goal is to learn and to grow under the instruction of someone the congregation feels is a worthy teacher. I enjoy hearing insights from someone who has more Bible committed to heart and a better understanding than I do. I'm speaking only about the Christian based, Bible thumping, soul winning, missionary sending churches here - not all churches [sigh]. What I mean is that when I find myself in a church service and an hour has passed without opening the Bible, I really feel I've missed something. I feel mislead - cheated in a way, and I leave hungry.
I attended such a service last night. I've been going to a singles Bible study on Wednesday nights at a local church for about a year now. I started going mostly because of their location, since my regular church is so far away now. Well, this being the first of the month AND a Wednesday, all the individual Bible study groups all had one big service in the new main sanctuary. I should have taken the hint when I walked in and all those big glowing smiles and hands were outstretched to greet me. "Hi, I'm Rick - the assigned greeter. I'm going to be nice to you now."
I sat up in front where I find myself in most services nowadays, and I missed my second clue that this might not be for me. 4 keyboard setups, 4 guitars, and a massive drum set behind a thick plexiglass wall. The lights dimmed and the performers walked onto the stage. Applause broke out, but it was unclear if the clapping was for God or the show. For those about to Rock!... Wireless headsets and an overwhelming booming sound took over. Disco balls and a fog machine - A FOG MACHINE were incorporated into the praise/worship/singing. A FOG MACHINE! Now, I know we all have our own special ways of praising God with song, but I really felt that the addition of smoke and bright lights was a litle too Hollywood.
Then I remembered those churches that are so consumed with bringing people in to fill the seats that they'll use anything the World finds attractive. I don't need Rock & Roll in my worship, but I understand that some do. I don't need to say, "Hey Dad" or "What's up hommie" when addressing God, but I understand that some do in order to feel comfortable when approaching the unapproachable.
Going to church and (even reading the Bible) isn't supposed to make you feel good. It's supposed to make you grow.
We all have our different reasons for going, but my main goal is to learn and to grow under the instruction of someone the congregation feels is a worthy teacher. I enjoy hearing insights from someone who has more Bible committed to heart and a better understanding than I do. I'm speaking only about the Christian based, Bible thumping, soul winning, missionary sending churches here - not all churches [sigh]. What I mean is that when I find myself in a church service and an hour has passed without opening the Bible, I really feel I've missed something. I feel mislead - cheated in a way, and I leave hungry.
I attended such a service last night. I've been going to a singles Bible study on Wednesday nights at a local church for about a year now. I started going mostly because of their location, since my regular church is so far away now. Well, this being the first of the month AND a Wednesday, all the individual Bible study groups all had one big service in the new main sanctuary. I should have taken the hint when I walked in and all those big glowing smiles and hands were outstretched to greet me. "Hi, I'm Rick - the assigned greeter. I'm going to be nice to you now."
I sat up in front where I find myself in most services nowadays, and I missed my second clue that this might not be for me. 4 keyboard setups, 4 guitars, and a massive drum set behind a thick plexiglass wall. The lights dimmed and the performers walked onto the stage. Applause broke out, but it was unclear if the clapping was for God or the show. For those about to Rock!... Wireless headsets and an overwhelming booming sound took over. Disco balls and a fog machine - A FOG MACHINE were incorporated into the praise/worship/singing. A FOG MACHINE! Now, I know we all have our own special ways of praising God with song, but I really felt that the addition of smoke and bright lights was a litle too Hollywood.
Then I remembered those churches that are so consumed with bringing people in to fill the seats that they'll use anything the World finds attractive. I don't need Rock & Roll in my worship, but I understand that some do. I don't need to say, "Hey Dad" or "What's up hommie" when addressing God, but I understand that some do in order to feel comfortable when approaching the unapproachable.
Going to church and (even reading the Bible) isn't supposed to make you feel good. It's supposed to make you grow.
