How will I ever do church in America again?
On Sundays at 3:30 in the afternoon Charles Stanley comes on tv here. I don't get to watch it very often, but today I was waiting for my dad to call and I turned it on. I got to hear a woman belting out a worship song...I can't remember which one now, but she was amazing. Anyhoo, here she was, singing her guts out and there was the congregation...sitting expressionless, motionless, staring at her. I was here in my living room praising along with her, but the people sitting there looked as if they were dead. And then, they panned the crowd and what did I see? Is that a little motion? Oh yes! It's a lone black man bobbing his head to the beat. I got a chuckle out of it to say the least. And then I wondered, will I be able to do church in America again? Can I sit quiet and still while someone is praising God with all her might? And furthermore, do I want to?
posted by Christy @ 2:48 PM
6 Comments:
Well, Christy, therein lies the problem with our own church, Beaver Dam, as well as Charles Stanley's church. We're just so determined to be...to be...well, I'm not sure what the word is. But, if the Spirit ever moved anyone in the congregation would we know? How many times has the Spirit been quenched during our services?
The tone is set by the culture, the pastors, and the music ministers. I have been so frustrated with church "tradition" and Baptist "tradition"! Everyone who got so upset during the meetings against an additional "contemporary" service based their arguments on tradition. Manmade rules of what a church service should look like. Where in the Bible are we instructed to have a choir singing three songs, tithes and offering, two more songs, then twenty minutes of preaching? Broke my heart that we could not open our church and share Jesus with people who are not comfortable with the "mainstream": dresses, suits, ties, etc. I'm sorry; I was confused. I thought their soul, salvation and discipleship was more important. What was I thinking!
Music (contemporary or southern gospel, for that matter) that speaks to our hearts can be more effective in preparing us for Scott's message. Has God written an inscription on stone tablets of songs He considers "sacred"? And what's this irrational attachment to choir robes all about?????
Do we welcome prospective members to BDBC only if they fit the white, subdivision-dwelling, married, 2.5 kids, upper middle class strata? If they will look like us, talk like us, dress like us...then, you're "our" kind. The prejudice is so subtle.
Remember, in Matthew and Mark what Jesus had to say about traditions?
Debbie Buckner
debbie,
that was a fresh breath of air from an honest heart. it does the soul good to share honestly with each other, yet done in love. thank you for our heart. let us all be so bold as to share the tenderness of our hearts. this is being proactive in lighting the fire here at beaver dam.
bert solomon
I totally agree. God loves it when we get so excited about His Word, Praise and Worship, AND especially His Son that we feel like dancing and shouting!! Love ya Christy :) -The BRYANT CREW :)
The Bryant crew? Misty, is that you?! How are you all?
Yes Ma'm!!! It is I....We are doing great. GOD is (and always has been) blessing us tremendously!!! Hope everything is going good with you! We're Still praying for ya!!!
I don't think I quite expected such a strong response to this blog entry. I will say this... African church is not without it's flaws. But I have to believe that in the Bible when it says, "every tribe, every tongue, every nation" will worship around the throne, it's NOT going to be like American church. There's no way. I wonder if we'll stand up, sit down, take up offering, and have announcements. Who will do the announcements, you think?
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