Subject: Circus Churchianity vs.Spirt-led worship |
Bible Note: Hi, nuge; Maybe you're just attending the wrong churches. We have talented musicians within our church but they are not entertainers. Applause is seldom heard at our church (mostly when the youngest children's choir sings or when someone announces their 50th anniversary). Our choir director has pounded it into our heads that we are not performing; we are singing to God and trying to direct the congregation's attention toward Him as well. The congregation seldom has the chance to be a passive audience; we typically have a responsive reading for our call to worship; we have unison prayer and silent prayer; we usually sing three hymns; we have a time for sharing joys and concerns before the last prayer and last hymn. We preach the Bible, Jesus, and sin. Our weekly youth group (30-60 kids most nights) is not very trendy; it's built around Bible study and singing. We host five very intense (and truly life-changing) spiritual retreats every year. We support missionaries in Kenya, Japan, Djibouti, and Russia and we're on the short list when the United Way has a person with a need they can't meet. Am I bragging? Perhaps, but only as an encouragement. God is very active, sometimes in churches that are in the most liberal denominations. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |