oh for a good church!!
I've been to so many "typical pentecostal" church services lately. Its driving me nuts!
a) the speaker will start by saying something like "i think" or "i believe this" or "I've been thinking". His whole talk is about something he's conjured up and is
b) supported by a few bible verses.
c) he will talk a load of garble, with no clear points, or themes he is trying to get across.
and to top it all off, the 'sermon' (more aptly termed 'talk') i heard yesterday, contained this view:
"it doesn't matter what you do in your daily life. Don't worry about trying to be holy; that just complicates things. Christianity's not about trying to be a "good" person"
and this
"do things the way you want to do them. Don't worry about what everyone else does. Don't let anyone tell you what you should be doing." (and then he went on to rubbish 'quiet' times) (just because they're called 'quiet' doesn't mean they have to be quiet... it just a term thats used for a time where its only you and God)
The speaker yesterday morning (unfortunately for him) had a goatee (which instantly made me dislike him), and turned out to be an English teacher at my highschool who i never liked, and my mother didn't like much either. Oh for prejudice. Anyway he had ample opportunity to redeem himself. Fourty five minutes of opportunity.
He failed.
The thing i'm seeing a lot of lately is wishy washy preaching. Where's the HARD word of the bible? It's a DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD, for our sake. Where's all the hardline biblical truth or are we just watering it down with niceties??
I've been looking for a church in Christchurch. i want a church that
a) prays a lot. Cos after all, prayer is talking to God.
- starts off by inviting God to the service
- says a lot about God being powerful and sovereign and mighty and ruler, and gives him the credit for stuff.
b) sings songs that are about God way more than they are about me. Songs that glorify God for the awesome dude he is.
c) have a sermon that really utilises the bible, and doesn't seem like a load of clap-trap. Why are we still feeding people on milk, dammit? Where's the solid food??
d) is involved in community outreach. After all, if we don't care for the poor and needy, who will? Read Isaiah 55.
e) where the people seem genuine, real, friendly, and living christianity.
I'm getting disappointed 'cos its proving really hard to find a church that is passionate about God (and has a slightly more amped style of singing) as well as into prayer and the bible.
Why is that so hard to find??!
5 Comments:
Finding the perfect church is much like finding the perfect spouse. You will never find a church that is definitly perfect - all have advantages and disadvantages.
I naively suggest my own church, but am not sure it would fulfil your definition of 'passionate about God' (Note that it fulfils my definition, but I am not pentecostal).
In any case you're welcome to check out a morning service (it starts at 10:30! heaps of time for sleep!).
Just to clarify, Nathan, i never said "perfect" church. Cos i know that isn't possible. I said "good". One that glorifies God rather than the singing, or the pastor, or other things.
The sad thing is that a lot of "non-pentecostal" churches DO have really good scriptural teaching. Its a shame that 'pentecostal' churches haven't followed suit.
Yay! A comment from Rossy on my blog! Thankyou for your comments...
Yeah, Paulie, I agree... i've basically had to decide that i will go to a church at night for the singing style and a morning church for teaching.
All i want is a church that i can get involved in, and that glorifies God... *sigh*
I have been getting a similar feeling going to a New Life church down in Clutha. For some reason I end with the impression that all Penties care about is the experience not the teaching which is just not me at all. (Although the experience is good and all). The teaching ends up exactly as you've described. (The first service I went to down here left me with the impression that the preacher was saying it is better to have your own feast than have your own re the lord throws a feast and everyone invited rejects the invite etc.)
Re: quiet times I heard a cool quote from Mother Theresa (paraphrased because I have a mind like a sieve):
Interviewer: What do you pray during your quiet times?
Mother Theresa: Nothing I listen
I: Then what does God say?
M.T.: Nothing He listens.
Anyway good luck. Also remember it is not how the church can serve you but how you can serve your church :P.
"Double-edged sword" implies that it cuts boths ways - perhaps these preachers are no good because they're not willing to get cut themselves?
Well if you want to try something completely differnt from what your used to go to westchurch one morning or for a couple of mornings seeing each will no doubt be different.
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