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originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: schuyler
That boring old-fashioned book also helps to connect you to the tradition of your faith, too. It is supposed to bind a congregation together to be able to sing with each other the songs they are all familiar with (or will be if they are regulars).
The contemporary stuff sounds good, but isn't stuff they can build a shared tradition out of as easily. It doesn't connect like the old stuff is supposed to.
Why Does Pop Music Dominate Evangelical Christian Services?
originally posted by: dogstar23
For any religious "house of worship" (I've attended several, from various Christian, to Hindu and others), if there isn't at least a feeling/appearance of tranquility, serenity, piety...IMO, it's fairly close to worthless. I don't mind grandiose and intricate, but I'm talking the sculpted marble and intricate cement or whatever they use at one of the nearby Hindu temples, or the old Christian churches with stained glass and other architectural art which evokes a reaching for the Divine.
I don't consider myself a Christian, but I could probably be converted if I found a church that didn't feature a s#y rock band (not that it would make much of a difference if they were any good) every Sunday.
originally posted by: NthOther
The environment needs to be conducive to the "still, small voice". At least for me. I suppose there's something to be said for the liveliness and jubilation of some churches, but when that's facilitated by firmly embracing pop culture and expensive technology it makes the whole thing seem... fake.
It's like Project Blue Beam set to a bad soundtrack. Maybe it's just my personality, and I'd be better off in a more traditional kinda thing. But I dunno. Doctrinal rigidity and weird traditions aren't really my thing either.
"...the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me and said this: "I work through atmospheres..."
Several years ago I was driving down the road just minding my own business when the Spirit of God came upon me. He comes upon me in some of the most unusual places! Then He said to me, "Son, the church is sadly lacking." I said, "What do you mean, 'sadly lacking'?" "Well," He said, "My children basically love me, but they live in poverty and sickness and defeat. They don't live in heaven's blessings because they don't worship me enough." "You said that right, Lord," I said, "in fact I know whole congregations who don't spend any time worshiping You at all. The pastors don't ever say, 'Let's worship God for a while just because He's God.' They just teach the people to go to church, sing a few songs and listen to a song or two sung by the choir, but they don't really worship You."
Then He said to me, "And neither do you." All I could say was, "Is that right?" He continued, "You're going around the country teaching My Word. You're teaching faith and confession. You're praying for the sick, but you need to worship Me more, and you need to teach My people to worship Me more. I'm their God, and they're My children. If you'll teach my children to worship Me more, I'll do great and mighty things for them." By this time I was weeping. Every time the Lord tells me I'm a flake and I've missed it, I always repent and weep. Worship - unleashing the supernatural power of god in your life
In the Bible, when people wanted to hear God's Voice directly, they spent hours (sometimes days) on their faces before God worshiping and praising Him. Sometimes, but not always, they fasted. Reverend Hayes takes you through scripture and reveals that the proper atmosphere in which God speaks and moves is one of BIBLICAL praise and worship. Acts 13:1-2 states, "Now there were in the church that was in Antioch certain prophets and teachers...as they ministered (praise and worship) to the Lord, and fasted, THE HOLY GHOST SAID, 'Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them.' "
Now notice, they did three things: They came together with other believers. They praised God. They fasted. And what happened? God SPOKE to them. In Matthew 16:21-28 a woman comes to Jesus and wants her sick daughter healed. Jesus ignores her and refuses to talk to her. Then she comes to Him again, and it says "Then came she AND WORSHIPED Him, saying, Lord, help me" and Jesus delivers her daughter.
Praise and worship is the Biblically proper way to approach God. Psalms 100:4 tells us how to approach God: Have thanksgiving in your heart, and praise, express your thanks to Him, and bless His Holy Name. The reason? Because His Mercy endures FOREVER!
God told Norvel Hayes the church is sadly lacking. We do not worship Him enough. You have to get alone in the privacy of your home and get on your knees and just worship Jesus, telling Him how much you love Him and appreciate Him. So I did. And after a few weeks, suddenly, God began to speak. The first time God spoke to me He warned me a person's life was in danger. I thought I was just hearing voices, so I ignored it. Later, the very person God had mentioned almost died. I repented and vowed to believe and obey when He speaks.
After a while, Jesus began to appear to me. He would just walk in my room like an ordinary person and sit and talk to me. This happened every day at 6 PM on the dot. I would often tell a Christian woman at my work place what He said. She would always says, "Oh, that's Romans Chapter 8" or "That's Timothy the 2nd chapter," or "That's John Chapter 7." I told the Lord, "What is she talking about?" He told me to look in my Bible. The Bible is separated into books, each book has a title, each chapter and verse has a number. Hence, John 3:16 is John (the Gospel) the third chapter, the 16th verse: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoseover believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." I looked it up. He was right.
The very next day 6 PM came and no Lord. I waited till 6:05 and began to wonder. At 06:07 I began to pray. God spoke to me and said, "You have no need I appear to you. You now know all I ever did say and ever will say is what the Bible says. The Bible is My Holy Word. It is YOUR responsibility to read the Bible and find out what it says."
To this day, if I have a vision or appearance, and IT DOESN'T AGREE WITH THE BIBLE, I reject it. Period. God stays in line with the Holy Word. Jesus Himself said the scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35, Matthew 5:18.) If you want God to speak to you, read your Bible. The Bible IS God talking to you. And yes, stick with the 1611 King James version. Spend time in praise and worship so you can discern what the Bible is saying.
OUR NEED TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP HIM
Don’t give us entertainment, give us liturgy.
We don’t want to be entertained in church, and frankly, the church’s attempt at entertainment is pathetic. Enough with the theatrics. Enough with the lights, the visuals, the booming audio, the fog machine, the giveaway gimmicks, the whole production. Follow that simple yet profound formula that’s worked for the entire history of the church.
Entrance, proclamation, thanksgiving, sending out. Gathering, preaching, breaking bread, going forth in service. Give us a script to follow, give us songs to sing, give us the tradition of the church, give us Holy Scripture to read. Give us sacraments, not life groups, to grow and strengthen us.