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 My Visit to a Church Last Night

Last night, someone I know, invited me to a church here in the central Arkansas area. I had heard of the church that we went to visit. I actually went there with some pretty decent expectations. My intention was not to judge. But rather to be encouraged. At least what I had heard about this church I expected there would be some encouragement there.

The church we visited is a mega church. It is evangelical and interdenominational. This particular church has spun off several churches of like kind in Arkansas and different parts of the country. Even in some parts of the world. What follows is my experience of what happened at the church. Please understand these are simply my observations and insights not critical judgements.

First of all when we entered the church Lobby there was the the standard Starbucks type of coffee shop. So one could buy a mocha latte to go into the service. Another thing is I noticed there was a conspicuous absence of people not carrying a Bible. But then maybe they had it on their smartphones. But then I learned later you really did not need a Bible in that church.

As I went into the service I noticed there were comfortable seats. That's fine. One wants to be comfortable in the service. My friend wanted to sit up close to where the worship band was. As we got close to the stage I noticed the nice subdued colored lights. And I had heard of such. But I actually saw a smoke machine. Interesting. Even more interesting was the scent that was coming from the smoke. I guess they wanted little Catholic appeal.:)

The young 20-something hip band came out and amped up the worship service. I must admit a lot of the songs I did not know. Thus I quietly raised my hands and prayed in tongues.

There was one point that the worship band actually played a song that pointed to Christ and the cross. To me this was the high point of the service. I actually got caught up in the words of the worship song. Not realizing and being close to the worship band. I committed the unpardonable sin and started shouting praises to God who had borne my sin on the cross. I was really caught up in worshipping Christ at that point. However I later learned that shouting praises to God was not allowed or acceptable in that church. How on Earth anyone heard me I don't know given the fact that the worship band was quite loud in the church. But a man came to my right side and asked me, and a not-so-gentle tone, "To be quiet." When I asked him could one not shout the praises of God in the church. He said, "In order Stop being a distraction." I complied with his request. But certainly did not have any desire to continue worshipping in the church. If I had not been with someone else I would have walked out.

The pastor came and spoke some devotional thoughts about Father's Day. In all honesty I can't really tell what point he was making. There was a scripture or to put up on the video. This is why the people did not really need a Bible. But the pastor briefly alluded to the scriptures and then presented some nice thoughts about being a father. The worship leader came up afterwards and started saying this was a great word from the pastor. But then maybe he picked up on something I didn't.

Near the end the pastor spoke about the outreach to the unchurched coming up in July. Not to the lost or of the unconverted. But to the unchurched. The Pastor said that in the month of July they would be talking about movies. And drawing truth about God from the hip movies that were playing. I interpreted this was how they reach the unchurched. I guess they want to show the unchurched how hip chyrch going is.

I left at the church pretty disheartened and sad. Not so much as to me being rebuked during the only high point of the service. But came to realize that it was so shallow. Some have said that the Americzn church is a mile wide and an inch deep. When I look at this particular megachurch that is what I thought.

Thinking what is coming up on the church in America. Thinking about this particular church. But then this particular church being a reflection of the mega church in America. I wonder how such churches will stand in the storm of persecution that will surely come up on this land. But then such churches may very well be the ones that will be doing the persecuting. This paragraph is simply my own insight.

I believe God allowed me to go to the church last night to see how far from Christ and His word the American mega church has really gotten.

I found myself praying for the church. I found myself praying that if there is a remnant there. That they would deepen their faith walk with Christ. For surely they will be a need for such a deep faith in Christ to endure what is to come.

May God have mercy on us.




 2016/6/19 13:15
narrowpath
Member



Joined: 2005/1/9
Posts: 1522
Germany NRW

 Re: My Visit to a Church Last Night

bear it like your Master, bearmaster, welcome to the club!

Last time I shared how I got rebuked by the pastor and an elder for daring to pray in public. These services appeal to mans natural emotions, but not to the spirit. It is really seductive.
These are signs of our times, this is a global trend, we will soon find them persecuting us. Therefore we must find home fellowships. In my house church manage to get by without smoke machines light shows and video walls, subwovers, and laser canons.

 2016/6/19 13:37Profile
docs
Member



Joined: 2006/9/16
Posts: 2753


 Re: Was it an Emergent Church?

I went to one of their services and was impressed with how much it was designed for the comfort of the attendees. Coffee shops entering and coffee tables set up right in front of the pulpit so as to be comfortable during the sermon. Severe dressing down to the point of most being grubby in the house of the Lord. The preacher wore black jeans and tennis shoes and a black tee shirt as he spoke.

I'm convinced though there are some mega churches that are doing right by the Lord. Every single one can't be bad I don't think. Some got large because the Lord gave them legitimate growth in my opinion and they are preaching the gospel in some of them. It's a different thing today with all the mixture.


_________________
David Winter

 2016/6/19 13:52Profile









 Re: Narrowpath

Amazing how our experiences are similar my brother. Don't feel quite so alone now. :-) also your insights are the same as mine :)

... Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. But here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come...Hebrews 13:13-14.

I would say brother we are in pretty good company being outside the camp with Jesus at the cross.



 2016/6/19 13:59
narrowpath
Member



Joined: 2005/1/9
Posts: 1522
Germany NRW

 Re:


anyone else outside the camp to join bearmaster and myself :)?

 2016/6/19 16:07Profile









 Re:

I am outside the camp, looks like I am in good company :)........bro Frank

 2016/6/19 16:08
Lysa
Member



Joined: 2008/10/25
Posts: 3699
East TN for now!

 Re:


I may go visit at times but my tent will always be staked outside the camp!!!


_________________
Lisa

 2016/6/19 16:30Profile
DEADn
Member



Joined: 2011/1/12
Posts: 1395
Lakeland FL

 Re: My Visit to a Church Last Night

I am not into the tongues deal and I would agree that if you were causing a disturbance then the elder was right to tell you to calm down a bit.

The last 2 churches I attended were mega churches. One of them is more in line with Rick Warren type of preaching. I left after 3 years. If felt more like a self esteem type of cult. The other one was a baptist church. It has a concert look to the stage and the main guy on the worship team was a hipster type. That was iffy for me. The songs were more emotionally based and the preaching was somewhat ok but I spotted issues in some of it. I stayed there for 3 months. Then I found myself in a Presbyterian PCA church. Organ and piano only with hymnals. Straight up preaching. It is confessional which can be a bit robotic. My only disagreement there is infant baptism. Pastor always explains what it means but I don't agree with the timing of it. It is essentially the same as circumcision and he says the individual needs to fullfill their calling of their baptism when they get older. I find that just weird.


_________________
John

 2016/6/19 16:38Profile
narrowpath
Member



Joined: 2005/1/9
Posts: 1522
Germany NRW

 Re:


I am not into the tongues deal and I would agree that if you were causing a disturbance then the elder was right to tell you to calm down a bit.

tongues deal? Never knew there was such a thing. What is that?
disturbance: who disturbed whom? Did Blaine disturb the meeting or the elder Blaines worship?

Luke 19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

If Jesus never took offense at true worship in whatever feeble, raw, innocent human form, why should we?


 2016/6/19 17:09Profile









 Re:

Brothers it was not my praying in tongues that got me rebuked. I was praying quietly to myself and lifting my hands in worship to the Lord while the loud worship songs sere being played.

It was when the worship band actually sang a song of substance talking about Christ and the cross. I started shouting praises to God like blessed be the Lamb that was slain who bore our sin. Or shouting something like Hallelujah what a Savior! This is what got me in trouble. And in all honesty as loud as a worship band was. I didn't think I was causing a distraction to anyone except the gentleman that rebuked me. Perhaps he didn't like the message of the cross. I don't know.

But I do look forward to this day in Revelation
When John writes,

... and they cry out with A LOUD VOICE saying, "SALVATION TO OUR GOD WHO SITS ON THE THRONE AND TO THE LAMB."...Revelation 7:10

I doubt very seriously if we would be rebuked for shouting the joy of our salvation in the presence of God and the Lamb. All I was trying to do was just express that joy my heart that Gof had given a sinner such as me salvation in in the Lord Jesus Christ. I was simply praising Him for His glorious salvation.

If I had been in a church that was liturgical or Presbyterian or where exuberance was kept more under control. I would curtail my enthusiasm in worship. Realizing that the saying of an "amen" could be disruptive in the service. But given I was in an amped-up worship service. I didn't think that shouting the praises of God would offend anybody. Imagine my surprise.

Anyway brothers and sisters, Narrowpath, Apolous, Lisa and myself would gladly welcome your fellowship outside the camp. :-)

...CAPS are merely to simulate the shouting of our great joy in heaven...





 2016/6/19 18:24





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