Well, it’s been months since I last wrote. Not because we haven’t been going to church, but we’ve been attending and serving at The Edge Church. It was the last church I blogged about. We like it there. The people are genuine and we sense a true desire from the leadership and the members to honor God and reach out to people. It is a church plant (less than 1 year old) and small (about 100 people). But we are excited about what God is doing there. I am helping out with worship and Jeanne is helping out with the children’s church and greeting new folks on Sunday. Another thing that we really like about it is that the services are on Sunday evening. We don’t have our own meeting place so we rent a church sanctuary out on Sunday nights. It is awesome. Jeanne, Selah and I have the entire day on Sunday to do whatever we want. Sleep in, go for a hike, work around the house. Church is at 6pm. It gives us two full days on the weekends so we can also go out of town for the weekend and get back on Sunday in time for church. We love it. I’m not sure I will be able to go back to a Sunday morning schedule again.
Is it mainly tradition the reason why we go to church on Sunday mornings? Or even Sunday itself? If we are supposed to rest and honor the Sabbath, then church should technically be on Friday night or Saturday. Right? As the church continues to change and evolve, I wonder if service times will as well. I know of the mega churches that have 15 services a week at all different times, but that is usually due to logistics and not being able to fit everyone in at the same time. With more single parent households and both parents working, weekends really do become a time of rest and restoration. If you serve in the church, most of your Sunday can be taken up with church activities. I know for me, church services could be 4-5 hours long including set up and tear down time. By the time I would get home Sunday afternoon, I would be cooked, so I would take a nap, then wake up at dinner time and not be able to fall asleep until late in the evening so I would end up dragging on Monday. Plus, being the outdoorsy guy that I am, I would only have Saturdays available for that.
I know many will say, “Brian, church is a time for the family.” I agree that it’s supposed to be…however, the reality is that most of the time it isn’t. Whether you’re serving or not, there is no interaction between you and your family during the service. Your kids are usually off somewhere else (i.e. children’s church, Sunday school) and interaction in the church service is non-existent.
Living in the Bible belt, Sunday morning church will be here for a very long time. And for many people that’s what they enjoy doing. I on the other hand enjoy an evening service. I hope I will always get to attend one.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Edge Community Church
Many moons ago, I was a part of a church plant in Oviedo, FL where we met on Sundays at a high school auditorium. It was a great learning experience, but the church never grew and we shut the doors after a year and a half. Well.....Our latest church visit in Greenville, The Edge Community Church, is a church plant. It was started about 5 months ago and is currently meeting at a high school auditorium. So I was very curious to see how things were going for this newly planted church.
There were about 60-70 people total including children, so with me being a visitor, I was standing out like a sore thumb. That being said, I was warmly welcomed by folks as I came in which was quite refreshing. Even more so, I was very surprised to see the makeup of the congregation racially diverse. Growing up in Panama and Miami, diverse churches were very common. However, after moving to the "southeast" U.S., I have come to realize that the churches here are some of the most racially divided institutions around. So I was encouraged that even in this small number, there were blacks, hispanics, and whites, all fellowshipping together. I walked into the auditorium and the house lights were dark with the stage lights on and the band taking their place. The worship started and the band sounded great.
The pastor was also the lead guitarist in the band…. COOL!!! He preached a good message that was very sincere and challenging. The church had spent a good part of that Saturday doing an outreach in a poor section of town. I was encouraged that even though this church is new and small, they don’t neglect their responsibility to reach out to those less fortunate.
One of the things I noticed in the bulletin and during the announcement time, was a plea from the church..… “Are you ready to take the next step and start making a positive spiritual impact on people’s lives? Then we are ready to find your perfect place to serve. To get plugged in here, please contact….” I guess you expect that with a church plant as manpower is probably at a minimum and they need more warm bodies to help accomplish the things God has called them to do. I have visited a few churches recently that echoed that plea with the request of “Come learn what gifts you have so you can get plugged into ministry here.”
It seems to make sense…..but at the same time it also seems wrong. Why do churches assume that the best place for a person to serve is to join up with a ministry at that church? To be successful in ministry, do you have to be a greeter, a musician, children’s worker, small group leader, Sunday school teacher, or an usher? Churches need these positions filled in order to do be successful with their different programs and activities. So they offer gift and talent surveys where you can find out what you’re good at and then they plug you into serving in that area. Call me crazy, but that kind of sounds like the military to me.
Consider this …. The average family connects and participates in spheres of influence throughout their daily lives. They usually live in a neighborhood with neighbors and participate in activities with other families such as kids’ sports, PTA, hobbies, or school activities. And on top of that, one or both of the parents spend a minimum of 40 hours a week at their work with co-workers. I call these activities “spheres of influence” because they are opportunities to influence the people around them. The problem is that the church model for serving takes people out of their spheres of influence by requiring them to go to the church building and serve the needs there. Of course most of the church’s ministries are centered around the Sunday service, so rehearsals, team meetings, trainings, and teachings occupy much of the active Christian’s time and keeps them mostly around other Christians and not in the real world that is happening each and every day. Is the church really interested in raising up leaders or having people serve as instruments in their machines of ministry?
Have you ever considered the church coming alongside a family and seeing how they can help support that family in their spheres of influence they are already a part of. For example, if the Smith family was very involved in the local soccer league with their kids, how could the local church help that family to be a light in the darkness to the other families in that soccer league? Are there resources and creative ideas that the church could employ to support the Smith family in sharing the gospel with their sphere of influence in that soccer league? Or would that church look to limit the Smith’s time in their mission field to assume a particular role that will help them be more successful with their Sunday service?
Now, before you get upset at me….. I am a musician and have always served on the worship teams at the churches we’ve attended. I’m not saying to neglect any type of service at your church. The difference is that church ministry is not my main outlet for serving. It is only a part of it….a BALANCED part of it. I make sure I have time to stay connected to many of the wonderful relationships that God has given me in the different spheres of influence of my life. I refuse to allow the church and its activities to consume my life. This may sound harsh, but I’ve seen too many people get taken advantage of and burned out by church service and ministry.
I am still praying for the day when a church will come behind a family and specifically ask how they can help that family be a light in the darkness in their community. Where the leadership of that church will commit creativity, support, and most importantly resources to helping that family reach those around them.
There were about 60-70 people total including children, so with me being a visitor, I was standing out like a sore thumb. That being said, I was warmly welcomed by folks as I came in which was quite refreshing. Even more so, I was very surprised to see the makeup of the congregation racially diverse. Growing up in Panama and Miami, diverse churches were very common. However, after moving to the "southeast" U.S., I have come to realize that the churches here are some of the most racially divided institutions around. So I was encouraged that even in this small number, there were blacks, hispanics, and whites, all fellowshipping together. I walked into the auditorium and the house lights were dark with the stage lights on and the band taking their place. The worship started and the band sounded great.
The pastor was also the lead guitarist in the band…. COOL!!! He preached a good message that was very sincere and challenging. The church had spent a good part of that Saturday doing an outreach in a poor section of town. I was encouraged that even though this church is new and small, they don’t neglect their responsibility to reach out to those less fortunate.
One of the things I noticed in the bulletin and during the announcement time, was a plea from the church..… “Are you ready to take the next step and start making a positive spiritual impact on people’s lives? Then we are ready to find your perfect place to serve. To get plugged in here, please contact….” I guess you expect that with a church plant as manpower is probably at a minimum and they need more warm bodies to help accomplish the things God has called them to do. I have visited a few churches recently that echoed that plea with the request of “Come learn what gifts you have so you can get plugged into ministry here.”
It seems to make sense…..but at the same time it also seems wrong. Why do churches assume that the best place for a person to serve is to join up with a ministry at that church? To be successful in ministry, do you have to be a greeter, a musician, children’s worker, small group leader, Sunday school teacher, or an usher? Churches need these positions filled in order to do be successful with their different programs and activities. So they offer gift and talent surveys where you can find out what you’re good at and then they plug you into serving in that area. Call me crazy, but that kind of sounds like the military to me.
Consider this …. The average family connects and participates in spheres of influence throughout their daily lives. They usually live in a neighborhood with neighbors and participate in activities with other families such as kids’ sports, PTA, hobbies, or school activities. And on top of that, one or both of the parents spend a minimum of 40 hours a week at their work with co-workers. I call these activities “spheres of influence” because they are opportunities to influence the people around them. The problem is that the church model for serving takes people out of their spheres of influence by requiring them to go to the church building and serve the needs there. Of course most of the church’s ministries are centered around the Sunday service, so rehearsals, team meetings, trainings, and teachings occupy much of the active Christian’s time and keeps them mostly around other Christians and not in the real world that is happening each and every day. Is the church really interested in raising up leaders or having people serve as instruments in their machines of ministry?
Have you ever considered the church coming alongside a family and seeing how they can help support that family in their spheres of influence they are already a part of. For example, if the Smith family was very involved in the local soccer league with their kids, how could the local church help that family to be a light in the darkness to the other families in that soccer league? Are there resources and creative ideas that the church could employ to support the Smith family in sharing the gospel with their sphere of influence in that soccer league? Or would that church look to limit the Smith’s time in their mission field to assume a particular role that will help them be more successful with their Sunday service?
Now, before you get upset at me….. I am a musician and have always served on the worship teams at the churches we’ve attended. I’m not saying to neglect any type of service at your church. The difference is that church ministry is not my main outlet for serving. It is only a part of it….a BALANCED part of it. I make sure I have time to stay connected to many of the wonderful relationships that God has given me in the different spheres of influence of my life. I refuse to allow the church and its activities to consume my life. This may sound harsh, but I’ve seen too many people get taken advantage of and burned out by church service and ministry.
I am still praying for the day when a church will come behind a family and specifically ask how they can help that family be a light in the darkness in their community. Where the leadership of that church will commit creativity, support, and most importantly resources to helping that family reach those around them.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Faith Worship Center
An all brick, quaint, small church right in the middle of our neighborhood. It’s located a half mile from our house and very convenient to where we live so we decided to check it out. The service started at 10 and when we pulled into the parking lot at 9:55 and only saw 2 other cars, we wondered if we got our times wrong. Well, we got the time right….. In the service that day there were a total of 17 people which included all the children, adults, praise team, pastor, sound guy…everyone. The sanctuary time warped us back to the early 80’s in its design and decorating. I can’t remember the last time I saw so many fake fichus trees in one place. Mixed in with the fluorescent lights, the painted stencil on the wall of a very large vine with grapes…and bam!…..1985…we’re back!
The band was surprisingly very good. It was made up with youth group members…or should I say the entire youth group. They had a great sound and were very inspiring in their worship.
The message was also very sincere and you could tell the pastor had a genuine heart for the Lord and for the people. I couldn’t understand why there were only 17 people there that day. Talking with the pastor after the service, I found out he has been at the church for almost 30 years, as the head pastor for 14 of them. This church really has so much potential. It’s location, the people there. I think some new vision and direction would really take them a long way.
These days, churches located right in the middle of neighborhoods are few and far between. As churches grow and become bigger, they usually look for cheap land and space to build which usually means an industrial park or commercial zoned property that’s off the beaten path. I really do think it’s a shame that more churches aren’t located smack in the middle of neighborhoods. If churches are really serious about serving their community and meeting those needs, they would make sure that they are located in those communities. The problem is that churches these days try to make themselves a destination. They spend millions of dollars on building projects to create everything from gymnasiums, to high tech sanctuaries, to multipurpose recreation halls. It’s all about the latest and the greatest. The most modern sound system or comfortable seating.
How radical would it be for a church to use its resources to directly help the community they’re in? Sure still maintain a meeting place, but look for ways to spend resources by physically reaching out to their community. Every neighborhood is different with varying needs. For example, a middle class neighborhood might need a dynamic sports league to bring families together. Maybe a coffee shop/book store as a gathering place for folks. A poorer neighborhood might need a mentoring program for kids in single parent homes, or a tutoring program for students. Instead of a church putting resources into its own facilities to make itself a destination, wouldn’t it be amazing to pour those extra resources directly into these types of programs that would bring more people together than what they could do on their property? I truly believe that holding weekly tutoring programs would affect more people’s lives than a once a year big dollar high tech Christmas cantata.
Now before you start…. I’m not saying that churches need to sell their buildings and give all the money away. I’m just saying that there is a difference between being functional and comfortable and being the latest and greatest when it comes to church meeting places. And as for these community programs, I’m sure you’re also thinking, “that sounds great Brian, but how do you actually manage and administer something like that.” Again, every situation is different, but if a church can raise funds and build a new gymnasium that typically gets used 2-3 times a week, they can surely find a way to reach out to people by being more actively involved in their local community. Would we need many of these government social programs if the church was really committing resources to helping people’s lives instead of capital intensive building projects?
The band was surprisingly very good. It was made up with youth group members…or should I say the entire youth group. They had a great sound and were very inspiring in their worship.
The message was also very sincere and you could tell the pastor had a genuine heart for the Lord and for the people. I couldn’t understand why there were only 17 people there that day. Talking with the pastor after the service, I found out he has been at the church for almost 30 years, as the head pastor for 14 of them. This church really has so much potential. It’s location, the people there. I think some new vision and direction would really take them a long way.
These days, churches located right in the middle of neighborhoods are few and far between. As churches grow and become bigger, they usually look for cheap land and space to build which usually means an industrial park or commercial zoned property that’s off the beaten path. I really do think it’s a shame that more churches aren’t located smack in the middle of neighborhoods. If churches are really serious about serving their community and meeting those needs, they would make sure that they are located in those communities. The problem is that churches these days try to make themselves a destination. They spend millions of dollars on building projects to create everything from gymnasiums, to high tech sanctuaries, to multipurpose recreation halls. It’s all about the latest and the greatest. The most modern sound system or comfortable seating.
How radical would it be for a church to use its resources to directly help the community they’re in? Sure still maintain a meeting place, but look for ways to spend resources by physically reaching out to their community. Every neighborhood is different with varying needs. For example, a middle class neighborhood might need a dynamic sports league to bring families together. Maybe a coffee shop/book store as a gathering place for folks. A poorer neighborhood might need a mentoring program for kids in single parent homes, or a tutoring program for students. Instead of a church putting resources into its own facilities to make itself a destination, wouldn’t it be amazing to pour those extra resources directly into these types of programs that would bring more people together than what they could do on their property? I truly believe that holding weekly tutoring programs would affect more people’s lives than a once a year big dollar high tech Christmas cantata.
Now before you start…. I’m not saying that churches need to sell their buildings and give all the money away. I’m just saying that there is a difference between being functional and comfortable and being the latest and greatest when it comes to church meeting places. And as for these community programs, I’m sure you’re also thinking, “that sounds great Brian, but how do you actually manage and administer something like that.” Again, every situation is different, but if a church can raise funds and build a new gymnasium that typically gets used 2-3 times a week, they can surely find a way to reach out to people by being more actively involved in their local community. Would we need many of these government social programs if the church was really committing resources to helping people’s lives instead of capital intensive building projects?
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Cornerstone Church
Well….we were 30 minutes late to the church service so that meant we missed the praise and worship which is a big bummer for me. I’m a musician and worship leader. I love worshipping God with other folks. Unfortunately though, because I do play and sing, I can sometimes be critical of the musicality and technical aspects of the service. So maybe God was keeping me from being critical this Sunday. …. Yeah, that’s why we were late. It was God’s plan all along. :)
Not much to comment about the service other than it was your typical charismatic word in faith message where we were repeating things the preacher was saying and turning to our neighbors and saying things like “god is good” and “your miracle is coming” throughout the message. Oh well, both Jeanne and I grew up attending charismatic churches so none of this was new to us, rather, it was very old. Too old to be exact.
The most significant thing that happened was when the pastor closed the service. He asked, “if anyone would like prayer, our prayer team will be up front here to pray with anyone for any need.” So after the close, I went up immediately and asked for prayer for more wisdom to be a better husband and father to my family. The couple prayed a 30 second prayer for me and then proceeded to give me a 2 minute message on how I can be a better husband and father. I could have done without the message, but I thanked them for the prayer and then met up with Jeanne and Selah and we left. On the drive home, I began to reflect on praying for people at church. Out of the 300 people in attendance there that day, only 5 of us went up for prayer after the service.
This bothered me……Here’s why:
Picture yourself at the end of a church service and just before the pastor dismisses everyone, he says, “Today, we are giving away a free book that will greatly help you deal with the problems in your life?” Wouldn’t you go up to the front after church to get the free book? Or what if he said that they will be handing out free $5 gift certificates to eat lunch at Moes? I bet you’d get in line for that….a free burrito at Moes! Or what if he said they were giving away free ice cold cokes. Would you go up to the front after the service to get a free ice cold coke? I know I would.
Yet when the church offers free prayer, why is it usually only a few people go up to receive it? Do most church goers have their lives so together that they don’t really need prayer? What if it was Jesus himself standing in front of the church offering the free prayer. I bet the line would stretch outside the church doors to receive that. Didn’t Paul say in Colossians 2:9,10: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” So if we have been given fullness in Christ, than there should be no difference if Joe Christian or Jesus himself is doing the praying. James even goes a step further and says in James 5:14,15 “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.” We are commanded to go to the elders of the church to receive prayer.
The reality is simply that everyone needs prayer. We all have issues and need God’s supernatural intervention to remedy it. How else is it going to happen if not through prayer? From this experience, I have made a commitment that anytime I am offered prayer, I am going to take it. Why? Not because I think prayer is some quick magic formula that will fix everything automatically, but because I don’t have everything figured out and in this journey called life, I need all the help I can get.
Not much to comment about the service other than it was your typical charismatic word in faith message where we were repeating things the preacher was saying and turning to our neighbors and saying things like “god is good” and “your miracle is coming” throughout the message. Oh well, both Jeanne and I grew up attending charismatic churches so none of this was new to us, rather, it was very old. Too old to be exact.
The most significant thing that happened was when the pastor closed the service. He asked, “if anyone would like prayer, our prayer team will be up front here to pray with anyone for any need.” So after the close, I went up immediately and asked for prayer for more wisdom to be a better husband and father to my family. The couple prayed a 30 second prayer for me and then proceeded to give me a 2 minute message on how I can be a better husband and father. I could have done without the message, but I thanked them for the prayer and then met up with Jeanne and Selah and we left. On the drive home, I began to reflect on praying for people at church. Out of the 300 people in attendance there that day, only 5 of us went up for prayer after the service.
This bothered me……Here’s why:
Picture yourself at the end of a church service and just before the pastor dismisses everyone, he says, “Today, we are giving away a free book that will greatly help you deal with the problems in your life?” Wouldn’t you go up to the front after church to get the free book? Or what if he said that they will be handing out free $5 gift certificates to eat lunch at Moes? I bet you’d get in line for that….a free burrito at Moes! Or what if he said they were giving away free ice cold cokes. Would you go up to the front after the service to get a free ice cold coke? I know I would.
Yet when the church offers free prayer, why is it usually only a few people go up to receive it? Do most church goers have their lives so together that they don’t really need prayer? What if it was Jesus himself standing in front of the church offering the free prayer. I bet the line would stretch outside the church doors to receive that. Didn’t Paul say in Colossians 2:9,10: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” So if we have been given fullness in Christ, than there should be no difference if Joe Christian or Jesus himself is doing the praying. James even goes a step further and says in James 5:14,15 “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.” We are commanded to go to the elders of the church to receive prayer.
The reality is simply that everyone needs prayer. We all have issues and need God’s supernatural intervention to remedy it. How else is it going to happen if not through prayer? From this experience, I have made a commitment that anytime I am offered prayer, I am going to take it. Why? Not because I think prayer is some quick magic formula that will fix everything automatically, but because I don’t have everything figured out and in this journey called life, I need all the help I can get.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Grace Church
Walking from the parking lot into the building, I can’t remember the last time I saw so many preppy 20 somethings all holding their starbucks coffees in their hands. My image of a raw crowd meeting for church at a bar was quickly shattered. The room we met in was the concert hall of this bar called the Handlebar. It had a stage, sound system, lighting, and a full bar in the back of the room. I thought, wow, this is so cool. I’m going to church at a concert hall that has a bar. Now if only I had a beer in my hand….wait that wouldn’t work, it was only 10am.
The pastor arrived right at 10am as a black chevy tahoe pulled in to the entrance and he jumped out and was whisked into the building. The service started, we sang a song, sat down and he began his message. After his message he had us all bow to pray, I of course kept my eyes open as to not miss anything. While he was praying, he walked off the stage and walked slowly to the back of the room. As he said Amen, the band kicked in with a song and he took of his microphone and immediately got back into the black chevy tahoe and was whisked away again to their main campus for the 11am service.
This of course really struck me as odd. If this church was serious about building a community of believers in the downtown area of Greenville and reaching out to those that maybe wouldn’t normally go to a typical church, why not commission a pastor to do just that? I mean, does this pastor think he’s that great of a speaker that people need to hear only him speak?
Oh well, back to the worship… The band was ok. The worship leader who was playing acoustic guitar played every song in G and just moved his capo up and down the fretboard for the different keys. As a musician of course this really bugged me. I wanted to pull the guy aside and tell him to practice his instrument and stop cheating. I still don’t understand why we give back to God mediocrity when it comes to the wonderful gifts he has given us.
The worship ended and then came the announcements. There was a Grace Church 101 class immediately after service for anyone who would like to know more about the church and what they do. It would only last an hour and a half and if you wanted lunch, you could order it on your own from the restaurant there...... I thought... Let me get this straight… they are inviting me to an hour and a half meeting where I get to sit and listen to them talk about themselves after the hour and a half service I just sat through? and they weren’t even providing lunch for free?? Seriously??? Thank God, Grace Church isn’t a business trying to build a client base. They’d be bankrupt quick.
In the end, the service was ho-hum. A message, some singing, and an invitation to hear the church talk about themselves. Selah and I sat in our chairs for an hour and a half. We didn’t meet anyone or get to respond to anything that God was saying. The service ended and everyone filed out and we all got in our cars and drove home.
What I learned.
At what point should the church service become experiential? Is it mainly a watch and see the show? Where we all sit in rows of chairs and watch what is going on the stage. Am I in a church service or a concert? Don’t I get a chance to participate, to respond to what God is speaking through the fellowship, worship, and message? Everytime I read in the Bible where Jesus, a prophet, or the apostles encountered people, those people left that encounter changed. They had an opportunity to respond to what God was telling or showing them. God says that where 2 or more or gathered, He is there in their midst. Since that is true, why do Christians feel the need to program a church service literally to death. Never allowing a moment that people can respond to His word and presence. Is the church really just content to sit through a service with nothing more than a tickle from the worship and message?
The pastor arrived right at 10am as a black chevy tahoe pulled in to the entrance and he jumped out and was whisked into the building. The service started, we sang a song, sat down and he began his message. After his message he had us all bow to pray, I of course kept my eyes open as to not miss anything. While he was praying, he walked off the stage and walked slowly to the back of the room. As he said Amen, the band kicked in with a song and he took of his microphone and immediately got back into the black chevy tahoe and was whisked away again to their main campus for the 11am service.
This of course really struck me as odd. If this church was serious about building a community of believers in the downtown area of Greenville and reaching out to those that maybe wouldn’t normally go to a typical church, why not commission a pastor to do just that? I mean, does this pastor think he’s that great of a speaker that people need to hear only him speak?
Oh well, back to the worship… The band was ok. The worship leader who was playing acoustic guitar played every song in G and just moved his capo up and down the fretboard for the different keys. As a musician of course this really bugged me. I wanted to pull the guy aside and tell him to practice his instrument and stop cheating. I still don’t understand why we give back to God mediocrity when it comes to the wonderful gifts he has given us.
The worship ended and then came the announcements. There was a Grace Church 101 class immediately after service for anyone who would like to know more about the church and what they do. It would only last an hour and a half and if you wanted lunch, you could order it on your own from the restaurant there...... I thought... Let me get this straight… they are inviting me to an hour and a half meeting where I get to sit and listen to them talk about themselves after the hour and a half service I just sat through? and they weren’t even providing lunch for free?? Seriously??? Thank God, Grace Church isn’t a business trying to build a client base. They’d be bankrupt quick.
In the end, the service was ho-hum. A message, some singing, and an invitation to hear the church talk about themselves. Selah and I sat in our chairs for an hour and a half. We didn’t meet anyone or get to respond to anything that God was saying. The service ended and everyone filed out and we all got in our cars and drove home.
What I learned.
At what point should the church service become experiential? Is it mainly a watch and see the show? Where we all sit in rows of chairs and watch what is going on the stage. Am I in a church service or a concert? Don’t I get a chance to participate, to respond to what God is speaking through the fellowship, worship, and message? Everytime I read in the Bible where Jesus, a prophet, or the apostles encountered people, those people left that encounter changed. They had an opportunity to respond to what God was telling or showing them. God says that where 2 or more or gathered, He is there in their midst. Since that is true, why do Christians feel the need to program a church service literally to death. Never allowing a moment that people can respond to His word and presence. Is the church really just content to sit through a service with nothing more than a tickle from the worship and message?
Lifepoint Church - 2nd Visit & Prayer Meeting
This time I brought Jeanne and Selah with me. Nothing changed too much from our last visit. Except that we had to wear nametags. Not everyone, just the visitors. I didn't like that too much. Everyone can see my name, but I can't see anyone else's. Not a good way to make a newcomer feel welcomed.
Good music and message. Unfortunately George and Janice were not there and I was not able to introduce them to Jeanne and Selah. The message was inspiring and the worship was genuine again. These folks were sincerely praising God and I was very encouraged by it.
After the service we had a number of people come up to us thanking us for coming back to their church. They said that they hoped Lifepoint could be a church that we could call home, saying hopefully it could meet our needs. Initially that rubbed me the wrong way. I thought, well, everyone I’ve talked to knows our immediate needs: we’ve moved here from another city, we’re new to the area, and we don’t know that many people. To me that sounds like I’ve got a lot of needs. I thought, "How about actually making an effort of trying to meet those needs instead of just telling me that hopefully the church will." What a huge letdown for me. I wished George and Janice were there that day….I missed them.
I couldn’t help but think of all the new church visitors throughout the years that I’ve spoken with in the same situation as me. I know I’ve dropped the ball so many times when it came to "being the church." How many times do we see a need in someone’s life and tell them, if you need anything don’t hesitate to call me. Instead of just acting and meeting that need for the person. Could you imagine Jesus walking around telling folks, "hey, if you need that healing, here’s my number. Don’t hesitate to call me." Maybe we are all too busy in our lives to really take the time to try to meet people’s needs. Maybe we won’t really take the time until someone asks us and we feel obligated to. I’m not sure the reason, but I am sure that I am going to make an effort that If I see a need, and God has blessed me with the ability to meet that need, I am going to offer it until that person rejects me at least 3 times. I know that may seem extreme, but I have a feeling God will be ok with it. I am also going to pray that God will guide me to be more sensitive to others' circumstances.
I also attended their prayer meeting that Wednesday night. About 12 of us there all seated in a circle. Please keep in mind that it was advertised as strictly a prayer meeting. Of course I love praying so when I saw that they were meeting weekly to pray, I was charged up. Well….after a 45 minute bible study, we went around the circle and took some prayer requests and then prayed for about 20 minutes. Some "prayer" meeting. I think 2 Chronicles 7:14 sums it up pretty well, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Bible studies are a good thing, but not at prayer meetings.
Good music and message. Unfortunately George and Janice were not there and I was not able to introduce them to Jeanne and Selah. The message was inspiring and the worship was genuine again. These folks were sincerely praising God and I was very encouraged by it.
After the service we had a number of people come up to us thanking us for coming back to their church. They said that they hoped Lifepoint could be a church that we could call home, saying hopefully it could meet our needs. Initially that rubbed me the wrong way. I thought, well, everyone I’ve talked to knows our immediate needs: we’ve moved here from another city, we’re new to the area, and we don’t know that many people. To me that sounds like I’ve got a lot of needs. I thought, "How about actually making an effort of trying to meet those needs instead of just telling me that hopefully the church will." What a huge letdown for me. I wished George and Janice were there that day….I missed them.
I couldn’t help but think of all the new church visitors throughout the years that I’ve spoken with in the same situation as me. I know I’ve dropped the ball so many times when it came to "being the church." How many times do we see a need in someone’s life and tell them, if you need anything don’t hesitate to call me. Instead of just acting and meeting that need for the person. Could you imagine Jesus walking around telling folks, "hey, if you need that healing, here’s my number. Don’t hesitate to call me." Maybe we are all too busy in our lives to really take the time to try to meet people’s needs. Maybe we won’t really take the time until someone asks us and we feel obligated to. I’m not sure the reason, but I am sure that I am going to make an effort that If I see a need, and God has blessed me with the ability to meet that need, I am going to offer it until that person rejects me at least 3 times. I know that may seem extreme, but I have a feeling God will be ok with it. I am also going to pray that God will guide me to be more sensitive to others' circumstances.
I also attended their prayer meeting that Wednesday night. About 12 of us there all seated in a circle. Please keep in mind that it was advertised as strictly a prayer meeting. Of course I love praying so when I saw that they were meeting weekly to pray, I was charged up. Well….after a 45 minute bible study, we went around the circle and took some prayer requests and then prayed for about 20 minutes. Some "prayer" meeting. I think 2 Chronicles 7:14 sums it up pretty well, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Bible studies are a good thing, but not at prayer meetings.
Lifepoint Community Church
I’ve only been in Greenville a couple weeks so I’m still running on Atlanta time where you give yourself an extra 20-30 minutes when you’re driving somewhere because you never know how bad traffic is going to be. Well of course Greenville isn’t like that so I ended up arriving at this church 30 minutes before the service started. Doh!! I sat out in my truck for about 10 minutes and decided to venture in. The band was still rehearsing. In fact they rehearsed right up until about 5 minutes before the service started. Since I’m a musician and have led worship in churches for years, this has always been one of my pet peeves. You should be prepared and ready to go well before the service is about to start. Could you imagine a pastor sitting on the stage putting his final touches on his sermon about 5 minutes before he’s ready to preach? Sound checks are very important and sometimes things go very wrong at sound checks and need time to correct, but they need to be early enough so that you can wrap up well before service is to start and can spend the rest of the time in prayer, or greeting folks as they come in.
The worship was very genuine and sincere. The message was a simple gospel message. No in-depth expository preaching. No 45 minute message about a 3 step plan to living more like Christ. Just a 10 minute gospel message on how Jesus is the way the truth and the life. Paul said in Romans 1:16 "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Oh how I love simplicity. It was awesome to just hear the powerful message of the gospel that day.
One really cool thing they did after the gospel message was to ask if anyone wanted to share what God was doing in their life. They basically opened the floor and let anyone share a testimony. I just about flipped. How many churches actually have an open mic moment and let anyone share what God is doing in their life. The more I reflected on that, I thought,” If God is truly dynamic and powerful as we say He is, why don’t we spend more time during the service sharing about His power, faithfulness, and mercy working in our lives.” John wrote in Revelation 12:11 that, “They overcame the evil one by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.” I’m not sure the church really understands the depth of that passage. We need more testimony of God's grace and goodness in our church services. During the testimonies, an elderly man stood up and simply shared that he was the most blessed man in the world because all of his children and grandchildren were healthy and they were worshipping God at church with him that day. His testimony rocked my world. How easy it had been for me to lose sight of just how important my family is to God and to me.
I had the pleasure of sitting behind a couple named George and Janice. After the service they gravitated to me and expressed a genuine interest in getting to know me and my situation. When I told them that I was moving to Greenville and my wife and daughter were still in Atlanta, they even invited me to have dinner with them that week. I was blown away. This is what connecting and community is about. We met for dinner that Tuesday at the Wade Hampton Country Buffet. Did I mention that I live in the south? We had an amazing time getting to know each other, sharing our heart for the Lord and for ministry. I learned that George and Janice have a burden for the homeless and have opened up their home to people living on the street. They have had things stolen from them but are still faithful to serve the homeless. Janice shared how earlier that day, she was laid off from her job of 5 years. She had just gotten laid off and they still kept our dinner appointment!!!! What wonderful people who truly have an eternal perspective on life.
What I learned that day….
We hear so much about getting outside the walls of the church. Usually however this is accomplished through a programmed ministry event. Usually a homeless feeding outreach, building a house, a garage sale or car wash to raise money, something where all you have to do is show up, work for a few hours and go home. Not to say there is anything wrong with that, but it is safe and really doesn’t require anyone to get out of their comfort zone. Instead, George and Janice were taking it on themselves to be the church outside of the church. Something as simple as meeting up for dinner with a complete stranger to help me in my transition from Atlanta to Greenville. Most of the time, it’s the little things that can really make a difference in someone’s life. I am so thankful for God sending George and Janice my way.
The worship was very genuine and sincere. The message was a simple gospel message. No in-depth expository preaching. No 45 minute message about a 3 step plan to living more like Christ. Just a 10 minute gospel message on how Jesus is the way the truth and the life. Paul said in Romans 1:16 "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Oh how I love simplicity. It was awesome to just hear the powerful message of the gospel that day.
One really cool thing they did after the gospel message was to ask if anyone wanted to share what God was doing in their life. They basically opened the floor and let anyone share a testimony. I just about flipped. How many churches actually have an open mic moment and let anyone share what God is doing in their life. The more I reflected on that, I thought,” If God is truly dynamic and powerful as we say He is, why don’t we spend more time during the service sharing about His power, faithfulness, and mercy working in our lives.” John wrote in Revelation 12:11 that, “They overcame the evil one by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.” I’m not sure the church really understands the depth of that passage. We need more testimony of God's grace and goodness in our church services. During the testimonies, an elderly man stood up and simply shared that he was the most blessed man in the world because all of his children and grandchildren were healthy and they were worshipping God at church with him that day. His testimony rocked my world. How easy it had been for me to lose sight of just how important my family is to God and to me.
I had the pleasure of sitting behind a couple named George and Janice. After the service they gravitated to me and expressed a genuine interest in getting to know me and my situation. When I told them that I was moving to Greenville and my wife and daughter were still in Atlanta, they even invited me to have dinner with them that week. I was blown away. This is what connecting and community is about. We met for dinner that Tuesday at the Wade Hampton Country Buffet. Did I mention that I live in the south? We had an amazing time getting to know each other, sharing our heart for the Lord and for ministry. I learned that George and Janice have a burden for the homeless and have opened up their home to people living on the street. They have had things stolen from them but are still faithful to serve the homeless. Janice shared how earlier that day, she was laid off from her job of 5 years. She had just gotten laid off and they still kept our dinner appointment!!!! What wonderful people who truly have an eternal perspective on life.
What I learned that day….
We hear so much about getting outside the walls of the church. Usually however this is accomplished through a programmed ministry event. Usually a homeless feeding outreach, building a house, a garage sale or car wash to raise money, something where all you have to do is show up, work for a few hours and go home. Not to say there is anything wrong with that, but it is safe and really doesn’t require anyone to get out of their comfort zone. Instead, George and Janice were taking it on themselves to be the church outside of the church. Something as simple as meeting up for dinner with a complete stranger to help me in my transition from Atlanta to Greenville. Most of the time, it’s the little things that can really make a difference in someone’s life. I am so thankful for God sending George and Janice my way.
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