Bring Ear Plugs

[Monksailor]

I am seeking a new church. In the process I have come across one that in the "about" tab seems to be one to check out but then it warns a would-be visitor to bring ear protection plugs and says that they have some if you forget yours. They explain and seem to be bragging about the fact that their praise and worship time is loud. If you read this at an online web site of a church you were considering what would your thought(s) be?
(I AM NOT ASKING ADVICE ABOUT WHAT I SHOULD DO. We have already discerned that this is not a place we would want to attend. I am merely asking your opinion of what you would think if YOU were seeking a different church and found this on an online web site. Thanks.)

 

[Winken]

I'd think that they make unnecessary noise, perhaps in loud music, perhaps in utterances.

 

[Go Braves]

Guess they really enjoy making joyful noises for the Lord!

 

[tulc]

well since the Church I've attended for several decades now really DID have a rock band leading worship I'd be interested, this was one of the songs they played:

tulc(should have worn some ear plugs back then)

 

[SkyWriting]

I am seeking a new church. In the process I have come across one that in the "about" tab seems to be one to check out but then it warns a would-be visitor to bring ear protection plugs and says that they have some if you forget yours. They explain and seem to be bragging about the fact that their praise and worship time is loud. If you read this at an online web site of a church you were considering what would your thought(s) be? Would you think that they were trying to "screen out" certain age(s) or theological perspectives?

Some services include electric instruments and drums in a live band format.
I've not tried one of those, but it is worth investigating. I find that moistened
kleenex allows for speech and still protects as well as commercial earplugs.

 

[musicalpilgrim]

I am seeking a new church. In the process I have come across one that in the "about" tab seems to be one to check out but then it warns a would-be visitor to bring ear protection plugs and says that they have some if you forget yours. They explain and seem to be bragging about the fact that their praise and worship time is loud. If you read this at an online web site of a church you were considering what would your thought(s) be? Would you think that they were trying to "screen out" certain age(s) or theological perspectives?

this is most interesting, that they actually are aware that they are over the top with sound! My husband and I started to attend the local Church, which has good preaching and friendly people, but the music, oh dear, all CD's and a sound system with loudspeakers on every pillar, there is no where in the Church to escape the noise. I have asked for a little less sound, that it is so loud that it causes a headache, but they have suggested ear plugs too.

 

[Doug Melven]

I think if a church warned you to bring earplugs I think they would definitely not be catering to an older crowd.
I attend a church where I am one of the younger people and I am 53 years old.
I was thinking last Sunday wouldn't it be nice to have some drums during worship time or at least a guitar.
I just don't think the drums would go over so well.

 

[paul1149]

Once a friend visited my church with her granddaughter. After service they came up and i asked the young girl what she thought of the music. She scrunched her face up as she recalled the pain and exclaimed, "TOO LOUD!" I was speechless. I knew it was loud, but you can't really tell up on stage. That day I said I was going to step down if we couldn't get the balance and volume under control. I was not going to be a part of harming kids' hearing.

Years of being in rock groups has harmed my hearing, and I don't think it's a good idea. I would not attend such a church.

 

[pat34lee]

Too many churches think that the congregation
needs to be entertained. If that is the case, they
need to throw out the bibles and start a band.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Once a friend visited my church with her granddaughter. After service they came up and i asked the young girl what she thought of the music. She scrunched her face up as she recalled the pain and exclaimed, "TOO LOUD!" I was speechless. I knew it was loud, but you can't really tell up on stage. That day I said I was going to step down if we couldn't get the balance and volume under control. I was not going to be a part of harming kids' hearing.

Years of being in rock groups has harmed my hearing, and I don't think it's a good idea. I would not attend such a church.

Psalm 46.10 does say: 'Be still, and know that I am God'. As well as hymns making a joyful noise, there is indeed the aspect of praise which makes for solemn meditation in search of God's presence.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I think if a church warned you to bring earplugs I think they would definitely not be catering to an older crowd.
I attend a church where I am one of the younger people and I am 53 years old.
I was thinking last Sunday wouldn't it be nice to have some drums during worship time or at least a guitar.
I just don't think the drums would go over so well.

When I saw ear plugs I at first thought, tapers, chunky earrings! which would be an odd expected dress code for a local church; then I saw it referred to plugs as in sound reduction.

 

[brinny]

Once a friend visited my church with her granddaughter. After service they came up and i asked the young girl what she thought of the music. She scrunched her face up as she recalled the pain and exclaimed, "TOO LOUD!" I was speechless. I knew it was loud, but you can't really tell up on stage. That day I said I was going to step down if we couldn't get the balance and volume under control. I was not going to be a part of harming kids' hearing.

Years of being in rock groups has harmed my hearing, and I don't think it's a good idea. I would not attend such a church.

i agree. I don't believe God ever intended to be a part of piercingly loud "music" that causes harm to ear drums, and it be deemed "compliments of God".

Another post mentioned "entertainment". Gathering for church is not about "entertainment".

It's about God.

 

[tulc]

i agree. I don't believe God ever intended to be a part of piercingly loud "music" that causes harm to ear drums, and it be deemed "compliments of God".

Another post mentioned "entertainment". Gathering for church is not about "entertainment".

It's about God.

well...you also have to remember: there was no electronic amplification of the instruments used so the ones they played? Had to be pretty loud in themselves, so the people in the back could hear as well. I suspect it was actually pretty loud on some of the important Holy days.
tulc(is thinking bagpipe loud at least)

 

[Monksailor]

Guess they really enjoy making joyful noises for the Lord!

Ear damaging and painful noises, at that.

 

[Go Braves]

Ear damaging and painful noises, at that.

Well obviously some folks are still finding joy in it if they continue to go to that church. Sounds like with the attitude you've got about it, that church isn't for you, so what they do isn't your concern. Find another church.

 

[Doug Melven]

Could you imagine how loud it would be if we all obeyed Psalm 150?
150:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
150:3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
150:5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

 

[Monksailor]

Some services include electric instruments and drums in a live band format.
I've not tried one of those, but it is worth investigating. I find that moistened
kleenex allows for speech and still protects as well as commercial earplugs.

Most of the churches my wife and I have attended in the past decade or so have had praise teams which have included electric guitar(s) and drums but the drummer and drum set were respectfully encased in a plexiglass 3 sided wall w/o ceiling so as to protect the ears of the attendees from a direct frequency blast.

If one is used to listening to music at very loud levels their hearing has definitely been diminished; that is just a scientific fact of being around any sustained loud noises. And since the 60's and 70's some people have loved to listen to music at very loud volume levels: so as to be able to feel the music (have the bass freqs rattle their brains-and bodies, walls, windows, car doors, and trunk lids.) Maybe this church is for those people who like their music very loud and since they have diminished their ability to hear they need it EVEN louder.

 

[Monksailor]

Well obviously some folks are still finding joy in it if they continue to go to that church. Sounds like with the attitude you've got about it, that church isn't for you, so what they do isn't your concern. Find another church.

We already have but I and you can't say what the attendee status of that church is. Like I said, I did not attend it I only found it online. the online site could very easily be a leftover remnant of an entity which no longer exists which I come across regularly online. This thread's purpose is to merely ascertain what one's opinion is of a church requiring ear protection to attend.

 

[Go Braves]

We already have but I and you can't say what the attendee status of that church is. Like I said, I did not attend it I only found it online. the online site could very easily be a leftover remnant of an entity which no longer exists which I come across regularly online. This thread's purpose is to merely ascertain what one's opinion is of a church requiring ear protection to attend.

What business is it of yours or mine what the attendee status of that church is? None. If the folks who are attendees are bothered by the sound levels then they could take it up with the ministry & have that changed. Seems like they're content with making joyful noises to the Lord, so they've kept doing so. The church is considerate & mindful that some folks have more sensitive ears, so they're giving out the ear plugs. Anybody turned off by that can just go on their way. My opinion is that each church ought to praise the Lord, how they see best fit.

We've got a drum screen at our church but it cost a few grand. You can get cheaper ones, but they're not going to be nearly as effective. I can see why some churches don't have them, on account of the budget issues. At some churches, the drummers bring in their own drums for the services. Ear plugs are pretty cheap. You can get a big case of them at Sam's Club.

 

[pat34lee]

Could you imagine how loud it would be if we all obeyed Psalm 150?
150:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
150:3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
150:5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

You can praise him without making a sound.

Praise: Halal (Hebrew)
means "to shine"

Isaiah 60:1-3
1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.