Weird church service

[memoriesbymichelle]

OK we've been talking about bodyguards, having them or not etc. But the strangest thing happened in my church service this morning and I am not sure how to take it. I wasn't completely offended, but I did wonder if my church is more into itchy ears than preaching the word.

We had a comedian in church today. Not for the entire service only the first 5 minutes or so. They also played some secular song in the beginning of worship. It was just weird....I just didn't get it. Am I the only one? I went on our churches FB page and people are all commenting positively and one person even said, we are definitely coming back!

What do you guys think?

 

[exitstageright]

OK we've been talking about bodyguards, having them or not etc. But the strangest thing happened in my church service this morning and I am not sure how to take it. I wasn't completely offended, but I did wonder if my church is more into itchy ears than preaching the word.

We had a comedian in church today. Not for the entire service only the first 5 minutes or so. They also played some secular song in the beginning of worship. It was just weird....I just didn't get it. Am I the only one? I went on our churches FB page and people are all commenting positively and one person even said, we are definitely coming back!

What do you guys think?

Maybe,just maybe this church wanted to attract a younger,"seeker" crowd. I have nothing against having a clean,non-off color comedian in church.As it says in Proverbs,"laughter is like medicine to the bones". We had,in our singles group(when we had a singles group) ,a christain comedian performance one night.

I can remember one joke. "What if Paul had a car,and he had teenagers? One of his kids might have said to him.""Our we going to Corinth again? All of my friends are in Ephesus!"

 

[dayhiker]

I got no problems with comedy ... I even have done a comedy routine in church before ...
it was pretty dirty ... about flossing .... LOL OK, clean if you do floss.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

Well I don't necessarily have a "problem" with it. If it was a "special" event or something. I actually felt sorry for the guy, he was OK funny, but not hysterical and I'm sure it was equally as weird for him.
Just never had a comic do a lead in for the sermon, I guess?

 

[exitstageright]

Well I don't necessarily have a "problem" with it. If it was a "special" event or something. I actually felt sorry for the guy, he was OK funny, but not hysterical and I'm sure it was equally as weird for him.
Just never had a comic do a lead in for the sermon, I guess?

Yes,comedy is the hardest act to perform,IMHO. If you do not get any laughter within the first 30 seconds,it will be a tought act to do.
Wa....wa....wa...... waaaaaaa

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

Puzzling....is the descriptor I got when I asked a guy in my bible study what he thought. And now I'm thinking WWJD? LOL

 

[mjmcmillan]

Sit down and have a serious think about it. Is this something where the church is letting the world in, or is it something where you're uncomfortable because "We never did it this way before". It's one thing if the church is letting the world corrupt it, and quite another if you're just uncomfortable around change.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

Sit down and have a serious think about it. Is this something where the church is letting the world in, or is it something where you're uncomfortable because "We never did it this way before". It's one thing if the church is letting the world corrupt it, and quite another if you're just uncomfortable around change.

No, for me, it's not the "we never did this in church before" but more of a ????? is this an itchy ear sermon? IOW are they doing this so more people will come to church? (yeah that's what I think). They recently sent out a flier to 200,000 people in our surrounding area and have added an extra service on Saturday night and once again they are asking us regulars to think about switching so they will have more room on Sundays. ????? I used to go to the 10:30 service so my teenagers wouldn't have to get up so "early" on Sunday. They badgered us to move to a different service because "new" people attended the 10:30 service the most (they said). So I switched and now go to the 9:00 service and I just read on the FB page that now would be a good time for me to switch services so they would have more room on Sunday?
So, I think it's more of a trying to be a "cool" church rather than just preaching the bible and letting Jesus do the drawing. JMHO.

 

[blackribbon]

Time to see what your church's current mission is. I think getting your teenager to church ranks right up there with a good reason to attend the later service and I think you ought to let the church know that he is also part of the mission field.

I don't have a problem with this approach but the members ought to be aware of what is going on and maybe have some voice in it. My church uses "secular" music on a regular basis...but it is usually tied to the sermon and expresses some heart issue of people in general. Sometimes it is just about laughing and having a good time...but it never takes away from the real message. It also can't be pulling the church away from teaching "meat" to the current members in order to give "milk" to the babies.

 

[dayhiker]

I think its great that the church is growing. I hope its drawing the unchurched as well.

I once attended a church where the pastor bought a lot of people in speak and play music. We never had a comic. But we did do a talent night. I cam to think of all the speakers as adding a variety, adding a different view of the gospel that most pastors just can't give. Some pastors are so good that they can preach alot and keep meeting peoples needs. But most pastors have some limitations, just don't have time to study, have a breadth of experience to draw on to meet the needs of a lot of people.

So I'm all for these type of things. I do think the comic should have been advertized in a way that would prepare people. If I was coming for a sermon and got a comic, I'd probably just not mentally in the right place to enjoy him/her.

 

[blackribbon]

I just got home from the closing service for a program (4 days at a church camp) through our church called Reverse. It is where they get the high schoolers from several churches here to come together and learn about the cultural differences between urban kids and suburb kids (which in Detroit is a major difference) and also learn that they are all tied together in Christ. The skits were really interesting because they really highlighted the different ways we worship ... but then they pointed out that we were all using the same Bible and message. And that is the main issue, as long as a service is aimed at teaching and worshiping, there is no wrong way or right way.

However, I do worry about the churches that walkaway from serving their current membership to attract new members. My mom almost had to leave her church because the change in music did not allow her to worship...and they didn't offer her a service that did offer the more traditional (and less loud) music and hymns that touch her heart. The church almost closed because they really ended up meeting nobody's needs.

 

[Lone Wolfe]

I think one small event like that is nothing to be concerned over but, if you begin seeing changes like this on a regular basis then perhaps you may wish to ask the pastor about it?

I'm more curious about the comment "we are definitely coming back". Coming back to what from what???

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

I think one small event like that is nothing to be concerned over but, if you begin seeing changes like this on a regular basis then perhaps you may wish to ask the pastor about it?

I'm more curious about the comment "we are definitely coming back". Coming back to what from what???

Sadly, the pastors used to be more accessible. You could go on our churches website and email them. Not anymore. I recently sent a letter to them when they announced that they needed 60,000 for the flyer they wanted to send out, because in my mind, any advertising should be in the regular budget and they have been hiring pastors for this and pastors for that and I didn't understand. Well they did respond (which I'm told is unusual) but it was pretty generic and didn't answer any of my questions. One of which was, that they aren't taking care of the members we have now, so why the need to increase the numbers and is that how they gage if God is with them or not?
If they had a comic come at night for a special event I wouldn't have an issue and I'm not even saying I have an issue now, it's just that it did catch me off guard and I'm scratching my head. As far as the comment, I'm not sure if they used to go and are coming back or if that was their first time there and they liked it so much they are definitely coming back. Not clear to me either.

 

[blackribbon]

I'd be praying for your church. My gut says that they are falling for Christian peer pressure and trying to become one of those fast growing churches...not realizing that many of these don't do anything but teach good solid Bible and hungry people come. What your church is doing reminds me of my mom's...suddenly the music went all "comtempory" and too loud for my mom...the "praise and worship team" turned into a performance instead of being a time for the congregation to worship...a lot of money was being spent on "cool" theater performances to attract people to church...decisions were being made without regard to what the congregation wanted..and the pastor staff started changing...and the message was not as strong. The church was so busy trying to attract the "young people" that they alienated the "old people" who were actually gave the majority of the financial support to the church. Money got tighter...and the church was really in trouble for a while. I think that they have turned around and are back on track but it is a much smaller church now.

On the flip side, I attend one of those huge churches that is growing...we have contempory music and a very less than traditional service. However, this is what it always has been and they teach meat. The church has grown into 5 campuses...but it has not been by following some "recipe" that can be duplicated...it is because they followed God's plan for THIS church. However, let me note, I would not be going to this church if it were not the best one for my kids. There is a similar one down the road that teaches meat but the music isn't so incredibly loud...however, my kids didn't like it and since they are pretty solid in their faith, I felt the need to listen to them especially since I had teenagers who actually like going to church.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

This church, since I have been attending has always had contemporary music and I like that. And I am concerned that they are trying to be like other churches in the area that are "one church in many locations" with simulated messages at the other locations. When I started going, I was so moved. I remembered the messages (because they had meat) and I did go because of my kids. I can worship anywhere where the actual Word is taught, but it was important for me that my kids like it. Now they are older and don't want to go, and I'm in a bible study with people that go here. I talked to one of the men in my bible study about feeling like they were doing itchy ear sermons and he said he could not disagree.

 

[Lone Wolfe]

Sadly, the pastors used to be more accessible. You could go on our churches website and email them. Not anymore. I recently sent a letter to them when they announced that they needed 60,000 for the flyer they wanted to send out, because in my mind, any advertising should be in the regular budget and they have been hiring pastors for this and pastors for that and I didn't understand. Well they did respond (which I'm told is unusual) but it was pretty generic and didn't answer any of my questions. One of which was, that they aren't taking care of the members we have now, so why the need to increase the numbers and is that how they gage if God is with them or not?
If they had a comic come at night for a special event I wouldn't have an issue and I'm not even saying I have an issue now, it's just that it did catch me off guard and I'm scratching my head. As far as the comment, I'm not sure if they used to go and are coming back or if that was their first time there and they liked it so much they are definitely coming back. Not clear to me either.

Sounds to me like your church (pastor) has been bitten by the almighty greenbacks and is hoping to be the next Joel Osteen church? This is exactly why I take issue with these mega-churches? They are never satisfied with the size of the congregation and people can only give so much so, lets get more members in here and we'll make more money! Unfortunately it all comes down to the money in the mainstream church today!!!

 

[Lone Wolfe]

This church, since I have been attending has always had contemporary music and I like that. And I am concerned that they are trying to be like other churches in the area that are "one church in many locations" with simulated messages at the other locations. When I started going, I was so moved. I remembered the messages (because they had meat) and I did go because of my kids. I can worship anywhere where the actual Word is taught, but it was important for me that my kids like it. Now they are older and don't want to go, and I'm in a bible study with people that go here. I talked to one of the men in my bible study about feeling like they were doing itchy ear sermons and he said he could not disagree.

This is an example of that one church that I enjoyed attending here in town was, they too started another campus (they call it) and the music has changed, you can no longer get a message to the pastor and all you ever get when you email them about a problem is, one of those form-letter emails I call them and they never address the issue you contacted them about? That's when I decided it was time to find another church and I left that church.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

Not so sure if it's for the money as I am about them feeling like they are not as hip because it seems all the churches around here are doing the one church in multiple locations. One church has actually done it for the last few years, but now all the other churches are jumping on the band wagon. And I also feel like they (my church) gage their being in God's will by whether or not their numbers are increasing (even though numbers have nothing to do with it) so I think they are more about the numbers than the money (at this point anyway) but it's too bad because when someone does raise an issue, they come across like they are being attacked and so the issue doesn't really get looked at because they are discounting it because they feel attacked, does that make sense? IOW they don't want to hear complaints, they just want the good feedback.

 

[Lone Wolfe]

Not so sure if it's for the money as I am about them feeling like they are not as hip because it seems all the churches around here are doing the one church in multiple locations. One church has actually done it for the last few years, but now all the other churches are jumping on the band wagon. And I also feel like they (my church) gage their being in God's will by whether or not their numbers are increasing (even though numbers have nothing to do with it) so I think they are more about the numbers than the money (at this point anyway) but it's too bad because when someone does raise an issue, they come across like they are being attacked and so the issue doesn't really get looked at because they are discounting it because they feel attacked, does that make sense? IOW they don't want to hear complaints, they just want the good feedback.

Well keep in mind now that... more members means more money. Yes, while many churches do actually care about bringing more souls to Jesus Christ, there are three times as many churches only seeking the money.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

Well keep in mind now that... more members means more money. Yes, while many churches do actually care about bringing more souls to Jesus Christ, there are three times as many churches only seeking the money.

I know that's why I said it may be for the numbers. Not necessarily bringing more souls to Christ as just bringing more souls to our church, hence numbers and yes I know that equates to more money potentially, but I also know that many people come and do not give. Usually 20% of the members support 80% of the church so....