I think you're so right. So many times we get caught up in all the programs and activities that our Church might be having, that we forget what it's really all about- bringing glory and honor to Christ our Lord. I really do think that we get so focused some times on playing our little game of "Church" that we totally forget about all the lost and dieing people out there that need the love of God so desperately in their lives.
I think so often we think of church as a physical structure... Like some sort of "holy temple" where God's going to naturally be just because it's a church. And it's cute and cuddly to think of it this way... It makes our jobs as Christians alot more simple. It takes away our obligation of praying for the lost, praying to truly seek and worship God, and just inviting God into our services. Church is actually what happens when a group of people come together to truly praise and worship God. This doesn't sound pretty though, because for some people using this definition would make what they do on Sunday not church, it would make their action just another turning of the wheel... So I guess a better question to ask would be... Are we seeking God? Or are we seeking what makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside?
Why do you think we get so caught in the motions? I honestly can not wrap my head around it. The Bible speaks plainly yet we are blinded to what it is we are suppose to be and do.
I think it's because of something you mentioned yesterday. We're wrapped up in creating this fleshly reverence for God, instead of having a true reverence for Him from the heart. And as you said, none of us really know what reverence is, because how exactly do you show enough respect and honor and glory to God? We're imperfect worshipping something that is perfect. That means no matter what we do we can't fill that gap, and I think too often in church we try to fill that gap with dead works to make us feel like we're accomplishing something.(I'm not saying that works are bad, but the definition for dead works are works done that are not God led) Also it gives us reason to not read the Word or have a relationship with God because we're "doing his work".
well, i would just like to say that I believe most of the "programs & activities" start off with completely good motives. i think its a good thing to have activities that people can be involved in with the church that bring glory to God, or to just have fellowship with other believers instead of getting involved with things of the world. i think most Christians would agree with that....but we do tend to get way to caught up in it. It becomes sort of a safe haven from the world I guess. We tend to enjoy our safe little christian commities and get-togethers more than we have a burden for the lost.
There have been many times that I looked around our church on sunday mornings and wondered why exactly it was that we were all gathered in that place because from the looks of it there wasn't a single person in the sanctuary that was truly worshiping God. There were all the exact same people that had attended FBC since I was born and there was no growth and the faces when we were singing hymns were all just stone. It really bothered me, and I was actually ashamed to bring a guest because 1) i didnt think they would feel that they were accepted or that they fit in and 2) if i were a guest I know I wouldnt enjoy the service because I didnt even enjoy the service and I was a long time memeber. It really bothered me that I would visit other churches and feel more welcome as a guest there than I did as a member in my own church. I will say that our church has come a ways since that time. the praise and worship, for one, always seems to impact me. It melts my heart to see other people truly worshiping God with everything that is in them.
I may have gotten off subject and I apologize...i guess i was just venting.
you posted the blog a few days ago, and i've been hesitant to respond to it. reading over it again, and looking at the questions you list, it really startles me. i've never asked those questions to myself at church on sunday morning, or wednesday night. but, i have asked myself those questions at school or just simply in common situations outside of church. sometimes i feel like, when i think of "church" those aspects should already be apart of it. it should be inviting, we should care, there should be Jesus, and we should want everyone and their grandmother to know about Jesus. but sometimes, we get too caught up in the little things and the important things are forgotten.
how are we ever going to fix our problems if we are too afraid to step on somebodies feet and talk about them? this is a problem i have. i don't like offending people, especially when it comes to changing a program i may have only been apart of for less than a year, and they've been in it their whole lives it seems like. if any of that makes sense.
I know guys and gals. I know the frustration. I have to be careful how loud I bark because I do not want to offend people or come across the wrong way. I am just tired of the sanctimonious thought that good looks equals Godly. I want a room where all people feel welcomed and wanted. I want a church that the people come to worship and seek after God almighty and not themselves. I want to be taken to the throne of my living King and to feel the warmth of His glory upon my soul. I also know that I have to be willing to stand and worship. I have to quite being afraid to worship. I know that I must take a stand and seek the throne in my heart, whether anyone else does or not.
What do we do... That's the question to be asked, but is there truly a sure fire answer? Ofcourse I can say, let's pray and Jesus will make it better for us, but isn't that the same thing we do everyday? We have a problem and dump it out to God expecting some miraculous happening within the next 24 hours without any input from ourselves... So yes, what do we do? I believe we have to in our own hearts begin to truly seek God, not ask him for an absolute solution because he has already given us an Absoulte Solution. That's Jesus Christ. Through Christ, and through the bond that we have with God because of Christ we have the ability to truly seek God. This means when we feel like standing and falling at the feet of God and worshipping we do it, no matter where we are. Also it means we talk to our Father like He is our Father and not our always loving grandmother that gives us hugs when we feel a little down. And it means we have to read God's Word, study it, and really devote ourselves. I say these things, knowing it's what I should be doing and yet I find myself constantly falling short of it. Sometimes in church I just want to stand and raise my hands to my Father, but I always allow what the rest of the congregation will think. I sometimes feel like I'm going to cause a riot over trying to praise my Father, and yet the Bible tells me it will happen regardless... I suppose I need to just get over it and stand, but it sometimes seems like these physical odds trump my confidence.
I think we have all felt that way. I know that I do. Here is where I struggle, I want to worship but I don't want to cause others to stumble and I also don't want to come across as a show-off. I agree with you though, maybe we should forget the world and just embrace Christ, do what we feel led to do and quick trying to mentally make sure everything works out before we move.
i struggle with that too. i have way to much going on mentally when i try to worship. i'm always worried that somebody is watching me and they are going to question my sincerity, so i end up not praising God like I would really like to. This bothers me so incredibly much. i've struggled with it for a long time. I try to get past it, but its really hard. My greatest times of worship are in the car while i'm driving and no one is around, just me and God.
10 comments:
I think you're so right. So many times we get caught up in all the programs and activities that our Church might be having, that we forget what it's really all about- bringing glory and honor to Christ our Lord. I really do think that we get so focused some times on playing our little game of "Church" that we totally forget about all the lost and dieing people out there that need the love of God so desperately in their lives.
I think so often we think of church as a physical structure... Like some sort of "holy temple" where God's going to naturally be just because it's a church. And it's cute and cuddly to think of it this way... It makes our jobs as Christians alot more simple. It takes away our obligation of praying for the lost, praying to truly seek and worship God, and just inviting God into our services. Church is actually what happens when a group of people come together to truly praise and worship God. This doesn't sound pretty though, because for some people using this definition would make what they do on Sunday not church, it would make their action just another turning of the wheel... So I guess a better question to ask would be... Are we seeking God? Or are we seeking what makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside?
Why do you think we get so caught in the motions? I honestly can not wrap my head around it. The Bible speaks plainly yet we are blinded to what it is we are suppose to be and do.
I think it's because of something you mentioned yesterday. We're wrapped up in creating this fleshly reverence for God, instead of having a true reverence for Him from the heart. And as you said, none of us really know what reverence is, because how exactly do you show enough respect and honor and glory to God? We're imperfect worshipping something that is perfect. That means no matter what we do we can't fill that gap, and I think too often in church we try to fill that gap with dead works to make us feel like we're accomplishing something.(I'm not saying that works are bad, but the definition for dead works are works done that are not God led) Also it gives us reason to not read the Word or have a relationship with God because we're "doing his work".
well, i would just like to say that I believe most of the "programs & activities" start off with completely good motives. i think its a good thing to have activities that people can be involved in with the church that bring glory to God, or to just have fellowship with other believers instead of getting involved with things of the world. i think most Christians would agree with that....but we do tend to get way to caught up in it. It becomes sort of a safe haven from the world I guess. We tend to enjoy our safe little christian commities and get-togethers more than we have a burden for the lost.
There have been many times that I looked around our church on sunday mornings and wondered why exactly it was that we were all gathered in that place because from the looks of it there wasn't a single person in the sanctuary that was truly worshiping God. There were all the exact same people that had attended FBC since I was born and there was no growth and the faces when we were singing hymns were all just stone. It really bothered me, and I was actually ashamed to bring a guest because 1) i didnt think they would feel that they were accepted or that they fit in and 2) if i were a guest I know I wouldnt enjoy the service because I didnt even enjoy the service and I was a long time memeber. It really bothered me that I would visit other churches and feel more welcome as a guest there than I did as a member in my own church. I will say that our church has come a ways since that time. the praise and worship, for one, always seems to impact me. It melts my heart to see other people truly worshiping God with everything that is in them.
I may have gotten off subject and I apologize...i guess i was just venting.
you posted the blog a few days ago, and i've been hesitant to respond to it. reading over it again, and looking at the questions you list, it really startles me. i've never asked those questions to myself at church on sunday morning, or wednesday night. but, i have asked myself those questions at school or just simply in common situations outside of church. sometimes i feel like, when i think of "church" those aspects should already be apart of it. it should be inviting, we should care, there should be Jesus, and we should want everyone and their grandmother to know about Jesus. but sometimes, we get too caught up in the little things and the important things are forgotten.
how are we ever going to fix our problems if we are too afraid to step on somebodies feet and talk about them? this is a problem i have. i don't like offending people, especially when it comes to changing a program i may have only been apart of for less than a year, and they've been in it their whole lives it seems like. if any of that makes sense.
I know guys and gals. I know the frustration. I have to be careful how loud I bark because I do not want to offend people or come across the wrong way. I am just tired of the sanctimonious thought that good looks equals Godly. I want a room where all people feel welcomed and wanted. I want a church that the people come to worship and seek after God almighty and not themselves. I want to be taken to the throne of my living King and to feel the warmth of His glory upon my soul.
I also know that I have to be willing to stand and worship. I have to quite being afraid to worship. I know that I must take a stand and seek the throne in my heart, whether anyone else does or not.
So, here is a question......
What do we do?
What do we do... That's the question to be asked, but is there truly a sure fire answer? Ofcourse I can say, let's pray and Jesus will make it better for us, but isn't that the same thing we do everyday? We have a problem and dump it out to God expecting some miraculous happening within the next 24 hours without any input from ourselves... So yes, what do we do? I believe we have to in our own hearts begin to truly seek God, not ask him for an absolute solution because he has already given us an Absoulte Solution. That's Jesus Christ. Through Christ, and through the bond that we have with God because of Christ we have the ability to truly seek God. This means when we feel like standing and falling at the feet of God and worshipping we do it, no matter where we are. Also it means we talk to our Father like He is our Father and not our always loving grandmother that gives us hugs when we feel a little down. And it means we have to read God's Word, study it, and really devote ourselves. I say these things, knowing it's what I should be doing and yet I find myself constantly falling short of it. Sometimes in church I just want to stand and raise my hands to my Father, but I always allow what the rest of the congregation will think. I sometimes feel like I'm going to cause a riot over trying to praise my Father, and yet the Bible tells me it will happen regardless... I suppose I need to just get over it and stand, but it sometimes seems like these physical odds trump my confidence.
Tyrone,
I think we have all felt that way. I know that I do. Here is where I struggle, I want to worship but I don't want to cause others to stumble and I also don't want to come across as a show-off. I agree with you though, maybe we should forget the world and just embrace Christ, do what we feel led to do and quick trying to mentally make sure everything works out before we move.
i struggle with that too. i have way to much going on mentally when i try to worship. i'm always worried that somebody is watching me and they are going to question my sincerity, so i end up not praising God like I would really like to. This bothers me so incredibly much. i've struggled with it for a long time. I try to get past it, but its really hard. My greatest times of worship are in the car while i'm driving and no one is around, just me and God.
Post a Comment