Questionable Practices

I don't know about singing "Happy Birthday" in the middle of the service. I have seen it done in the beginning before the worship service actually gets started.

If the local body of believers truly are "family," why should we not fellowship with each other in this way? But putting it in at the wrong time could be disrupting. Perhaps it would be better during the Sunday School hour!

Playing a game? Games with a purpose are good for classroom environments more than the church worship service.

 

You can sing whenever you want to I would reckon. Is that when the announcements are made right before the offering and sermon? Then that would seem the most logical place for it.

I would have to understand the purpose of the game. If it lead into the sermon as an illustration I wouldn't fuss at it.

The Christmas thing I do balk at. We non-Catholics do not practice any Mass any other time except Christ Mass and the mass is blasphemy so why not if you just have to celebrate His birth which is not suggested or commanded only His death then why not for crying out loud on a day more likely His brithday and make the traditions giving to the poor or extra service for Him instead of a special service and sweating out what to but Aunt Minnie since she spent $100 on you last year and you need to do at least $110 this year. It is all pagan balderdash and is possibly more of an affront to the Lord than anything.

 

Ok Christmas is evil, trees are of the devil and remembering the birth of Christ is something churches shouldn't do.

Moving on not enough time in the day to get involved in this ridiculous discussion

 

We do that all the time in our church. Before the preaching begins we sing happy birthday to the recipient. We do not put up a crib or a tree at christmas.

I like the fact that our church is the way it is. I feel like we are very personable and I feel like I am at home there. (Compairing to Catholics) you could barely even talk to your neighbor there. We converse back and forth with the Pastor during the sermons. Try that in a Catholic Church!

I agree with being personable. It makes me love my church and my christian family as much.

 

I know many people/churches who do these "practices," and have no lightning scars!

 

We have a Christmas tree in our foyer now....celebrating Christmas in August. The ornaments have different school supplies written on them. A person is to take an ornament and buy the suggested school supplies and place under the tree. These school supplies will go to needy children.

We wish people happy birthday and sometime we sing. We have a lovely Christmas Tree at Christmas time. We have one Sunday where we hang the green and decorate. Then we have a Christmas Eve service, singing praises to our Lord and light candles. It is a beautiful service.

Our pastor involves the youth and children in our services so many times it may appear a little chaotic, but our church fellowships together and we love our Lord God and it shows through our joy and happiness.

And, we just placed a beautiful, lighted sign, giving our chuch name, pastor's name and worship times. We can also place messages on it. We are trying to be a light for our community.

 

Just about every practice mentioned on the Baptist Board that is not teaching, preaching, praying, or singing!