The way we do church

Tim...I totally agree with you. I do however like greeting people. But When the service starts I would like it to be about worship. I do not agree with how one person decides how the service is organized.

Heres what I would like to see sometimes...No preaching. How about prayer..Just prayer once in awhile...someone start the leading in prayer and others taking over throughout it. everyone in the church humbled in prayer. And I am not talking about just men. But everyone who is able to call on the Lord.

I am so fed up with the commercialism that church has become. In by 10:45 and out by noon. Does not matter what church you go to; big or little, its the same thing.

Whats wrong with walking in the church and picking up the your Bible and saying scripture.

Who decided that today's church should be done the way it is?

When we were snowed in, my children and I read scripture on Sunday, and prayed, and sang, and I tell you the worship was so much better. We really and truly could see a difference.

Also; where did the sermon idea come from? Jesus giving a parable to the people? I do not concider listening to a man talk, worship.

Sherrie

 

The more I read about churches, the more thankful I am for my church.

 

What do you suggest? How should the congregation participate more in the service?

I would prefer to listen to the pastor who has studied the Bible and teaches the word than listen to someone from the congregation that I do not have confidence in their beliefs. Just my opinion.

I think there might be more agruments than we find here on the BB.

 

Sherrie, have you considered serving God as a worship leader in a church. Sounds like you are gifted and equipped for this task.

 

You are correct, Tim. I know my husband knows as much as our pastor and other deacons do also, but usually those are not the ones who try to take over a service when given the chance.

We do have times in our church where members give praise reports, favorite scriptures, personal testimonties and I am all for that. I just am one that likes a structured church service.

 

I agree with you Thankful. Just because someone knows scripture does not mean they have the ability to preach or to feed the flock. I find it much more spiritually uplifting to hear a good sermon preached on Sunday mornings, along with some good singing.

Bro. James

 

So what is wrong with this picture?... Matthew 5:[1] And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

[2] And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying...

When a preacher gets up in front of a congregation is he not following the teaching that Jesus first taught?... I see those paying full attention to what Jesus said and not milling about... Nor asking questions either!... Is church for a question and answer session or is it to feed the children of God?

If you have questions will not God provide the answers during the preaching?... Does he not know what is on your heart?... I know he has answered my questions many times with the answers I needed. When you go to church are you not expecting to be fed?... If you are in the word during the week... Would not the food the Lord provides be of greater benefit to you who hunger and thrist after righteousness than those who just go to church... To go to church?

The way we do church in the Primitive Baptist Church... Is make a joyful noise unto the Lord... In song... Beseech the Lord in humble prayer that he might bless the preacher to preach the whole counsel of God... Thank the Lord in song for being in our midst one more time... And thank him in prayer for answering the questions of our hearts... And if it be according to his just right and holy will we may meet again... Brother Glen The Primitive Baptist

[ April 04, 2003, 01:11 PM: Message edited by: tyndale1946 ]

 

Bro. Tim, I suppose I see what you are saying, but I must disagree with you.(Who'd have evr thought there'd be disagreement on this board? )

I believe that we, as the congregation, can tell when a man is preaching and when he is talking. I would also expect for the preacher to know this as well. I would expect that, if a man is standing before a congregation with a message that is not straight from God, he would sit down. I have seen this happen a few times.

I don't like to put the apostles higher than other men. They were really not all that different. Paul says he is the chief of sinners. He did not want to be put on a pedastal above any of God's other ministers. After all, they were just men.

We have had many times in our church, in the past, when it has just been a dry spell in the preaching department. Our church was not being fed. Everyone recognized this, so our pastor resigned and moved aside. I really feel like God gives His true ministers the ability to see when and if the flock is being fed.

God Bless. Bro. James

 

Brother James... I know what I feel comfortable with and most of the PB I was raised around did it the old way... I guess that just the way I was raised and they were raised... Feel kinda strange if they did it any other way.

I understand there are many ways to do church and don't begrudge any PB from doing it different... I guess when it comes right down to it... If you will pardon this expression... It's the tradition of men ... Brother Glen The Primitive Baptist

 

Bro. Glen, I don't understand. Do you have the idea that we do things differently? If I alluded to that in an earlier post, it was not my intention. We do church the same way every other Primitive Baptist, that I know of, does. Was there something I said that seemed to lean toward some other practice of worship?

Your brother, James.

 

Quote from Thankful:

What do you suggest? How should the congregation participate more in the service?

I would prefer to listen to the pastor who has studied the Bible and teaches the word than listen to someone from the congregation that I do not have confidence in their beliefs. Just my opinion.

**********************

Thankful, the very fact that we've seen it work so beautifully in more than one small-group Bible study setting is what makes us think that it could be a helpful model for some churches. (Not all, certainly, becuase some people will still want to just listen to a preacher.) But if you have a small group that meets in a home in which the members know each other personally and truly care about each other, then when someone brings up a question that is clearly wrong (like, "I don't see why we need to pray because God is going to do whatever He wants to do anyway,"), more than one person can bring thoughts and Scripture to bear on that issue, always understanding that still one person is clearly the leader, who will rebuke and correct when necessary. The fact that the pastor doesn't "preach" as we think of the term would make him no less the pastor.

In Christian love,
Rebecca

 

Thank you, Rebecca, for answering my question.

What you are describing is like our Bible Studies that meet during the week. Some are in homes; some are at the church. Then we have the more formal type worship service on Sunday Morning and an informal one on Sunday evening where people interact more.

Actually, our church is not very formal, but we do have an order of service for Sunday Morning which is not the same every Sunday.

Betty

 

Well kick me in the caboose Brother James... Shame on me ... I got you confused with Tim ... I should know better PBs never change... What was I thinking? ... Mi Casa... Su Casa... A true PB worship service is the same whereever you go!... Brother Glen The Primitive Baptist

 

This is a blessing when the man pastoring is willing to submit to God's will as such. We have some in the missionary churches who see this as do you, but not all are willing to view this as such.


Our worship services are Sun. Morning at 11:00, we have no formal service. The church is open to the movement of the Holy Spirit. If the preacher is permitted to preach we have preaching, if not he may teach, but when he has nothing to say he sits down, services are never followed for the "sake" of having been to "church."

We, at least I value the ability to know when God has provided a topic and when he has not, thus the ability to close my mouth that the Spirit may move among the brethren. This is my view of worshipping in spirit and in truth.

God bless.
Bro. Dallas