Featured Back-Row Baptists

I wouldn't know....I like to sit in the front, as close as possible. I don't want to miss anything!

 

Not sure why this is, just part of human nature I guess.
I was in a prayer meeting one time and a little older lady sat in the far back and kept asking the pastor to repeat every request because she could not hear. He politely asked if she would move up to the front so she could hear better and she was offended.

 

The same thing happens at our church. The back two pews are always taken first, then the older people complain they can't hear. The back pews are also by the air conditioning vents and the people complain about "freezing" during the services. I tell them to come sit with me up by the piano, because its warmer, but so far no one will.

People just like to whine.

My biggest pet peeve is that half the church comes late for every service. The funny part is that the latecomers can't get the back rows and have to move closer to the front.

 

Pastors, I'm afraid it's a losing battle. After my beloved father-in-law retired from the pastorate, he sits on the back row.

Last Sunday night, 90% of the people there were on the last three rows of our auditorium. Lot's of open space in front of them.

However, because the design of auditorium, the back row is only 50 feet from the pulpit. So it's no big deal for us.

 

I'm 72 years old and know where I want to sit, I don't need others making up my mind for me for goodness sake.

Why make everyone move when you - 1 person - could move much easier????????

 

Don't complain when you cannot hear, that is all I ask.

 

Didn't say I was hard of hearing

 

Did you not read my first line? That is where I want!

Went to a little church once and everyone had their favorite place to sit - mostly habit. Never visitors so no big deal.

One day we were all seated waiting for the preacher and a young lady walked in and said "Oh, I see everyone is in their little seats." in a rather snooty tone of voice. She walked to the back and across to HER little seat

Maybe another question, why is it that pastors/teachers feel the need to rearrange people that have selected their seats.

Maybe you need to create a "FIRST CLASS" area in the front.

 

I was blessed with a wonderful, loud, booming baritone voice. I sit in the back so my voice fillls the church when we sing.

 

Our church is full, so all our pews are filled.

 

Our Pastor is a blessing to us, that's one of the reasons our pews are filled.

 

I wonder what would happen if you set up a pulpit in the back of the auditorium? :smilewinkgrin:

 

I prefer the back because:

1.) I am very tall/large (I'm a bit over 6'05" and built like a linebacker) and people have a hard time seeing around me.
2.) I like to see the whole room, not just up front. That's a personal idiosyncrasy, since I hate to sit with my back to the door in public places. Additionally, I used to be a bodyguard, so it is a habit to be aware of everything that is going on in a room.
3.) If I need to leave for some reason, I don't want to be a distraction.

What I actually do:

1.) I sit within the first 10 rows on the extreme edge so that I won't block the view of people behind me.
2.) I want to set an example for the youth of our church to sit toward the front.
3.) I carry a concealed handgun and I sit in a place where I can take cover and react quickly to threats in the event something like that happens. (FYI, reacting quickly to threats does not mean I just starting firing my weapon like some people assume. Essentially, it gives me the opportunity to quickly assess the threat(s) and move quickly to close the gap and neutralize the threat with the minimum level of force needed.)

What I have done when I was a pastor or preaching in a church with most of the congregation sitting a long way from the pulpit:

1.) Comment on the "great gulf between us" in a good-humored way and build rapport with those who may be sitting a long way off because they don't want to be involved.
2.) If I have wireless capabilities, leave the pulpit and make generous use of the aisles to keep the congregation engaged. I go into the pulpit with minimal notes since by the time I stand up to preach, I have essentially memorized the scriptural passage through study and only need a few items on a piece of paper as a crutch in case I somehow lose my train of thought. I will have my Bible in hand, along with a half-sheet of paper (the notes) tucked into the open page, so I can engage people very directly if necessary.
3.) I DON'T get passive-aggressive about it, but genuinely let people see that I love them and that I am merely working to communicate effectively with them.

 

Some come in late and sit in back to avoid the offensive music!