Handshaking

I hate that part of the service. It's rowdy and raucous and it just destroys a worshipful mood. There is plenty of time for hand shaking after the benediction.

 

I disagree. It's kind of like passing the peace at a Catholic service. It gives a chance to greet each other and bond as a community for worship.

 

To each church its own.

Sometimes in some churches, this time drones on and on and on. And on. And on and on.

Sometimes in some churches, the members are so busy with each other they fail to recognize, acknowledge, hug, shake, kiss the visitors. Seriously. This probably is more disturbing to me than anything. Enough already.

 

Wrong! When they pass the peace they stay pretty much where they are, extend a hand and say, "Peace be with you." No chit chat, no introductions, not even "Good morning." When we have greeting time it is chaos. People are running around all over the place and the decibel level actually exceeds many of the songs we sing. It's more like an Amway convention than a church service.

 

Over the years, I've felt much the same way as you. Not that our fellowship time is rowdy, but that it might destroy a worshipful mood.

I've been concerned that our worship services are already skewed toward being contrivedly informal, and sometimes devoid of any solemnity.

But, as I think about it, I find, in my own church, that such fellowship does not destroy a "mood." Now, I do think that following the "Hallelujah Chorus" with a Mark Lowry comedy routine would kill a worship service.

I'm thinking that if the Holy Spirit is in the midst of our worship, then we'll know it, and there'll be no "mood" to kill.

But if reaching that mood is an end itself, it won't take much to distract us from it.

 

The aloofness being implied by some here is a very, very rare find in PB churches, if at all. In fact, I've been PB for more than ten years now, and I have yet to see it.
Every member has the right to ignore the Pastor's "order" to shake anyone's hands, and the opportunity to look straight ahead and ignore somebody whose hands he doesn't want to shake...in any church.
To be fair, even in non-PB churches, with the exception of a few I've been to, everybody is friendly and I guess even if the pastor hadn't suggested shaking hands, they would have shaken hands with their visitors and greeted them.
The exceptions I've seen were in some churches in Western New York, as I've already shared in some of my earlier posts last year.

 

The Old Baptists shake hands in an orderly fashion WHILE SINGING the last hymn. We sing acapella. Granted, the song can and often does get stalled or broken up some during this time, but no one cares, someone will pick it back up and get us restarted and the singing continues.

 

I'm OK with that, but not during church service. Pinoy, I'm not opposed to shaking hands, I love people, I even hold a public office so some would say I'm a politician. During the church service, when we are instructed to be orderly, is just not the time for it. "[L]et all things be done properly and in an orderly manner." 1 Cor. 14:40.

 

No one should be forced to shake hands if they're not comfortable with it. My first wife was very shy around strangers and refused to shake anyone's hand. It was very embarrassing to me to see her look down at the floor and refuse to extend her hand to anyone. Still, I don't think it is good to grab someone hand and force them to shake. Fortunately, no one ever did that to her. I was raised a ta time when a man was taught that "A gentleman never shakes a lady's hand unless she offers hers first."

I have no problem with hand shaking, but I do not like to hug men. The pastor in one church I attended for a while hugged everyone--whether they wanted it or not. After I removed my choir robe, I went out the back door so I didn't have to hug him. No one should be forced to hug or be hugged if they're not comfortable with it. I have no problem hugging women if they want to, though, so I'm not completely against hugging.

Baptist churches (the ones I've been in anyway) are fond of shaking hands and sometimes have a "welcome and handshaking" time during the song service. While I think visitors should be welcomed during that time, I don't think that time should be taken from the service to do a long and time consuming welcome and hand shaking.

 

I'll hug to that ! :thumbsup::flower:

(just kidding, alright ?)

 

Why not a Special Sunday Fist Bump.. Let's all agree to replace handshakes with Fist Bumps on Superbowl Sunday!!!!

OK.. .OK


Just jokin! sorta!

Can I get a high five?!

 

I'm really sad to see some of the responses on this thread because I've always enjoyed and even looked forward to our handshaking/greeting time at church. I've never felt "compelled" to shake hands simply because the worship leader tells us to "greet those around you.". Our church is very welcoming and friendly and whenever we have visitors, they are quickly surrounded by church members eager to shake hands and introduce themselves. This would happen regardless of whether or not we had a "formal" time to do so. If we were not friendly in this way I would think our church was stuck up and uncaring.

It just amazes me that anyone would dislike a greeting/handshake time at church. I have visited churches where no one would even smile or shake my hand as a visitor, and I never went back as a result.

Sorry, but I have to shake my head at some of these responses. What do you folks think we're going to do in heaven, sit around and worship Jesus and ignore everyone else? Might as well learn how to fellowship here on earth before then, doncha think?

 

This is partly my point, before, during, and or after the church.

 

I don't think "fellowship" is "just" a handshake or a hug or a five minute time of chaos. Fellowship is getting involved in people's lives.

 

Here.. I will give you a handshake...:wavey:

 

That was a wave.

 

after the singing our church takes about 5 to 8 minutes for everybody to say hello and take the little ones to Little church for kids. then the pastor preaches, its works out pretty good but our services last a while longer than most but we all like it. And for the record I'm with ya Jon-Mark I don't hug men either :thumbsup:

 

No problem with that in my church or town. In fact, I'd like a little more privacy sometimes!:smilewinkgrin:

 

True. I think we should be friendly, especially to visitors. If not a handshake, a smile and a warm hello would go a long way to making people feel welcome.