Second Baptist Houston

I was friends with a couple several years ago (they attended my previous church) who were members of 2nd Baptist until they moved to TN. They tried so hard to turn our little Sunday school class into the same type they had in Houston, but it just didn't work. They were used to having about 75 members in class. This was just one class and they went to church on Saturday nights because they are so huge they have to split up the services by days.
The handbook for SS (kinda like the bylaws for how it should be run) was about an inch thick. No thanks.

I'd rather have my little country church.

 

I've never been to Ed Sr.'s Church but I listen to him sometimes on TV. I enjoy listening to him.

 

Ouch!

One Sunday night, we had a family of visitors come into the service. When we greeted people, NOT ONE of our people went to speak to the guests. They looked around for someone to speak to and ended up speaking to themselves.

2 things happened: 1) they never came back (big surprise); 2) I tore into our people the next Sunday night about what happened. The reviewer caught it just right. We get so busy talking to ourselves that we forget those who may not be quite like ourselves.

 

One thing I can say about our Church is that a visitor NEVER goes unnoticed. They get all kinds of greets from several people. We are careful not to "flood" them but, at several different times they are made to feel welcome. Our Church truly does love to see new people come and it shows. That is what most that intergrate into regular attendence say that drawed them the most as a reason to come back.

 

It's hard to argue that this isn't the way church has become.

 

You think the guy in the parking lot was a visitor? What'll happen if the others find out he's speaking to the visitors? :BangHead:

 

Well give me a big church over a little church anyday. I love being anonymous, being able to go in, worship the Lord and then leave. Small churches know your business and are always asking for you to help with this or that. This reminds me alot of the church I attend in Indianapolis.

 

Isn't that one of the many blessings of the church? To live life together, bearing each other's burdens, and actually helping each other?

God forbid we help one another. Or, perhaps you were being sarcastic.

 

Slipping through the cracks, you never have to do anything and no one ever knows about it. No responsabilities, no relationships, no commitments.
This is not worship.

 

I wasnt being sarcastic. I love the big church with the anonimity and being able to go in and not have someone into your business. Thats just me. I am a prayer warrior for my friends and I will help my friends I dont need a church to do that.:wavey:

 

It may not be the way you like to worship, but I love going into church with my cup of starbucks coffee and getting in there and letting the music lift my spirits. For me its about having a personal realtionship with Christ. And at church in that seat with the music and the powerful message I am being fed.

 

So maybe you are talking about church as in the big building. What you describe to me with your friends IS church. We should be that way with people outside of our circle of friends as well....not wishing to avoid them for fear they'll get in our "business". There are so many in churches who fear letting people know the junk in their lives, thus are holding onto it. You could probably help many in the church if you would open your life up to others.

You can't love God but avoid His bride.

By the way...nothing wrong with you focusing on the music, with your coffee...I think it is good you are connecting in that way. The problem I have doesnt' have to do with that. It has to do with intentionally avoiding others in the church you should be connecting with.

 

I agree:thumbs:

 

Absolutely NOTHING anonymous about being a Christian.

 

Again.:thumbs:

 

Wow, that just knocks my socks off.
So, you want to know everyone else's business so you can consider yourself a prayer warrior then. Where did that Biblical talent come from?

 

And thats you all....I love being anonymous. I have enough junk going on in my life right now that I dont need people passing judgement on me or bashing me for the decisions the Lord is helping me with. Being Christian means following Christ and living for Him. People make being a Christian alot harder than it actually is. I actually have tried both the small church and the big church and I like the big church better. I tried a small church a couple weeks back and like in the middle of the service they wanted to introduce me to the church....okay well I am totally not into that and then at the end of the service when I really needed to get going they wanted to find out all about me and the issues in my life....I have the Lord in control of the issues in my life this is Him and I in this. Thats what it means to have a connection in Him. Big churches also have so many more opportunities for kids sunday school programs and outreach...

 

The issue isn't big church or little church. The issue is your vulnerability, and willingness to be held accountable, within the church. It isn't only about accountability...but the fact that God uses everyone's experiences to initiate a healing process for the junk in our lives. We weren't designed to be alone....we're designed to be in community. Oh yeah, community doesn't mean eating together with fake smiles, with everyone miraculously doing great in life. It involves vulnerability.

Church is more than songs and an atmosphere for individual worship. Christianity is not a loner faith. It is quite the opposite. Don't get caught up in individualism that is so strong it rejects any need for others.