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To the blasted flag-wavers at my church...

Discussion in '2005 Archive' started by Matt Black, May 26, 2005.

  1. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    Who exactly gave you permission to inflict your particular brand of 'worship' on the rest of us? To march up and down the aisle waving a flag in my face? To almost poke my infant son's eye out with it?

    Oh, so you've been to a 'Music and Movement Workshop' at the Spring Harvest Conference, have you? Well, good for you, but I don't see why we have to endure banners and flags being moronically wafted in front of us every jolly Sunday since ! And, yes, I know it floats your boat worship-wise (and doubtless the boats of one or two other people in the congregation); that's fine - you can do it in the comfort of your own homes (I don't terribly mind you doing it once in a while at church in an out-of-the-way corner just not every blasted week and not in my face, OK?). Hard rock music and Goth stuff floats my boat - perhaps you'd like me to get the sound technician to blare that out of the church PA system every Sunday for your edification? No? Then shove off out of my face yourselves.

    Oh, and it's a dangerous health and safety hazard too. So take your flags, ***, and get lost.

    Matt

    [ May 26, 2005, 09:47 AM: Message edited by: blackbird ]
     
  2. PastorSBC1303

    PastorSBC1303 Active Member

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  3. Ben W

    Ben W Active Member
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  4. Melanie

    Melanie Active Member
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    Cmon Matt, you gave us an earful of something that annoyed you......it sounds like......


    happy clappers!!!!!!!
     
  5. Pete

    Pete New Member

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    God's cheerleaders?! :eek: ;)

    I'll let 'em off for it only if playing "Joy is the flag" at the time :D
     
  6. menageriekeeper

    menageriekeeper Active Member

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    Having a bad day Matt?
     
  7. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    ummhh??
     
  8. Karen

    Karen Active Member

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    Matt,
    This thread is showing the cultural difference between UK Baptists and US Baptists.
    If not for the fact that I have attended church a number of times in the UK, I would not have had the slightest idea what you were talking about.

    You just don't see flags and banners liturgically waved in US Baptist churches.

    Where I did see it in the UK, I thought it was rather nice. But then, they did it off to the side, where no one was in danger of being poked!

    Karen
     
  9. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    oh, ok, I think I might know what you mean now.
     
  10. Victory in Jesus

    Victory in Jesus New Member

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    The people in our church just sit there and try with all our might to keep our eyes open. Occasionally someone claps and then we all look at him funny.
     
  11. PJ

    PJ Active Member
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    I like it! :D Umm, the flag waving that is ...

    PJ ;)
     
  12. Gib

    Gib Active Member

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    I haven't seen the flag or banner waving, but have been to a church with a scarf dancer/waver. She was a hoot.
     
  13. Victory in Jesus

    Victory in Jesus New Member

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    I was just kidding about falling asleep in church. Our pastor and co-pastor are really good speakers and it's difficult to fall asleep when they're preaching. I am SO glad the Lord led us to this church.

    And, yes sometimes people do get overly excited over the message and that just makes it more exciting.

    I was poking a little fun about our traditional Baptist church hands-in-lap-no-talking-no-smiling conduct. :D

    I've noticed that the past two churches (the current one and the last church) claps after someone sings. I felt initially "the glory belongs to the Lord" and hesitated to clap (though we did say "amen"). Is this becoming common in other churches, also (clapping after someone sings)?
     
  14. following-Him

    following-Him Active Member

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    Matt,

    Do any of your church members post here in order to read your message to them, or will you be expressing your feelings more directly to your church?

    God Bless

    Sheila
     
  15. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    No, Sheila, AFAIK no-one from my church reads or posts here; I do intend to raise it at the next church meeting though; having ranted and vented here, I hope I will be able to do it in more measured terms there!

    The trouble is that these blasted prancers and dancers have the authorisation or at least the tacit approval of the Dear Leader-ship of the church, which does make it kind of difficult for me to stand up and shout, Cartman-style, "You will respect my authoritah!"

    To our American readers, do you suffer from something similar at least, such as the "woman at the front of church "Worshiping through the medium of interpretive dance" " syndrome? Is she there for our benefit? We must assume so, as she's at the front of the church. We all just have to try and look away.

    I suffered through the Great Flag-Waving Craze of the late 80's and it was truly awful. People thinking that if you wave a flag vigorously enough, that is "good worship" - whilst at the same time looking down their noses at anyone who refused to join in. Then there was the very real risk of having your eye taken out by a teenage oik who was completely unaware of anyone else in the vicinity.

    All that you need to add to the flags to make a "Perfect" worship experience is the massed ranks of the free-form Jazz tambourine shakers....

    Yours in Christ

    Matt
     
  16. NaasPreacher (C4K)

    NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

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    Morning Matt,

    I wish you felt free to express how you really feel about this issue. ;) [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  17. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    I was preaching through Hebrews 11 recently---got to the part where the Hebrew writer says the Pilgrims were all "looking for a better country"---and made this particular comment that turned a few spiritual heads

    "One of these days I'm going to turn my back on the United States!!! . . . and my face toward a city and country where Jesus is!!"

    Buddy-----I got some strange looks, believe me!!!
     
  18. NaasPreacher (C4K)

    NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

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    Too bad I wasn't there - would have gotten a great big

    AMEN!!!

    From me!
     
  19. mioque

    mioque New Member

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    The sad thing is, I would be so good at this.
    The woman at the front of church Worshiping through the medium of interpretive dance.
    The free-form Jazz tambourine shaker.
    :D
     
  20. Servent

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    I have seen this in churchs in Mexico,along with tambourine shakers. Never in the US.
     
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