Church Services Have Become an Event, With Consumers Who Come to Watch a Show Today’s churches contain two types of people. And each of us fits in one category or the other. We are either performers or spectators. If this seems callous, consider that we live in an entertainment-centered society. We watch TV, go to […]
Discover How to Reframe Worship from a Biblical Perspective What do you think of when you hear the word worship? How do we worship God? What does worshiping our Lord mean? Worship Service Many churches refer to their Sunday morning meeting time as “worship” or “worship service.” This is how they list it on their […]
The church meets in a middle school’s all-purpose room. Large portable signs direct us to the entrance. We enjoy a refreshing church service. Consider these four discussion questions about Church #38: 1. People mill about: talking, sipping coffee, or munching snacks. They represent all age groups, with many kids. Younger people are the future of […]
Discussing Church 30 When Candy asked about the service time, the pastor confirmed what their website said: 10 a.m. When we arrive, they tell us to sit anywhere. After fifty agonizing minutes, they say, “Thanks for coming. The service will start in about ten minutes.” They used the old bait and switch tactic on us. […]
Discussing Churches 14-26 For the past twenty-six weeks we’ve sought to expand our understanding of how others worship God. Consider these two discussion questions about the second part of our journey: 1. I now realize that church is not about the teaching or music. It’s about community. How can your church foster community and promote […]
The Bible Should Inform Our Actions, Not Justify Our Habits Christianity has its traditions and religious practices. We often persist in them with unexamined acceptance. And if we do question our behaviors, we can often find a verse in the Bible to justify them. But that doesn’t make them right. The Lens of Scripture We […]
A Traditional, Friendly Congregation With our journey of visiting fifty-two churches over, I can reflect more on the complete experience. Today, I’ll add to my thoughts about Church #24. The people at this traditional church were friendly, much friendlier than most. The message was good and gave me something to contemplate, but it was the […]
Embracing a Service in Mandarin With our journey of visiting fifty-two churches over, I can reflect more on the complete experience. Today, I’ll add to my thoughts about Church #20. Although I’m uncomfortable in situations where language differences make conversation hard, if not impossible, something about this church draws me. Despite not knowing Mandarin, I […]
Embrace the Benefits of Meeting Together When we can’t attend church, to meet in person, and must experience a service online, does that count as going to church? The essential parts of the service are the same. There is music, a message, and a prayer or two. F or these three key elements, the result […]
Including us, twenty-one people have gathered. Up front, a rugged wooden cross has a purple cloth draped over it and a white dove perched on the crosspiece. The bird seems out of place until my wife reminds me we’re at a Pentecostal church, and it represents the Holy Spirit. We stand to begin the service, […]