Repetitious Instructions To Clap For The Lord: Pros & Cons

[Marathoner]

4 hours ago, Michael37 said:

Heads bowed, eyes closed . . .

 

[Neighbor]

12 hours ago, Michael37 said:

Heads bowed, eyes closed . . .

While the organist plays just as I am...

Yes  just raise your hand right where you are, Yes, Yes I see you, yes...

Now we are going to do that until someone comes forward, play it again, yes yes I see you and you. Raise your hand, come forward...

Thank you in the name of Charles Finney.

Note : I as born again and sent to independent Baptist Church KJV only Baptist. Why? I dunno, God has a sense of humor?

Yes He does as he after some 40 years has me associating with those aged Jesus freaks of Chuck Smith's movement.

There's no hippie like an old "suit" turned loose after all these years.

Praise God for all of the journey. It has been  fun educational and good for me personally at each and every one of the several stops along the way.

[Neighbor]

I think the fun movie Brother White handles with  some good comedy this business of commanding praise raising hands giving an amen.

See the official trailer to  Brother White about  minute and a half into it "Can I get an amen!?, Can I get a half an Amen? Response "God Help Us"

[Michael37]

2 hours ago, Neighbor said:

I think the fun movie Brother White handles with  some good comedy this business of commanding praise raising hands giving an amen.

See the official trailer to  Brother White about  minute and a half into it "Can I get an amen!?, Can I get a half an Amen? Response "God Help Us"

The whole scope of how church services and meetings track from start to finish has been in flux for me of late. I used to prepare Orders of Service and coach Ministerial Trainees on how to do this, but I was given strict guidelines to follow, and made seriously aware of how deviation would be viewed by the core members of the congregation.

I have been behaving myself lately, by not addressing disparities in service formats for my wife's sake, so that I don't seem unnecessarily contentious, or upset the theological applecart where she likes to fellowship.

[Tristen]

If one feels compelled to clap (etc.) because they are moved by God to applause, then they should ideally be permitted to do so (assuming appropriate respect is given to the circumstance). If one has to be reminded/encouraged to clap (etc.), then is the action really from the heart?

If one feels compelled to remind/encourage others to clap (etc.), then perhaps the Minister is not doing their job - i.e. pushing rather than leading. If one feels the need to prompt a response, can the response be considered heartfelt, or is it simply reactive? If a preacher feels they need to wind up the crowd, it could be symptomatic of hype over anointing.

 

[Neighbor]

37 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

by the core members of the congregation.

 

Ah! The core members. Key to the problem I'm guessing may be found in a question, is there a core? And, should there be? Or even if there should be such a thing as membership at all  with members?

My recent years association with Calvary Chapel(s) has turned that whole idea upside down for me. And I like it.  Why there is no membership. Hard to have core members when there is no membership at all.

Personal experience tale: 50 core members, of a church  that employed me in the past for approximately 16 years, contended that they wanted return of an organ for worship music. They raised money for it and insisted on  having one. The elders said no, we have moved along from that. The fifty left.

Oh, oh the core left what will happen was the cry  from many, why  they were the financial backbone ( Though no one had access to who gave what, ever).  They left as a group; the weekly offering? It dropped $50 a week for the remainder of the fiscal year, and next year shot up  substantially.

Oh our budget was  over $1,000,000 US dollars a year. If God leads then the core of an establishment had better be flexible, bending on knees in prayer, for God needs no core to support His own as they are led by the Holy Spirit into doing His will for any group  or church body.

Just a real tale from real life. That church today is thriving and moving along in many ways, always staying though with verse by verse through the Bible messaging.

 

 

[Neighbor]

1 hour ago, Michael37 said:

I used to prepare Orders of Service and coach Ministerial Trainees on how to do this, but I was given strict guidelines to follow, and made seriously aware of how deviation would be viewed by the core members of the congregation.

Hi again, Just thinking how very vey different  this world of blue light screens glowing  in the congregation gathering has made order of service guidance. Why there isn't even the printing on paper the order of service folders anymore.

Worship Services and school classes message texts can be available to follow as the worship service or school class  unfolds or even be studied head of time, in multiple languages.

The backs of  pews, wait not pews anymore, padded stack chairs, have a QR code on them. No need for hymnals either. And if one forgets their cell phone or tablet there is the no wait the several big screens to look at too.

 An order of services format, may be changed  readily  as quickly as the need or desire comes up. No one need think well it will be a list of week's notes of events, followed by handshaking (Share a germ), and then a opening dirge, a long prayer,  and four more staid dirges, and then  an introduction of the message plus the message, and a close with  prayer and once a month maybe  Lord's supper. etc.

Most everyone of any age that has a smart phone or tablet is used to rapid change and easy to acquire information- the local church need keep up the pace or  be found as inconvenient and laborious  as reading  out of the KJV in the original format of 1611.

My opinion of course, and I am an old guy kinda set in his ways! Even I find it very cool that  the worship is inviting, interesting,  as well as encouraging to the young among us, especially so.

ps; As to the message  itself the  I am going to tell you what I am about to tell you,   followed by the telling  of it, and then the summary of what I have told you. all  backed with  the reading of the Bible text word for word verse by verse still works nicely in a fast paced world. An expositor's manner of presenting, still cuts through the chatter  and distractions of the world.

All the above are just the thoughts of a geezer still around on this side on this side of the grass. 

 

[Marathoner]

I do not fit in such establishments. I stirred up outrage when, faced with coercion to attend head-bobbing men's meetings bereft of the Spirit, I would simply stand up in the midst of a mind-numbing monologue and leave. 

Oh, but no one was paying enough attention to that particular elder. The Lord required that, yes? 

No. He did not require that. The man's religious ranting was going to give my neck repetive motion injury.