Christians

[LyndaJayne]

Hi

Does anyone else feel like me about the church, Christians etc. I went to church this morning and the worship team were playing a game that involved pretending to surf on a surf board, it was really aimed at the kids and was good fun. They invited people to participate and the pastor and 2 children volunteered. At the end we had to clap to decide the winner, I was amazed that most of the adults clapped the pastor and not the children!, it really saddened me, why do adult Christians behave that way, it was like they were trying to gain favor with the Pastor, I am already dismayed by what I see in church and this didnt help.

I want a church that claps the Children and builds them up.

What do you think, I am really discouraged.

Lynda

[Joshua-777]

Hola, I understand what your saying, I've seen some youth churches that I believe fall short on edifying children, but I have seen many that build children up. I believe it is utterly important to build each other up in the Lord for Children as well as adults. My advice, keep it in prayer, and see where the Lord leads. If you are not getting fed at church, mabie look for a Church that builds you up.

[Matthitjah]

Grace to you,

Are you certain what you perceived was actually the case?

There was skit in my Church today as well. The Pastor participated and everyone clapped and it was quite funny. During the sermon he had a pair of wire cutters to make a point and even made a joke out of pulling out a hair from his nose with it. Everyone laughed because it was genuinely funny and sick.

Peace,

Dave

[LyndaJayne]

Hi Matt,

Yes I did see what I saw, most of the folks (male anyway) deliberately clapped the pastor and not the children, and yes it's time I found another church, problem is where I live there isnt much choice.

Lynda

"Trust in the Lord not man"

Grace to you,

Are you certain what you perceived was actually the case?

There was skit in my Church today as well. The Pastor participated and everyone clapped and it was quite funny. During the sermon he had a pair of wire cutters to make a point and even made a joke out of pulling out a hair from his nose with it. Everyone laughed because it was genuinely funny and sick.

Peace,

Dave

[Zadok Rox]

This is just me, but if I was the pastor, when it was time to clap for the kids, I would of pointed towards the kids and encourage the congregation to clap for them.

As already posted, pray to God about the church as a whole as well as whether or not He wants you to move your membership. You might have to travel to another town or two, but let God guide.

I'm going to be leaving my church within a month. About 5 months ago, there was a blow-up at a business meeting and it broke my heart. After praying about it, I felt lead by God to leave 5 months from then and give advance notice of my resigation from my positions 3 months before I left. Right now, things are going well at my church (though one of the people involved in the arguement isn't going there now) and people are wanting me to stay, but I must obey God. I'm praying as to where to go to after I depart.

[LyndaJayne]

That is sad Zadok,

satan is really getting into our churches, we must pray hard for our churches to be in unity eh.

Lynda

This is just me, but if I was the pastor, when it was time to clap for the kids, I would of pointed towards the kids and encourage the congregation to clap for them.

As already posted, pray to God about the church as a whole as well as whether or not He wants you to move your membership. You might have to travel to another town or two, but let God guide.

I'm going to be leaving my church within a month. About 5 months ago, there was a blow-up at a business meeting and it broke my heart. After praying about it, I felt lead by God to leave 5 months from then and give advance notice of my resigation from my positions 3 months before I left. Right now, things are going well at my church (though one of the people involved in the arguement isn't going there now) and people are wanting me to stay, but I must obey God. I'm praying as to where to go to after I depart.

[Carol R]

Hi,

I have worked with kids and agree it is good to build them up, its a shame that people are looking to man for praise instead of God. By this I mean they seem to need the pastor to see them clapping for him.

I would definately pray about it before you do anything, it may be that God doesn't want you to leave but to do something else there. What I do not know????

God bless you

[irishcowboy]

unfortunately, we tend to place people on pedistals..... we tend to seek the approval of the pastor(s)....

sometimes we even forget who and what it is all about.....

are we here to please man? or God??

who is being exhaulted? who is being raised up? who is being eddified? who is being comforted?

a few years ago, i was woke up in the middle of the night, and told to turn on the TV.... why? cause at that hour there is nothing but trash on the TV..... i complied, and turned it on..... there was a funeral taking place, i didnt want to see a funeral, so i changed the channel ( only have broadcast, no cable, no sattty tv,

each station had the same thing on, i was about to turn it off when the people started clapping and chearing for the man that was being burried..... the announcer said this is in honor of the man.... the people praising the man, honoring the man, glorifying the man, as I was watching this the intensity of the chearing and clapping increased.......

then

the Lord spoke.... spoke in such away, i shuttered..... and started weeping.....

He said "I WANT THAT PRAISE, I WANT THAT HONOR, I WANT THAT GLORY.... FOR I AM A JEALOUS GOD, THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER gods BEFORE THEE"

as humans, not unlike the Israelites, we want something we can see with our human/fleshly eyes, something we can touch with our hands, something we can compare ourselves to.... we want a human to take care of things for us.... we have become lazy, and inefficient with the work we have been called to do.

Israel, wanted a god they could see..... then they wanted a king like every one else.... they were never satisfied with the KING that they had, one that provided for them, that healed them that clothed them, that comforted them, that guarded them.... they wanted a man to lead them..... and then when they got a man, they were not satisfied with that man either, some thought who is this that he should be the one God speaks through? are we not just as good (relative term, good) as he is?? murmering and grumbling.....

God places only one person incharge of a ministry, and those that are working are extensions of his (her) hands...... but again, we still, for some reason, would rather a man lead us then GOD......

thus, we have a problem with a man (the pastor) being placed upon the pedistal, and when that happens, it is not beyond a man to fall off the pedistal.......

I behoove all of you not to place your pastor on a pedistal....respect him(her) honor the position, submit (not to be mistaken as being inslaved) to the position... do not grumble about your pastor.... should you come to the conclussion that you need a new pastor, you need to be praying for the one you have and you will have a new pastor..... one that you lifted up before the Lord, not one you lifted up and placed on a pedistal.....

Raise your children up before the Lord, daily....hourly.... they are the future of the church on this earth...

mike

[None]

Hi Matt,

Yes I did see what I saw, most of the folks (male anyway) deliberately clapped the pastor and not the children, and yes it's time I found another church, problem is where I live there isnt much choice.

Lynda

"Trust in the Lord not man"

Grace to you,

Are you certain what you perceived was actually the case?

There was skit in my Church today as well. The Pastor participated and everyone clapped and it was quite funny. During the sermon he had a pair of wire cutters to make a point and even made a joke out of pulling out a hair from his nose with it. Everyone laughed because it was genuinely funny and sick.

Peace,

Dave

Trust your heart. If you feel God is telling you something is wrong in that church, there probably is. Maybe you could begin a fellowship at your home for any other members who are feeling as you do about the church, since there aren't many options where you live.

[Zadok Rox]

Trust your heart. If you feel God is telling you something is wrong in that church, there probably is. Maybe you could begin a fellowship at your home for any other members who are feeling as you do about the church, since there aren't many options where you live.

Just be careful if you decide to have a fellowship at your home. Don't allow it to become a substitute for church or a hotbed for gossip. A couple of years ago, we began having prayer meetings, but they sometimes ended up being a time to grumble about things going on in the church (the pastor didn't come; he was assured that all we would do is pray, plus he was stretching himself thin). It wasn't long before nobody showed up for the prayer meeting.