Bootstrap wrote:If the love, joy, and peace are genuine, that tells you an awful lot about a church.
i realize this is meant to be a "no-brainer." but. no. it's "not necessarily so."
in my experience, this would be the creed of Universalist groups, or any feel-good group swimming in today's "worship self as god" thinking group.
this could be a deal-breaker for me.
i would recognize/expect/want these things in church picnics, possibly Sunday school classes, family reunions, other open, social gatherings.
church is about humbling ourselves before God, and worshiping God.
it's about facing our own inadequacies with understanding our need for God's inspired leadership. church can be a place for tears and pain. with God's promise of His One Way out.
in the last few days, i have been thinking about
sullymusic's call for the importance of worship of God in church. his emphasis was on clarifying what worship music actually is.
"What do you regret is gone from MD?" Page 1
http://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php ... ymusic#p56
by ragpicker » Sat Oct 22, 2016 10:26 am
What is the specific content that you regret is gone from MD? (intent is nostalgia, not whining or finger pointing) I'll go first...
Generally speaking, it's a big ol' shrug for me.
1. Any content related to connecting with people in real life. ie: Guess Who I Met thread, etc.
2.
truthseeker's and sullymusic's post[s.] I miss connecting with them in general. I bet they are having a grand time in the presence of Jesus.
even years ago, when i was new in faith, i recall how, in our Sunday school classes, no matter age or experience, the leader(s) would end those meetings with quiet words like, "now, let's go to worship God." this marked Sunday school/Bible study's end, no matter topic, now we would go together to worship God, with one central focus. denial of self.
my beloved father-in-law, whenever he led us in prayer, would always begin, as if drawing an invisable line to distinguish that now we are addressing God, "Our dear heavenly Father."
i appreciate these respectful distinctions. now, we are worshiping, or addressing God, and, that's a distinct and sacred place to be. humility is key.