Mennonite Flash Mob

When it just doesn't fit anywhere else.
Sudsy
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Re: Mennonite Flash Mob

Post by Sudsy »

Valerie wrote:Maybe it was to prompt people in the audience to ASK them what they were singing, thereby leading to the possibility of sharing their faith? If they sang an obvious spiritual song, a lot of people would possibly just keep going- I'm just saying maybe they were hoping for questions-
Possibly. However,it would be interesting to know how many would participate in singing if there was a strong possibility that they personally would likely be required to share their faith. In my experience, a majority of Christians avoid situations that may require them to share their faith.

The 'quiet in the land' applies to more than one group of believers. The great commission is one of those areas of obedience that doesn't get much attention on a personal obligation or when it does, text like 'are all evangelists ?' is as handy as some uses of Romans 14. The flesh looks for what is most comfortable, doesn't it ?
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Sunbeam
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Re: Mennonite Flash Mob

Post by Sunbeam »

justme wrote:
Sunbeam wrote:The song definitely is catchy and lilting. My daughter has been going about singing it for days to prove it.
They could have sung "Grandfather's Clock" or "Driving Nellie Home", and that would have been okay! I am not suggesting that every song has to be spiritually inspiring to be an okay song! I heard too that this was one of their favorite songs to sing, and maybe they just wanted to sing it one more time and liked having people listen!!

I am not at all suggesting that their intentions were evil...I have no way of knowing what their thought processes were at all, but they could not have chosen that song with the intention of being a spiritual inspiration to the audience, that is all I am saying.

Well, maybe I am saying more than that. It does seem to me that, with the attention a flash mob gets, especially when you consider the on-line reach, that this was perhaps a bit of a lost opportunity to share at least a piece of the gospel message.

Not saying it was wrong. Not saying it was a sin. Not saying it wasn't a happy tune. Not saying they shouldn't have enjoyed singing it a bunch...
i'm amazed.
this is not the sunbeam i thot i knew
Is this a ridiculous thought, maybe?
Maybe I am just getting old and crotchety.... :?
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lesterb
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Re: Mennonite Flash Mob

Post by lesterb »

Sunbeam wrote:
justme wrote:
Sunbeam wrote:The song definitely is catchy and lilting. My daughter has been going about singing it for days to prove it.
They could have sung "Grandfather's Clock" or "Driving Nellie Home", and that would have been okay! I am not suggesting that every song has to be spiritually inspiring to be an okay song! I heard too that this was one of their favorite songs to sing, and maybe they just wanted to sing it one more time and liked having people listen!!

I am not at all suggesting that their intentions were evil...I have no way of knowing what their thought processes were at all, but they could not have chosen that song with the intention of being a spiritual inspiration to the audience, that is all I am saying.

Well, maybe I am saying more than that. It does seem to me that, with the attention a flash mob gets, especially when you consider the on-line reach, that this was perhaps a bit of a lost opportunity to share at least a piece of the gospel message.

Not saying it was wrong. Not saying it was a sin. Not saying it wasn't a happy tune. Not saying they shouldn't have enjoyed singing it a bunch...
i'm amazed.
this is not the sunbeam i thot i knew
Is this a ridiculous thought, maybe?
Maybe I am just getting old and crotchety.... :?
Naw, it just shows maturity. 8-)
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appleman2006
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Re: Mennonite Flash Mob

Post by appleman2006 »

Sunbeam wrote:
justme wrote:
Sunbeam wrote:The song definitely is catchy and lilting. My daughter has been going about singing it for days to prove it.
They could have sung "Grandfather's Clock" or "Driving Nellie Home", and that would have been okay! I am not suggesting that every song has to be spiritually inspiring to be an okay song! I heard too that this was one of their favorite songs to sing, and maybe they just wanted to sing it one more time and liked having people listen!!

I am not at all suggesting that their intentions were evil...I have no way of knowing what their thought processes were at all, but they could not have chosen that song with the intention of being a spiritual inspiration to the audience, that is all I am saying.

Well, maybe I am saying more than that. It does seem to me that, with the attention a flash mob gets, especially when you consider the on-line reach, that this was perhaps a bit of a lost opportunity to share at least a piece of the gospel message.

Not saying it was wrong. Not saying it was a sin. Not saying it wasn't a happy tune. Not saying they shouldn't have enjoyed singing it a bunch...
i'm amazed.
this is not the sunbeam i thot i knew
Is this a ridiculous thought, maybe?
Maybe I am just getting old and crotchety.... :?
No it is a fair critique and one that I am sure the choir will take into consideration. However I do think that there is more than one way to witness and to share the love of Christ. While one person might be drawn to Christ by a strong rendition of "the old rugged cross" another might be drawn to think about God simply due to the fact that while shopping he saw a bunch of people who by the very way they approached life showed that they were quite different from the average person out there and that these same people were able to express joy in a very talented way.

Just a thought. Or perhaps I am simply showing my immaturity.
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appleman2006
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Re: Mennonite Flash Mob

Post by appleman2006 »

I will say this. A lot of the Youtube selections I have observed of conservative Mennonites singing in a subway station or some other street scene leave me feeling a bit cold. I mean the singing is all right. The message of the songs are great but the faces.....? frankly they often look like their best friend just died or maybe like they just drank a whole glass of lemon juice. I know our German backgrounds are given to a certain sense of stoic expression and sobriety but come on folks. Where is the joy of the Lord anyway?
We really need to learn to put a bit of smile and feeling into our song. Something I think Oasis needs to work on as well BTW.
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Josh
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Re: Mennonite Flash Mob

Post by Josh »

Germany officially the world's least funny country
In May 2007 the German magazine Spiegel commented that the British had an image of the typical German as a “mercilessly efficient but humourless engineer”.
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appleman2006
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Re: Mennonite Flash Mob

Post by appleman2006 »

Josh wrote:Germany officially the world's least funny country
In May 2007 the German magazine Spiegel commented that the British had an image of the typical German as a “mercilessly efficient but humourless engineer”.
Yup.
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Sudsy
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Re: Mennonite Flash Mob

Post by Sudsy »

appleman2006 wrote:I will say this. A lot of the Youtube selections I have observed of conservative Mennonites singing in a subway station or some other street scene leave me feeling a bit cold. I mean the singing is all right. The message of the songs are great but the faces.....? frankly they often look like their best friend just died or maybe like they just drank a whole glass of lemon juice. I know our German backgrounds are given to a certain sense of stoic expression and sobriety but come on folks. Where is the joy of the Lord anyway?
We really need to learn to put a bit of smile and feeling into our song. Something I think Oasis needs to work on as well BTW.
Speaking of expressing the joy of the Lord, a lady came to my door yesterday collecting donations for a cause her Catholic church was working on. She was an elderly lady and had poor english and when I answered the door she sighed and looked like she just lost her best friend and handed me a letter regarding what they were raising funds for. I gave her some cash which she didn't even ask if I wanted a receipt for and with more sighs and downtrodden look she said thanks and walked away. I said God bless you in your charity and got no response. I don't know what might have been going on in her life but I have run across this before where there is this weepy, sad way to serve the Lord. Almost like it would be sinful or prideful to serve the Lord with a smile and joyful approach. It is like they are stuck on the sadness of what many felt when Christ died rather than the joy when He rose from the grave. Can anyone explain this to me ? My understanding of Christianity is that we are to be the most joyfilled, peaceful, loving group of people the world has ever known.

I love being around Christians who had that sparkle in their eye, excited about their faith and would love to talk about the Lord more than any other topic. Jesus said that the reason He wanted His followers to obey the Father's commands is 'that your joy may be full'. If our obedience is not bringing fullness of joy, then something is wrong, right ?
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hillperson
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Re: Mennonite Flash Mob

Post by hillperson »

The song that was sung does seem like a missed opportunity. When given an opportunity like that giving a clear gospel message should be priority. Lancaster has many tourists in the summer from all over. It's important to introduce them to Jesus not just our culture.
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MaxPC
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Re: Mennonite Flash Mob

Post by MaxPC »

I'm in agreement with Appleman and Sudsy when it comes to the smiling and joyful witness touching the heart and softening it. Being one of their favorite songs, it showed up as a certain happiness when Oasis sang. Very effective.

[bible]1 Thessalonians 1,6[/bible]
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