Christians on CS!

[kimmy1479]

"Do not expect a perfect church, but find in a church the means of coming near to Me. The real life is all that matters, the outward Church is the husk; but the husk was necessary to present the life-grain to man."

So don't look for a perfect church, just one that will bring you closer to God.
I'm not saying to stick with a church you are unhappy with, but keep searching until you find one you think will help you spiritually.
Also (We where talking about this in the Jesus Army) you may have kinda become immune. Its when people hear about God their whole lives, and they kinda become immune to his powerful message. I think that happens to a lot of us who come from a Christian family. Sometimes you just need something to kick-start your need for Jesus again.
Also, maybe your tastes just changed? Not just in music, but in ways you connect. That happened to me once, and I got into poetry and God Rods.
If you don't know what God Rods are look here-
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=877078
Also, here is a great blogspot filled with christian poetry. My favorite is Three Nails, One Cross- http://www.horselover2009.blogspot.com/

Our Christmas God Rod perfermence resulted in several people leaving in tears, since,, at the end Mary is running across the stage with the broken Stick, witch represents Jesus, and the guy (My brother) who plays Jesus hung at the cross and we had drmatic music and such. XD But really, you just need to find something you connect with, and follow it.

[Harpalyce]

In fact, I'm already in another church, since a few months. Yet I am even more disappointed, many rumors are started by people who know nothing about me, and I think : "Why go to church to have more problems, while the life itself gives me it enough? "

Even listening to Christian music, I can't find what I felt before. For example, I was a fan of Hillsong. My brother listen to Hillsong all day, but even listening, I don't feel anything.

Are you me? Seriously, I'm having much the same problem, or have had much the same problem. (Though right now it's health problems preventing me from being active in church which is beyond aggravating...)

For me, the solution wasn't to bounce between churches, but to identify what I didn't like about them. What I didn't like about my original "home church" is how it was trying too hard to be exactly like modern media. Skits, little 'commercial' missionary moments, corny songs about how pretty Jesus is and not a word about what He did for us (!!)...

Fortunately, that epidemic seems to be contained to American Protestant/Baptist churches. Gimmicks are everywhere of course. I realized it was the gimmicks that were getting me. I realized I was tired of a church with little sense of history and was trying too hard to be 'fresh and modern'.

My solution came to me when I first went to an Eastern Orthodox service. There was definitely a respect there that had been sorely lacking in my Baptist church. The hymns were not talking about how pretty Jesus is, but instead begging and thanking Him for his incredible mercy.

Of course, I don't know your church history. (I believe you said you were... French? Please correct me if I'm wrong, I have a brain like a colander.) It could be that you are so sick of pomp and circumstance and begging God an incense that you would find guitars and puppet shows a welcome relief.

I suppose my point here is don't be afraid to go to a Christian church that you would consider 'out of the box'. And when you go to one service, it's not a promise that you're going to be going there forever and ever amen. People respect that. And they'll be friendly to you anyway.

...and if they aren't, skip that church entirely!

[kimmy1479]

Well, I have really only been to 3 churches, and I prefer my current one; which is a baptist church. The other was Catholic, and the other Presbyterian.
However, mine is Baptist and, no, we don't sing about how 'pretty' Jesus is. One of my favorites is
"Jesus, Thanks You."
*Starts singing, "You took the bitter cup reserved for me...* XD
But yeah, not all Baptist Churches are like that XD The only puppet shows go on during VBS for the kids.
However, we do do skits occasionally, for like Christmas and such; though mostly just God Rods which I love. ^.^
And the only 'commercial' thing might be what we did last week, once a year where this missionary for a Shepherds School for the mentally disabled came for the annual love offering, but it wasn't really a commercial, as much as just an explanation of their non-profit mission.

[Harpalyce]

Yeah, it ultimately comes down to what you personally fit in with, and by which method you can best worship.

For example, the God Rods are something Kimmy really loves, and I'm glad that they allow you to worship with such sincere excitement and dedication. But if I had to sit through a service with them I'd likely run out the doors midway through screaming hysterically at the top of my lungs as I go frothing-at-the-mouth insane. You'd probably feel the same way about an Eastern Orthodox service, though.

With that said I think that more people should dip their toes into Orthodoxy... A lot of Protestants just see the gold-covered-everything and think "ew, what a mess, it's all idolatry and nonsense" - when really Orthodoxy is very close to Protestant beliefs when tackling some of the big questions of Christian ideology. The line of apostolic succession is also appealing to me, knowing that you have a direct connection to traditions that St. Paul would have been familiar with. So if you have an Orthodox church in your area, ask if you could come to a service; it's really enlightening. And I say that to EVERYONE in this thread.

Or I can just continue menacing all of you with icons and prayers from www.goarch.org/chapel/ - your choice *grin*

[Nesquick]

Anyway, thank you very much, everyone, for your advices.

@Harpalyce : Indeed, I'm French.
Also, one thing I've noticed in French church : French Christians appear to be less... "invested" or extroverts in worship. Personally, since I was born, I was always in churches in the Italian community (I was born in France but I was evel in an Italian family). Italian or American churches seem more invested for God and the atmosphere is more "friendly", while in France... I think it's a bit "dead".

[kimmy1479]

Unfourtunatly, we can't do God Rods often though :C Only for like Christmas, Easter, etc. And they are only like a max of 5 minutes each. ):
Though I can't say I know how they would drive someone insane, as amusing as that description was XD All it really is are people acting and using the dowel rods to create scenes depicted by the music. However, to each his own.

[Harpalyce]

I'm afraid I have to express an incredibly unpopular opinion here...

It comes down to how you approach worship. I think this God Rod stuff is very sincere, and beautiful at times. However, I just... don't think it's appropriate for a worship service. I think it would be great for, say, a youth retreat. It just doesn't lead the audience well in worship. If you wish to display the talents of individuals in your worship service, then that I suppose is your choice.

...I'd better stop myself there. Let's just say succinctly that the more I see, the more I believe that leading worship is not an "amateur sport", and that the church should be above and apart from pop culture's influence instead of trying to compete with it.

So, am I the thread's resident grump yet...?

[TheRedFox]

I really (sad to say) have problems with my church. i mean the pastor is great and stuff it's just that he wants to turn everything into a concert. our youth group previously had a guitar and ocapella (sp?) and now there's a sound board 2 electric guitars and a really loud drum set. for some people this may be the best way to worship, but to me i find it distracting. as someone said just a few posts ago, it really depends on how you operate. dont get me wrong, we should worship God in all ways and in everything we do but the loud music and stuff i find distracting and annoying, like we're losing sight of our purpose; to worship God; and are instead trying to be bigger and better than the churches around us.

[jacketgirl]

May I ask what God Rods are? They sound interesting.

I am LDS (Mormon), that might explain why I don't know what they are. I'm just genuinely curious.

[kimmy1479]

Actually most people don't know what they are XD They go by many names (God Rods, Dowel Rods, Sticks Stix, etc)
Basically, we use sign language, dowel rods and sometimes props like capes and such to create scenes that come together into kind of a wordless play. We do it to music, witch often has lyrics narrating it. If you look on the last page there is a thread that explains it and has clips of some of them.