Scott at From the Pew is a self-confessed church shopper these days. His little list of preferences presents nothing I would disagree with. "Real wine and bread in communion" is one I totally agree with but don't actually expect to find outside of Catholic or Lutheran communions.
Me, I don't actually consider myself a church-shopper right now. Maybe just "browsing." Anyway, having read Scott's list, and assuming the Gospel essentials are there, I too would prefer a singing church, joyful congregational singing. Imagine that. I kind of think it's a vain hope, but I can dream, can't I?
The one that Scott mentions which I totally agree with and which I do think is important concerns church membership. You're a member if you regular assemble there. In other words, no formal church membership program. One day when I'm feeling argumentative I'll write a lengthy post on this subject. I'm 99% sure I'm not going to change my mind between now and then!
6 comments:
Bob,
I'd love to read your argumentative argumentation on church membership. Also, there are a good number of Presbyterian and Christian Reformed churches that use wine in communion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ool3VUX1yc0&feature=player_embedded
i love the words of the chorus...
it reminds me of the feeling one can have when in the light in the presence of our sweet Jesus.
music and singing can express certain feelings, and i guess that is why there is so many different kinds of music and that we can not all relate to the same music. i wonder if there will be music that we all can sing when we all come together.
Jesus The Light Of The World
(written by George Elderkin)
Verse 1:
Hark the herald angels sing,
Jesus, the light of the world.
Glory to the newborn king,
Jesus, the light of the world.
Chorus:
We'll walk in the light,
beautiful light,
come where the dewdrops of mercy are bright.
Shine all around us by day and by night;
Jesus, the light of the world.
Verse 2:
Joyful all ye nations rise,
Jesus, the light of the world.
Join the triumph of the skies,
Jesus, the light of the world.
Chorus
Verse 3:
Christ by highest heaven adored,
Jesus, the light of the world.
Christ the everlasting Lord,
Jesus, the light of the world.
Chorus
Verse 4:
Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace,
Jesus, the light of the world.
Hail the Son of righteousness,
Jesus, the light of the world.
Chorus
Bob, I am so over the 're-thinking, re-imagining, re-doing, re-inventing,re-missionaling,re-doing' etc the gospel.
We gave up. We believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ and that's where we find our life. We are no longer on the questioning band wagon
and have decided God is big enough to make the church the way he wants it.
It's taken a lot of the pressure off because I don't believe all this angst is what God wants of me .
It sems like a lot of works to me and not much grace.
Is this a rant? Perhaps. I just needed to let you know where I/we were these days.
Resting totally in the Lord. Nothing, and I mean nothing else. It has been way too overwhelming and distracting.
Love you Bob,
Lois
Hi Lois: I want to agree with you . . . at least a part of me does . . . but there's the angsty part!
I'm sort of getting over it, sort of not. I'm half-way there, but maybe won't ever get all the way. I'm don't think of myself as re-thinking anything in particular so much as thinking for the first time (nothing "re-" about it). But I definitely want to get beyond ranting about the church and, as I say, I'm getting there. It has been a help for me to simply stay home on most Sunday mornings. Relax.
Don't know what the future holds, but if I had my 'druthers I'd go emphatically with a body of believers that thought of their life together the way Bonhoeffer describes things in "Life Together." In other words, "missionally." That seems to jibe with the NT, I think, and isn't exactly something new and novel.
Anyway, OJf course, I'll keep you posted.
Yours in semi-angst,
Bob
Thanks Bob for hearing me.
When I refer to the 'res' I'm talking about those who are constantly scrutinizting the church and feeling like there must be a 'better way' to do it. I think it's arrogant for many who are looking at the church and turning their nose up at it and that it needs 're-forming' or 're-imaginging'. (and please don't be offended I'm not saying you are doing those things, actually just the opposite- I find you to have a very balanced (I hate that word) and inquisitive approach to all you read and post.)
I think all this angst surrounding the 'church' these days is just a clever stategy to take our eyes off Jesus in the same of 'being relevant'.
Lois
my take on membership is that if Jesus accepts someone as a part of the His body, then they are a part of the Chruch that belongs to Christ. there is no other church.
and no matter where you are on sunday morning, you are still a part or member of that body.
i would love to worship God in a group in song on a regular basis. it might be worth gathering a group just for that purpose...hum.
double hummmm.
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