tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172600040007166978.post2362405955883523398..comments2023-09-06T10:36:17.025-04:00Comments on Wilderness Fandango: New Yokes for Old: or, It's hard to be Martha with So Many Shirking Marys AroundUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172600040007166978.post-86719273210019311372007-10-15T09:38:00.000-04:002007-10-15T09:38:00.000-04:00Well, I don't want anyone to misunderstand, I like...Well, I don't want anyone to misunderstand, I like a lot of things about my church. I'm not thinking about leaving it. This past Sunday morning I asked myself, what are the fundamental things I hope for and expect in a church service. I decided on 3 things: 1) Drawing near to God (with others) in worhsip, 2) lots of prayer for one another, and 3) learning from Jesus (with others) through the preaching of the Word.<BR/><BR/>So I prayed for those 3 things to happen in church on Sunday, and you know, well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad! I 'm still having a little trouble on the worship side of things though (#1 above).Bob Spencerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06400471363764020869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172600040007166978.post-42161787495105107982007-10-14T12:01:00.000-04:002007-10-14T12:01:00.000-04:00yes, it should be a place of rest, relief, filling...yes, it should be a place of rest, relief, filling, and worship.<BR/><BR/>can it be?<BR/><BR/>is there anything to do that would make a difference?<BR/><BR/>or do we just find our own little group....denomination?<BR/><BR/>maybe we shoud just run for the hills...or go to the mountain.<BR/><BR/>this was my quandary.<BR/><BR/>i did not have an answer, so i gave it to God.<BR/><BR/>what are your thoughts?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172600040007166978.post-45768878704022290392007-10-14T08:29:00.000-04:002007-10-14T08:29:00.000-04:00I love that response, Nancy. I think you've got a...I love that response, Nancy. I think you've got a good approach there. Your right when you suggest that we might have too much going on in our lives generally, too many burdensome obligations etc. But we know the world will do that--will hang yokes on our necks--and we agree to let them, because we think it will be worthwhile (say, for example, the burden of credit card debt). <BR/><BR/>Still, the church should be a relief and a rest from all that, a radical alternative to driven-ness. That's my take anyway. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for the thoughtful and wise response!Bob Spencerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06400471363764020869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172600040007166978.post-15079943595134188122007-10-13T23:31:00.000-04:002007-10-13T23:31:00.000-04:00it is true. there is a small number of people tha...it is true. there is a small number of people that volunteer for anything. and it can get to be overwhelming for people that are trying to find volunteers to run all of the programs that most organized groups come up with.<BR/>and there just seems to me to be more programs instead of less.<BR/><BR/>it is enough to make anyone run for the hills and never come out. and it gets to be something that is looked at as obligation instead of vollunteerism. if the group is trying to do more than the group actually wants to do. than maybe some of the programs should be cut.<BR/><BR/>then again, maybe we should also cut out some of the craziness of our own personal lives also.<BR/><BR/>maybe our personal lives could do with some program cuts too. maybe we lay obligations on people in our day to day life as well that are yokes.<BR/><BR/>i open my self to what message God has for me when i go to a gathering, i put my mind on God and worship of God, and let most of the pizzazz go over my head.<BR/><BR/>it use to bother me quite a bit, and then one day i just let it go. poof, just let it go. no more thinking about church, churches, denominations, missions in far away places through churches, whether i should join a denomination, etc etc etc...<BR/><BR/>it was just too much to think about. so i gave it to God and I think that He will work this out in my life.<BR/><BR/>in the mean time, i am not going to judge how anyone does anything in any church.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com