I know times have changed, but.....

When I was growing up (yes, many years ago), we went to church every time the doors were open.  I remember at Christmas and Easter the church would make up a small bag of 2 oranges, 2 apples, some nuts and some chocolate, and everyone at church got a bag as they left.  I remember singing the (what we call old) hymns, having altar calls (do you even know what they are now?) and fellowship.  But at home it was an entirely different life.

Between graduating from high school, marriage, children, divorce, remarriage, etc. - church wasn't quite as important.  Why?  Because although I was raised in the church, I wasn't raised to know Jesus.  Oh, I had accepted Him at age 14 and was baptized, but I can't say that I knew exactly what that meant.  I went to church some during those 15 years between high school and 1982 when I remarried, but it wasn't important enough for me to attend because of Jesus. 

I was musing this morning with Tom over breakfast how pastors influence people. I'm talking me in particular. When we first starting attending church here in Arizona 30 years ago, it was when I 'came back' to church.   That first Sunday I was back in church God grabbed hold of me and He has never let go.  I wanted to learn more about Jesus; I wanted to know who this Jesus was.  I knew that if I was going to survive, I had to have Jesus.  I literally ran down to the altar that Sunday.  And my life has never been the same.

We have had several pastors at this church who have influenced my life.  Pastor Dave helped me feel at home and brought me back to church.  Pastor Don taught me I don't have to be dressed up all the time to come before God; He only cares that I come to Him, even in my casual jeans.  Pastor Lori taught me the basics of Discipleship and how I should live and have a relationship with Jesus.  Pastor Gerald taught me how to worship (until the music became a concert, that is!!).  Pastor Steve taught me about God's grace.   Every one of these pastors have influenced me in some way.  There have been pastors who have encouraged me in my walk, and pastors who have nearly destroyed me spiritually.  Every pastor is given a responsibility to the Church of God - some take it seriously, some don't have a clue.   All my opinion, of course.

But in spite of all that, several years ago I began the process to become a minister.  I did that because I felt called to teach, to preach, to share the good news of Jesus Christ.  I wanted to share with others how to have a relationship with Jesus.  So I was mentored, I studied, I read books, I took classes, and I was ordained in 2007.   We were on staff for a church up north for about five years, but with the driving and my working full time it became too much.  We also had started a recovery service up there for several months.  We then attended another church nearby here in Phoenix, at which we were put 'on staff'.   We left there after one year and went back to where it all started. 

Things have changed, people have changed.  There is a saying somewhere that you can 'never go back' - something about things are never as you left.  And they aren't.   What grieves my heart and bothers me so much about church nowadays?

Worship pastors are more concerned about presenting a concert feeling, not a worship feeling.  The louder they are and the more the lights flash and the photos on the screens - it's what it is all about for them.  They have forgotten how to worship, truly worship, in my opinion.   The music is so loud at times you can't hear the vocalists, and even if you know the song, you can not hear yourself sing.  And when they offer communion or an actual altar call (which is confusing for some for there is nothing there but floor for them to kneel on - if given the opportunity at all!) - the music is blaring some upbeat sound.  I'm not saying we need to hear ten verses of "Just as I am" or "I Surrender All" - but a reflective song would be appropriate for someone to look at their life and see if they need to right their relationship with Jesus.  How many people are taking communion without knowing Jesus as Lord?

I Corinthians 11:27-29 - "Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.  A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.  For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself."

Altar calls are nearly non-existent anymore.  I don't understand that.  But I guess that goes along with the message.  If you want to call it that.  You either get someone who just quotes Bible verses with no interpretation or things that don't actually come together, or  a message that is so full of distractions from the props that none of it makes sense to anyone, let alone me.

The message.  What happened to presenting the message in such a way that it honors God and gives His people something to think about?  What happened to messages that speak to the heart and helps you identify ways to change your life?  Many times I have gone to church and walked away without even being able to tell you what the message was about.  Yes, I listened, and I took notes.  But it didn't reach my heart.  And many times I have heard pastors who spoke the Word to me in such a way that touched my heart and helped me in my walk with the Lord.

I believe worship should be for the people coming to worship - not for the worship leader and their team.  They should not only bring us to worship, but draw us to the Throne of God.

I believe the message should be one that is encouraging and uplifting, helping people to see that if Jesus would stop and share a story with the people, that if that same story is presented today - how would it look and what should we do with it.  Does anyone read the Bible anymore?  Do they even know the stories that Jesus told?  Do they know what the story of the Good Samaritan even means?  Do they know what is the greatest commandment?

The first and greatest commandment is "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."   What does this mean?  It means we are to WORSHIP God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.  WORSHIP.

So there you have it.  My opinion on what is wrong in churches nowadays.  I'm not saying we should go back to 'the way it was' - far from it!  But we can truly teach people the love of Jesus by being Jesus to them.  We can be the Bible to these people.  I've heard many wives comment they wish their husbands would become the men God created them to be.  How can they if they aren't taught how?

You can be raised in church, you can be raised in a good home.  But if you are not raised to KNOW Jesus and accept Him as Lord of all, you haven't begun to live.  You can 'be' a Christian, but are you living as a Follower of Jesus?

I John 2:6 - "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."

I John 2:15-17 - "Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but the  man who does the will of God lives forever."

All the above is only my opinion.  I'd be interested in hearing your comments.  Do you agree - or disagree with me? 

Blessings!