So we've spent a lot of time this term already talking about church. What it is, what it isn't and even a nice little history. We've looked at the early church (this is the church that is written about in the Bible), and we now need to move on to The Reformation and Catholicism and Protestantism...
But before we do that I wanted you to think about the following...thoughts.
I've spent most of my life in a Presbyterian church. Actually three Presbyterian churches, depending on the suburb that I lived in. Pressies are known for being poor and boring, but the churches that I've been in have one thing in common; the focus is on the Bible and what it says. So no big fancy music band, no crazy youth group and one of the churches actually meets in a school hall; so no building!
What are some things that we can 'get rid of' from our current churches. I mean, based on what the Bible says, there are so many things that we do in our modern day churches that surely, we don't need to be doing! Things that may look good or impressive, but are just not important and may even be 'wasting' our money.
So. Give me some ideas.
Can we get rid of communion? What about baptism? I know... what about movie nights? Or sporting days? Or Youth Group activities where we cover each other in food scraps and try and outscore the other team? Do we even need a building? Could we just meet in a park?
Do you get the picture?
Or what about the opposite question. What are some things that we MUST have in our churches. Prayer is one. Bibles are another. What about a minister? Is it crucial to have a minister?
Get thinking. (That means you too Jake!)
Mansfield
Hi
ReplyDeleteWell I'm like fully sick of school and completely brain dead so this will sound silly but here's my thoughts:
I don't think a youth group is necessary for a church. I mean, to be honest, all my life I've heard that the point of youth group is to "make new friend and reach out to the community" when really, youth groups don't appear to do that at all. You rock up, and you realise the same kids are there are the same kids that go, to hang out with their same mates, every stinking week. I've been so a kajillion youth groups and not once have I fit in, they're full of clicks and the same people to go to the same youth group for years and years and only hang out and "get to know" the same people.
Church could meet in a park. But in winter we'd all be freezing :P
well
maybe not
because the FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT would be there to keep us warm ;)
well there it is you see.
Beck-overandout
I reckon church should just be a nice little gathering with people who share the same faith as you.
ReplyDeleteMaybe then:
a] New people wouldn't be quite so intimidated to join
b] More laidback environment
c] Banishment of stereotypes.
I reckon churches these days are just sticklers for a routine.
Mm,
I think that church is mainly just about getting together and worshiping/giving thanks to God. I dont think that you need a lot of 'fancy' stuff that most churchs have...
ReplyDeleteHeidi
i can relate to this because our family don't actually have a church or a minister we usually meet in a hall. we have two people-i suppose you coud call them preachers-who take our "meetings" (that's what we call them) we don't do any of those movie nights, youth or sport days. we follow the bible completely and do not chage any of it so, yeah...
ReplyDeletehahnar powell
I agree with you Hannah Brett :)
ReplyDeleteByyy the way guys sorry for my typos in my last comment
-Beck
i am a presbyterian as well, but our church has quite an expensive building and music equipment and all that jazz.... well yeah, i don't think that we need it, they are just materialistic things, that ecnourage people to come just for the look, but people should want to come to learn about God. Churches deffinately need to focus on God, the bible and the congretation, but not necessarily a flash building and equipment. I think that a church should have a minister that has been to theological college, becuase then, they have studied the Bible very in depth.. although it isne crucial to have a minister, if people ask for God's help then they shall do a good sermon. :) some of my thoughts....
ReplyDeletei think that church should be a lace where you go to praise God and ask Him to help you.
ReplyDeleteTo be afraid of the 'church' is stupid-your probably afraid of what your fiends or the churchians are going so to you.
what are we blogging about?
ReplyDeletejake
All true. A building, a band and all that other stuff is unnessesary. we dont need it. On the other hand, the Bible a pastor and following the truth are all important in the function of a church. If we differ from the Bible, even just a smudge the next generation will do the same, and the generation after that and so on and so on. This continues till you get to where (dare i say it) the Roman Catholic church is. Its not really Biblical, There is not call to worship Mary in the Bible, not as far as i known.
ReplyDeletewe could get rid of many things but, the question is... do we want to? baptising isnt a bad thing but we dont need to. we only need to accept jesus as our lord and saviour and want to live our lives for him. so we dont need baptising.
ReplyDeletechurch sporting events. we dont need them but they are a time where we can show our christian nature off to others- where we dont cheat and push and abuse referees. get to mingle and talk with other christians, not neccesary but still wanted.
big church bands. not needed again but still more interesting. i prefer to have a big band with better music. and i hate organs. sometimes they can be helpful for worship as long as they arent the focus of everyones attention.
so i believe its not what do we get rid of. but do we have everything on the right balance. all these extras are helpful as long as they dont take away from the focus.
yeah . :)
ReplyDeleteTo be honest this world is in fact, material. *Sings* "Cause we are liiiving in a material world, and I am the material girl..." Okay, so maybe Madonna is wrong but I'm 100% that churches nowadays ar eonly trying to reach 'The young uns'
ReplyDeleteSup Kyle?
ReplyDelete`jake`
i rekon we should ave church in the park! why do you need buldings anyway? jesus preached like that!
ReplyDeletethat would be fully sick!...but yea church to me means gathering of people with the same faith...just about sport days...does that have anything to do with god? and the bible?...to me its just like old friends gathering!...yea
peace out
maryane
i gree with maryane!!!! :P
ReplyDeletehahnar powell
Jake You Do relise Mr Mansfield said we were not 2 post comments thatr unrelated to the task
ReplyDeletekyle
hmmmm ok well i thik
ReplyDeletethat church these days folloe the same routein...nothing out of the ordainary every week..im not saying thats bad and all
but no churches dont need all the amterialistic things they have now...they could b in the park...howeva i do think that a church does need a minister...its a church...u need someone to tell every1 attending the church the correct thing...ministers have studied the bible in depth, if u have a minister it would b alot of help.
btw soz if there were any spellin mistakes...:S
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteim sorry kyle ill get back to task
ReplyDelete`jake`
Very true about churches trying to reach the "young-uns" Hannah. I mean, they're like weeding us all in and brain washing us right? :P
ReplyDeletenahh, I know that a lot of church's focus is the youth of the world at the moment, and I think that that is simply because it is far easier to educate the young than the old, and the elder people in the church are really good mentors to the "young-uns" as well. And I'm sure they'd all like to see us kids get saved while they're still around to see it (: its a noble mission really.
-Beck. 10 4 good buddies :)
CHURCHES DO NOT NEED MULLIONED WINDOWS COVERED IN MULLIONS!!
ReplyDeleteWhatever they are...
Also, They DO NOT NEED WATERFALLS.
haha i just read my comment...plenty of spellin mistakes..soz
ReplyDeleteI think that getting rid of the fancy 'stuff' would be alright.. but every now n then you would probably need an activity.. or something thats fun, to shake things up a bit...
ReplyDeletemy thoughts,
Heidi
true true hahnar
ReplyDeletehahnar powell
i agree with hannah. ;)
ReplyDelete;)
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with Beck d00d.
also i don't see why churches have 2 have lots of fancy stuff, jesus- as maryane said-preachesd on the street to evryone!!!
ReplyDeletehahnar powell
churches need pastors
ReplyDeleteits important
its needed
all the stuff in the church nowadays is very important
the stuff that happens at church are all aimed at different people, e.g youth nights are aimed at tweens and teens, church is aimed at boring oldies(jking)
its gud for all this
NP
Quote: What are some things that we can 'get rid of' from our current churches. I mean, based on what the Bible says, there are so many things that we do in our modern day churches that surely, we don't need to be doing!
ReplyDeleteI agree, we don't "need" this stuff, but then again, did Jesus not task all christians to spread the good news to all, and if, in the comunity that the church aims at. And yet again, God didn't give us the resources and imagination and creativity to just meet with a bunch of randoms (or not)in a park, but make no mistake, im not dissing the park option, as i agree, some people need to come back to basics, but still, we need to make use of whats available to us.
All hail Belgarion!!
I remember seeing a church group thing at a coastal beach giving out free pancakes and while they were doing that they were CASUALLY slipping Christ into conversation. I reckon that's all people need. Egg, Milk And Flour PANCAKE POWER.
ReplyDeleteespecially for mr mansfield.
ReplyDelete1)when i said "we could get rid of many things but, the question is... do we want to? " i meant we probably should't.
2) when i say..." show christian nature off to others" i wasnt meaning because we are so great. and better then others. christians generally have good sportsmanship. i went to a christian primrary school and when we went to friday afternoon sport we saw other public sport teams swear and abuse the refs. (i'm not dissing the public schools. and not being prejudice i know many people who arent like that who go to public schools) it would just be time for us to show who we are.
is there anything else you would like me to clarify mr mansfield.... ?