Featured What determines where you worship?

I will worship with Primitive Baptists, of the true old school whenever possible.

If there is no Primitive Baptist church within a 100 miles the area, then I will probably put out a sign in front of the house inviting those who would like to, to worship with us.

If no one comes, then I will worship with my wife, the great One in Three, the clouds of witnesses that the writer of Hebrews spoke of, and the innumerable host of the angels in heaven, at home.

 

If a church preaches Jesus Christ and Him crucified, I can worship there.

I prefer a Southern Baptist church because nearly all of them -- at least in this area -- closely adhere to what I believe, from my own intense study of the Bible through the original languages.

 

Obviously most of us would choose to worship at a church that shares the majority of our theological distinctives. That is not news. But what if you are providentially hindered from attending the church of your choice? I know older people that cannot travel far from their home. They have to attend a church that is close to where they live. The same may be true for someone who does not have a car or who lives in a rural area where choices are limited when it comes to worship venues.

At a minimum I would worship at a church that proclaims the Gospel accurately and avoids some of more egregious practices of the Charismatic movement. This usually comes into play when I am traveling on business. Sometimes I do not have the luxury of renting a car, so I am limited to churches within a short taxi ride or bus trip from my hotel.

 

I live in an area rich in places of worship there are few mega-churches and many churches of more modest attendance rolls. I prefer the smaller ones, understanding that it means I shouldn’t expect a Starbucks in the lobby, a professional sound system, or a choir of hundreds.

I prefer a church that’s closer to me than one further; I spend time a lot of time there.

I want a church that’s friendly; I expect to make the people part of my family.
I want a church that is mixed in race and age; it shows me that it is open to growth and change.

I want a well maintained; it speaks of a church that balances its budget well.

I want a church were the pastors lead by encouraging others to serve rather than doing it all themselves.

I’m not an advocate for any particular confession (Baptist’s generally are not advocates of tradition) yet I choose a church based upon its doctrinal statement; clear in areas where specificity is important yet broader in matters of preference and uncertainty.

Music doesn’t play a big role in my choice. I like a mix of modern music types and traditional hymns but it’s not what draws me to a particular church. In the 16th century, organs and pianos and even individual singers were considered profane, they preferred the purity of the psalms the best way to worship.

Rob

 

You realize, that until the middle 1600's, there were NO instruments in church? It was considered a sin to do such. It was not until the 1800's when it became acceptable to have an organ or piano in a church. It was done to bring in culture from the world to draw people into church....

To stay on topic, just about anywhere you wouldn't be caught dead in going by your list of what you wouldn't be a part of. Along with it's primary focus being becoming the hands and feet of Christ. Feeding the poor, aiding the homeless. Local, national, and international mission work. Putting the bulk of it's resources into seeing souls saved, not into the already saved souls of the local body. A place where people don't care about the music style because that isn't the basis and heart of worshiping our Lord. We can go from Are You Washed In the blood to This Is Amazing Grace without missing a beat and no one caring. So many people involved in ministry that it is actually difficult to find a place, so we have to start new ministries instead. Not seeking to be a mega church, but seeking to train up church planters and support them when we send them out. A place where we are all one, not segregated into ages, worshiping together, kids actually with their parents. A place where people can come for support, to confess their sins without criticism and being ostracized, and be loved on without worry. A place where Christ is King and it is not run by a single dictator, or a board of little dictators seeking after their gain only, knowing that we are all servants, and that no one is above another based simply on what God has called each of us to do.

 

God determines where I worship. If HE prompts me to go, then I'm assuming He is gonna be there for me to worship, so I head there. :laugh:

 

No, they don't. My inlaws live in northern Minnesota, and all the churches around there are so anti-biblical as to be unreal.

"God is a woman ... all paths lead to salvation, you've just chosen to follow Christ's path ..."

Their choice is to not attend.

 

I prefer to worship with like minded Christians, as we agree on the essentials of the Christian faith, but we have in our ranks those holding to cal/Arm pretrib, no trib, A mil/pre Mil etc


Heaven will be populated by all those who disagreed on secondary issues, but ALL agreed that Jesus is Lord!

 

I prefer Southern Baptist. While I spent some time considering myself an ardent Calvinist, it was mostly the whole dispensational free grace end times stuff I was fleeing. I'm free grace, but pretty much partial preterist amill at this point. I don't expect to get every theology point in agreement with me in an SBC church

I prefer hymns and gospel songs, but I can deal with some of the contemporary stuff. What I can't do are the Pentecostal type services, with the trance-like singing of Jesus is my boyfriend music. Nor will I attend rock concert style worship. Especially I won't attend a service that is plain too loud, regardless of style. Pipe organ or praise band, there is a volume control for a reason.

We don't have a lot of church choices within a reasonable driving distance at our church.

We've stopped attending preaching services most Sundays, although we are there for Bible study and for SS. We do preaching occasionally, but not most Sundays. Our church has transitioned from hymns to contemporary to rock contemporary. The last transition was one too many for me. When you go home and cannot hear properly for an hour or two after church, damage is being done to ears. With a member of our family having perfect pitch and sensitive ears, it just isn't doable.

Before you write me off as just an old fogey who doesn't like contemporary, let me assure you I could name you close to a dozen younger families that no longer attend church due to the style and the volume.

When we do attend preaching services, we have found some non Baptist churches that preach a pretty Baptist sermon. Two are contemporary but with volume controls, and one does a traditional service.

Our church used to run about 150. Down now to 40-50. I'm hoping when enough people simply don't attend leadership will listen.

 

Psa_134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.


Psa_143:6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

 

Written by the man who danced so vigorously before the procession of the Ark that his robes fell open and he "exposed" himself before Jerusalem ...

... and didn't care! :thumbsup:

 

You appear to be trying to make a point but it escapes me.

 

No matter how church is done, there will be some folks for whom that particular church is a poor fit.

And there will be some trying to guilt others into doing it "my way." My stock answer when someone tells me if I really love Jesus I won't care how the music is done is to turn it right around on them. If they really love Jesus they won't mind changing to "my" music, right?:laugh:

If you are an ardent dispy a Calvinist church is a poor fit, and vice versa. Shoot, I don't expect every Catholic in town to be blessed by our Baptist preaching

It is OK to prefer different styles of music, or to have doctrinal disagreements. Some day in heaven we'll all know the absolute truth, and probably worship far differently than we do here.

Until then, each can find the best fit they can and do the best they can. But please, an end to the holier than thou put downs so rampant in the church world if someone just cannot do "your" style of service. Doesn't make them a worse Christian, or you a better one.

Just different.

 

So you say that regular Calvinist and Arminain are not worthy to fellowship with??? Look I am a Calvinist and my wife an Arminian and we can fellowship. We disagree in several areas, but we agree more than we disagree. You are a Hyper Calvinist.

 

Why should I worship where parts of the preaching I hear or methods of worship I see will just make me feel uncomfortable or hungrier and unfilled ? Why listen to something you believe to be scripturally unsound ? Didn't Scripture say "How can two walk together except they be agreed ?". Show me chapter and verse in the New Testament that nullified that Old Testament scripture and principle.

 

Show us chapter and verse where that applies to doctrinal positions rather than belief vs. unbelief.

 

the NT explains just how to live for God now under the new Covenant, as we are no longer under the OT law of Moses, but Grace of Christ...

And the Lord sees ALL who have been saved as in the Church/Body of Christ, so yes, there will be cals/arms/non cals in eternity !
So why not strive to keep the unity among the bethren now?

 

convince me, then, that doctrinal position has nothing to do with belief, or unbelief, among those who call Christ their Lord and Savior.

I do not believe (belief) Christ died for all mankind as you do, you do not believe (unbelief) Christ died only for a specific number of man, as I do, how then can you say Amen to my prayers, and I to yours ?

I do not feel comfortable with the use of musical instruments of any sort in worship, I do not believe it should be used, at all, while yours is an unbelief in my doctrinal position about musical instruments.
I do not believe in Sunday School being part and parcel of Sunday worship, but you would have Sunday School, are doctrinal positions involved here, or not ?
I do not believe (unbelief) in sending, supporting, and keeping track of the progress of missionaries for the purpose of the eternal salvation of those to whom they go since what I believe is that Christ's blood was sufficient for the eternal redemption of all for whom it was shed, yet, you believe (belief)that while Christ shed His blood and suffered on the cross and resurrected from the dead, it is imperative that sinners come to know Christ, or else....

I do not believe that what you call the Great Commission was given to the church, nor was it for the purpose of saving souls from hell and the lake of fire, you believe what regarding this ?

And by the way, Amos 3:3 is about God and Israel unable to walk together because Israel has walked contrary to God's Word (doctrine, teaching, instruction, oracle, whatever you want to call it).