let's have fun with this but also learn

[nodak]

Let's pretend you are moving to a mythical town....just you, no family.

Town has 3000 current residents, none under 10. No one younger is ever going to move there. There are 3 Baptist churches, all teaching exactly the same doctrine. Each has a membership of 1000. (Everyone in town is saved.)

One church is hyper traditional: getting dressed up, traditional pews and building, traditional hymns with piano and organ, not KJVO but uses the KJV exclusively, choir in robes.

One church is hyper modern: super casual dress, tin box building with metal folding chairs, uses only most modern translation, music is nothing but CCM from a praise band.

One church is in the middle somewhere.

You are saved and Baptist and choose whichever church fits your style.

Tell us which church you pick, and why.
Tell us if you think it would be wrong to pick one of the others and why.
Tell us if you think it is wrong to choose by style anyhow.

Be nice though!

 

[annsni]

Personally I like the middle ground.

I use the ESV and I like having the ability to use whatever version I wish (of course not going to a cult Bible like the NWT or something like that).

I prefer modern worship music - NOT CCM. There's a difference in my mind. I don't like the wishy-washy songs. I want songs that David would sing. I want songs that give honor, worship and glory to God. Acapella or full on praise band doesn't matter to me.

As for dress, I prefer to dress nicely for church. I don't wear dresses all the time, nor do I wear pants all the time. The rules for our family are: no jeans, no sneakers, no shorts, nothing with printing on it and collared shirts for the boys (polos OK).

As for the building itself and the seats, I don't care. I've done church on a blanket and church in mahogany pews with velvet covers. That doesn't make any difference to me.

As for the other churches? Preference is one thing. Demanding "only this particular way is right" is another. If they put it forth as preference, then it's great that they are there to meet the preferences of everyone around.

 

[rdwhite]

Since everyone is saved, my presence is not required in that town. I would find the antithesis of that city, start a house church and be a witness and testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Besides, that would be a very creepy town, I'm thinking Twilight Zone creepy.

 

[donnA]

no one younger then 10 is ever going to live there? not a town I want to live it, somethings wrong there.

 

[Jim1999]

That rickety old truck was mine following Donna down the motorway, fast!

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Darron Steele]

Let's pretend you are moving to a mythical town....just you, no family.

Town has 3000 current residents, none under 10. No one younger is ever going to move there. There are 3 Baptist churches, all teaching exactly the same doctrine. Each has a membership of 1000. (Everyone in town is saved.)

One church is hyper traditional: getting dressed up, traditional pews and building, traditional hymns with piano and organ, not KJVO but uses the KJV exclusively, choir in robes.

One church is hyper modern: super casual dress, tin box building with metal folding chairs, uses only most modern translation, music is nothing but CCM from a praise band.

One church is in the middle somewhere.

You are saved and Baptist and choose whichever church fits your style.

Tell us which church you pick, and why.

As a non-Baptist Christian, if I had to choose one of these congregations, I would probably choose the one that "is in the middle somewhere." I most certainly would regularly attend a Baptist congregation before I `went nowhere.'

I prefer places where a person does not have to dress up to feel welcome, but I would not want to attend a place where I look out of place if I do so. My personal preference is that we understand we are coming to worship the Lord, and dress appropriately. I would not attend a place where slobbishness is what is expected. I prefer to dress up for Sunday morning worship assembly and I will not attend a place where I would be out of place doing so.

As far as translation goes, I could not care less, but am more comfortable with congregations that use multiple translations. I tend to prefer that modern translations be used.

As far as music, I would prefer a mixture of traditional hymns and contemporary praise. In my dream congregation, we would sometimes sing without instruments too.

Tell us if you think it would be wrong to pick one of the others and why.

It would not be wrong to pick one of the others.

Tell us if you think it is wrong to choose by style anyhow.

Be nice though!

I think it is entirely appropriate to choose by style. The Lord expects us to be siblings -- not multiplets. Different personalities gravitate to different styles. When one congregation would be an encouragement to some Christians, it would be a `drag' to other Christians. Christians should feel free to choose whichever assembly most helps them with the Hebrews 10:24-5 purpose of congregations.

 

[Tom Butler]

Since I'm going to assume that all three churches seek to follow biblical practices and doctrines, I'm going to choose the traditional church.

That's because it most fits my comfort level. I'm used to the old hymns, expository preaching, and a preacher with a coat and tie.

I can handle the newer music, topical sermons and casually dressed preachers just fine. But I'm going to lean toward the church that most fits my comfort level.

Some folks don't like to learn new stuff or try new things. I have to fight the same tendency to say "I know what I like and I like what I know."

 

[annsni]

Since I'm going to assume that all three churches seek to follow biblical practices and doctrines, I'm going to choose the traditional church.

That's because it most fits my comfort level. I'm used to the old hymns, expository preaching, and a preacher with a coat and tie.

I can handle the newer music, topical sermons and casually dressed preachers just fine. But I'm going to lean toward the church that most fits my comfort level.

Some folks don't like to learn new stuff or try new things. I have to fight the same tendency to say "I know what I like and I like what I know."

Wait - preaching wasn't mentioned. If it's fluff, I don't want the church even if everything else is perfect. I'd rather have terrible music, have to wear evening gowns and stillettos while listening to great preaching than to be comfy and have bad preaching.

 

[billwald]

>Town has 3000 current residents, none under 10

Must be part of Heaven.

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

As another non-Baptist Christian (former Baptist), I would probably choose the middle one which is similar to our current church.

My daughter (at college) attends a church that fits the ultra-modern one you listed. Interestingly, it is an SBC church.

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

Since everyone is saved, my presence is not required in that town. I would find the antithesis of that city, start a house church and be a witness and testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Besides, that would be a very creepy town, I'm thinking Twilight Zone creepy.

Whatcha gonna do in Heaven with all them saved people? Still creepy? :tongue3:

 

[padredurand]

Folding metal chairs? You almost had me going to the hyper-modern one until you mentioned the chairs. Everyone knows that metal folding chairs are so 1970s! Hyper-modern churches know, from the marketing studies done prior to their launch, that you must have deeply padded stacking chairs. The ideal deeply-padded stacking chair would have a cup holder for the Starbucks coffee you bought in the lobby and a nice book rack so you don't have to lay your The Message on the floor.

 

[Revmitchell]

Folding metal chairs? You almost had me going to the hyper-modern one until you mentioned the chairs. Everyone knows that metal folding chairs are so 1970s! Hyper-modern churches know, from the marketing studies done prior to their launch, that you must have deeply padded stacking chairs. The ideal deeply-padded stacking chair would have a cup holder for the Starbucks coffee you bought in the lobby and a nice book rack so you don't have to lay your The Message on the floor.

That is called the emerging church. By the way someone want to tell them the church emerged 2000 years ago.

 

[Tom Butler]

Wait - preaching wasn't mentioned. If it's fluff, I don't want the church even if everything else is perfect. I'd rather have terrible music, have to wear evening gowns and stillettos while listening to great preaching than to be comfy and have bad preaching.

Yep, once you've heard good or great preaching, you won't be satisfied with anything else. Remember, though, I'm assuming that the preaching is biblical.

 

[nodak]

Thanks all! The no kids under ten and everybody saved part was designed to remove evangelism from the topic.

I put this out after reading an article that basically said that people WILL choose a church style they like, but that changing styles (from any to any other) will not likely cause the church to grow IF that is the only change made.

The guy said he was saved and became SBC in one part of the country with few Baptist churches. Moved to where there were many. He was confused by the choices and so called around and asked questions. Started attending one. The pastor came to visit and asked him if he liked it. He said he was enjoying SS and learning a lot from the sermons but wasn't used to the music style. (Didn't say what it was.) Said the pastor chewed on him and told him basically "people have the right to sing what they like." He agreed with the pastor and so found another church that sang what he liked and eventually joined. First pastor contacted him to see why he had not been attending the first church and he told the pastor he found one where he could sing the music he liked. Pastor chewed on him again as unspiritual for not putting the wants of others first.

He then shared that he didn't go looking for a church based on style of music or worship or building or dress code, but did reject any church with a "my way or the highway" attitude no matter what the style.

You all pretty much confirmed it!

 

[annsni]

Yep. I'd leave a church for that same reason. We've had people leave our church because the music wasn't their style. They tend to go to another local church that is very similar in all things but the music. That's great and we send them with a blessing. We've also gotten people from that other church that prefer our music. If there is a large choice, choose on preference. #1 priority to me is good Biblical teaching. If I can't get that, then I'd start a church. If I can get that with any other things not quite what I prefer, it's OK. I'll leave my preferences aside to get good teaching. But if I can choose the other things too, it's a bonus.

 

[rdwhite]

Whatcha gonna do in Heaven with all them saved people? Still creepy? :tongue3:

The harvest will have been gathered, the work will be finished, then will be the rest. Until then, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." (John 9:4)

Now if he had made this different sections in heaven, that would be different.:laugh: