Quote:
Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa
Are YOU attending a church? Do you have any ministry in your life?
This forum is no replacement for the above.
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In spite of your efforts to pastor me and spiritually advise me, I know that this forum is no replacement for ministry.
And yes, I do have some ministry in my life.
I have been visiting a church on and off. It seems so, fake. Everyone all dressed up, smiling all weirdly. The preacher is a good preacher. But, he's speaking to a crowd. You know, always the upbeat happy joyful man, with a keen sense of humor to warm the crowd up. The music leaders take over and start a good song and people start jukin' and jivin'. The preacher preaches a sermon, normally taking contextual queues, twice now he used Scripture to preach the Gospel of the UPCI and not the Gospel of Christ. No one really talks to each other during service, and after church folks say, "That was good fellowship wasn't it brother?"
They have no clue what real fellowship is.
I'm used to passages being read by an elder, discussed by the group, emphasis on the text itself and it's actual meaning. Questions are welcomed. Lots of food, discussion, life sharing, people without lawn mowers being hooked up with a mower or a brother or sister offering to come mow it. Talking late into the evening and going home. The location of meeting rotating through member's homes, so communication is rather steady.
None of this exists in this "church". Nobody calls between services. Nobody seems to want to open up. Everybody is smiley, too smiley. Everyone walks around like they are perfect little dolls or something. One girl told my daughter she'll go to hell for her jeans. My daughter told her, "You're mean, why would I want to go where you're going?" lol I had to explain to her that kids don't understand what they are saying and can just be cruel sometimes. My son said, "Well, being a bully will send a person to Hell." I had to stop them from discussing the "controversy".
Frankly, and I mean no real harm here. It might be well meaning. But... it's stupid. Manufactured. And the people have no "Christ-likeness". It's all kinda of skin deep. They're pretty good at being "Pentecostals" though.
I'll have to take my concerns to the pastor. But being new, I'm expendable. Why would he even care to hear me out? I know how it will go.
Christina isn't too thrilled. Nobody at all has spoke to her. Everyone seems to talk to me. She tried to speak in one short discussion on the power and prayer, the guys just looked at her and then addressed me, like she never spoke.
Frankly, it's feels like I'm back in some form of spiritual preschool.
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