What kind of Church is YOUR Church

[Sam]

continued from part one

Last Wednesday I taught on Power In Prayer.
This is page one of the handout I used:

POWER IN PRAYER

Personal Pentecost When we were baptized in the Spirit we received gifts from God. One of these is a prayer language. We can build ourselves up by praying in the Spirit. Also, praying in tongues bypasses our own mental limitations we may set. Bishop Garlington said, "When you are going through something you don't understand it is good to pray in a language you don't understand."(Ref Romans 8:26-28, Eph 6:18, Jude 20, and 1 Cor. 14:4, 14-15. 18)

Ownership We are not our own, we are bought with a price and we are "owned" by our Heavenly Father who provides for us when we come to Him as children (1 Cor 6:19, 20; Luke 11:9-13; Matthew 6:5-15 and 7:7-11). Also, when we come to our Father it’s not in our own name but in the name of Jesus (John 14:13,14; 15:16; 16:23-27). In the Living Bible John 16:23 says, "...you shall present your petitions over my signature..." Someone said, "His name on a check is good for any amount."

Word John 15:7 says, "If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you," God's Word is His Will. (1 John 5:14-15) If we can find a promise in God's Word we can claim it and hang onto it. Peter said that we have been given "exceeding great and precious promises" (2 Peter 1:4). D.L. Moody said, "God never made a promise that was too good to be true." In the Amplified Bible, 2 Cor 1:20 says, "For as many as are the promises of God, they all find their Yes (answer) in Him (Christ). For this reason we also utter the Amen (so be it) to God through Him-- that is, in His Person and by His agency-- to the glory of God." We sometimes sing a chorus that says,
"Every promise in the Book is mine,
every chapter, every verse, every line.
I am trusting in His Word divine.
Every promise in the Book is mine."

Examples When you pray, remind God and yourself of the many examples of how He has answered in the past and that helps build faith and confidence for continued answers to prayer. There are many examples found in His Word and in testimonies of those around us. (Rom 15:4; 1 Cor 10:6; Heb 6:12).When David was getting ready to meet Goliath, he mentioned examples of how God had helped him before (1 Sam 17:1-58)

Righteousness James 5:16 says (paraphrased) that the effective prayer of a righteous person avails or accomplishes much. The adversary, the accuser, will whisper to us that we are unworthy to receive anything from God. In the natural that is true but as children of God we have the righteousness of Christ. God no longer sees us in our sin but in the righteousness of His Son if I understand 2 Cor 5:21 and 1 Cor 1:30 correctly. We are "faultless to stand before His throne, dressed in His righteousness alone."
But relationship is important (Psalm 66:18; Prov. 28:9) for confidence and boldness.

On the second page I had the following scriptures printed out from the KJV and TLB:

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
John 14:13-14 KJV

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
John 15:16 KJV

23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
John 16:23-26 KJV

23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything, for you can go directly to the Father and ask him, and he will give you what you ask for because you use my name. 24 You haven’t tried this before, [but begin now]. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and your cup of joy will overflow. 25 I have spoken of these matters very guardedly, but the time will come when this will not be necessary and I will tell you plainly all about the Father. 26 Then you will present your petitions over my signature! And I won’t need to ask the Father to grant you these requests, 27 for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from the Father.
John 16:23-27 TLB

And I had the following above those verses:

[Sherri]

The key word here is BALANCE!! A good mix of all three makes a great church, IMO. I wouldn't say we are "intellectual" because everyone talks about how Eddie's sermons break down the Word so easily even a child can understand it and apply it to everyday life. He is definitely a person devoted to reading and studying though. We definitely are not a somber church; no way! But we also aren't a run-the-aisles, buck-dance type church either. Just exuberant lively worship, some dancing, alot of rejoicing! It's a very exciting atmosphere.

Did I say how much I LOVE MY CHURCH?

[Carpenter]

I believe that just like people churches have a distinct personality.

I would have to insist that A-churches for the most part are predominantly at least one of the three types with a little of the others thrown in.

I think that furrowed brow church is draining, and the dancing church has a lack of true Christian growth due to its being so extroverted.

I think churches that are predominantly like number three have deeper roots and stronger relationships with Jesus, but some would disagree because it is not very evangelistic on a broad scale like the first two would be.

[Jekyll]

Outside of labels and broad brushes...

If I were to actually attend a church...

It wouldn't be any of these three who fit in a nicely bordered box...

[Felicity]

Originally Posted by Carpenter

I believe that just like people churches have a distinct personality.

I would have to insist that A-churches for the most part are predominantly at least one of the three types with a little of the others thrown in.

I think that furrowed brow church is draining, and the dancing church has a lack of true Christian growth due to its being so extroverted.

I think churches that are predominantly like number three have deeper roots and stronger relationships with Jesus, but some would disagree because it is not very evangelistic on a broad scale like the first two would be.

People who come to our church find it warm and friendly.

I think the level of worship is pretty good. It's one of the things I personally was most concerned about when we first came here, and in our very first service I was very happy to see that there is freedom in regard to worship even though it was fairly low key then and it's still not shake rattle and roll and probably never will be and that's FINE with me. I love worship and I love the moving of the Holy Ghost and I love that people feel free to respond to that.

I'm noticing that people are becoming more free than when we first came. There's probably more than one reason for this but I find that overall people tend to follow the attitude and example set by the pastor and his wife. We both worship but we're not pew jumpers or aisle runner and we don't do the helicopter either.

I also think the church's personality a lot of times is influenced largely by the leadership. People follow the leader - it's just the way it is.

I think our church is pretty balanced considering what all it went through before we ever came here. We're not furrowed brow for sure. We're not a juking and jiving church but we have good worship and freedom. Not intellectual but my husband isn't a screamer and he provides good preaching and good messages that feed the people.

It's not perfect for sure. There's a lot of work that needs to be done. I know that we're having an influence. My husband says he can notice a difference since I've started getting more involved.

Progress is being made, we're moving forward -- that's the main thing. Rome wasn't built in a day and what needs to be accomplished here won't happen without a sovereign move of the power and presence of God.

[Actaeon]

We're #6.

[Hoovie]

Our church is number 2, ministers a mix between 1 and 2, I would definetey prefer 3. However, it's not all about me - and I have big shoulders.

[Joelel]

Originally Posted by Berkeley

When I started attending First United in 1997 the services were like what you described in the second scenario. Tongues and interpretation was not uncommon.
After 3 or 4 years we started to have the types of services in scenario 1.
When I left scenario 1 was dominant. I'm not sure what's going on there now.
The odds of scenario 3 are slim to none.

You know what is odd about this question.I have attended most churches where they have all this from time to time.Just dependes the way the Spirit moves or do you think the people moves the Spirit the way they want ?

[True Believer]

Originally Posted by Carpenter

Probably the third type, but I like a little of the first and second mixed in...

I would say my church is a mixture of the second and third choices. I love my church.

[Coonskinner]

I don't think we would fit neatly in any of the three "boxes."

Regarding your #1 scenario, I don't do much talking about the devil. I don't like songs about the devil. I don't pretend that he doesn't exist, but I have a strong conviction that I ought to focus a whole lot more attention on Jesus than on him. If i knew the devil was in a gumball machine, I wouldn't spend the dime to get a look at him.

However, I do preach sober, conviction type messages sometimes. I think it takes a balance of that, along with enouragement and uplifting, faith building ministry.

Our worship services are often like the #2 scenario you mentioned, but not always. Sometimes we shout and other times it is a more reflective, reverent spirit of worship. I have taught our people that every person doesn't have to respond the same way to the Presence of God, or demonstrate their praise in the same manner, but everybody ought to do something, express themselves in some way.

As for evaluating what kind of preacher I am in the coontext of your three scenarios, I'm not sure I would be able to objectively do that. Often our perception of ourselves is skewed. I guess I will just have to leave that part blank and let you speculate for yourself.