Parody of a Modern Church Service

So I watched it (saw it a while ago)… I think it's kinda funny, myself. Also, that Rickenbacker bass…

Staybrite wrote:

Well if you lived in a region where 90% of the churches looked just like that and wouldn't even think about singing a hymn (unless Hillsong had recorded a "contemporary" version of it first)

The United Methodist church I attend is quite structured - hence the denominational name
The full gospel church I attend often has no structure - we go where the Spirit directs, but the average would be something like this:
Opening prayer
Testimonies
Praise & worship (30-50 min., mix of old & new)
Announcements/offering
Teaching (30-60 min)
Prayer service (5-30 min)
Closing prayer

Ok I'll bite...

Our little church is a splinter of a large Calvary Chapel, but is not itself a CC.

Opening song shuts everyone up and gets them to their same seats they sit in every week (guilty)
Opening prayer
Welcome and Bulletin Announcements
"Why don't we all stand up and tell someone how glad you are to see them"
Offering prayer shuts everyone up and sends them back to their same seats
3 more songs - 2 misc songs, last song is peppy (I assume to wake everyone up for the sermon)
Sermon = 30 to 40 minutes
Closing song while people go up and get prayer
Song ends, you're free to leave

I assume this is one of the reasons there's a book out there called "Why Men Hate Going to Church"

men don't like going to church because it's driven by EMOTION and men, by nature, are not generally as emotional as women...

Staybrite wrote

Quote :

I have a few friends who do the "home church" thing, and that scares me almost as much as the seeker driven mega church stuff.

Why?
....
The people that scare me are the ones who go to Seminary...or is it religious cemetery?

unworthy wrote:

men don't like going to church because it's driven by EMOTION and men, by nature, are not generally as emotional as women...

bingo… might be part of why I don't like some modern worship music.

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

I assume this is one of the reasons there's a book out there called "Why Men Hate Going to Church"

It's an awesome book that every church leadership should read. Perhaps in so doing they could recapture the attention of the male Christian.

unworthy wrote:

men don't like going to church because it's driven by EMOTION and men, by nature, are not generally as emotional as women...

I don't buy this. I think men are just as emotional but our culture teaches us to hide it unless it's anger or about "appropriate" things.

Ever been to a golf course? When some guy shanks one off, he doesn't just go "Oh, I hit that one poorly." Never once heard that on the course.

Ever watched a football, hockey, baseball or basketball game with some guys? They don't say "Oh, the opponents are doing much better than us in this competition."

And frankly, I think this is an excuse. What kind of example does it set for our families when we only show emotion about things that don't matter?

I agree with unworthy ...Men are hardwired logical by nature and women are emotional by nature. (Thats not to say men can't be moved by emotion and that some women are not logical.)
Alot of churches use emotion to try to move people to support the church financially and otherwise. All this touchy feely emotional crap in churches needs to stop. Men should not hold hands and cry and hug each other ever. (maybe a quick hand on shoulder man hug but never like you would hug a woman...and I see men hug each other in full embrace at churches all the time ) Women should keep their emotions in check. The time to cry is at home in private. I don't buy the idea that women want men who show emotion in public. Thats just wrong. Yes a tear would roll down my face at my wife's funeral but I would be in complete control of my emotions and just wipe it away. Thats one of the reasons I have no use for things like promise keepers. To me it is all nonsense. When I get around emotional people, male or female, I just have to walk on...and I refuse to have a conversation with anyone who is being emotional ...and crying is the worst. You cannot trust emotions..they lie to you. You should never live by or make decisions based on emotions either.

Our church is kind of a mixture of contemporary and traditional. This should give you all a general idea of what it's like: http://www.eccfellowship.org/bulletin.html. It's not unusual to see at least one song by Fernando Ortega and/or Keith Getty each week as well.

brokentulsa wrote:

I agree with unworthy ...Men are hardwired logical by nature and women are emotional by nature. (Thats not to say men can't be moved by emotion and that some women are not logical.)
Alot of churches use emotion to try to move people to support the church financially and otherwise. All this touchy feely emotional crap in churches needs to stop. Men should not hold hands and cry and hug each other ever. (maybe a quick hand on shoulder man hug but never like you would hug a woman...and I see men hug each other in full embrace at churches all the time ) Women should keep their emotions in check. The time to cry is at home in private. I don't buy the idea that women want men who show emotion in public. Thats just wrong. Yes a tear would roll down my face at my wife's funeral but I would be in complete control of my emotions and just wipe it away. Thats one of the reasons I have no use for things like promise keepers. To me it is all nonsense. When I get around emotional people, male or female, I just have to walk on...and I refuse to have a conversation with anyone who is being emotional ...and crying is the worst. You cannot trust emotions..they lie to you. You should never live by or make decisions based on emotions either.

I'm not saying we sould be lead by emotion but why is it so terrible to be emotional?

Jesus was emotional - he got so angry at the money changers he kicked their tables over. And when Lazarus died, he wept.

Doesn't the Bible say to love God with all our soul, all our HEART, all our mind and all our strength? I think He wants all of those, not just the ones we're comfortable with.

I don't really see a problem with the emotion show by men if it is sincere. I've been in some services where the men were crying and hugging. If God is moving, then just let Him do what He will.

there's a difference between being emotional and having or showing emotions.

Unworthy please explain. To me tha sounds like saying its one thing to be hungry but another to need to eat.

Yes, do explain. You almost make it sound like we should be more like Spock and deny our feelings and keep it hidden/stuffed inside.

I think men struggle with being involved in church because the church does not seem to encourage that sense of comraderie that you have with your golf buddies, or the guys you road trip to the baseball game with, or the other geeks you stand in line with to watch the latest Star Wars or Lord of the Rings movie....

Instead, men pass each other in the aisle at church with just a handshake and a grunt...

Quote :

there's a difference between being emotional and having or showing emotions

I understand what he is saying and agree but will let unworthy explain it ..

It seems like what I referred to. You can cheer for a ball game or get angry at someone but you better not tear up when you think about what Jesus went through on the cross. That's simply unacceptable.

I think the reason men don't cry here is our Americanized Hollywood male mindset that men never cry. However, in other cultures, even the manly men can do that without being seen as wimps or homos. We've created this mindset that tough guys don't cry and try to hold up that lie. We even see some manly men (including Jesus) in the Bible who cried. Even Jeremiah is referred to as the weeping prophet.

I think that we men need to learn to express ALL our emotions at times inside and outside our services but keep them in proper check with the word of God. (Exp. Be angry, and sin not.)

ishmael81 wrote:

..... but you better not tear up when you think about what Jesus went through on the cross. That's simply unacceptable.

Like many guys I am much more "visual" then my wife (face it men our wired much differently than women). For instance I was amazed when I first truly believed that Christ died on the cross for my sins...but it didn't bring me to tears. It actually wasn't until I saw the crucifixion scene in the film "The Passion" that it made weep like a child. Now I can't get that image out of head when I think of the sacrifice Christ made for us. And knowing the fact that it was our perfect Christ that suffered a pain much greater than what any actor could portray on film makes it much more real and "emotional" to me.

I am not saying we shouldn't have emotions. Yes, I got choked up in my throat when I saw the crucifixion scene in the passions. Yes, I cry to the lord at times. It upsets me greatly to see some of the choices that my children make. yes, I feel love and warmth and happiness sometimes in church and yes I feel comfortable around some other guys. I don't like being around emotionless people and I don't care for super macho jock types either.....I am just saying that I think men and women should keep it in check. My main point was I have seen alot of churches guilt people and use emotion in church to get bigger tithes and keep people under control and further the agenda of the church instead of Gods agenda. The faith movement is extremely famous for this and all the emotional stuff like rolling in the floor and speaking in tongues and running around in church that happens in alot of charismatic and pentecostal churches is just freaky and IMO is not the lord but peoples emotions getting worked into a frenzy. I will share that for me personally I do not like people to touch me. My wife, my kids and my dog are about it.

ishmael81 wrote:

Unworthy please explain. To me tha sounds like saying its one thing to be hungry but another to need to eat.

to understand what I mean you have to understand exactly what it means to be "emotional." .. Being emotional is more than simply having emotions or expressing them; it is the driving force which the emotions play in decision making, the degree to which they are shown, and the impact they have on a person and their values.

most church services are EMOTION driven.

Personally I think churches need more CONTENT and less filler (emotional stuff) ... teach me how to live without appealing to emotions so much.

Quote :

most church services are EMOTION driven.

I agree

brokentulsa wrote:

Quote :

most church services are EMOTION driven.

I agree

I better mark this day on my calender! .. bt agreed with something I said! ...