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This is the place for quiet meditations and reflections. No debate is permitted, and we ask that the fact that this is a Christian-owned site be respected in that the majority of the spiritual reflections expressed here will be Christian in perspective. We ask that mediations that are blatantly unorthodox or contrary to Christianity not be posted. Respectful interaction and posting by those of other beliefs is permitted. Moderators are given wide discretion and latitude as to the appropriateness of posts in this area.

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I'm the Dummy

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  • I'm the Dummy

    A strange thing has been happening at my Church the last year or so.

    Our Church had been made up of, primarily, blue collar workers, but mostly retired people. Older folks.
    I had really hoped that our Church would grow and reach younger families, and that, at 60+ years of age, my wife and I wouldn't be "the youth department".

    Well, we've seen growth.
    A couple young families with children - who put on their "visitor's evaluation" that one of the aspects they like about our Church is that we sing HYMNS!
    Then a few more young families with children.
    Average Age of Congregation going DOWN.

    Then, I noticed something else, and not sure what to make of it.
    Two of the young families include a lawyer - one Assistant District Attorney and wife, and one Chief Prosecutor and her husband.
    Then a medical doctor more my age.
    Then a very young PhD from Texas A&M with his family of 4.
    Then, my dying Pastor friend, who is also a PhD.
    Then, a professor from A&M who is a PhD.
    Then an eye doctor who's a real doctor.
    Then, an honest-to-goodness rocket scientist (PhD) from NASA.

    Some of these are new to the area, and have mad our Church "home".
    Some of them have moved here from other local churches.

    So far, it appears that the main reason for these professional people coming is - they like expository preaching and they love hymns.
    We sing hymns every Sunday, but we also include some of the better choruses that actually have some theology in them.
    The "Modern Hymn Movement" is a good source of our choruses and newer hymns, and we don't do 7-11 music.

    We don't have a band, or a "worship team", or glitz or glamor.
    It's simple preaching and good music.

    I'm puzzled, primarily, why all the "new people" seem to be professional people with, in many cases, much more education than me!
    I'm "the dummy".

    The Professor from A&M started "filling in" as our music leader, as our regular music leader has literally been living in his wife's hospital room at Houston's MD Anderson while she (miraculously) recovers from cancer and very bad side effects of radiation and chemo for the last 2 months.

    Mostly, I just typed this out cause I'm thinking this through, and it helps to "get it out there" as part of the "what is this all about" process.
    The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

  • #2
    I've heard it said that people who are taught the deep things of the word on a consistent basis actually "get" the theology of so many of the old hymns, as well as the new ones by artists such as the Getty's.

    Those without sound teaching only like the shallow repetitive choruses that are in wide use today.

    I'm so glad that Jesus is growing your church, brother, because of your faithfulness to his word!

    Yuh!


    Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

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    • #3
      Don't try to understand it, just praise God for it!

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      • #4
        Originally posted by mossrose View Post
        Yuh!
        Where on EARTH did you get this resounding refrain?




        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
          Where on EARTH did you get this resounding refrain?




          I don't know. It just seems to be a good idea at the time........



          Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by mossrose View Post
            I don't know. It just seems to be a good idea at the time........



            AND.... the music director's wife who was literally dying just 3 weeks ago has made a REMARKABLE recovery, and we've been playing (for the last two Sundays) short videos for the congretation of her from the hospital reporting on her progress. Three weeks ago, her eyes were vacant, she had a rather "dead person" appearance, and she could only mumble without moving her lips - almost in a comatose state.

            In her words, "we have 'me' working from the waste up, and now we're working on getting 'me' working from the waist down". Yesterday, she actually stood on her own for the first time in a month!
            The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post


              AND.... the music director's wife who was literally dying just 3 weeks ago has made a REMARKABLE recovery, and we've been playing (for the last two Sundays) short videos for the congretation of her from the hospital reporting on her progress. Three weeks ago, her eyes were vacant, she had a rather "dead person" appearance, and she could only mumble without moving her lips - almost in a comatose state.

              In her words, "we have 'me' working from the waste up, and now we're working on getting 'me' working from the waist down". Yesterday, she actually stood on her own for the first time in a month!
              And, THIS JUST IN.... got a text from her husband saying the doctors are so impressed, that she'll probably be home by Feb 15!!!
              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                Where on EARTH did you get this resounding refrain?




                a contraction of "Yeah, duh!"

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                  a contraction of "Yeah, duh!"
                  Yuh!


                  Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    There are people that like shallow "worship" songs? The ones that do not bring glory to God due to the bad lyrics? I am thankful CP's church is not like that. Praise the LORD!
                    If it weren't for the Resurrection of Jesus, we'd all be in DEEP TROUBLE!

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                    • #11
                      I can't stand contemporary worship music and get nothing out of it but I try not to complain about it because I feel it seems self-centered to complain about my own personal preferences in a church service, when it seems other worshipers get plenty out of it.
                      "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
                        I can't stand contemporary worship music and get nothing out of it but I try not to complain about it because I feel it seems self-centered to complain about my own personal preferences in a church service, when it seems other worshipers get plenty out of it.
                        We always go to church, even when I'm not "the Pastor", so we were attending a Bible Church once, and they did all that fancy 7-11 music. I'd look around, and the "praise team" was really into it, but maybe only 1/4 or less of the congregation was really singing.

                        Then, every once in a while, they'd do "Amazing Grace" or "Old Rugged Cross" or "At the Cross" -- and EVERYBODY would be singing.

                        I asked Scot - the Pastor - "can't they SEE THAT?" I mean, the "praise team" has GOT to know that people REALLY sing on some songs, and are just barely "there" for others.

                        Scot was the "teaching elder" of three elders, and he told me "the other two elders like the contemporary stuff".
                        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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                        • #13
                          What is "7-11 music"?
                          Geislerminian Antinomian Kenotic Charispneumaticostal Gender Mutualist-Egalitarian.

                          Beige Federalist.

                          Nationalist Christian.

                          "Everybody is somebody's heretic."

                          Social Justice is usually the opposite of actual justice.

                          Proud member of the this space left blank community.

                          Would-be Grand Vizier of the Padishah Maxi-Super-Ultra-Hyper-Mega-MAGA King Trumpius Rex.

                          Justice for Ashli Babbitt!

                          Justice for Matthew Perna!

                          Arrest Ray Epps and his Fed bosses!

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by NorrinRadd View Post
                            What is "7-11 music"?
                            "7 words sung 11 eleven times"

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
                              I can't stand contemporary worship music and get nothing out of it but I try not to complain about it because I feel it seems self-centered to complain about my own personal preferences in a church service, when it seems other worshipers get plenty out of it.
                              The problem I have with contemporary worship music (at least of the 7-11 variety) is that it's more often than not accompanied by vapid and shallow "self-realization" theology. As long as the theology is still sound I don't really mind if it comes in "easier to digest"-forms, but as soon as it turns into some kind of "God is going to help you become the version of yourself that you've always wanted to be"-theology, that's when I've had enough.

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