Comments on: Do I Have to Go to Church? http://www.mikepottersblog.com/2008/07/do-i-have-to-go-to-church/ On life, learning, love, and laughter. Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:01:12 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Evonne http://www.mikepottersblog.com/2008/07/do-i-have-to-go-to-church/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Evonne Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:33:00 +0000 http://www.mikepottersblog.com/?p=5#comment-35 I, too, have been pondering worship. I know that I long for a deeper understanding. I want formal liturgy, a rootedness to the orthodox Christian faith that has gone before me and a reaching out to those worshipers beyond me. What an awesome thought to realize that when I pray the hours, the prayers that I pray from books like the Common Book of Prayer, are being prayed before me, with me, and after me, so that I am a small part of a great chorus of prayer to the Father! I have been greatly helped in worship as I have prayed the Psalms and prayers from the Divine Hours and The Valley of Vision. As a child of the late 60's and the 70's, I was tutored in the "deeper experience of spontaneity". The freedom to worship "as the Spirit moved" was the only legitimate course to true worship. And, yes, there were times of remarkable spiritual experience. But now I can see that we were short-sighted. Throwing off "ritual and regimented tradition" left us to measure the depth of our faith by our latest spiritual experience and we often became experience junkies. All churches have liturgy, even the traditional altar call at the end of each service is liturgical. Whatever we do time and again is liturgy, even if we think we are being spontaneous as we set aside a time to make room for the Spirit to move. The faith and practice of the orthodox Christian church, The Apostles' Creed, The Gloria, The Lord's Prayer, The Psalms, the great hymns, etc. root us to one another, enlarge our understanding and engulf us in something larger than ourselves and our own experiences. I believe that these practices provide a ready help in time of trial and deepen community life. Perhaps we will move slower and more thoughtfully, but I believe more effectively too, like Tolkien's Ents, plunging their roots deep into the nourishing soil as they purposefully marched forward, their branches stretched and toward the sky and entwined with one another toward the destruction of the enemy and the glory of the King. I, too, have been pondering worship. I know that I long for a deeper understanding. I want formal liturgy, a rootedness to the orthodox Christian faith that has gone before me and a reaching out to those worshipers beyond me. What an awesome thought to realize that when I pray the hours, the prayers that I pray from books like the Common Book of Prayer, are being prayed before me, with me, and after me, so that I am a small part of a great chorus of prayer to the Father! I have been greatly helped in worship as I have prayed the Psalms and prayers from the Divine Hours and The Valley of Vision. As a child of the late 60’s and the 70’s, I was tutored in the “deeper experience of spontaneity”. The freedom to worship “as the Spirit moved” was the only legitimate course to true worship. And, yes, there were times of remarkable spiritual experience. But now I can see that we were short-sighted. Throwing off “ritual and regimented tradition” left us to measure the depth of our faith by our latest spiritual experience and we often became experience junkies. All churches have liturgy, even the traditional altar call at the end of each service is liturgical. Whatever we do time and again is liturgy, even if we think we are being spontaneous as we set aside a time to make room for the Spirit to move. The faith and practice of the orthodox Christian church, The Apostles’ Creed, The Gloria, The Lord’s Prayer, The Psalms, the great hymns, etc. root us to one another, enlarge our understanding and engulf us in something larger than ourselves and our own experiences. I believe that these practices provide a ready help in time of trial and deepen community life. Perhaps we will move slower and more thoughtfully, but I believe more effectively too, like Tolkien’s Ents, plunging their roots deep into the nourishing soil as they purposefully marched forward, their branches stretched and toward the sky and entwined with one another toward the destruction of the enemy and the glory of the King.

]]> By: Rod Pauls http://www.mikepottersblog.com/2008/07/do-i-have-to-go-to-church/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Rod Pauls Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:59:00 +0000 http://www.mikepottersblog.com/?p=5#comment-17 I'm glad to hear the elders are taking some time to think and pray about our approach to corporate worship at Foothills. I have felt for some time that there is a lot that we could be exploring in the area of worship... liturgy, multi-ethnic, traditional, gospel, etc, etc. I think we are guided as a church by Rev. 7:9, but I wonder if our approach to worship could reflect that vision a little more... what if we sang songs in different languages? or tried out different styles of prayer? or allowed people from different ethnic backgrounds to lead us? Wouldn't that be exciting? I’m glad to hear the elders are taking some time to think and pray about our approach to corporate worship at Foothills. I have felt for some time that there is a lot that we could be exploring in the area of worship… liturgy, multi-ethnic, traditional, gospel, etc, etc. I think we are guided as a church by Rev. 7:9, but I wonder if our approach to worship could reflect that vision a little more… what if we sang songs in different languages? or tried out different styles of prayer? or allowed people from different ethnic backgrounds to lead us? Wouldn’t that be exciting?

]]> By: Mike Potter http://www.mikepottersblog.com/2008/07/do-i-have-to-go-to-church/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Mike Potter Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:02:00 +0000 http://www.mikepottersblog.com/?p=5#comment-13 "The elders are wrestling with understanding what true worship is with the goal of reviving the concept of worship churchwide in the near future."<br/><br/>Translation...<br/><br/>The word "worship" seems to be pretty misunderstood these days. We call Sunday morning the "worship service" as if that's the one time each week we are to worship the Lord. We call the music during a Sunday service "worship" as if singing on Sunday morning is the only way we can worship the Lord.<br/><br/>Worship is so much more...it's a way of life not an event, and the elders are trying to "revive" the meaning for ourselves so that we can "revive" the meaning for the rest of the church in the coming days. “The elders are wrestling with understanding what true worship is with the goal of reviving the concept of worship churchwide in the near future.”

Translation…

The word “worship” seems to be pretty misunderstood these days. We call Sunday morning the “worship service” as if that’s the one time each week we are to worship the Lord. We call the music during a Sunday service “worship” as if singing on Sunday morning is the only way we can worship the Lord.

Worship is so much more…it’s a way of life not an event, and the elders are trying to “revive” the meaning for ourselves so that we can “revive” the meaning for the rest of the church in the coming days.

]]> By: Darcy http://www.mikepottersblog.com/2008/07/do-i-have-to-go-to-church/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Darcy Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:48:00 +0000 http://www.mikepottersblog.com/?p=5#comment-12 Question, what does this mean: "the elders are wrestling with understanding what true worship is with the goal of reviving the concept of worship churchwide in the near future." ??<br/><br/>I hate to admit it, but I think we were tiling our floors around that time and missed church - so this is the first I've heard of it. Question, what does this mean: “the elders are wrestling with understanding what true worship is with the goal of reviving the concept of worship churchwide in the near future.” ??

I hate to admit it, but I think we were tiling our floors around that time and missed church – so this is the first I’ve heard of it.

]]> By: Brian http://www.mikepottersblog.com/2008/07/do-i-have-to-go-to-church/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Brian Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:57:00 +0000 http://www.mikepottersblog.com/?p=5#comment-11 As you know, Nick (then 16) was away from home this past year to play hockey. During that time away, he rarely had the opportunity to go to church at all due to the hockey schedule (games and road trips were almost a given on Sundays).<br/><br/>Now he's back home. Initially, he struggled some to transition back into life at home. But I think on the question of church, that time away helped him to realize what he had missed and why it is important to go to church. He now attends faithfully (the youth service is on Sunday evenings, so it helps that he can still sleep past noon and go!), and has even volunteered on Saturday evenings to help in the Junior High services.<br/><br/>I wouldn't recommend sending your kids away as a technique to convince teenagers the value of going to church. But I think in Nick's case it helped to renew his passion for church and for God.<br/><br/>And if you're looking for less dramatic ways to influence your teens to go to church, you might try withholding gas money or use of the car. That seems to be the #1 motivator in my teen's life! <br/><br/>Or do as Mike suggests and try the logical, rational approach of explaining to your teenager the real reasons we worship. (Logical and rational used in the same sentence as teenager!?!).<br/><br/>Later... As you know, Nick (then 16) was away from home this past year to play hockey. During that time away, he rarely had the opportunity to go to church at all due to the hockey schedule (games and road trips were almost a given on Sundays).

Now he’s back home. Initially, he struggled some to transition back into life at home. But I think on the question of church, that time away helped him to realize what he had missed and why it is important to go to church. He now attends faithfully (the youth service is on Sunday evenings, so it helps that he can still sleep past noon and go!), and has even volunteered on Saturday evenings to help in the Junior High services.

I wouldn’t recommend sending your kids away as a technique to convince teenagers the value of going to church. But I think in Nick’s case it helped to renew his passion for church and for God.

And if you’re looking for less dramatic ways to influence your teens to go to church, you might try withholding gas money or use of the car. That seems to be the #1 motivator in my teen’s life!

Or do as Mike suggests and try the logical, rational approach of explaining to your teenager the real reasons we worship. (Logical and rational used in the same sentence as teenager!?!).

Later…

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