GC.TV is thinking about doing a more traditional-style church service in addition to it's very contemporary regular style of service. After doing the 'Best Sex Ever' series, it appears as though Tallahassee is a very traditional town and since our purpose is to know Christ and make Him known, having a more traditional service might reach more people in this particular city than being cutting edge.
At first I was for it. I thought, "I've been a member of VERY traditional churches that refused to sacrifice their traditions for the sake of the younger generation...I guess we could do the same in reverse and sacrifice our want to be unique and modern for people who feel more comfortable in a more 'church-like' church."
I don't know that I feel that way anymore. Actually, I'm not sure how I feel about it.
The truth is that GC.TV is the first church I've ever been apart of that did church to reach people, not to keep people. We've never done anything to cater to people's needs for comfort....to keep the precious few happy. Because of that fact we've lost some, but we've gained tremdously more and I believe such a mentality develops a mature body of believers who don't get their feelings hurt as easily as most church people do.
I remember when the church I grew up in changed their evening service from 7pm to 6:30pm and people got so upset by the 'change' that they stopped coming! I can only imagine what the billboard campaigne would have done there. I also remember when our Officers (Pastors) taught us a song in Sunday school that went like this,
"I won't play on Sunday, on Sunday, on Sunday. I won't play on Sunday because it is a sin."
No joke.
Tradition may bring in people who are already acustomed to church...and they may feel more comfortable in the services, but I don't know if that accomplishes our mission. All of the traditionalitsts who wrote angry, mean and hateful emails to our Pastor were from other churches and our mission is not to take them from their church but to bring in people who would otherwise not enter church at all...into a realm that looks a little bit more familiar, like the world they live in. Plus, there is a church on every corner in this town. Honestly, I have never seen a city with so many churches and my assumption is that the majority of them are traditional, catering to the needs of the people who go there. We've never been that church, and yet we've grown consistantly over the past 4 years and are just now starting to level off, which in the midst of all the trouble we've had to endure it's amazing our people haven't scattered to places that are more 'comfortable'.
But on the other end, if this is of God we can't argue with that. We do live in a very traditional, southern, Christian town and perhaps even the unchurched would feel more enclined to come to a more 'churchy' church service.
Have I made up my mind about it..not really. All I know if that I am called to serve here. I trust our Pastor wholeheartedly to lead us God's way and GC.TV is shaping me and teaching me in a way that I praise God for.
4 comments:
I agree with your thoughts. The traditional service won't appeal to the vast majority of those under 25. So, I guess our target for the service is older people (25+). It won't be the ones that are "our future." It will be ones that are already set in their ways (hence the term "traditional")...ones that want to be comfortable.
But, regardles, the Pastor & staff have my full support in whatever decision is made. I trust them completely.
i'm sorry kathy! i thought i had you on the list...oops. that is all fixed now:0)
oh...let the opinions flow...I do not go to church...why? I do NOT enjoy it, it feels like an obligation, not something I am excited to do and I do not think that God expects me to go somewhere to 'worship' him that I am dreading before I am even there. I have searched this area to find somewhere I enjoy going because I want to be involved with believers and LIKE church but I have found nothing - even in 'contemporary' services because even though I enjoy the music a little more, the message is always the same simple 'be good to your neighbor' or 'Jesus died for you' or its some elaborate story from the life of the pastor which mentions maybe one bible verse that sort of coinsides. I went to a church in Boone called Shelter Rock ( www.shelterrock.org ) that I loved - the service was not purely contemporary or traditional, but it was always an intellegent biblical lesson which went deeper into life issues and understanding the bible than any pastor I had ever heard. I enjoyed the services and went twice a week enthusiasticlly. Contemporary or traditional, a truely Godly service will show itself and young or old, Godly people will be moved by it. A lot of people go to church because they feel obligated and they want to be proud of themselves because they did their duty for the week. They do not want to be challanged or bothered by change. I believe that if God is truly leading a service and the people in charge are seeking God's guidance then they will be unavoidably doing the right thing, and people seeking God will find Him there..make sense? While a Pastor should be sensitive to his flock, God is his shepard and he should not be swayed from His guidance by pressures from the sheep. I think you are exactly correct to trust your Pastors if you believe they are seeking God (and you seem to know that they are). The type of service they are being led to run will attract whoever God wants them to attract. I think many churches collapse to the pressures of the 'sheep' because unfortunatly money makes the world go round and the fear (NOT from God)of those 'older' tither's pulling out is enough to bring them into compliance. But how will God's glory ever be shown if we never need him?...another lesson all together...But seriously you seem to have found somewhere special and considering the resistance to the sex thing - which you know to be of Godly origin and focus - they are likely doing something RIGHT! The devil does not need to bother people who are already on his side, ya know? I say your pastors should hold thier ground and let only God be thier leaders...and any adversity which comes about will be fighting the good fight if you know what I mean...this may be rambling by now, but I miss my church terribly and if you have found something real, do not let it change!
Amen Angela. I miss you so much and wish you could enjoy GC with me. We could use an intellegent, firey, awesome woman of God like you.
You rock my friend.
Kiss that baby for me.
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