Today was one of those days that just made me thankful for our church home.
We have been a part of Grace Community Church in Clarksville for four years now. What an exciting time. We have grown from small beginnings up to three services now.
Our ministry is expanding through community groups and projects in our communities and our world. God is blessing.
This morning one of our co-pastors shared about Worship. What worship is and what it means. We shared communion and prayed together. The music was moving, especially the saxaphone solo. Wow. I feel I was truly worshipping at God's feet this morning!
I remember being dragged to church as a young person. All I ever heard were scarey stories about hell and how we were all going there if we didn't act right. There were so many more "thou shalt not's" than "thou shalts". Goodness, we couldn't even move in our seats, much less swing our legs. Yes, it was a temptation as sometimes my legs would tingle as they fell asleep. It was a long time before my feet touched the floor. There was no laughter unless we were at some potluck dinner. (even then it was reserved, because this is church)
Today we attend a contemporary service. We laugh, we sing songs with a beat. We have sung some beach boys songs, and bounced a beachball in the crowd while we worshipped.
I had only experienced fun in church on a mission trip. I thought that was the only place it could be done. Because when we got home, it was back to the monotonous songs, and the fill in the blank sermon notes.
Please don't get me wrong. I do love a traditional service. But I do have to say that I have done so much growing in my spiritual walk with Christ since we have become a part of Grace. I used to have a hard time to come up with what we talked about in church on Sundays as I would spend time doodling in my bulletin or reading in my Bible or some other book I had on me. Now, I can tell ya what we talked about.
It makes a difference to our family to have the sermons put in here and now. Yes, we still use the Bible. We bring it every Sunday. But instead of being tied into tradions we have made it fun.
One Sunday we went back to one of my childhood churches. When our youngest came out of his Sunday School class, his teacher told us that he was restless and asked if we have a party at our church on Sundays. My answer to her was, "well yes we do!" The kids have group time where they clap and sing and dance. She was shocked. Fun in church? YES! We have FUN in church!
These kids know the songs! I tell ya, your heart hasn't been blessed until you see the preschoolers in Grace Acres singing their little hearts out to Jesus! They dance and know the words! Many parents have been brought back to church by their preschooler. The kids get handouts for Bible verse work during the week. They love learning the Bible.
There is a lot to be said for the traditional question and answer time in going over the lesson, or in service for that matter. But there is more to be said when children and adults can truly remember and share with others how much fun they had in church today.
Picture the fun kids have in Vacation Bible school week every Sunday!
My reason for this post is just that if you aren't going to church anywhere, please consider going. Church has changed a lot in the last few years. And if you do want it in a traditional style there are lots of those too! There are churches with mixtures of both. We have done it and try to take some from both forms so that everyone will be wittnessed to.
There are many forms of worship, and while one does need to take time to hear God by being still, there is also many, many references in the Bible about song and dance worship also. No, nothing freaky..stuff like "Oh! Let my people go, and This little light of mine!" When we sing acoustically, oh the tears that flow down many cheeks, the repentance of hearts! Each one of us has a different way of worshipping God, we can do it at church, in our homes, in our cars.
That's all. I just wanted to get this out there. Have a great week everybody!
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