The last two weeks of meetings have actually been alright. The extra effort seems to be paying off. For the most part, I feel like we've been able to marry the message topic with the four-fold without compromising the four-fold too much. The meetings are somewhat exhausting because we're in the place where I'm having to defend a song for 10 minutes, explaining and re-explaining why it's the right choice. It's not that I'm not open to other suggestions, but I put a lot of thought into what songs I choose for each part of the service and it gets old having to revisit each song each week. I'm hoping that gets less laborious as we go on.
I found out today that the plan is to get an imag camera up and running by April. I'm not thrilled about this development at all. Apparently, the reasoning is that they want the congregation to get used to seeing the teacher on the screen, so that when we start a new site in the future, we can have the option to do video teaching. People will already be used to it.
I don't love the idea for a few reasons. The first reason is that i don't think our room is really big enough to warrant the teacher's mug up on the giant screens- it feels like overkill. Second, though, and probably more important, is that we lose the pieces of art that we were involved in the message. My lead pastor said he may even put the worship leaders up on the screen, which is mortifying to me. I'm thinking probably not at our site because it's easier to see the people on stage, but he didn't mention it for no reason. Besides not wanting to have my own mug up on the giant screens, we would definitely lose the art up on the screens that is such a vital part of our worship services.
This is one of those pieces of the Sunday puzzle that isn't a theological issue- it's not a moral issue- it is somewhat of a philosophical issue- but mostly it's a cultural issue. I vacillate back and forth between really wanting to be 100% on board and thinking surely I'm just overreacting; but then these sorts of details come up and I get that sinking feeling again that I may not be at this job for as long as I had hoped.
About Me
- Rachael McClair
- I'm the first to admit my surprise at how much I love being a mom. Three years ago, after having my 2nd (and last) child, I began a weight loss program and dropped 40 pounds. I'm proud of attaining that goal, and keeping it off (+- 5 pounds, of course). I love to cook, love to eat, love to entertain, and love love love my family.
3 comments:
i don't know you (my daughter alyssa is a friend of amy's) but i can appreciate your struggle. even though i am not a musician, i have strong opinions about worship. our church is now considered a "mega-church". we've built a new building complete with 2 jumbo-trons where, yes, we can watch the pastor preach and see scripture on the screens and what i like to call 'disco' lights shining brightly on the wall at the back of the stage. we have teaching videos, skits, visuals, what i like to call 'party favors' (items placed on the altar that correspond to the sermon theme that you take home with you and do 'something' with to remind you of the sermon blah blah blah. we have a good band (no praise team thank goodness)that actually played kool and the gang "celebration" at the end of the service last week.....and the church is NOT growing. after the sermon we are told to rise and worship. we sing ONE verse of a song because there is only 1.15 minutes on the flow sheet allowed for this part of the service. well, i could go on and on and this probably means nothing to you except that i am a layperson who struggles to hear/feel/sense the Holy Spirit on sunday mornings during worship. i love music - for me, scripture reading and GOOD WORSHIP is my sunday morning service. the sermon is not what brings me to church every sunday. nor are the skits or visuals or videos. you will know when it is time for you to leave. i can tell where your heart is. God will honor that. jan
Thanks for your thoughts, Jan. I think everyone should have strong opinions on worship, regardless of musicianship, because worship transcends art and even service.
One question- let's say you have a good friend that isn't a follower of Jesus but is interested in learning more about him. They would like to attend a church service with you. What would be the ideal service that you would invite someone like that to?
it is such a struggle to figure out who you are trying to reach. my concern is that seeker churches who offer "church light" are really letting the seeker down. you almost have to figure out why the seeker is coming to church. if it is out of a deep, serious need to fill a void in life, then i think they need more than what most seeker churches offer. if they are "looking for something" they are running from the world and worldy stresses, etc. so what do we offer them? our seeker services are FULL OF THE WORLD they are trying to escape - videos, skits, favors, jokes, etc. etc. they may not even realize it but they want MORE. a pastor friend of mine once said "i don't know if jesus intended church to be larger than what you can fit into a home". my ideal is sitting around talking about the whys and hows of christianity and jesus, good music - some upbeat and some serious (clarification - i like dave crowder and robbie seay) - sharing, communion. i know the believers in a "seeker" church struggle BIGTIME - our church thinks you should go deeper in your sunday school but that doesn't always happen. and i want MORE in my service. if my friend is struggling with life, he NEEDS to hear a biblical message that is applicable but not so much that you step too far out of the bible. i think seekers should be invited to activities and dinners, etc. and THERE experience the "SEEKER" stuff. but sunday morning? i just don't get watering down the music/sermon/service. we used to have a great worship leader (jeff berry) who could reach everyone on any level they were on. he was so authentic and real and his music was a HUGE part of our service - for believers or unbelievers. this is hard to type about - easier to talk about over coffee! i'm rambling - hope your meeting tuesday goes ok. it seems to me that being part of a church plant where everyone starts out on the same page would be an ideal church environment to work in.
Post a Comment