granolaturtle
Well-Known Member
It's been a long time since I've been to church and now that I have a license I really wanted to drive myself. I was raised Methodist but didn't really connect with the local popular Methodist church we attended at first (before we stopped going to church altogether). It felt at times like it was trying too hard to be "trendy" - the Easter service we went to had music that barely sounded religious or appropriate to the subject matter.
I didn't hate it at all and I appreciate their efforts to try to reach out to younger people but it felt a bit empty.
So I decided that since I was taking myself I could choose where I wanted to go. I looked over lots of different churches and did research on the backgrounds of the denominations and such. Being a queer person who looks pretty visibly gay, I have to be careful about where I go. I don't think they'll bite me or anything, I just don't want to be guilt tripped or pressured.
Anyways, this is all leading up to me deciding to check out a local Pentecostal church. I read about it and liked the expressive worship, people calling out, crying, etc... I think all of that is pretty cool, not scary. Sometimes in the more reserved churches I've been to in the past I'll feel a a strong emotion but feel like I have to suppress any expression of it because you have to be quiet in church. Crying in a Methodist church, to me, would attract a lot of attention and seem out of place.
The arm waving, shouting and overall spontaneity - at least, the idea of it - spoke to my soul. Unfortunately, the church I attended was fire and brimstone. And I'm not the kind of person who thinks that all sermonizing has to make people feel good. Far from it - I believe material that challenges people and urges them to change is important. Discomfort, guilt and even anger is sometimes a catalyst for growth. It can be misapplied or used for destructive means, but so can any other emotion.
However, as far as I can tell this church wasn't trying to challenge their congregation or encourage them to change in some way. They were assuring themselves, talking about how half of the world's Christians would go to Hell for not believing how they do. Talking about how wonderful it would be to see the Lord Jesus but also how terrible it would be for everyone else. Apparently in the end times the world's Jews are going to convert to Christianity and face off with Israel's enemies???? Yeah, I did not like the sermon and it struck me as unethical.
My sister is an atheist and attended with me, she was very uncomfortable and afterward talked about how weird it was that they cried and laid on the floor and called out during church. She said she felt like she was going to get struck down with lightening during the sermon and I hate that they made her feel that way the first time she's gone to church in several years. My concern isn't with the style of worship, it's with the material they were so motivated to cry and praise the Lord to.
I'll probably attend another Pentecostal church to see if this was a one-off thing. I also try to remind myself that I'm not going to church to criticize. I'm trying to seek a connection with God with humility and fellowship. I felt bad that all I did after the service that Sunday was laugh about it with my sister. I do think my concerns are legitimate, though - the sermon was so condemning of not only other religions but of other Christians (probably Catholics in particular they didn't like, if I were to guess).
Next Sunday, I don't think I'm going to go back. I'll see what the local Lutheran church is like. It'll probably take a while before I find a church that's a good fit.
I didn't hate it at all and I appreciate their efforts to try to reach out to younger people but it felt a bit empty.
So I decided that since I was taking myself I could choose where I wanted to go. I looked over lots of different churches and did research on the backgrounds of the denominations and such. Being a queer person who looks pretty visibly gay, I have to be careful about where I go. I don't think they'll bite me or anything, I just don't want to be guilt tripped or pressured.
Anyways, this is all leading up to me deciding to check out a local Pentecostal church. I read about it and liked the expressive worship, people calling out, crying, etc... I think all of that is pretty cool, not scary. Sometimes in the more reserved churches I've been to in the past I'll feel a a strong emotion but feel like I have to suppress any expression of it because you have to be quiet in church. Crying in a Methodist church, to me, would attract a lot of attention and seem out of place.
The arm waving, shouting and overall spontaneity - at least, the idea of it - spoke to my soul. Unfortunately, the church I attended was fire and brimstone. And I'm not the kind of person who thinks that all sermonizing has to make people feel good. Far from it - I believe material that challenges people and urges them to change is important. Discomfort, guilt and even anger is sometimes a catalyst for growth. It can be misapplied or used for destructive means, but so can any other emotion.
However, as far as I can tell this church wasn't trying to challenge their congregation or encourage them to change in some way. They were assuring themselves, talking about how half of the world's Christians would go to Hell for not believing how they do. Talking about how wonderful it would be to see the Lord Jesus but also how terrible it would be for everyone else. Apparently in the end times the world's Jews are going to convert to Christianity and face off with Israel's enemies???? Yeah, I did not like the sermon and it struck me as unethical.
My sister is an atheist and attended with me, she was very uncomfortable and afterward talked about how weird it was that they cried and laid on the floor and called out during church. She said she felt like she was going to get struck down with lightening during the sermon and I hate that they made her feel that way the first time she's gone to church in several years. My concern isn't with the style of worship, it's with the material they were so motivated to cry and praise the Lord to.
I'll probably attend another Pentecostal church to see if this was a one-off thing. I also try to remind myself that I'm not going to church to criticize. I'm trying to seek a connection with God with humility and fellowship. I felt bad that all I did after the service that Sunday was laugh about it with my sister. I do think my concerns are legitimate, though - the sermon was so condemning of not only other religions but of other Christians (probably Catholics in particular they didn't like, if I were to guess).
Next Sunday, I don't think I'm going to go back. I'll see what the local Lutheran church is like. It'll probably take a while before I find a church that's a good fit.