Just wanted to get your feedback about your own experience of church...you can be as honest as you like, and can even answer anonymously. If you have a moment and would like to share your thoughts, please leave your comments below as they relate to these interrelated questions:What would your ideal church look like? How is that similar/different from your experience at Mission Baptist Church? In your opinion, what things draw you (and others) to church and what things keep you (and others) away. What would you change - add, take away, modify?
Thanks,
MP
7 comments:
O.k. What keeps others/me away from church? I think that it a combination of many things. 1st there is the media who proteays christianity as some thing that only unhip and a for a lack of a better word "wierd" people do. THerefore that makes being a christian a very uncool thing to do and not many people want to be seen as uncool/not fitting in with the crowd. 2nd there is always the guy/girl standing on the street corner who is shoving the gosple down peoples throts and telling them that they are all going to go to hell and sudenly all christians are seen in the same light.... which is totally not fair/true but still the case. Then there are the rule that are not exactly biblical but we are told to be followed anyway such as what to wear to church ex.some curches see shorts as "unexceptable". When there is no rule or evidance that sugessts that you can't worship unless your wearing a suit or a dress. GOd doen't care if you wear a suit or a riped t-shirt. Therefore the petty things that are enforced also drive people away. Also I think that sometimes God revials stuff in our lives which he wants to change and sometimes we are just unwilling to do so. So instead of fixing the problem we run away and try to hide from God and pretend that the problem does not exsist. Placeing the blame on the pastor or church that it's their fault for making them so uncomforable. So yeah those are my thoughts on this topic. Hope it helps mike
What draws me to a specific church is growing closer to God and learning new things about Him. These are reasons why I chooose to make mission baptist my home, I love the sermons and I'm always learning new things. I also like the diversity in our church, how there are old and young and everything in between, I enjoy that we sing choruses and have drums, but that we also still sing one hymn. From speaking to friends, I think that bad past experiences keep them away, or fears due to lack of knowledge (ex. one friend thought that God might strick her for going to church when she hadn't been baptised as an infant...)What would I change? I think that our church is still small enough that we could put more prayer requests in the bulliton for people in our church who maybe aren't sick, I also think it would be nice to put some answers to prayer there, so that we can see how God is working within our church family.
What would your ideal church look like? Ideally everyone would with complete humility, gathering together with a completely honest heart, seeking God in everything they do, for His Glory and Praise.
How is that Similar/different...at Mission...? Its too bad that generations don't mix well sometimes, maybe its only in the rows that I can see, not anywhere else.
What would I change...? From my view, it may not be perfect, I would say Its All Good. I am encouraged by different people constantly, and every time I go to church. Just last Sunday, I met a man checking the lights in the Church house, to make sure they are off. He looked really happy doing it, and he's not even a Trustee anymore. Not only am I encouraged by the little things people do, all the time, and I don't even know most of the time what all is being done, I am encouraged and challenged by our leaders, and for that I am thankful.
What keeps me coming to Mission? The pastor's messages often make me feel like he's talking to me personally. Whenever I get a reflex that makes defensive, I remember that he doesn't even know me, so it must be God that is leading him to say things that make me feel uncomfortable because I need to hear that. I like the powerful Bible-based preaching at Mission, because I've been to a lot of places where I heard "feel good" sermons that don't challenge me or make me think.
why am I at Mission:
I really appreciate how Dieter tries to preach on a message that is based on one (or two) particular scripture(s) every week. The church I attended before mission always had topical based messages and though some of them were really good they often became very repetitive and I wasn't learning much scripture. The people of mission are very welcoming, I've heard many students say that they often feel treated like kings and queens at the student lunches. Also, one of the reasons I stay at Mission is Mike and Heather. Together they are an amazing couple and both incredibly gifted and intelligent.
what would I love to see change about mission:
I would love to see a greater involvement in social injustice (such as poverty in Hamilton) and more discussion on us getting involved with the city (for example initiatives like True City). Secondly,the church just having a greater impact on the community of Westdale. Sometimes I wonder if the church got up and moved to another part of the city whether or not Westdale residents would even notice or care. I would love to see our church be a blessing to the community of Westdale, a church known for making that community a better place. I think as a church we need to begin to dream what that looks like and pray for God to begin helping us become involved in residents lives (their kids, youth, students, etc).
what keeps me away from church? to be brutally honest...i don't like churches that remind me of something else. some church services i have been to are like rock concerts with loud music, and others try to be like theaters with sermons that have drama complete with props, costumes and usually very bad acting. mission baptist sometimes is too much like school. after being in class all week, i come sunday mornings and am supposed to go to a sunday school class where there is another "teacher" waiting for me. in the service i hear a sermon where i'm supposed to take notes. and sunday nights there is a bible study with "homework" and stuff i'm supposed to read beforehand just like at school. what i need is something relevent to my life and help to live out my faith in a practical way in a world that tries to pull me away from God.
I just read all of the interesting commments left here. Thanks everyone for your honest and encouraging feedback.
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