What's the point of church...
...to you?
Is it a social gathering? A place for renewal? A place to make you feel righteous? Or a place to make you feel guilty? Fostering one's spiritual growth? Because your parents will shun you if you don't? All of the above?
Our pastoral searching committee has just rejected yet another pastor. Another good pastor. This one had us all excited... and we seriously thought he was the one.
But no, I guess he was too perfect.
Well, they wouldn't disclose why he was not accepted, but as Sarah mentioned today, he could have been an adulteress child rapist; and the church doesn't need to know details like that.
So I'll accept the committee’s decision. Even still, I find it to be frustrating and disheartening news. As a "worship leader," (I don't like that term), I need someone to look to too. But honestly, taking this church in the context of the institution for spiritual guidance, it just does not meet my needs. In the context for fellowship, yeah it does. I love the boys, and it pains me to even think of leaving them.
I secretly thought to myself, if they don't hire this pastor, then I will seriously reconsider finding another place. At the news of the church's decision, Larry asked me what was on my mind, as I probably had this transparent, troubled look. I answer: "Let your yes be yes and your no be no." And he gives a wise-old chuckle, "Why yes Jon, He does say that doesn't He?"
People tell me often: Jon, if you're not fulfilled with the church, you won't find yourself fulfilled in others. That's been said so many times, it's become borderline cliche'ish. Still, I don't take it's truths lightly. Why are breakup's so hard? One reason I find is because so much of one's time and thought was invested into that relationship. To see it lost and broken, what a pity, and a waste. Likewise with that sense of community found in churches. All that time invested in those friendships, how can one just let them go? Yet is this perspective too much on a social foundation?
Heck, I'm going in circles.
Anyway, Josh and Nathan, this vid's for you: Going to Hell Check out those sideburns man, and the beards... You can totally pull that off. I believe in you.
:edit: click "Save target as," or "Save link as" to download the video! Or click on this link to watch it in your browser.
posted by Jonny at 12:21 a.m.
6 Comments:
Yeah, leaving church is hard becuase of the community formed and yet I see ppl church hop just because they "need a change" all the time...it's kind of sad really....
it seems with church, it requires so much effort and investment, but many ppl don't want to put either in...it's always easier for everyone to take the easier way out and either church hop or stop going to church altogether for those reasons....
Ah, how was your day off King? :)
I totally agree, but you know I'm always in for the long-haul. Whether it be relationships, church, or hot-dog eating competitions.
However, am I just looking for something new? Am I just looking for an easier way out?
Maybe :) Thanks mate, I've got something to think about.
=>(btw, I am *not* saying that I am perfect -- I am far from that!)
I'm perfect. (in Christ).
=>The closest church to my place is the United one in Kensington, where I'm thinking of going.
Alicia, although I cannot stop you from checking it out, I beg of you as a friend and brother, to not consider going there!! I did not explicity mention this, but the girl (hit the old post to recap) I had a crush on turned out to be United. Like I mentioned in the post, they do not believe in Hell, which drastically changes their definition of salvation. Although they are very nice and warm hearted people, I would ultimately consider them to be decieved in their faith. :(
dude........ i have ZERO hairs on my cheek... ZERO!!!!
hahahaha its getting really long... but definitely also really really sparse~~
HAHAHAHA
anyways, ya my sis told me they weren't gonna accept him as pastor too... i was pretty shocked cuz i definitely liked him... plus his kid was so KOOL!!!
i duno man... i duno what to think... are we, as part of the church, supposed to be doing it like this where only a select few speak for the majority? like... i would like to know why they didn't choose him... and heck, i don't even know what the criteria is... frick... i'm pretty pissed... but who am i? i'm in friggin edmonton.... gosh... and at the church i'm going to now here we have like 5 pastors.... frick mother.... SUCK
i wanna encourage you to stick in there... but i can't...
i'm pretty discouraged myself
but i've definitely not given up on our church~
In a word, the sideburns in that video are... gross. thanks for the betterer link tho =). Kinda reminded me of Hyde from that 70's show, like.. x4.
Im not sure what you mean by "spiritual guidance". I agree that we all have that kind of need, but its sounds like you need to be in a Discipling relationship. Suggestions for that would be a good friend(preferably someone whos older), a pastor(which your church needs, i know), or someone who you can be real with, and talk about faith and life. For me, that kind of thing doesnt exist in the context of a sunday morning, but something that you do outside of chruch, tho not necessesarily outside of the church body, if you know what i mean.
I think that the church needs to function as a place where we can have friends, and fellowship. If its a bible-teaching church, I know you will get revelations from god, no matter whos reading the Word in yo house.
Let me share my church experience, briefly. I enjoy going to church, and am blessed by the worship, sometimes by the message. Sometimes, i just sit and listen to the pastor, and go "yup, yup, yup." I find the few people in the church who are fun to talk to and make a habit of talking to them about whats going on in my life, and asking them about theirs. Then i look around for someone who looks lonely and talk to them. One of the interesting things ive experienced in the last many years, is the lack of people my age in whatever church im in. This has forced me to look elsewhere for this kind of relationship(same beliefs and similar age). I dont like this about my chruch. But, i tolerate it for the time being, because i like the people in my church and can still find relationship outside of it. Eventually, i think ill switch churches to one where I can be with people who are close to me. I also think church is about serving. I serve the church by doing sound 1 out of every 4 weeks. It sucks to wake up early, but i like doing sound, and its a big help.
I think that really sucks that you guys dont have a pastor right now jon, but keep praying it in. I know thats the area where i am most forgetful to be faithful to god; in prayer.
Wow, that was an ultra-serious post. O.O
That was ultra serious. But thanks for sharing :)
You're right though, in the context of the Sunday morning, I suppose I'm not looking for "better" sermons or any of the like. But rather, I wish there was a pastor in the church who I could find in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, who I could just drop in to and talk. I suppose there's Kelley at the Chaplin center...
But yeah, I fantasize about that like a girl fantasizes about her wedding day.
=>but i've definitely not given up on our church~
Yeah, that's what I've been telling myself for the last few years. And like Nathan, I am very blessed with everyone's fellowship here. Although we are totally a group of uptights who don't like to sing and dance eh? haha, but that doesn't bother me. I don't like to dance either.
But you know, maybe this is the wrong kind of thing to parralel with, but again w/ the relationship comparison, when she told me she changed her mind, I had the choice to, pursue and pursuade her to stay, or to let it go. And for once I was honest with myself, and I thought, yeah, I've totally failed as a leader in this relationship, and I'm really not ready to continue. It's best for the both of us if we part our ways.
Likewise, would it be better for myself, and the church, if I parted off?
Probably not haha, what a dumb comparison.
=>But how could they believe that when hell is scriptural?
Well, when you don't see the Bible as an infaliable, God-breathed and inspired work, then it doesn't really matter what the scripture says.
PS. Gross sideburns?! Those burns are awesome!! I would kill to have sideburns like that! Kill!! Drown! I would drown raisin bran in milk, and eat it!
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