A Minister's Lamentations

God loves his church. There's no question about that fact. I also love his church - deeply. So, please do not take what I am about to write to mean that I am disparaging the church. I am not. But I do point out some areas of concern within because I love her so much. Just saying.

I lament church worship services where those on the platform are performance-oriented and those who hear are seeking to be entertained. Such behavior is rampant in our churches. I am all for exciting worship services, but we should engage in worship for an audience of One - and he's not sitting in the pews. Rather, he sits on his throne in heaven and is ever-present in our midst through his Holy Spirit. We seek to please him - and not to entertain.

I lament hearing messages from preachers who have been to seminary and yet who obviously have not studied the biblical languages, or, if they did study them, should have listened more attentively in class. I do not like it when someone "theologizes" the text. I do not like it even when preachers preach messages that sound good and sound right but miss the actual point of the text. If given the choice between the two, give me the faithful proclamation and teaching of the biblical text every time over "sound-good" rhetoric.

I lament the clapping of hands in worship services after every song and sometimes even after someone prays. I'm not against hand clapping - it has its place - but clapping for someone (other than God) all the time can ruin an atmosphere of worship and seems to me to be ridiculous.

I lament the raising of hands in a worship service where it resembles the hand or fist pumping or swaying to the music that one sees at a rock concert. I am not against raising hands in church - I do it myself on occasion; it's biblical - but the raising of hands in Scripture was a prayer posture that was holy and reverent.

I lament the attitude held by many that we already know the gospel, and now all we have to do is apply it.

I lament the spirit of libertarianism that has pervaded the church. Just because something might be permissible does not mean that a believer is necessarily free to do it. Whatever happened to the attitude - like that of Paul - of doing nothing to hinder the gospel of Christ (cf. 1 Cor 9:12)?

I lament that the church all too often values the energy of youth over the wisdom of those spiritual saints who have been believers for years. The Bible says much about the wisdom of those who are more advanced in age, both chronologically and spiritually. We need one another.

I lament that more men in the church do not step up to lead or teach but would rather relegate that responsibility to their wives.

Feeling kind of blue? What to do? What to do? What to do?

"Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching. For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will accumulate teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. But as for you, keep a clear head about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2 Tim 4:2-6, HCSB).

"And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim 2:2, HCSB).

Take care and God bless,
Terry