19 July 2012
Church Hopping
Bill The Church Hopper - By Jordan Mederich from worshiphousemedia on GodTube.
This is really a sad "churchy" take on people who go from one church to another when things don't work out. I mean, really??? Do you think any person in his right mind is going to wake up that early and spend several hours of his day for a free bagel and some Starbucks coffee? And let me add something else: churches are the ones who are encouraging church-hopping. Yes, they are. Have you read their ads? To hear them tell it, their church is the only one where "dynamic worship" happens or oh! The latest ad I got from a church informed me that "God is real" at their place.
Um. Yeah. Because if you're going to one of those other churches, they don't have "relevant" ministry, God isn't "real," worship isn't "contemporary," and the atmosphere is not "friendly." Seriously, these people would do well just to save their printing and postage costs and... I dunno... maybe minister to the people God ALREADY brought to their door?
Would the Apostle Peter send out mass-mailings? Emphasize the ways in which his particular church has lively services (thus implying everyone else is a fuddy-duddy)? Do "free" car washes and raise thousands of dollars to go on "life-changing" ministry trips to other countries, but then come home and still not talk to their neighbours or let their kids play with the autistic children next door? Yes, I'm going there.
Meh. It ain't worth the free bagel and the coffee or anything else, is what I'm figuring. But you have to credit the real church hopper (not this churched-up actor guy) for at least trying to find a place to fit in somewhere.
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Look Out, Dad!!
My father is the purple dot above the blue weather station. He's juuust outside Milton's evacuation zone. Well! My brother and I jus...
Bill runs pretty fast for a big man...more power to him!
ReplyDeleteI go back to church every once in a while, because it does bring back good memories. My mom is a devout catholic, and the sweetest person in the world!
Last time I went, I saw the preschool had a few demands before children would be admitted. First, they must be potty trained, and then they must be able to communicate their wants and needs. NO AUTISTICS ALLOWED, in other words. Once Ben flies the coop, I'm going back. Not to be holy, but to help out mama's like me. In the name of the church, even though they don't deserve it. I tried to get Ben into a catholic school when he was in 2nd grade...they didn't want him. I feel no guilt for the church leaving me. To honor my mother, though, and to give me something to do in my old age, I may go back once Ben flies the coop. Just to show 'em what I think Jesus would really do.
THIS. Is real Christian love. This is what I want to be when I grow up. I am just not there yet. I am still in the "mad at church and not sure where Jesus fits in" stage.
DeleteI love Jesus. I'm just not really sure about everything after that.
Funny video... what I really think that guy needs is a good food pantry ministry... he's just hungry.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, as someone who has been in the same church for 10 years in good and bad times, I get pretty annoyed with church hoppers especially when they try to put pressure on you to hop with them.
I have a feeling that the next time I "hop" it will be to take a hiatus for a couple of years till I figure out what I really want in a church.
I hadn't thought of the food pantry ministry... but wouldn't that be interesting?? Free meal if you stay for whole service. The church would have to do a lot of changing/accomodating, and so would the new people who were attending.
Delete...or what God wants in me.
ReplyDeleteI think that's really it. I also think there is an adjustment period of a few months in a new church and you might take a bit of time to figure out the place is not for you. Or even things can change and you have to leave.
DeleteI've seen the "hopper" type that just meh isn't really committed to much of anything, ever, but what I see more often are people who have been hurt or whose churches have changed in some way and they felt powerless to stop it.
Which is why I'd take a break.
DeleteI am sure you will find it not shocking in the least that Vivy's family has been through 7 local churches in 15 years. lol
ReplyDeleteOo, I've BEEN to way more than that in 15 years... but I seriously attended only about 3. It would be so much easier if they just hung out the standard "autistics not welcome" sign that must be stashed in the back of useyourbrains' church. And, well, about every church. :)
DeletePS. Also will have to message you on more particulars. :)
I'd tend to disagree. It's not like churches have carte blanche to act as nasty as they want to and all Christians are somehow obligated to pick one and attend somewhere or they lose the label.
ReplyDeleteBecause if that's true? I'm not a Christian any more. *shrug*