Liesje
Blue Crack Addict
OK, I am Dutch Christian Reformed and have been all my life and have gone to a tradition, conservative church my entire life, so I'm not sure if this applies to other denominations, but please post if you have anything to say!
What are your opinions on:
1. Overhead projectors/PowerPoints in church-
I HATE them!!! I think they are disrespectful. We go to church to listen and pray and mediate. Are we really not able to focus for an hour or two? I can't stand having PowerPoint shows with famous quotes, or the main points of the sermon. I think it's weak. Not to mention I work on computers all day, and often fix or help people create PowerPoints, the LAST thing I want to do on Sunday morning is to watch ANOTHER PowerPoint. I also hate them b/c churches often use them as substitutes for the hymnal. I can't sing hymns without the music, NOT just the words, but the music in front of me.
2. Praise teams-
It depends. I don't like praise teams with singers, mics, and a lot of instruments, b/c I've noticed that in many churches with this, if you take away the noise from the praise team, there's no volume coming from the actual congregation singing. It's also pushing the thin line between a worship service and a show. I don't mind the use of instruments in church services, but I'm not too keen on their being basically a band in front of church.
3. Contemporary music-
I can do without it, ALL of it. I was raised to love the old classic hymns. Last service I attended at my home church, we didn't sing a single song written after 1692. There's just something much more spiritual about a beautiful hymn, with translated lyrics from Latin, and a tune by Tallis, Bach, Beethoven...It seems like the newer songs are so empty, cookie-cutter. Sometimes they're not even theologically correct.
I supposed I should describe my home church services so you know where I'm coming from. Again, I'm CRC, so we have a very structured Order of Worship. Our minister (either Minister or Reverend, NOT Pastor) wears robes and preaches his 45 minute sermon from a pulpit. Our only sacraments are Baptism and Lord's Supper, which we celebrate the first Sunday of each month. I cannot take communion b/c I have not yet made Profession of Faith, which we usually do in the early 20's, after we take all the Catechism classes. We sing traditional hymns from the gray Psalter Hymnal. Our intrument is a huge old pipe organ in the balcony. We have adult choirs that sing VERY old and traditional songs, and some kids choirs. Sometimes there is a violin or flute accompanying. We belive in TULIP and really like the Heidelberg Catechism and sometimes have sermons on it as if it were cannonized scripture. For more, ask me questions or see http://www.calvincrc.org
Now tell me what you think of the three things I've commented on above.
What are your opinions on:
1. Overhead projectors/PowerPoints in church-
I HATE them!!! I think they are disrespectful. We go to church to listen and pray and mediate. Are we really not able to focus for an hour or two? I can't stand having PowerPoint shows with famous quotes, or the main points of the sermon. I think it's weak. Not to mention I work on computers all day, and often fix or help people create PowerPoints, the LAST thing I want to do on Sunday morning is to watch ANOTHER PowerPoint. I also hate them b/c churches often use them as substitutes for the hymnal. I can't sing hymns without the music, NOT just the words, but the music in front of me.
2. Praise teams-
It depends. I don't like praise teams with singers, mics, and a lot of instruments, b/c I've noticed that in many churches with this, if you take away the noise from the praise team, there's no volume coming from the actual congregation singing. It's also pushing the thin line between a worship service and a show. I don't mind the use of instruments in church services, but I'm not too keen on their being basically a band in front of church.
3. Contemporary music-
I can do without it, ALL of it. I was raised to love the old classic hymns. Last service I attended at my home church, we didn't sing a single song written after 1692. There's just something much more spiritual about a beautiful hymn, with translated lyrics from Latin, and a tune by Tallis, Bach, Beethoven...It seems like the newer songs are so empty, cookie-cutter. Sometimes they're not even theologically correct.
I supposed I should describe my home church services so you know where I'm coming from. Again, I'm CRC, so we have a very structured Order of Worship. Our minister (either Minister or Reverend, NOT Pastor) wears robes and preaches his 45 minute sermon from a pulpit. Our only sacraments are Baptism and Lord's Supper, which we celebrate the first Sunday of each month. I cannot take communion b/c I have not yet made Profession of Faith, which we usually do in the early 20's, after we take all the Catechism classes. We sing traditional hymns from the gray Psalter Hymnal. Our intrument is a huge old pipe organ in the balcony. We have adult choirs that sing VERY old and traditional songs, and some kids choirs. Sometimes there is a violin or flute accompanying. We belive in TULIP and really like the Heidelberg Catechism and sometimes have sermons on it as if it were cannonized scripture. For more, ask me questions or see http://www.calvincrc.org
Now tell me what you think of the three things I've commented on above.