Posted by Mal on August 8, 2005, at 1:22:18
In reply to Sigh. I may have to look for a new church., posted by Dinah on August 7, 2005, at 18:35:30
> I guess it's not fair to come to conclusions about our pastor so quickly, but he seems so preoccupied with sin! He took away the prayer for those in need to make room for a confessional prayer. And the public prayers are all for forgiveness, never for joy.
>
> That's not what I want for my son. I want him to have a joyous belief in the human potential. That yes, we do miss the mark from time to time, but we can keep trying. That the human spirit can be a beautiful thing and that is it's major characteristic, not sin. Sin is just not living up to what we can be.
>
> Our old pastor taught that basic message. He challenged us each week to do our best, to reach for the stars, to help those around us. He didn't dwell on our basic sinfulness. He inspired us to be the best and most beautiful souls we could be.
>Dinah,
I was raised in a very small, independent baptist church, where a bumper crop of churchgoers numbered 100, and everyone knew everyone, and most were related. Until I left home at 18, I was dragged to church at least 3 times a week (more often that that if they were having revival) to hear a preacher yelling hell fire and brimstone sermons. I remember being very small, maybe 6 years old, and growing a very guilty conscience in response to those sermons. I think I was particularly upset by a sermon about King SOlomon (I think) advising 2 women to cut a disputed baby in half in order to discern which was the real mother. Then there were the sermons on Revelation that REALLY upset me. We got a LOT of "Jesus is coming back" sermons, too, and I spent the first half of my life thinking things like, "Jesus will be back before I get my license" or "Time probably won't last long enough for me to go to college." And my Mom wasn't one to smooth it over for me- she still lives and dies by everything that is preached from that pulpit.My older brother and I were talking about how we were raised, and we both agreed that our childhood freedom was eaten up by all that. I don't remember ever being really carefree as a kid. There was always that dark cloud on the horizon. But he is raising his kids in that very same church. Maybe the pastors are different now, but I don't really think so.
Anyway, I am sure your church isn't nearly as interesting as that (that is not to imply your church is boring- I was just looking for a non-offensive adjective, in case we have people here who attend a church just like the one I grew up in). My point is, yes, I agree, I would like a church to be more positive, but I turned out OK (that might be debatable), even being raised as I was. I would definitely give it a few weeks before changing churches. If there are other things to keep you there (your son's Sunday School friends, community, activities, etc.), you can try to take up the torch and talk to your boy about life and humanity being more positive than what is presented in the sermon. Maybe you weren't even asking for advice, there... Anyway, that is my 2 cents. Sorry for the long rant, but I thought it might help for you to know where I am coming from...
Have a great week!
MAL
poster:Mal
thread:538828
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20050510/msgs/539009.html