Hey, reader's, how are all of you this Tuesday? Well, I hope. I hope you liked yesterdays blog about John Wimber. I would like to keep a theme of religion going here at least for this topic.
About 13 maybe even 14 years ago I was invited to a Baptist church in either Laguna Hills, California or Laguna Beach, I forget which I just remember it was 'Laguna' something. Across the street from the church were two other churches, well, one was a Jewish synagogue, the other was a Methodist church. The baptist church I was at had just finished for that day and people were getting in their vehicles and heading off to where ever they were going to spend the rest of their Sunday.
While still in the parking structure of the church, there people gathered around talking when this woman who looked a little elderly came and said she was from the Methodist church and said " I am from the church across the street and I probably shouldn't be here talking with you because I am a methodist, but I need help with my car". A couple of men, including my self went to the church and helped the woman.
On my way back to my house I got to thinking of how the woman asked for assistance. "I probably shouldn't be here because I am a Methodist and you're a Baptist"
What I started wondering was is there really divisions in churches? To some degree, maybe, but the question I asked myself that Sunday and even some times to this day is if there is division why? I mean whats the point?
If you are apart of an honest Bible believing church that is not trying to change the Word of God, should we really go around sounding proud and shouting my church is better than your church because we do this and you don't. I don't think so. Like I eluded to yesterday when I was telling you all about an Interview with the late Peter Jennings and John Wimber, churches may not do healing, or charismatic type things, but it doesn't make them less important to the Body Of Christ. Its not all of the people in one church movement or in one church all together. Believe it or not, some denominational churches think they have it right and make their point known, or at least try to.
I recall before moving to Arizona I went to a Baptist church in San Diego,California and what was said at this specific church, was not something I agreed with. The pastor just let it fly about how he felt that every church besides his was worshiping God the wrong way. Mostly in his opinion of how they lead Worship. According to this minister, if you brought a guitar and a drum set into church, you were playing the devils music.
Now, granted alot of the Christian genre of music is played with a guitar, drums, etc and may sound like rock and roll, there is however a difference, I think. The difference is the lyrics of the song. Over the years I have heard alot of great praise and worship songs, and yes they have a 'rock' beat to them, but once again, it is the song writing that matters and not the up tempo music that accompanies it. If you listen to any of your favorite Christian musician, I would think to a degree you are listening to both the music and the lyrics and if you are than you can tell that the song writer is telling you about the Love he has for God.
I'll say it again, its the lyrics, I think that is important, not the music itself, although, I could be wrong, because I am not a musician.
To put it brief, there are people that think you are bringing rock music into the church and that to them is a no-no.
Another thing that brings division in churches, I think is how the church goes about their way of practice. I didn't write this yesterday and now as I reflect on it I probably should have, but for instance, the Vineyard church does get its share of criticism. I can only tell you because I have been to one that it is nothing like you would see on some tel evangelist show. Never once in my history of attending a Vineyard church have I seen people who have been in wheel chairs get a little bit of prayer & their up and walking. Its not that they don't think its possible, they just don't do it. Once again, John Wimber himself asked a pastor to hone down a 'spiritual' movement, because he didn't feel it was the right thing for the Church. From a story that I had heard quite some time ago, Wimber had the same thing happen with him.
As it was told to me, Wimber was attending a Calvary Chapel and was told by pastor Chuck Smith that what he was doing (Wimber) wasn't the way Calvary Chapel has their practice of worship. Both Calvary Chapel & Vineyard have their own way of practice, but it doesn't bring division between the two of them. They are or we are trying to reach the same goal, and that is to get to Heaven.
I would like to close with this: Some television shows can get religion right and some times get it vary wrong, I think it depends on the person they are taking the example of. I'll give you two examples.
One of my favorite shows is the classic 1970's series called 'The Walton's' where to make it brief, the mother and grandmother were the only two characters that had a strong religious belief. In at least two ( there could be more, but I have only counted two) episodes, to discipline her children, the mother had them read Bible verses. It would seem to me that it would be something the kid would want to do if they had a strong heart for the Lord.
But, Its television.
Another & finally last example I would like to give is an episode of another classic television show called 'Little House On The Prairie', in this episode, from what I recall, the central family of the show had a disagreement with how something in their church should be handled and all of the children were told by their parents not to play with the kids of the family because of the disagreement.
Maybe it still happens in churches today. If it does, it shouldn't.
drmeier
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