Funeral today...

[Lisa Anne]

I attended a funeral today of a young 16year old boy who died a day after he struck by a car on the 29th of November. Thank the Lord he got saved an baptized at our church about 2 years ago! Unfortunately my babysitter's daughter is in the hospital so I was without a sitter but was encouraged to come anyway... that lasted all of 15 minutes. Nonetheless the service was held at a contemporary Baptist church but our pastor officiated the ceremony (Thank the Lord for that as well). The piano player/singer for the church was also playing piano while everyone filtered in to the auditorium and opened the service by playing the piano and singing "I Can Only Imagine." Being a funeral I have to admit it was still very emotional. She has a beautiful voice and the piano playing was excellent, but I wish the family had chosen another song. She added the "Yeah Yeah's" and all near the end... I don't know, God bless the young man's family but personally the music choice was not very honoring of what will really be going on with his in God's Kingdom. I guess it doesn't matter to him because he is gone now, but I don't know what kind of message it sent to the lost in the crowd, or the saved who appreciate that song as glorifying to our Lord. Our assistant pastor preached one Sunday evening and brought up that song about how scripturally wrong it is so I can only imagine, no pun intended, what was going through his mind sitting there, hopefully prayers as that is what was going though mine. That was the first time I ever heard a pastor directly speak of CCM, although I have never been raised to appreciate it, that gave me a better understanding to why we shouldn't listen to it in our churches or anywhere for that matter.

I don't know why I brought that up, but I think it is important for us to remember how the devil can sneak in anywhere even during the funeral of a saved teenager.

Edited December 4, 2010 by Lisa Anne

[Miss Linda]

I'm glad you were able to attend the funeral. I'm sure the family truly appreciated your support during this difficult time. I cannot imagine how terrible it must be to lose a young boy, even more heartbreaking that it happened around the holidays.

You are so right, the enemy of souls is merciless. "Be sOBer, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." (I Peter 5:8)

[JerryNumbers]

No doubt such a funeral service is sad. But hopefully someone came away from it with a new heart, or at least some seeds planted.

[John81]

I'm not familiar with that song but there have been funerals I've attended where I really wondered what the family was thinking when they selected the music.

[Crushmaster]

At least it wasn't Matthew West's "Save A Place For Me"...Haven't though much about "I Can Only Imagine" 's lyrics, but they've always seemed...well...err... Like a lot of music these days. Even some of the hymns have bad theology in them...
God bless,
Joel ><>.
2 Chronicles 7:14.

[John81]

Is "I can only imagine" a Mercy Me song? That's all I've found but I'm not the best internet searcher.

[Crushmaster]

Is "I can only imagine" a Mercy Me song? That's all I've found but I'm not the best internet searcher.

Yes sir, that's correct.
God bless,
Joel ><>.
2 Chronicles 7:14.

[John81]

Yes sir, that's correct.
God bless,
Joel ><>.
2 Chronicles 7:14.

Thank you. Given what the song is about I can now see why the family might have selected that song. However, the way the song is performed I wouldn't want that at a funeral. Of course it's possible the family is Mercy Me listeners and the song holds special meaning to them because of this. After all, I've heard hymns at funerals I didn't think seemed right but the family did.

[PreacherE]

Thank you. Given what the song is about I can now see why the family might have selected that song. However, the way the song is performed I wouldn't want that at a funeral. Of course it's possible the family is Mercy Me listeners and the song holds special meaning to them because of this. After all, I've heard hymns at funerals I didn't think seemed right but the family did.

Ivan Parker also does a rendition of it. I don't know if his is any different though as I've never heard Mercy Me.

[John81]

Ivan Parker also does a rendition of it. I don't know if his is any different though as I've never heard Mercy Me.

I know it can make a very big difference on who performs a song. I love Amazing Grace but I've heard some ruin the song by the way they sing it. Sadly, I've heard Amazing Grace sang where they changed some of the words (I recall they took out "wretch", and made other changes) which ruined the song.