Know of any cities in need of Baptist church?

[CJP56]

I guess it's a case of, you would have had to have been there. A right wing conservative?? You betcha!!!!!!!!!!!!
The services should be done decently and in order, and there was no order. My Bible says the preaching of the cross and the preaching of the Word of God and preaching that Christ died for sinners is what the services are all about. The preaching is what is important. And there was no preaching. The song they were singing was one I never heard before and I know a lot of hymns. It was not Mansion Over the Hilltop. I like that one. It more closely resembled a hillbilly hoedown. Sorry, but I know an IFB when I see one, and that one isn't. CJP56.

[kevinmiller]

I agree that that church sounds a bit odd. I don't think there's anything wrong with choruses or raising one's hands in worship, though. I think that most worship songs are much more worshipful than most hymns.

[John81]

I agree that that church sounds a bit odd. I don't think there's anything wrong with choruses or raising one's hands in worship' date=' though. I think that most worship songs are much more worshipful than most hymns.[/quote']

In general, I don't have a problem with choruses, though for myself, I find some far better than others. However, when they repeat them over and over again for 10 minutes or longer that seems excessive.

[kevinmiller]

Oh, I hate it when they repeat over and over again, too. There's nothing that will drive me crazier than an endless repeating musical line.

[John81]

We are on the same page here then.

The first time I encountered this was right after I was saved and I was attending my girlfriends Assemblies of God church. They always sang a chorus of "soon and very soon we are going to see the King", (don't know the actual title of it), which I actually liked but they would repeat...repeat...repeat..........................repeat some more EVERY service.

What was more annoying than that were the churches I attended where they would sing a song, perhaps "Come to Jesus" when they gave an altar call and if no one responded or fewer than they wanted responded, they would sing that over and over again for up to ten or 15 minutes.

[kevinmiller]

Yeah, I don't really see the need for altar calls to begin with, but that's just me. :smile
I got a Twila Paris cd out of the library a few months ago and I couldn't stand almost all of the songs. They were all endless repeating of the same phrase. One song was, "All Things Work Together" and was an exact quotation of the verse....the entire duration of the song. She just kept repeating it over and over and over. I don't know how anyone on earth can bear to listen to it.

[John81]

Unfortunately, a lot of singers use such gimmicks that drag songs out or makes a song out of what should be a small portion of a song or just a poem.

Even before I was saved and friends would have on pop radio stations and I would hear groups like Hall and Oats or the Police or some other group and where the song should end they would repeat the final verse over and over again, sometimes so many times they nearly doubled the length of the song with this seemingly endless repetition. Can't stand that!

With regards to altar calls, I can see where they have their place sometimes but I don't see them as being necessary at every service. I absolutely don't see them as being beneficial when altar calls are held simply out of tradition and they keep singing the same chorus over and over again until some member steps forward to get them to end it or they finally get tired of singing and realize the Holy Ghost hasn't prompted anyone to come forward and their singing isn't going to make it happen.

[kevinmiller]

To me, it sometimes demonstrates a lack of song-writing talent. :frog

I agree with you about altar calls. Our church doesn't have them but we never have a problem with people who are saved getting baptized(Presbyterian style anyway) and becoming a part of the church. Of course, there tends to be a lot more accountability at my church and the pastor usually talks to people one-on-one, especially new people and converts.

[John81]

I agree! They take a couple of lines and by repetition they turn it into a song that last several minutes! :roll

We don't have altar calls at our church either. Of course, ours is small enough that pastor knows everyone, knows if anyone new is there, and if anyone is interested in coming forward the pastor known to be willing to accept them either at the end of the service or in his office.

Our church holds "classes" for those who want to become members. A bit of our church history is discussed, what the church believes and any discussion about any of that, folks are asked about their salvation testimony and whether they have been baptised, etc.

For baptisms, the pastor discusses salvation and what baptism is and isn't with folks and if they are saved, he will baptise them.

[kevinmiller]

My church is similar. There is a Bible study for new believers on Saturday nights and the pastor has a meeting with and gives a booklet to a new Christian who wants to be baptized to make sure he or she understands what their doing.

[John81]

I like that approach. It seems far better than how some simply ask what church they were saved in, or what preacher or denomination baptised you and then judge whether they are truly saved or not by that.

It's good when the pastor takes the time to biblically discuss the matter and learn what's in their heart.

[Danny Carlton]

My church is similar. There is a Bible study for new believers on Saturday nights and the pastor has a meeting with and gives a booklet to a new Christian who wants to be baptized to make sure he or she understands what their doing.

Kevin, did I ever mention I played piano for a Korean church in Fort Worth for a while. it was while I was going to seminary, back around 1989 or so. It was very interesting, although it bothered me that any church would cater to a ethnic group. There were fine people there that other churches were missing the opportunity to meet. One day I walked in the front door, and a kid who'd not seen me before said loudly, "YOU'RE IN THE WRONG CHURCH."

I did find it interesting that in Korean there are specific pronunciations just for sermons. I asked about it. the paster kept saying things with a sound almost like he was clearing his throat. I know English speaking churches are pulling away from most of the old "preacher noises" I wonder if Korean churches are too.

[kevinmiller]

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with "sermon pronunciations" and I don't know what "preacher noises" are. lol
Korean churches, in general, are very different than American. Most are Presbyterian and tend to be a bit more "liberal" than most Baptist churches. I've never really encountered a conservative church as one might think of in America. Most Korean Christians believe in tongues, contemporary worship, many think that woman pastors are okay, etc. My church is a little more conservative. When we went to a water park, the girls all wore light coverings over their bathing suits and they are against drinking, in general, though they sometimes use it in communion. The pastor's daughter is also against karaoke, though most of the other youth are not.

[trc123]

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with "sermon pronunciations" and I don't know what "preacher noises" are. lol
Korean churches, in general, are very different than American. Most are Presbyterian and tend to be a bit more "liberal" than most Baptist churches. I've never really encountered a conservative church as one might think of in America. Most Korean Christians believe in tongues, contemporary worship, many think that woman pastors are okay, etc. My church is a little more conservative. When we went to a water park, the girls all wore light coverings over their bathing suits and they are against drinking, in general, though they sometimes use it in communion. The pastor's daughter is also against karaoke, though most of the other youth are not.

Interesting contrasts. My wife and I were saved in a Baptist Church in Japan. We've been in and been exposed to many different kinds of IFB churches around the world. I'm always amazed at how relatively sheltered and intolerant most members of IFB churches in the United States are to those that have a slightly different format and such........they rarely can separate the cultural vs Scriptural differences between churches in various regions of the USA let alone between the USA and other countries.

[Guest Guest]

I'm always amazed at how relatively sheltered and intolerant most members of IFB churches in the United States are to those that have a slightly different format and such........they rarely can separate the cultural vs Scriptural differences between churches in various regions of the USA let alone between the USA and other countries.

And....your point being? :lol