saying "amen"

[kayanne]

is it typical in baptist churches for people to say or shout "amen" during the sermon? in your church, do people do this spontaneously, or do you have a pastor who says from time to time "can i have an amen?" or "i think it's a good time for someone to say amen!"
i get bugged by those requests for an amen. it sure doesn't seem genuine then. plus i think it makes people feel like they shouldn't say it unless requested.
am i just being picky?

[BT]

is it typical in baptist churches for people to say or shout "amen" during the sermon? in your church, do people do this spontaneously, or do you have a pastor who says from time to time "can i have an amen?" or "i think it's a good time for someone to say amen!"
i get bugged by those requests for an amen. it sure doesn't seem genuine then. plus i think it makes people feel like they shouldn't say it unless requested.
am i just being picky?
In my church people do it spontaneously (if the sermon is good :P ).

My pastor doesn't "ask" for amens. I agree, this is annoying. If you want to hear people "amenning" you... write a better sermon I guess. I never say it when they ask.. then again that's my little pet peeve.... it's the same way with "say it with me.." I never do and think that that is quite retarded. IMO

[jcright]

I don't hear to many spontaneous amen's...but I don't think my church is the type to blurt things out either. From time to time the Pastor will ask for an amen but usually when he's trying to be funny. I don't particularly care if he asks but I do get a little annoyed when people say it on their own. I'm just not interested in commentary from the peanut gallery, I find it to be disruptive...even if I agree with their sentiment. I'd rather people keep their thunks to themselves so I can concentrate on the message.

My sister's brother-in-law is a senior pastor of his own church and I know the people there say it quite often. He might ask for an amen from time to time, can't quite remember.

I suppose it depends on which church you are at.


it's the same way with "say it with me.." I never do and think that that is quite retarded. IMO

hahahaha!!! very true.

[SumTinWong]

I usually only say it if I agree with it, or have a grasp of what he is trying to say. Sometimes he gets rather annoying with the "amen?", but I let it pass as his style.

[CrystalBrooke]

if the sermon is good then ppl will say it as they want to, i also hear "bless him Lord" or "help him Lord", i guess thats for if he's struggling, i just sit back and listen, i cant talk and listen for understanding at the same time.

[BT]

if the sermon is good then ppl will say it as they want to, i also hear "bless him Lord" or "help him Lord", i guess thats for if he's struggling, i just sit back and listen, i cant talk and listen for understanding at the same time.
While preaching I've never heard anyone say "help him Lord" I hope I don't for awhile. I imagine that would hurt my confidence a bit. Though I do get "amen" and "preach the word". These I find, while I don't try to get them, bless me while I'm at the pulpit, which I find is about the most intimidating place to be in the world..

[CrystalBrooke]

none of the preachers that get a "help him lord" get discouraged, if anything, it does help them....i do pray silently sometimes bc i imagine that its scary to be up there.

[jenptcfan]

It's mostly spontaneous in our church. There are rare occasions when the pastor will say something after the invitation like, "It's always a blessing to see someone come to the Lord, Amen?" But that's about the extent of "requests" for amens.

[bleechers]

I'm a low-talking "amen" guy. I let out a quiet "amen" when something hits just right.

Oliver B. Greene used to yell "Say Amen!" from the pulpit in his gospel tent campaigns, but he didn't do it to be funny or to be melodramatic (as some preachers do), rather it was rebuke. He'd say something that was "contoversial" that he knew his normal "amen" crowd agreed with, but were afraid to acknowledge publicly... he'd say "say Amen!" because he knew they agreed with the thought...

it's the same way with "say it with me.." I never do and think that that is quite retarded. IMO

As for this bit... I couldn't agree more! :)

I'm not big on "clergy/laity" distinctions and this sort of thing kinda makes me feel like the speaker is "abusing the privilege", so to speak.

[Sweet Pea]

The word "amen" can be used both as an expression of emphatic agreement to a statement or truth and at the end of a prayer or song. "Amen" may also be used in English to express a firm desire that a statement or prophecy become fulfilled (such as in the Book of Revelation)
It is is in agreement to what is being said.

At my church people will do it spontaneous.

[sunshinejennii]

we never get people saying amen to the sermon, i think it would make everyone feel unconfortable, were a pretty modern church in most respects but if someone appreciates a sermon or god slot then they go to whoever led it afterwards and say thanks you touched me. personally ive preferred it when people have contacted me later with positive or negative feedback.

[GreenEyedLady]

My husband says AMEN REAL LOUD. He is the loudest Amener in the church.

One man though, gets real excited when a song is song.........He will stand up and say "praise GOD Glory halleluia!!!!!!!" Really loud. I think its funny and it makes me smile to see every one getting so excited about the Lord.

[BT]

My husband says AMEN REAL LOUD. He is the loudest Amener in the church.

One man though, gets real excited when a song is song.........He will stand up and say "praise GOD Glory halleluia!!!!!!!" Really loud. I think its funny and it makes me smile to see every one getting so excited about the Lord.



AMEN!

:P

[kayanne]

AMEN!

:P
:D

[GreenEyedLady]

There are differant ways that I have noticed that people say Amen.

There is the short and sweet........amen.
There is the Ameeeeeen.
There is AAAAmen (usually a southerner)
Then there is my husbands version. ameN! the last part of amen is loudest.
There are some that just say..........AMEEEEEEN and it sounds like they have said Amen too much and its not a real happy amen.

[Mother Vashti]

is it typical in baptist churches for people to say or shout "amen" during the sermon? in your church, do people do this spontaneously, or do you have a pastor who says from time to time "can i have an amen?" or "i think it's a good time for someone to say amen!"
i get bugged by those requests for an amen. it sure doesn't seem genuine then. plus i think it makes people feel like they shouldn't say it unless requested.
am i just being picky? The pastor may mean, if one feels touched by what they just heard, say amen?

[BT]

The pastor may mean, if one feels touched by what they just heard, say amen?
Yes, but often they will say it if they want to make sure that everyone understands or agrees..

Like, "Jesus came to save us all from our sin. Amen?"

[Nightstrike]

not really in my church.

[Anti-Fear]

I dont like it when people use amen, why not say "I agree" or "thats right!"

[BT]

I dont like it when people use amen, why not say "I agree" or "thats right!"
Actually I have heard people say those too...

[JVD]

It's OK for the audience to participate in the sermon. But I'd rather not have the distraction myself. I want to listen.

What does bug me is audience manipulation by the preacher. Asking people to say Amen is just a very mild form of this. Where it starts to get to me is when a preacher will ask us to turn to someone beside us and say something like..."God Loves You" Or ask us to give everyone a hug. It can get a lot more involved than that in a more charismatic type of church. I see that as manipulation and the preacher abusing his position.

[GreenEyedLady]

I also hear.........PREACH it! Tell em!! And thats right!

[indeep]

what gives me the pips is when people go 'mmm' in prayers... ARGH!!! alright, alright, we get that you can be monosyllabic...

it gets annoying after the first 10 minutes :P

[BT]

what gives me the pips is when people go 'mmm' in prayers... ARGH!!! alright, alright, we get that you can be monosyllabic...

it gets annoying after the first 10 minutes :P
The pips? That's a new one (to me).

[BjBarnett]

The pips? That's a new one (to me).

i couldnt help but smile when i read it. ive never heard anyone say that either.

[jenptcfan]

I've never head anyone go "mmm" in prayers. I have heard people say things quietly in agreement with the person who is praying aloud like "yes Lord", etc. I think that's kind of encouraging though. We know that God is pleased when we can pray in agreement, and it kind of lets you know that the other people in the group are praying along with you and not zoning out, making grocery lists in their minds as one person prays. :)

[kayanne]

and it kind of lets you know that the other people in the group are praying along with you and not zoning out, making grocery lists in their minds as one person prays. :)
hmmm.......is that something you're guilty of? (otherwise how would you have thought of it?) :D
kinda like when my kids were little, and one would say "so-and-so had his eyes open while daddy pra-a-a-ayed!!!)

the grocery list comment cracked me up!

[Frankie]

I am one of those that gives a shout out of "amen", "that's right", "praise the Lord" and "thank you Jesus" during sermon. I don't generally shout out during prayer but I have been known to say a "yes Lord" during a prayer that someone else is saying when the spirit moves me.

I have found it to be very comforting when others pray along with me. It gives me a sense of support and understanding from others to hear them say things to God while I am praying.

Frankie

[@@Paul@@]

I've never head anyone go "mmm" in prayers. I have heard people say things quietly in agreement with the person who is praying aloud like "yes Lord", etc. I think that's kind of encouraging though. We know that God is pleased when we can pray in agreement, and it kind of lets you know that the other people in the group are praying along with you and not zoning out, making grocery lists in their minds as one person prays. :)
I've been around some charismatics that "mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, yes, mmmmmmmmm, yes Lord, mmmmmmm" during prayer... breath heavy,,, etc. etc... it's really odd and kinda uncomfortable. Of course i was "uncomfortable" because i wasn't used to it, yet. :doh:

Grocery lists,,, LOL :D

[Frankie]

Have any of you attended the Baptist churches that are primarily african american congergation? They are some of the best services I have ever been too and I will tell you what, those folks know how to praise the Lord and express their joy in Jesus. One doesn't have to attend a charismatic church to hear "mmmmmmm, praise god, uh hu, amen, thank you Jesus". One needs look no farther than their local Baptist church that is primarily African American in numbers. If any of you have not had the oportunity to attend a service like this, I highly recommend it. The ones like this that I have attended were wonderful spiritual experiences for me and I felt the love that the congergations had for Jesus overflowing. The pastors at these churches I mention could preach the Word of God like few others I have seen or heard sense then.

Frankie