Clapping, tapping your feet, drinking, hugging, contempory music...

[Cright]

Why don't we teach moderation!?!

I had a Baptist pastor tell me that it's not right to have any dancing, claping, had raising or feet tapping in a church... because people MIGHT think that they are actually feeling an act of the holy spirit in us and he didn't want to promote the kinds of things that the charasmatic's believe (such as speaking in toungs).

I certainly don't think it's okay to do anything that would disterb the person next to, or behind me... but if I'm singing with all my heart to the lord and my body wants to go w/ it.. why can't I tap my foot darn it!? Why can't I clap my hands. (I do)

Instead why don't we teach those around us what we are feeling and why it's okay to dance for the lord in our homes if we feel like we want to, but we should keep it to a minium in public.

Hugging... I hug everyone, but I've heard people say it's inappropriate. I've even hugged the aformentioned (married) pastor. I don't run up to him in a croud, but he helped my fiance and i go over some paper work and he was helpful and at the end of the meeting I hugged him. Same thing.. you should know when to do it, and how (I didn't bear hug him) but it should not be off limits.

Drinking.. granted for some people this leads them to sin (getting drunk), but does that mean NO one should do it in moderation?

Contempory (Christian) music... granted MUCH of it is no biblical and we should not accpet it in our church.. does that mean we can't listen to any of it? If it helps younger generations to understand gospel (and it's approved by the church as good solid foundational material.. yes I know this is rare) they why not?

Is it because we are lazy?
..are we afraid that we won't teach as well as we should?
Is it because these things are in fact wrong and I'm just oblivious to it?

I'm not saying it's wrong to make a personal conviction NOT to do these things because it's not right for you, but why do so many call on others not to do them at all either.

Hugs - :hug: to all of my fellow Christian brothers and sisters reading this (because that's the kinda girl I am ;) ) out there!

In Christ,
Carina

[Sword-In-Hand]

This is my belief. If we are singing a song, praying, setting in silence, whatever, if I feel the need to praise the Lord by lifting my hands I will do so and I don't care who is setting next to me. If they get offended by my worship, my first question is why, but then if they still do then really that's not my problem. I don't go to church to sit next to friends and chit chat, I go to worship my Savior.

I don't like it when pastors put a limit on what their services should be like. I mean services shouldn't get out of control with people running up the isles and all that who-ha, because the Bible teaches there is supposed to be order, but I think alot of pastors are afraid God might actually show up to their service and that takes them out of their comfort zone. I pray that God blows up my comfort zone.

I'm a baptist, hardcore, and we are taught to freely worship God. I mean in our services we lift up our hands, people come to the altar in the middle of the service, we sing with all of heart, we clap to the music and for the performer, we stand up and applaude when a piece of Scripture is read that just blows us away, and we shout. Mind you, we don't speak in tongues, but we honestly get excited about or Lord and we don't allow people to hinder that. The services aren't chaotic, or anything like that, its just pure excitement over Jesus. I don't know why all churches don't want to experience God. I know we are supposed to fear the Lord, but not to the extent we are afraid to meet up with Him in a service. Build a mercy seat for the Lord with worship, praise and adoration and let Him sit whereve He wants, because it's His church anyway. That's what most churches of the world need to do.

I agree we should teach others as to why we are so excited. We hug and are looked at funny if we offer a handshake. As for drinking, I don't agree with it on any level, but that's a personal conviction. As for CCM, I know there are some bands who are wishy-washy, bubblegum music, but if it's used to glorify the Lord, then play it. Our song leader has changed the words to many secular songs and people worship God along with him.

So in other words, I don't think its wrong to lift our hands, tap our foot, hug someone, dance in our homes, or praise the Lord through CCM.

[Iollain]

Wow, they don't supress the Holy Spirit like that at my church, i don't know what to tell ya. If someone is speaking in tongues then i would expect an interpertation if it was 'in church', but as for the dancing, claping, had raising or feet tapping, that is nuts to stop that.

One of my daughters when she was between 6 mos and 4 years would dance like crazy whenever there was music in church and the pastor said that she must be Pentecostal. hehe

I like huggy people,they are just like having CHristmas around every day.

[GreenEyedLady]

Bottom line........
Whatever the pastor allows in moderation, the people will do in excess. What ever we as parents allow in moderation our children will do in excess. Think about what you did or do in excess that your parents only did in moderation.

GEL

[BBAS 64]

Why don't we teach moderation!?!

I had a Baptist pastor tell me that it's not right to have any dancing, claping, had raising or feet tapping in a church... because people MIGHT think that they are actually feeling an act of the holy spirit in us and he didn't want to promote the kinds of things that the charasmatic's believe (such as speaking in toungs).

I certainly don't think it's okay to do anything that would disterb the person next to, or behind me... but if I'm singing with all my heart to the lord and my body wants to go w/ it.. why can't I tap my foot darn it!? Why can't I clap my hands. (I do)

Instead why don't we teach those around us what we are feeling and why it's okay to dance for the lord in our homes if we feel like we want to, but we should keep it to a minium in public.

Hugging... I hug everyone, but I've heard people say it's inappropriate. I've even hugged the aformentioned (married) pastor. I don't run up to him in a croud, but he helped my fiance and i go over some paper work and he was helpful and at the end of the meeting I hugged him. Same thing.. you should know when to do it, and how (I didn't bear hug him) but it should not be off limits.

Drinking.. granted for some people this leads them to sin (getting drunk), but does that mean NO one should do it in moderation?

Contempory (Christian) music... granted MUCH of it is no biblical and we should not accpet it in our church.. does that mean we can't listen to any of it? If it helps younger generations to understand gospel (and it's approved by the church as good solid foundational material.. yes I know this is rare) they why not?

Is it because we are lazy?
..are we afraid that we won't teach as well as we should?
Is it because these things are in fact wrong and I'm just oblivious to it?

I'm not saying it's wrong to make a personal conviction NOT to do these things because it's not right for you, but why do so many call on others not to do them at all either.

Hugs - :hug: to all of my fellow Christian brothers and sisters reading this (because that's the kinda girl I am ;) ) out there!

In Christ,
Carina
Good day, Carina

I attend a very mellow, baptist church. I find my self clapping and swaying as we sing the songs. I do get some strange looks, but hey they can look. It does not bother me.

Peace to u,

Bill

[ZiSunka]

It's usually a local church culture thing. If the local Christian culture allows clapping, dancing and hugging, then even the Baptists do it. If the local church culture doesn't allow it, then the baptist preachers preach against it. YOu can always change the culture, if you do it in a postive and not a negative way. Instead of being angry with the pastor, find a positive way to introduce those things into your worship and invite others to do it, too.

[P_G]

I guess my tambourine and praise flags would really not be too welcome huh? :sigh:


In any service I suppose there is time for dancing and time for weeping Time of Joy and time of reverence. All these are specifically mentioned as appropriate in the scriptures.

Perhaps time to find another church if the one you are in is too stuffy.

How far are you from northeastern PA? :)


Blessings

Pastor George

[Echoes Peak]

This is my belief. If we are singing a song, praying, setting in silence, whatever, if I feel the need to praise the Lord by lifting my hands I will do so and I don't care who is setting next to me. If they get offended by my worship, my first question is why, but then if they still do then really that's not my problem. I don't go to church to sit next to friends and chit chat, I go to worship my Savior.

I don't like it when pastors put a limit on what their services should be like. I mean services shouldn't get out of control with people running up the isles and all that who-ha, because the Bible teaches there is supposed to be order, but I think alot of pastors are afraid God might actually show up to their service and that takes them out of their comfort zone. I pray that God blows up my comfort zone.

I'm a baptist, hardcore, and we are taught to freely worship God. I mean in our services we lift up our hands, people come to the altar in the middle of the service, we sing with all of heart, we clap to the music and for the performer, we stand up and applaude when a piece of Scripture is read that just blows us away, and we shout. Mind you, we don't speak in tongues, but we honestly get excited about or Lord and we don't allow people to hinder that. The services aren't chaotic, or anything like that, its just pure excitement over Jesus. I don't know why all churches don't want to experience God. I know we are supposed to fear the Lord, but not to the extent we are afraid to meet up with Him in a service. Build a mercy seat for the Lord with worship, praise and adoration and let Him sit whereve He wants, because it's His church anyway. That's what most churches of the world need to do.

I agree we should teach others as to why we are so excited. We hug and are looked at funny if we offer a handshake. As for drinking, I don't agree with it on any level, but that's a personal conviction. As for CCM, I know there are some bands who are wishy-washy, bubblegum music, but if it's used to glorify the Lord, then play it. Our song leader has changed the words to many secular songs and people worship God along with him.

So in other words, I don't think its wrong to lift our hands, tap our foot, hug someone, dance in our homes, or praise the Lord through CCM.
So I was going to say something...but umm, Sword already covered that territory for me:D . So I'm just going to throw in it the always insightful...."yeah, what he said..." :).

[jenptcfan]

I go to a church where we don't have restrictions on how we praise God. If you want to lift your hands to heaven, go for it! If you want to clap or say amen, go for it! If you want to do a little jig where you're standing, go right ahead. If you want to stand still and be prayerful during a song, that's totally fine too. We have never had any problem with it being chaotic, and quite frankly, I don't see where it's the pastor's place to put restrictions on how people are expressing their worship unless someone is acting completely inappropriate/unbiblical and distracting others from their own worship.

We can't say to the Holy Spirit, "OK, you can have the first 10 minutes of our worship time, but after that, we're cutting you off, buddy!" It's not like that. We get so caught up in having a set schedule of how things are supposed to go in church, and the Holy Spirit is not obligated to be restricted to our little guidelines for it.

[Cright]

How far are you from northeastern PA? :)


Blessings

Pastor George
PG,

an unfortunate 8 hours from my house to Tamaqua.. it's little do you know where it is? I would assume you can't be too far from there...so it's too far to go every Sunday. If I'm ever going out that way I'll be sure to PM you before heading out of town! :D

Hugs,
Carina