the rules of church.
Posted by nathan on 16 Mar 2007 | Tagged as: New Hope stuff.
This is a paraphrased (except where quoted) excerpt from Perry Noble, taken from a session at this week’s Unleash Conference:
“Church is an incredibly confusing place if you don’t know the rules.” When you don’t understand, the rules are confusing.
The problem with most churches is this. They say, “If you don’t know the rules, to Hell with you.”
What do you think? Do you think Perry is right that most churches kinda have this attitude? If so, what practical steps can churches take to help people know ‘the rules’ and feel more comfortable?
what are ‘the rules’?
6 Comments »
on 16 Mar 2007 at 10:17 am 1.
Todd Helmkamp said …
Let me answer this with another question: why in the world is church a place of rules? Shouldn’t it be a place of freedom?
on 16 Mar 2007 at 10:47 am 2.
nathan said …
Todd,
Just to clarify, that is Perry’s point. I can see how that wasn’t obvious now that i re-read.
on 16 Mar 2007 at 11:43 am 3.
Todd Helmkamp said …
Oh, I knew it was Perry’s point. My rhetoric was intended to encourage the reader to think about the underlying issue of why a church has rules to begin with. Thanks for the clarification, though.
on 16 Mar 2007 at 1:18 pm 4.
arzell said …
I recently visited a Catholic church and was very nervous and out of place for not knowing the rules and rituals. Though they seemed like very nice people when I later talked to them, I was very happy to leave. I began to wonder if my church was like that to people who have no idea of or have never been to church. Probably. To an extent.
We Americans think like Americans. We grew up in a country where Christianity and Church was a lifestyle whether it was one’s personal faith or not. But as the generations progress we are losing this norm. Fewer people know anything about church and Christianity. We can no longer expect visitors to our churches to know what to do or how to behave. The same is true of our “Christian” language, using words without a common understanding of definition. It needs to change. WE need to change.
on 16 Mar 2007 at 2:20 pm 5.
nathan said …
arzell,
good stuff! i like it!
on 17 Mar 2007 at 5:01 pm 6.
Abby! said …
You and I have both acted in plays before, so I am going to use a thespian analogy.
In some places, a church service is like a play. Everyone has a character to play: pastors, ushers, sound techs, musicians, congregation members. Each character has its specific role which, over time and after many rehearsals, they are able to play perfectly.
Now, if I walked onto the set of “South Pacific” on opening night, put on a costume, and walked on stage as the curtain was drawn…I would look incredibly out of place and have no clue what I was doing. I wouldn’t know the lines, music, or cues. I would completely wreck the show for everyone.
Fortunately, church wasn’t mean to be a “play”…it has just become that over time. While tradition and order is fine and sometimes completely necessary, many churches have gotten into a rut of “perfection” that suits them. In reality, we have made church comfortable for ourselves. Those of us who frequent the church know what to expect, and feel stable in the environment.
In my opinion, that’s where the change Chet spoke of shows its importance. If we want non-Christians, those who aren’t “in the know”, to feel welcome in our buildings and our family…we have to somehow break out of tradition and open our minds to not performing our “weekly roles”.
Do we always have to have greeting time after praise and worship? Does the songlist always have to go from fast to slow? Do we always have to pray after the last worship song? Do we have to take up the offering when we sit down after greeting each other? Does their have to be an altar call every service?
I don’t think God only works and moves in times of structure. We have to be willing to break out of the box and LET HIM MOVE!