(His By Grace;47885)
What do you bring with you to worship? Do you bring an attitude of gratitude? Do you bring with you a positive mindset, enveloped in the Spirit of Christ? Those hymns can be sung in a boring way, but I have actually looked at the lyrics to see how rich they are. We have become a generation of needing to be "entertained". We want it to be about "us". It's not about us. It's about Christ.
Now, I'm not raggin' you, because I've done the same thing. The Spirit has convicted me that it is my attitude that causes me not to adore, magnify, and glorify Him. I can worship Him anywhere, anytime, and with any group of people because I have an overwhelming sense of His presence and love for me. Also, praise is contagious! Positive "energy" is contagious! People need that today. You seem to have a great sense of humor and to be full of fun. Take it with you and let it spill on to others for Christ. Even when you don't know it, others are watching and listening. You do make a difference.As far as the meeting together, the early church did meet in homes because the synogogue didn't accept Jesus as the Messiah. But, when Jesus lived on earth, he was faithful to go to the synagogue every Sabbath. He set an example for us. We need to hear words of encouragement, Living Words from the Bible, and we need physical fellowship of other Christians. We are weak. Christian friends help to keep us strong. They can hold us accountable.We will not be isolated in heaven. I don't know if you've ever experienced how beautiful it sounds, looks, and feels when you are in a room with people freely praising the Lord. There is nothing "earthly" like it. It's a total heavenly experience. I would say that you need to find out what the Lord is telling you to do, Radd. He calls us specifially to special tasks at special places. You and your sister may have 2 different ministry places.
Oh no, I think you have said a lot of kind, gentle-hearted things. However, just because a worship experience is heavenly for you does not mean it is heavenly for me. I mean, come on, If I sung that hymn in a passionate way -- I would scream it at the top of my lungs -- just like Disciple.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtOV8Sd0KOgHowever, the deacons, or whatever, would escort me right out of the place (and probably tell me not to ever come back). I've had this happen before (multiple times), let me give you an example:I went to this church in Hawaii to see a guest evangelist. He brought 50 or so Polynesian instruments for us to play during the worship service. So, one of my friends brought her violin, and she played it during the worship time (everyone loved her girly violin playing btw XD). Meanwhile, I found these two wooden bars. During the service, I hit my two bars together, and I loved these bars because if you hit them together the right way, they would make a very unique sound (the definition of awesomeness). So I fell in love with these bars. Everything was going fine during the worship service, but at the end the evangelists came over to collect the instruments.
He came to me and snatched the bars right out of my hand, and he had a look on his face of DISGUST, RAGE, HOSTILITY etc.... He basically had this look of "what are you doing here in God's house -- YOU are not welcome -- you who disturb the peace!"I mean geez, he could have told me any time during the 2 or so hours to not hit the bars together so hard. I wouldn't have had a problem with that. But his attitude was final; he does not want people who want to jump around in the house of God and have a good time (just like that disciple video up there on youtube). Heck, this happened 8 years ago, and I remember it like it was yesterday. I even remember his face --- I could pick him out of a line-up in no time.
Church is not a place for young men. Thats just the cold hard truth of the matter. Thats why, strangely enough, young men leave when the turn 20. Once you grow up, no self-respecting guy is going to go back to the nursery willingly (unless he is henpecked -- like myself -- by my sister no less eh)?