3 things i would change about my church
>> April 23, 2009
Vent time!
Can you list three things you would change about your church? Doesn't have to be all deep and spiritual (unless you want it to be), just things that get on your nerves on a regular basis -- your church pet peeves.
Here are mine:
- the service isn't streamlined and we very rarely get out before 1:30-2p.m..
- the children's ministry is an afterthought.
- innovation, cutting-edge methods and ideas, change, creativity = blank stares.
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9 comments:
Here's mine (Sarah):
1) there's very little organized social life or church-wide events
2) there are no schedule greeters during the study hour and those on duty the rest of the time are either untrained or not gifted in making people feel warmly welcomed
3) the first service is an afterthought
Man, I've been enjoying this blog, but this post kinda has me trippin. As a pastor & a pastor wife at my church, I'd feel bad publicly venting about my church. I love my church. We are SO not perfect & we SO screw things up. But for me, the place to take that is to an appropriate debrief mtg. w/ our leadershp. Thx for letting me express.
hey LeadHership, thanks for your comment (your vent about us... haha). I understand your concern but we want this to be a place where you can vent about your pet peeves and if you ever feel like getting it off your chest, please feel free to comment anonymously.
I'm w/LeadHership. I LOVE our church. There a few style issues that differ from my "style", but church isn't about me, it's about people that don't know God yet.
I completely understand that there are PW's that are not in such a good place.
I, However LOVE GCC. We've stuck around for 17 years despite the things I would change if it were left up to me.
Actually, no one would likely come if were up to me.
Good thing it's not!
:0
Michelle --- I loved your post on your blog about being an old church lady and it not being about you. I love that...
Our situation is the exact opposite...it's not about "them" it's about "us" and doing what we're comfortable with.
I love GCC too! :)
I totally think it is ok to vent about things we would change. If we think about it why not share with other PWs. We are going to be held accountable for those thoughts anyways. My top three would be
1- our staff- problems for 3 years with them.
2- people would see the need to change, like standing at the door to greet people and making them a priority, thats why we are there.
3- A group that did and does all the volunteering think they are in control, so they just decide to lets do it. No planning, therefore the events are medicore when they could be awesome.
Hmm... I'm reading Church: Why Bother? by Philip Yancey at the moment, and he mentions a point that really struck me. He said (something like) if we are thinking of reasons we don't like our church, we should just stop and think for a moment about what our church would be like if it were made entirely of people like me...
For me that really hits home in that it makes me think, What am I doing? Am I contributing enough? If I am complaining about the children's ministry, door stewards (or whatever) am I volunteering to do it each week, or at least take over the organisation of it?
And so I am doing more, and trying to be negative less :-)
1)we'd be more concerned about our future than with our "accomplishments" of the past.
2)we'd serve instead of looking to be served
3)that's we'd set aside the "country club" mindset, and not only welcome "messy" people, but go out and look for them!
That service wouldn't be so streamlined and organized that you leave out room for the Spirit to operate in the service. I'm tired of cookie cutter services. If church gets out at 1:30 than it does people that have a problem with that, need to get over it. How much time outside of church do we really spend time with God.
Lack of social activities and relationship outside the church walls.
Children's ministry is always brushed off to the side and the church needs to wake up and realize they are the most important part of the church
THis post isn't specifically in regards to my church in all these areas but the church body in general.
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