We Decided to Discontinue "The Blend"

Sherri · #1 08-09-2009, 02:07 PM

Well, in March I started a thread about our new Blend service at 8:30 on Sundays. We were giving it six months to see what happened. It has been a mixture of hymns and more traditional choruses. But we have decided to discontinue it as of the first of September.

Everything we do here on Sunday mornings is about "those who are yet to come". What we found out was that this service was being populated mostly by people who would come to another service anyway and not by new people. We actually only gained one new family strictly because of the type of this service, and I think they'll stay with us.

So, we are going back to 9 AM and 11 AM. I don't know where we're going to put them. It was insane today. But if something's not doing what we hoped it would do, we stop it.

We've always said that the only constant at Love and Truth is CHANGE.

ManOfWord · #2 08-09-2009, 05:41 PM

What a wise way to approach change! That is the way we look at things as well. We decided to try 2 services over 2 yrs ago just to see what would happen. Well, we wouldn't stop it now. It works and we have folks who come to the 9am who would not come to the 11am and vice versa. Preaching twice back to back is not that difficult, but it does make for a long Sunday. Well worth it though!

Carpenter · #3 08-09-2009, 05:42 PM

God forbid, we all know that change is compromise Sherri.

Elizabeth · #4 08-09-2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherri

Well, in March I started a thread about our new Blend service at 8:30 on Sundays. We were giving it six months to see what happened. It has been a mixture of hymns and more traditional choruses. But we have decided to discontinue it as of the first of September.

Everything we do here on Sunday mornings is about "those who are yet to come". What we found out was that this service was being populated mostly by people who would come to another service anyway and not by new people. We actually only gained one new family strictly because of the type of this service, and I think they'll stay with us.

So, we are going back to 9 AM and 11 AM. I don't know where we're going to put them. It was insane today. But if something's not doing what we hoped it would do, we stop it.

We've always said that the only constant at Love and Truth is CHANGE.

Thank you for sharing this Sherri.

I have very mixed feelings about using traditional and Hymnal songs. We sing them every other week because Keith's mom plays and that is what she plays the best.

We have some that like it so they feel that confirms that singing those songs is useful, because 'some' folks like it.

But we should be about attracting people and thinking about those yet to come.

Sherri · #5 08-09-2009, 06:44 PM

Elizabeth--did Keith get Eddie's voice mail?

Sherri · #6 08-09-2009, 06:45 PM

We realized that the Blend service was nostalgic and I actually enjoyed it, but it wasn't reaching the lost. It's all about the lost on Sundays.

Aquila · #7 08-09-2009, 07:01 PM

Please don't take any of this the wrong way....

Can someone show me in Scripture where church gatherings are "for the lost"?

I ask this because it has been my realization that church gatherings are for the saints. The Bible says,

Quote:

Acts 2:42
2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Gatherings are to be to establish doctrine in the hearts of believers, provide fellowship to foster intimate relationships, to observe the Lord's Supper, and to pray for one anothers needs. Throughout Scripture we see the Church testifying publicly and sharing the Gospel from house to house. We don't see them dragging anyone to a building with taylored services geared toward pleading for, guilting into, or manipulating them into attending.

Church gatherings are to be dynamic moments when the body ministers to itself. If those who are unsaved are invited, as they see the body minister to itself they may hunger that that kind of closeness, power, and testimony. I'm so glad Phillip didn't tell the Eunuch, "You know, we have a seeker service this Sunday in Jerusalem. Why don't you come out and visit?" No Phillip preached the Gospel and baptized that man in a desert wadi on the spot. In fact, Phillip was then whisked away by the Spirit leaving the Eunuch to go on his way... no one demanded that he be attending some building in Jerusalem from that point forward in his life.

I think our churches are missing the point of gathering. It's not to win the lost... it's to edify the body so that they can GO OUT and win the lost living next door, down their streets, etc. After a church gathering you should be so edified and built up that you want to start having come and go open house meetings in your home where everyone on your block has a chance to hear the Gospel. Or so hyped that you want to witness to those across the street by teaching regular Bible studies in their living room.

Go. Go. Go. Go. Not... invite, invite, invite, invite, invite.

Frankly, the lost are sick of being invited to some stuffy building where they're expected to start coming regularly, give their money, and act and dress like everyone else attending. They want a REAL experience with God where they live. Something to shake their home into being spiriitually awake.

Give me an anointed home Bible study or church meeting in living room over the Aristotlean structure of conventional church any day.

SeekingOne · #8 08-09-2009, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquila

I think our churches are missing the point of gathering. It's not to win the lost... it's to edify the body so that they can GO OUT and win the lost living next door, down their streets, etc. After a church gathering you should be so edified and built up that you want to start having come and go open house meetings in your home where everyone on your block has a chance to hear the Gospel. Or so hyped that you want to witness to those across the street by teaching regular Bible studies in their living room.

Go. Go. Go. Go. Not... invite, invite, invite, invite, invite.

Frankly, the lost are sick of being invited to some stuffy building where they're expected to start coming regularly, give their money, and act and dress like everyone else attending. They want a REAL experience with God where they live. Something to shake their home into being spiriitually awake.

Give me an anointed home Bible study or church meeting in living room over the Aristotlean structure of conventional church any day.

Monterrey · #9 08-09-2009, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquila

Please don't take any of this the wrong way....

Can someone show me in Scripture where church gatherings are "for the lost"?

I ask this because it has been my realization that church gatherings are for the saints. The Bible says,

Gatherings are to be to establish doctrine in the hearts of believers, provide fellowship to foster intimate relationships, to observe the Lord's Supper, and to pray for one anothers needs. Throughout Scripture we see the Church testifying publicly and sharing the Gospel from house to house. We don't see them dragging anyone to a building with taylored services geared toward pleading for, guilting into, or manipulating them into attending.

Church gatherings are to be dynamic moments when the body ministers to itself. If those who are unsaved are invited, as they see the body minister to itself they may hunger that that kind of closeness, power, and testimony. I'm so glad Phillip didn't tell the Eunuch, "You know, we have a seeker service this Sunday in Jerusalem. Why don't you come out and visit?" No Phillip preached the Gospel and baptized that man in a desert wadi on the spot. In fact, Phillip was then whisked away by the Spirit leaving the Eunuch to go on his way... no one demanded that he be attending some building in Jerusalem from that point forward in his life.

I think our churches are missing the point of gathering. It's not to win the lost... it's to edify the body so that they can GO OUT and win the lost living next door, down their streets, etc. After a church gathering you should be so edified and built up that you want to start having come and go open house meetings in your home where everyone on your block has a chance to hear the Gospel. Or so hyped that you want to witness to those across the street by teaching regular Bible studies in their living room.

Go. Go. Go. Go. Not... invite, invite, invite, invite, invite.

Frankly, the lost are sick of being invited to some stuffy building where they're expected to start coming regularly, give their money, and act and dress like everyone else attending. They want a REAL experience with God where they live. Something to shake their home into being spiriitually awake.

Give me an anointed home Bible study or church meeting in living room over the Aristotlean structure of conventional church any day.

Good post!

M.

Sherri · #10 08-09-2009, 09:15 PM

Aquila--I think the church is for both. But our Sunday mornings are geared especially for the lost. When we came here, God spoke to Eddie and told him that we were to be a "Bridge" for people who are lost or in dead denominational churches to be able to come and be introduced to the Spirit filled life without scaring them silly the first time they come through the doors. That is what we've built this church on. Everyone who is a part of it knows about the "bridge service".

Our Wednesday nights are for the "saints" and they are anything-goes, as far as the move of God's Spirit, the gifts, prayer for healing, Holy Ghost, etc. But Sundays we feel we are to keep more low key to reach out to the lost who come through the doors. It's what we felt was a mandate from God, and it's what we will continue to be. I'm not saying it's the right thing for every church, but it's our culture here.