Does strict really mean deeper worship/presence???
 

Read this on another site from a person who himself was questioning standards but gave this observation. What think ye?


" In every church I have attended through the years whether they were so called “strict” or “loose”, the ones who were the most “strict” (for the most part) had the most glorious services! The worship was the most amazing! It was deeply sincere and entirely from the heart. The worship of God was very deep and a strong beautiful presence of the Lord was in most of the services. It was not so much the case in churches that were more “loose”."

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

A friend of mine goes to a "strict" church. All he ever heard was how backslidden we were and how dead our services were.

He finally came and visited and was stunned. He said it was like being at campmeeting. He told his pastor how wrong he was. Compared to his church, we are the ones with the most glorious services and amazing worship, his church is pretty dead

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

It probably varies greatly from church to church.
Of course I am not so sure we can actually tell that easy either. From the pulpit to the pew, the mechanics of a highly emotional service can be learned and easily duplicated, whether intentional or not.

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

In one of those 'strict' churches, the Pastor would tell us when special speakers or special visitors came, we should dress our best and 'worship' more to give them a good impression of us.... He loved being known as a 'revival church.'

Sad, I know....

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

Broadbrushing for sure.

Amazing.

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

Usually, glorious is in the eye of the beholder. Most strict churches just look prideful to me and I ache at their misrepresentation of the gospel. I used to laugh at them but I can't anymore. Many in these churches have never heard the gospel.

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

I remember actually telling people (back when I was in the UPC) that God showed up more mightily at our churches because of the sacrifice of our standards... I have no idea where I heard or learned that, but I sure said it often enough.

Truly our righteousness is as filthy rags- there is NOTHING we can do to earn or gain salvation, it truly is a gift. I cannot be "more saved" because of giving up makeup and pants- nowadays I look at this mentality and become saddened, Christ is the ONLY one who truly sacrificed; not us. Even when call our worship a sacrifice of praise, it is NOTHING compared to what truly matters which is the all-covering Blood of the Lamb. The Lamb who loves me so very much and does not require me to earn His love.

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

It's purely perception. If you go to a church, and you're offended by what you see, you probably won't be able to appreciate their worship or focus on your own.

When you're looking around judging everyone around you, there's no way you have time to plug into God's presence or even notice that He's there.

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

The more I read this the more I'm amazed.

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

It's happened in more than one, unless we went to the same church... It wasn't blatantly stated in my former church, but it was definitely inferred and followed through on. "Bro ____ is coming this weekend. Let's have good church!" and "Bro ____ is coming. We need to really get with it," were two examples of the code they used.

Also, some people see the running, leaping and dancing as worship... it is more outward and the group excitement can almost be tangible in those times, but sitting in complete quiet just focusing on God can be just as worshipful, if not more so. The difference is that if you're used to focusing on the externals, the active services are more entertaining. That isn't because they are deeper, but because we're too shallow.

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

I attend a UPC church where God moves mightily in our worship services, and it has nothing to do with the standards that are present in our church. Our leadership believes in strong standards, but also recognizes that true worship of God comes from the heart and not the appearance of man. Our worship services are consistent from week to week whether our pastor is present or not. We do not worship harder or more exuberantly for special guests or speakers. We are who we are!

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

I've felt God's presence strongly in Pentecostal churches and Methodist churches. I think it has nothing to do with the "standards" of a church, and everything to do with opening yourself up to God.

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

I am fearful of closing my eyes and really worshiping, lest some idiot comes over and slaps his hands on me. So, I choose to sit there with my eyes wide open, negating the entire reason for being there.

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

I keep my eyes open for the same reason :toofunny, but that doesn't stop me from worshiping.

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

Adam, my husband had a terrible boil on his knee one time due to a piece of imbedded metal, and developed a full-fledged staph infection from it. Anyway, before we figured out what the problem was, he went up for prayer. An old man in our church grabbed his knee right where it was painful and started shaking it and praying. My poor husband was yelping in pain, and the man apparently thought he was just "praising the Lord" and didn't let up.

It was a LONG time before he went back up to get prayer for anything. :D

FYI: The old man was very sweet and we loved him dearly. It was just, well, ignorance. :rolleyes2

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

God responds to worship and hunger for him. I have attended churches that have been called strict and churches that have been called liberal and this is my observation.
I have also moved and looked for a new church home and passed over some churches that were labeled strict and some that were labeled liberal.
But it had nothing to do with their "label", just had to do with the worship and hunger for God that I felt there.

Re: Does strict really mean deeper worship/presenc
 

WOW!!! Great Stuff!!!:thumbsup