How Church Has Changed in Last 45 Years

[Parson]

Greetings All!

Have you noticed how church has changed in the past 45 years?

Here are some differences that I have experienced. (and I do realize that some changes were due to the culture I was raised in--rather than a possible similarity
in every church nationally.)

The church service started with everyone coming to the front to the mourner's bench for prayer.

Everyone in the congregation stood together on the platform as a church choir during the "song service".

All songs, save for the SPECIALS, came from the Pentecostal songbook.

Everyone--but EVERYONE was expected to testify or affirm their faith during Testimony Time.

There were skits or some type of program that the youth presented during a section wide YOUTH RALLY which were held once a month. A banner was given to the Youth Group voted to have the best program.

There were FELLOWSHIP MEETINGS once a month wherein preachers were given 5 minutes (but usually took 15) to deliver a sermonette.

You must have a fever of 104 degrees and speak incoherently before you were excused from being at a church service.
Homework was NOT an excuse.
Family coming in for a visit was NOT an excuse.
Ice, snow, and tornadoes were NOT an excused. (As a young preacher, I was asked to preach during a horrible storm--all the while a tornado destroyed another church about 250 yards away)
Being horribly mangled in a car wreck was NOT an excuse (ok maybe I'm stretching that a bit)


All activities had to be planned around church services.

Revival services usually lasted at least 6 weeks and a rest night was considered blasphemy.

Saturday night services were as important as Sunday and Wednesday night.

The average offering from an individual was usually ONE DOLLAR per service. (ok....maybe THAT hasn't changed.......)

Flannelgraph and slide projectors were considered HIGH TECH

A preacher's anointing was measured by how red in the face he got. If the preacher did not get all red in the face--he was only teaching.

It was a different world then.


Blessings


Parson

[Harmony]

you forgot the alter call after every service. Everyone is expected to go and PUSH (pray until something happens).

[Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Parson

Greetings All!

Have you noticed how church has changed in the past 45 years?

Here are some differences that I have experienced. (and I do realize that some changes were due to the culture I was raised in--rather than a possible similarity
in every church nationally.)

The church service started with everyone coming to the front to the mourner's bench for prayer.

Everyone in the congregation stood together on the platform as a church choir during the "song service".

All songs, save for the SPECIALS, came from the Pentecostal songbook.

Everyone--but EVERYONE was expected to testify or affirm their faith during Testimony Time.

There were skits or some type of program that the youth presented during a section wide YOUTH RALLY which were held once a month. A banner was given to the Youth Group voted to have the best program.

There were FELLOWSHIP MEETINGS once a month wherein preachers were given 5 minutes (but usually took 15) to deliver a sermonette.

You must have a fever of 104 degrees and speak incoherently before you were excused from being at a church service.
Homework was NOT an excuse.
Family coming in for a visit was NOT an excuse.
Ice, snow, and tornadoes were NOT an excused. (As a young preacher, I was asked to preach during a horrible storm--all the while a tornado destroyed another church about 250 yards away)
Being horribly mangled in a car wreck was NOT an excuse (ok maybe I'm stretching that a bit)


All activities had to be planned around church services.

Revival services usually lasted at least 6 weeks and a rest night was considered blasphemy.

Saturday night services were as important as Sunday and Wednesday night.

The average offering from an individual was usually ONE DOLLAR per service. (ok....maybe THAT hasn't changed.......)

Flannelgraph and slide projectors were considered HIGH TECH

A preacher's anointing was measured by how red in the face he got. If the preacher did not get all red in the face--he was only teaching.

It was a different world then.


Blessings


Parson

I actually miss those days...well some of them.

Now, the UPC has absolutely no sense of community. Most churches are encapsulated because they are afraid of swaping spit with other churches (A term I heard an evangelist use about saints going from one church to another. I actually laughed out loud and my wife poked me for it. )

I think the church has had to evolve/devolve because there is stiffer competition out there and those who haven't realized this are suffering.

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by Carpenter

I actually miss those days...well some of them.

Now, the UPC has absolutely no sense of community. Most churches are encapsulated because they are afraid of swaping spit with other churches (A term I heard an evangelist use about saints going from one church to another. I actually laughed out loud and my wife poked me for it. )

I think the church has had to evolve/devolve because there is stiffer competition out there and those who haven't realized this are suffering.

Interesting... I did not think you would miss the good ole days.


Reverend epley, can we start a new work in Carps neck of the woods??

[Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

Interesting... I did not you to miss the good ole days.


Reverend epley, can we start a new work in Carps neck of the woods??

Denny Perdew's church is close enough.

I just miss the fellowship of other churches. I think the UPC takes themselves too seriously. I know, guys have given their entire lives and every lasting calorie of energy they have to the movement and to their churches and they will do their best to protect what they have sacrificed for, but I don't believe for one second that most pastors trust most saints.

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by Carpenter

Denny Perdew's church is close enough.

I just miss the fellowship of other churches. I think the UPC takes themselves too seriously. I know, guys have given their entire lives and every lasting calorie of energy they have to the movement and to their churches and they will do their best to protect what they have sacrificed for, but I don't believe for one second that most pastors trust most saints.

I totally agree, and this is one reason I make it a point to visit an AOG or Lutheran church a few times a year.

[Sherri]

Does the UPC still have sectional youth rallies and fellowship meetings once a month? When we left in 1991, they were still doing that.

[Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Sherri

Does the UPC still have sectional youth rallies and fellowship meetings once a month? When we left in 1991, they were still doing that.

Wow, I guess the question should be asked, how has the church changed in the past 15-20 years.

I'm not sure, but I think those were the last years for the now dead, youth rallies, fellowship meetings, and singspirations.

[stmatthew]

Well, I can't go back that far. But being raised in a Oneness church, I do have about 35 years of actual memories.

-the song leader (thats what they were called back then) had to sing "Cain't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus" at least once during the Sunday Night Service so everybody could shout.

-prayer lines happened a lot, with folks being healed right then and there

-tent meetings came around at least once a year.

-street meetings were held

-tracks were handed out by the whole church. Even us kids handed them out to the folks coming out of K-Mart (No Wal-Mart in those days).

-all night prayer meetings (I remember as a child sleeping on the floor while the adults literally prayed until the light of day).

-shouting was not a choreographed dance, but uncontrollable jerking and screaming when the glory fell.

[chseeads]

Originally Posted by Sherri

Does the UPC still have sectional youth rallies and fellowship meetings once a month? When we left in 1991, they were still doing that.

Indiana has sectional youth rallies. Not necessarily always monthly, varies a bit.

Don't think I've ever even heard of a UPC sectional fellowship meeting though.