Ever Walked Out of a Church Service???

[Jay]

Where do I begin?

Bro. Robbins and friends, this is actually a topic that is difficult. I have twice temporarily left a service. I once went to the back of the church during campmeeting because the song that was being sung was very rocky and there was no Spirit moving, just people responding to the music. However, I did not stay gone and returned during the next song and stayed through the preaching. The second time was at a General Conference, when the preacher was saying some things that I could not support. I left, went into the restroom, stayed for several minutes, and then returned to the service to support the altar call. My pastor walked out of a message and did not return, but that was his choice (different people doing and handling things different ways).


I do not know that I would call such a man my friend. The fact that he is so impertenant as to accept an invitation, greet the congregation in such a fashion, and then leave during the message is beyond belief. I have had friends embaress me in the past, but never to the point that I dreaded being seen in public or private with them. I believe that you handled the situation correctly, but after one experience, I would not have been anywhere near him.


Pastors are human and will make mistakes. Sometimes they are amusing and other times horrifying. My pastor invited a man who visiting our area, and whom he had known years before, to preach a special service for him. The night was a disaster, and at the next service, our pastor apologized to the congregation and explained why he did what he did. We had another preacher whom our pastor knew of preach a service for us, and that would have been a fiasco except that the Spirit of the Lord was present and moved in His own way and changed the order of the service. However, I was told by the pastor later that this preacher was not going to be coming back either. A preacher must be willing to own his mistakes before the congregation if he makes one in this fashion.

I have given testimonies in a trinitarian church, and in churches that did not hold the standards I was raised with. However, I have never said anything that would have torn or attacked them. That is not my place, and they knew what I was when I came in the door. The Bible says that everything should be done decently and in order.


Last and not least, I believe I can explain the issue of the humor. I have been party to many serious conversations both on this forum and in person, there are points when a little levity will be inserted just to break the tension. This allows for a small aside before returning to the main point, or it is sufficient to allow the topic under discussion to be unofficially tabled until a later place and time. I would view that this is what is being done when we relax away from a topic on a thread like this and enjoy a bit of humor before tackling the issue again. It is not intended in any way to be disrespectful. However, not all of us might appreciate it (and I myself have been occasionally annoid by the occurance).