By Mike Glenn Sunday, September 24 was my last Sunday as Senior Pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church. On Sunday, October 1, I was officially no longer the Senior Pastor. I walked off the platform on September 24 and I haven’t gone back. I probably won’t go back for several more months. As the “former pastor,” I want to be sure I give the “new pastor” plenty of room to establish his own ministry. My presence could, whether I wanted it to or not, complicate things. So, I’m giving all of us – him, me and the church – much needed space.
I'm a pastor in the UCC. Years ago I went to a clergy self-care retreat, and the leader said to us (all clergy serving churches), "You ought to go to church." We looked at him as if he were losing his marbles. No, he said, really. If you are leading worship, you are supervising an event. You are not any more attending worship than a football coach is playing football. You need to find a setting where you can attend and not be responsible for anything except being there. Also, go outside your own denomination. If you attend a service in your own denomination, the little critic in your head will be going full speed, why didn't they do this, or Oh no, they did that. So I followed that advice, and it's been one of the decisions I ever made. I attend a midweek service in the Episcopal church, and get to worship without any duties except maybe occasionally reading the scripture, something that gets passed around. It has deepened my faith, given me different perspectives on the what I may have already preached on, and added a set of friends who don't see me as their pastor. I highly recommend it.
"I think we need to rekindle the deeper meaning of the word “sanctuary.” It’s more than a building. It means “safety.” There is one place in the world where the world can’t mess with you…the church." This is exactly why a lot of people and I do not go to church. Church has proven NOT to be a sanctuary or safety.
When I did love going to church it was because I thought Jesus was there, in the people. I loved exploring His Word in Bible Studies. I loved worshipping Him in His house. I found a mission so huge and so beautiful it transcended anything I had previously seen in my life. I obeyed God. I feel worship will be the #1 thing we do after we take our last breath in this world. I know God will come for those who are His and death is not the end but the beginning of eternity in Jesus. This belief is so strong it makes the death of a loved one not goodbye forever, but til we meet again.
I think you provide a good list, but in addition to what Connie wrote, I think that many find that they can experience those same things on your list in activities outside of a Sunday morning church service.
If many followers of Christ are saying, "I don't miss it", we need to be asking "why?".
I'm a pastor in the UCC. Years ago I went to a clergy self-care retreat, and the leader said to us (all clergy serving churches), "You ought to go to church." We looked at him as if he were losing his marbles. No, he said, really. If you are leading worship, you are supervising an event. You are not any more attending worship than a football coach is playing football. You need to find a setting where you can attend and not be responsible for anything except being there. Also, go outside your own denomination. If you attend a service in your own denomination, the little critic in your head will be going full speed, why didn't they do this, or Oh no, they did that. So I followed that advice, and it's been one of the decisions I ever made. I attend a midweek service in the Episcopal church, and get to worship without any duties except maybe occasionally reading the scripture, something that gets passed around. It has deepened my faith, given me different perspectives on the what I may have already preached on, and added a set of friends who don't see me as their pastor. I highly recommend it.
"I think we need to rekindle the deeper meaning of the word “sanctuary.” It’s more than a building. It means “safety.” There is one place in the world where the world can’t mess with you…the church." This is exactly why a lot of people and I do not go to church. Church has proven NOT to be a sanctuary or safety.
When I did love going to church it was because I thought Jesus was there, in the people. I loved exploring His Word in Bible Studies. I loved worshipping Him in His house. I found a mission so huge and so beautiful it transcended anything I had previously seen in my life. I obeyed God. I feel worship will be the #1 thing we do after we take our last breath in this world. I know God will come for those who are His and death is not the end but the beginning of eternity in Jesus. This belief is so strong it makes the death of a loved one not goodbye forever, but til we meet again.
I went because of the beauty of worship,
I stopped going because we were hurt by leadership. I still meet with some brothers, where two or more are gathered. We miss the fellowship.
I think you provide a good list, but in addition to what Connie wrote, I think that many find that they can experience those same things on your list in activities outside of a Sunday morning church service.
If many followers of Christ are saying, "I don't miss it", we need to be asking "why?".