Where is the balance for churches? Is there one?

Two of the most common arguments I've heard from those who choose not to attend a church (including myself, several years ago) are:

"The church is too strict. I don't need to get beat up every Sunday."

or

"The church is full of hypocrites. Everyone's just going through the motions, but still doing whatever they want to do -- good and bad."

or some variant of either (or both).


The church I've attended for the past 8 years still calls itself "the church for people who hate going to church", so I have a sincere interest in people's take on this question. What would be enough discipline -- what would be too much? Or is it about something else? Is it about authenticity, meaning it's okay to screw up as long as you're honest about it?

Where is that fine line between 'hell, fire, and brimstone' and feel good, warm and fuzzy preaching that leaves enough slack to allow people to believe and do whatever they want?

Maybe a better way to put it would be, if you don't go to church now, what kind of church would you want to go to?

 

one that served coffee donuts for communion would be kinda cool. Actually one where you sat around a communal fondue and held profound discussions, of course that would be after coffee and donuts. An internet chatroom church would be sorta cool, sit there in your BVDs with a cuppa coffee and engage in enlightened discourse. Be hell to pass the basket though. paypal may work though.

 

You're probably being a little tongue-in-cheek here, but I'm actually working on putting together something like that.

 

No not really. After going through school this past year I can see that if one came to truly understand the roll of a leader as a facilitator of communication and less as a preacher, everyone involved could have a far better experience. I think a lot of the problem is that traditional roles are so fixed in everyones mind that although there may be a token effort to do something different it always ends up being sage / pilgrim relationship. To do it correctly one would have to really work continueously to prevent dogma from becoming entrenched and turning the whole thing into the cliche that jazz/folk services tended to become. People tend to fall into a routine, and a set routine must be avoided at all cost to keep the effort evolving. You could throw up a topic the week before, and give everyone time to read and reflect, then wing it. The internet and big butler buildings are great mediums for such an enterprise.

 

The churches in our area that are most successful have 'feel-good' type services. I wonder if anyone really gets (or gives) anything from (or to) these services. I prefer a more contemplative service, but to each his own.

 

I think that a church, any church, should stick to the Word. Its all or nothing in my opinion, you either are or you are'nt. There is no middle ground. We should strive to gain the ultimate goal, to be like Jesus, to make it into Heaven. Reading the Word, prayer and worship should be the three main articles of any church. Programs and styles will vary and can be quite an attraction for many, but they wont carry you too far if a foundation based on the Gospel is not estsablished and carried out.

 

getting back to a more faithful form of christian life from the early formation of the church would be idea then.

 

I don't think Church should be about feel good services, I think more people should be able to walk away feeling convicted rather than all warm and fuzzy inside. I'm not saying all sermons should be hell fire and brimstone but I don't think they should all be about it's ok if you sin, God will forgive you. If churches leave enough slack so that people can do whatever they want then where's the accountablility? It shouldn't be about what we want it should be about living a life that God wants us to live. Allowing people to do what they want is basically what some of these churches are doing and to me it's wrong. Just look at the churches that are allowing homosexual marriages or homosexual clergymen.

 

I think the mistake is that some preachers try to do the convicting themselves. The preacher should present the gospel message and other bible truthes and let people draw their own conclusions, he should let the spirit work. Too many preachers get caught up in naming specific things that they think are bad and harping on "pet" sins. I also believe they should stand up and say what they believe. The gospel message is clear and does not leave much wiggle room.

I guess it can be summed up by saying that the preacher needs to be about God's message and leave the rest to God.

 

That pretty much sums up my feelings too. It also trickles down to some of the congregation and they start judging too.

I think a church should first and foremost lead people to God and then like Thelt said let God do His work.

Edit: I also know that is a fine line to walk.