Saturday, September 29, 2007
I Made the Switch
After many months of prayer, I made the switch. Some of you may remember back in November of last year, I was struggling with the "Postponement" of the contemporary service at my home church. It was not that I was searching around all that much, I just decided that one Sunday, I would go to The Loft at United Methodist Church of The Woodlands. That Sunday they started a series on Philippians and I thought to myself, "Self, maybe you ought to come the next few weeks and here the series." So I did. Then I was going to move to the more traditional service at the main campus and they started a series called ICONS. So I figured I would stay for these as well. Needless to say, a couple of weeks ago, I transferred my membership to The Loft.
The Loft focuses on 3 things:
The Loft because it is challenging me again. Who I am in Christ. What Christ is calling me to do. My spirit is being fed again. In the "Lofter's Life" meeting (here's what we are about, would you like to join spiel) I went to on September 16th, I mentioned to Andy Nixon, the head pastor, there was one main reason that I enjoyed being a part of The Loft. The Loft has an emergent church atmosphere, but without some of the heretical and non-orthodox issues that can arise in them. (That statement may offend some, but there are emergent churches out there that compromise some of the basic teachings of Christianity so everyone feels welcome.) The Loft is about being close to the Lord, Compassion for Mankind, and Worship in a non-traditional sense, but it continues to practice within the Book of Discipline of the Methodist Church. That is a sweet thing to find in a day and age where I believe tradition and truth are important, but they do not have to get in the way of Christ's saving Grace and our mission as Christians to evangelize to the nations.
Below is a video shot last week at the 11:11 service. It is a new song by Brandon Heath that asks the question, "If you knew everything, every little dark secret about the person sitting next to you in church, would you sit next to them again?" It may take a bit to load, but it is worth it.
The Loft focuses on 3 things:
1.) Communion with Christ through worship and scriptural study understanding that it is a lifelong process to be challenged with every day.Last week I had my first tour of The Loft Media Department and will continue working with this type of church service as I have for almost 20 years now. I look forward to getting involved in the near future with a Core Group of my own as well.
2.) Community of Believers through Core Groups that are gathered together in less traditional way than most Sunday School classes. They focus on the commonalities that are not as noticeable. Groups formed less by things like: 30 somethings, singles, divorced. Core Groups look beyond the easily recognizable aspects of who you are and into who you are in Christ and this world in which we live. Instead of meeting on Sundays before services, they meet during the week, at member's homes.
3.) Compassion through Service in the community of the church and the larger community of the world around us. Some programs that The Loft are affiliated with are Prison Entrepreneurship Program and Tom's Shoes.
The Loft because it is challenging me again. Who I am in Christ. What Christ is calling me to do. My spirit is being fed again. In the "Lofter's Life" meeting (here's what we are about, would you like to join spiel) I went to on September 16th, I mentioned to Andy Nixon, the head pastor, there was one main reason that I enjoyed being a part of The Loft. The Loft has an emergent church atmosphere, but without some of the heretical and non-orthodox issues that can arise in them. (That statement may offend some, but there are emergent churches out there that compromise some of the basic teachings of Christianity so everyone feels welcome.) The Loft is about being close to the Lord, Compassion for Mankind, and Worship in a non-traditional sense, but it continues to practice within the Book of Discipline of the Methodist Church. That is a sweet thing to find in a day and age where I believe tradition and truth are important, but they do not have to get in the way of Christ's saving Grace and our mission as Christians to evangelize to the nations.
Below is a video shot last week at the 11:11 service. It is a new song by Brandon Heath that asks the question, "If you knew everything, every little dark secret about the person sitting next to you in church, would you sit next to them again?" It may take a bit to load, but it is worth it.
WHAT NOW by Brandon Heath
Labels: spiritual revival
4 Comments:
Switching churches is hard--and yes alot of prayer. When I was Protestant, one pastor had an "agenda." He had a vision for his church (I call it Jack's church) and it included those thirty something with young children. I thought it so odd that he had a criteria--was not everyone welcome in Christ's Church?
Read and study--feed your soul with His word--God will come to you and He Himself will feed you. I'm praying for you J.D.
Peace and Love
Thanks, Tara.
The struggle was the fact that I did not want to church hop. I know that I am made for worship and that the "feelings" you get from going to church are really of little consequence in the big picture, but I had to do what I did, more so for my spiritual well being and less for some obligation that I may have had to a group at a church (the actual building). I also know that you and Angela and a few others, including my parents, pray for my return to the Catholic church. While I do not see that happening in the near future, you never know. God has ways of getting His agenda across when you least expect it. Until then, I do my best, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to be true to Christ and to be a defender of orthodoxy in a world filled with moral relativism.
PAX
JD
JD:
It's good you don't go to church for the "feelings." I think any relationship--and I've been married for a few years--requires commitment--because sometimes we don't always "feel" the love--but the commitment carries you through the not so fun times.
As much as I love my husband, sometimes when I'm tired or just had a hard day--and he starts talking and needing attention--I just "suck it up." Yeah, I really don't feel like having to give him attention--but I know he needs the connection--just as he does the same for me.
As much as I love God, yeah, sometimes I don't feel like getting out of bed for Mass--an extra hour would be nice--but, hey, it's Jesus--if I am able--how can I resist receiving Him for just an hours' sleep?
I go to church to worship God--not because He will make me feel good. But, to show him my love and my commitment to Him--I love Him! And, yes--sometimes He gives me good feelings.
I like talking with you JD.
Thanks, Tara.
Ditto.
PAX
JD
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