- Joined
- Jun 12, 2015
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- 13,927
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- Religious Affiliation
- Lutheran
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- Conservative
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- Married
- Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
- Yes
1. There are MANY different liturgies (probably thousands) so it's difficult to comment in ways that embrace them ALL.
2. Some CLAIM to not be liturgical.... but I've been to some of those churches. The worshipers park in the same parking spot (if it's available).... sit in the same seats (if available - and they are upset if it's not)..... the worship service follows the same order every week.... that's ORDER and that's LITURGY. IF there is a church were EVERYTHING is totally at random and a COMPLETE shocking surprise, NEVER in any way as ever done any week before - then a claim can be made that they are non-liturgical, but I doubt there is a parish that worships like that.
3. In some ways, liturgy is not just "custom" but is PLANNED as opposed to just entirely, completely "winging" it. IMO, it shows enough RESPECT for God, His Word, His Sacrament, His people to plan things, to do the service as well as possible. I would not think of giving a presentation to my co-workers (or boss!!!!) without planning, thinking, considering my words, prepping carefully the powerpoint, making sure all I'm presenting is supported. If I do that just for my earthly boss.... just for my peers at work.... how much more.... how much infinity more would that apply to worshiping God and leading people in worship and presenting God's Word to His people?
4. I was homeschooled as a kid but this was done in close cooperation with a Baptist school connected to a huge mega Baptist Church (it never said it was Baptist but it was/is). This meant several things, including that awards etc . were done as a part of Sunday worship. As a result, I went to church there MANY times. Many did.... each service (and they had a lot of them) had probably 300-400 people. I never understood why. The whole service was (how to put this nicely.....) empty. The music was very professional (I'll give that point.... the MUSIC people worked and planned ahead) even though many of the songs were void of much of anything. But the whole service felt..... winged. As if no one really gave a rip about it. Even the sermon was rambly, disjointed and often just pointless.... more often pop-psychology (how to have loving teens, etc.) rather than anything Christian. The worshipers too didn't seem to take any of this very seriously either. They were dressed as if they were going to Mc Donald's for breakfast, they talked during the service, they didn't seem to pay a lot of attention. I REALLY wondered (a lot) why they were there? SOMETHING caused them to give up a couple of hours on a Sunday morning (and I live where there ARE other things to do on a Sunday morning) but I never could figure out what it was. Well.... for the KIDS, there was KID'S CHURCH (which I only once got to go to)... that was fun! But for the adults? I don't know. I honestly don't know. God should get our best. God's people should get our best. I just don't get that that's the case in some churches (and those DO seem to be the ones who consider themselves non-denom - because they don't care about theology - and non-liturgical because they don't seem to want to plan/work/prep for worship). Just MY experience!!!! There MUST be something to it because zillions of people opt for that over thought-out, prepared worship.
5. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose.
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