Anyone else leave their church after it became "Purpose Driven" (copyright)?

[stevenpensacola]

Worship became entertainment.....
Sermons became self help speeches...
Music was just a lot of God is my boyriend/girlfriend variety.

We just could not take it anymore. I told my wife if we sing "yes lord yes lord yes yes lord" (while hopping) one more time, we're outta there.

 

[cati]

What do you mean "self help speeches" and boyfriend/girlfriend music? I am lost.

 

[Towncrier]

Sounds like our contemporary worship services. That's why we still go to the traditional worship service on Sunday mornings.

 

[disneyluvers]

Huh?

 

[Galahad]

That's why we still go to the traditional worship service on Sunday mornings.

Yep. Pick the path that works for you.

 

[Cindy B]

I know what Steve is talking about and I have to answer yes to him.

We were with a congregation for 13 years, were on a mission team, my kids grew up there, etc..

It was always purpose driven, but then it got EXTREME purpose driven. We left. It was hard to do, but I am so glad that I did.

I now go to a Methodist church at their contemporary service. No, Yes Lords, or clapping or "Thats right, preach it brother".

Its very worshipful, and candid. We have a new pastor, and she is wonderful. The associate paster got promoted and he is wonderful as well.

 

[disneyluvers]

Oh, now I understand the original post.

I've been very happy taking my children to our church. We've just recently been without a pastor and it's taking it's toll on our attendance but all in all we're a very sedate Lutheran congregation. (Of course that can't be said for our teen youth group... )

 

[cati]

xx

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by stevenpensacola

Music was just a lot of God is my boyriend/girlfriend variety.

LOL My sister loves that stuff! It's just not for me. It's part of the reason I'm a Catholic.
Different strokes, as they say.

 

[Mercy]

Not sure what you mean by "Purpose Driven"??

 

[Keli]

At first I had no clue what your post meant, and I'm still not totally sure of your meaning but I think the gist of it is that you do not like the fast, upbeat style of worship songs (but I'm lost with the Jesus is my bf/gf thing? Could you explain?). I personally haven't ever heard the 'self-help' type of sermon but I can imagine what you mean there.

I think if you church doesn't offer a service with the type of worship you prefer then you have to hunt for one that does.

I will say that as an apostolic pentecostal, the upbeat music is something that's been a part of our worship all my life (as well as slow worship songs and hymns, we do it all). The preaching is vibrant and dynamic although not really of the 'self-help' variety. Ministers still preach from the bible, explaining biblical truths, encouraging people to live christian lives, things like that.

 

[auntpolly]

I know what he means! And like I said, my sister loves it! ANd I'm glad for her -- her faith is a big part of her life. I'm just not comfortable (read: very uncomfortable) with the songs that sound like somthing you'd sing to your boyfriend -- only you're singing it to God.

 

[Cindy B]

I think what they mean by boyfriend/girlfriend is that it is contemporary type., not traditional hymns.

The self help preaching i completely understood!

 

[missypie]

My church (Presbyterian) did the "40 Days of Purpose" campaign after Easter, along with just about every Baptist and other evangelical church in the DFW area. My in-laws had given DH the book for Christmas and just raved about it, so I was looking forward to reading it. I admit that when the 40 days were over, I was to about Day 18 and DH was to about Day 20. I truly went into it eagerly, but after about the first 5 minutes of reading I felt like I was reading a long greeting card. The worst part at church was the music. We have a traditional worship service, but we kept having to sing choruses out of this "Purpose Driven Music Packet." We didn't leave our church, but I was glad when the whole Purpose Driven Life thing was over.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I know exactly what he's talking about... it's a big trend right now for churches to do a study in the Purpose Drive Church, which is a book and now study for churches that want to become more purpose driven and reach more people. Many many churches have adopted it as their plan of action, have done church wide studies through it, and are putting it's plan into action.

Part of that involves the very things he mentioned...

Different strokes for different folks is right. Some people do enjoy that, some don't. I don't, personally, and as a minister, it worries me that churches are taking a plan that worked for one congregation and attempting it to FIT in their own congregation. most things don't work that way... it's not a one size fits all plan. Many churches should not have moved to that, and have thus lost members and drive. For some, it's just not what their congregation is meant to do. For others, things within it might work!

My church does not and will not adopt the Purpose Drive Church format... we instead look to our congregation and come up with programs/plans/lessons that will fit US and what our mission statement is.

Your post made me laugh =) So true, so true! I hope you and your family will find another church that fits you better. I'm sorry you had to make that decision, but understand completely.

 

[HauntedMansionGeek]

I know what he meant too! LOL

We like the traditional services ourselves. One Christmas we went to the early service at church and found ourselves tremendously disappointed....there were NO traditional Christmas hymns and the sermon was all "hepped" up *as my dad would say!*

We know now to go to the later Christmas services if we want our traditional feast of music and story.

As far as changing a church that went so far as to become all or nothing........yes, we probably would change. I don't enjoy the new-age self-help entertainment at church either.

 

[Hillbeans]

I know this is slightly OT, however my MIL and FIL, who were always the regular church goers in my family don't go anymore because their parish/diocese in PA was where a handful of the pedophile priests were and sunday church was turning into a Jerry Lewis telethon every week with them begging for money.

It's a shame really....

 

[pw2pp]

Does it have anything to do with the book titled "The Purpose-Driven Life"? I have not read this book, but when I saw the title of your thread, I thought that was what you were talking about.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Our church read the book together and had the small groups. I don't, however know how much of that philosophy affects the way they run the church.

 

[Microcell]

MY Father in law is a minister, and the best I have ever heard preach, if I don't say so myself, and he stuck through that very thing for five years after he retired, and he could not stand that they did that, but could not quit the church, so he moved away! They were really bad there with begging for money all the time.

My fil is great because his day job was debate coach, so he treated his sermons the same way, breaking the bible down and making points to argue. Needless to say he can be persuasive!