J
JPatton
Guest
I’m still a Protestant and at the church I attend with my wife [non-denom] it seems to be very emotional. Music is very important to them. It is usually always good and sometimes it moves me but sometimes it doesn’t. When I first began attending it was great. I would get “goosebumps” sometimes the music was so good. I would raise my hands and try and sing out while reading the lyrics of the bigscreens. Sometimes my emotions would run rapid and I would think it’s the Holy Spirit. People come up to microphone toward the end of the music and say things to encourage the crowd, things they felt God was speaking to them. Sometimes you would hear someone speaking in a strange language [tongunes?] often repeating the same phrase over and over. Sometimes the crowd would all pray out at once and the volumne would be very high. Everyone praying and praising in their own way. You would not be able to understand anyone if listening, but you should be praying out loud yourself at this point. After the worship music the pastor or special guest pastor would speak for about 45 minutes. Teaching and encouraging the crowd while using scripture as the basis. If it was scheduled [once a month] then communion was taking after the sermon. It will always be stated that we do this in remembrance and not too often because we don’t want it to become routine. The collection would then be taken and the service will end with one last song and a closing prayer. We are highly encouraged to be a part of small worship groups that the church organizes during the week.
Well slowly the “goosebumps” and emotion from the music stopped, allthough I did still enjoy the worship music. I was still excited for the Lord but in a different way. I didn’t raise my hands or sing as much as I did at first. I tried to pray for that original excitement to return but instead I found myself in more deep meditation type prayer. Hungry for the reasons why I believed what I did and why I was being taught what I was. I began to question that it was possibly the music the had me feeling certain ways and not the Spirit. I found myself questioning the “tongunes” I heard people speaking because it started to confuse me.When people would all pray out at once I would feel distracted. I found myself praying for “God to be inside me” when I took communion. The zeal I had 2 yrs earlier was slowly going away and directing somewhere else.
I’ve heard many times that the Catholic Mass is just routine and going through the motions. The worship at Mass was lacking. Well, I began to feel that my church was routine in ways. Music,people speaking out to the crowd,45 min sermon,collection,music and go home. Same every Sunday. Depending on what songs were played was how I felt initially. For some reason I felt unfed and in need of more.
I think they [evangelicals] feel that Catholic traditions get in the way of your “relationship” or focus on God. It can take away from it. The “religion” gets in the way of worship. Too many unesassary rules, rules of men that God doesn’t want. God only wants your heart not all the ritualistic traditions. Your personal relationship is how you connect with, rely on, talk to and praise Jesus everyday. They see the general Catholic as going to mass as a routine [like a work] where a “relationship” is hard to acheive.
These are just my opinions and by no means do I disrespect any Protestant. I think we all can have this so called “relationship” with God [Jesus] but the form of this “relationship” depends on the person. We each worship and relate in different ways because we are all different people.
I am slowly finding my “personal relationship” by means of the CC, allthough I do still enjoy the evangelical service I attend. I am now aware of Truth and keep that in mind when I listen to their teaching. Praise God!
Jamie
Well slowly the “goosebumps” and emotion from the music stopped, allthough I did still enjoy the worship music. I was still excited for the Lord but in a different way. I didn’t raise my hands or sing as much as I did at first. I tried to pray for that original excitement to return but instead I found myself in more deep meditation type prayer. Hungry for the reasons why I believed what I did and why I was being taught what I was. I began to question that it was possibly the music the had me feeling certain ways and not the Spirit. I found myself questioning the “tongunes” I heard people speaking because it started to confuse me.When people would all pray out at once I would feel distracted. I found myself praying for “God to be inside me” when I took communion. The zeal I had 2 yrs earlier was slowly going away and directing somewhere else.
I’ve heard many times that the Catholic Mass is just routine and going through the motions. The worship at Mass was lacking. Well, I began to feel that my church was routine in ways. Music,people speaking out to the crowd,45 min sermon,collection,music and go home. Same every Sunday. Depending on what songs were played was how I felt initially. For some reason I felt unfed and in need of more.
I think they [evangelicals] feel that Catholic traditions get in the way of your “relationship” or focus on God. It can take away from it. The “religion” gets in the way of worship. Too many unesassary rules, rules of men that God doesn’t want. God only wants your heart not all the ritualistic traditions. Your personal relationship is how you connect with, rely on, talk to and praise Jesus everyday. They see the general Catholic as going to mass as a routine [like a work] where a “relationship” is hard to acheive.
These are just my opinions and by no means do I disrespect any Protestant. I think we all can have this so called “relationship” with God [Jesus] but the form of this “relationship” depends on the person. We each worship and relate in different ways because we are all different people.
I am slowly finding my “personal relationship” by means of the CC, allthough I do still enjoy the evangelical service I attend. I am now aware of Truth and keep that in mind when I listen to their teaching. Praise God!
Jamie
