10-15-2010, 10:57 AM
(This post was last modified: 10-15-2010, 10:59 AM by Questioner.)
In the Scientology thread, a side discussion mentioned the Alpha Course as an example of modern Christian evangelism. I had positive experiences with this course a few years ago. But I left the church that hosted the course (via big screen video of Nicky Gumbel's Alpha Course talks).
As I think back on those experiences, I'd like to meander a bit around some thoughts about church. I don't particularly have a point here, just musings. I'd be happy to hear about other people's experiences.
I left because I had experiences unrelated to Alpha that I strongly think and feel were abusive misuses of unchecked power. I mean power in terms of earthly administration and leadership. I'll describe that in a later post. First I'll describe what I liked about that church.
The course was presented by a church with a very loose affiliation to a freewheeling, very loosely organized Protestant denomination. The denomination is influential in the Pentecostal - charismatic - evangelical area of Christianity. It has a notably informal style and a lot of focus on prayer and contemporary worship music. Sermons include as much psychology and common sense as Bible texts. Sometimes skits were used to illustrate situations or topics. Service to poor communities, at home and around the world, is another important theme.
Many people have had what seem to be legitimate healings, life turnarounds, miraculously fortunate coincidences, and genuine encounters with the Divine. I would have still liked it just as well without any of this. I believe other people accurately report these experiences, but they're all situations I've not experienced personally as far as I can tell.
Participation in small groups who meet weekly at someone's home is encouraged, as a way to get to know and pray regularly with other members and do more in-depth Bible study.
I felt pretty much at home except for some of the stricter doctrine about literal, evangelical interpretation of the Bible.
I'd prefer to not mention the name of the churches or denomination. This is so I can retain anonymity, and also because they are typical of a broadly popular overall movement of modern times.
Before moving to this town, I had been active in the original church of the denomination and had very positive experiences with almost everything about it. The senior pastor of the original church is a licensed psychological counselor, seminary educated, has a variety of first and third world experiences up and down the economic ladder, and seemed quite sensible and warm hearted. The transition from the founding generation to the current leadership went smoothly.
The particular ministry team I served in was really exceptionally great at that original church. The team leader (a part-time staff member) had very good training, innate gifted talent, and a humble attitude of servant leadership. He made very good use of the strengths of his volunteers, including myself.
I also liked a Sunday evening service that had an extended time with the lights dim and quiet music playing. This was a time for people to light candles. Or pray together in small groups (the staff were up front to greet whoever wanted to join them for intercessory prayer). Or just sit and think. Or kneel with raised hands. Or join a group of people expressing their faith through drawing at an art table. Or whatever they liked to do in their own quiet way.
By that time I was already drifting pretty far away, in my beliefs, from standard Christian doctrine.
The church has some songs about God's love I can sing literally, and some songs about Christian doctrine that I have to reconsider and paraphrase figuratively in my own mind before I can comfortably sing along.
This church that offered Alpha was pretty hard core about evangelical doctrine. Their position was that unless you believed literally in historical facts of miraculous instant creation, depraved original sin after the Fall, the virgin birth, crucifixion as substitutionary atonement, resurrection, and latter day miracles as they defined them, you were on your way to a literal, eternal hell after missing your one chance.
I couldn't in good conscience say I literally believed in all of that as historical fact, for one shot at salvation. This was a church where people were nice, in hopes that eventually all would agree with all "the facts" and thus gain salvation.
I knew about the idea of reincarnation but hadn't studied it much. I was studying world religions and many philosophies. I was unaware that there was anything like the Ra material. As far as I knew then, UFO's were for goofy science fiction movies and even goofier careless pseudo-science documentaries.
Concerns about doctrine aside, I liked the original church and had high hopes of continuing a positive church experience in my new town, where I'd moved because of a good new job.
I'll pause in the story here to see if anyone else would like to comment before I continue.
As I think back on those experiences, I'd like to meander a bit around some thoughts about church. I don't particularly have a point here, just musings. I'd be happy to hear about other people's experiences.
I left because I had experiences unrelated to Alpha that I strongly think and feel were abusive misuses of unchecked power. I mean power in terms of earthly administration and leadership. I'll describe that in a later post. First I'll describe what I liked about that church.
The course was presented by a church with a very loose affiliation to a freewheeling, very loosely organized Protestant denomination. The denomination is influential in the Pentecostal - charismatic - evangelical area of Christianity. It has a notably informal style and a lot of focus on prayer and contemporary worship music. Sermons include as much psychology and common sense as Bible texts. Sometimes skits were used to illustrate situations or topics. Service to poor communities, at home and around the world, is another important theme.
Many people have had what seem to be legitimate healings, life turnarounds, miraculously fortunate coincidences, and genuine encounters with the Divine. I would have still liked it just as well without any of this. I believe other people accurately report these experiences, but they're all situations I've not experienced personally as far as I can tell.
Participation in small groups who meet weekly at someone's home is encouraged, as a way to get to know and pray regularly with other members and do more in-depth Bible study.
I felt pretty much at home except for some of the stricter doctrine about literal, evangelical interpretation of the Bible.
I'd prefer to not mention the name of the churches or denomination. This is so I can retain anonymity, and also because they are typical of a broadly popular overall movement of modern times.
Before moving to this town, I had been active in the original church of the denomination and had very positive experiences with almost everything about it. The senior pastor of the original church is a licensed psychological counselor, seminary educated, has a variety of first and third world experiences up and down the economic ladder, and seemed quite sensible and warm hearted. The transition from the founding generation to the current leadership went smoothly.
The particular ministry team I served in was really exceptionally great at that original church. The team leader (a part-time staff member) had very good training, innate gifted talent, and a humble attitude of servant leadership. He made very good use of the strengths of his volunteers, including myself.
I also liked a Sunday evening service that had an extended time with the lights dim and quiet music playing. This was a time for people to light candles. Or pray together in small groups (the staff were up front to greet whoever wanted to join them for intercessory prayer). Or just sit and think. Or kneel with raised hands. Or join a group of people expressing their faith through drawing at an art table. Or whatever they liked to do in their own quiet way.
By that time I was already drifting pretty far away, in my beliefs, from standard Christian doctrine.
The church has some songs about God's love I can sing literally, and some songs about Christian doctrine that I have to reconsider and paraphrase figuratively in my own mind before I can comfortably sing along.
This church that offered Alpha was pretty hard core about evangelical doctrine. Their position was that unless you believed literally in historical facts of miraculous instant creation, depraved original sin after the Fall, the virgin birth, crucifixion as substitutionary atonement, resurrection, and latter day miracles as they defined them, you were on your way to a literal, eternal hell after missing your one chance.
I couldn't in good conscience say I literally believed in all of that as historical fact, for one shot at salvation. This was a church where people were nice, in hopes that eventually all would agree with all "the facts" and thus gain salvation.
I knew about the idea of reincarnation but hadn't studied it much. I was studying world religions and many philosophies. I was unaware that there was anything like the Ra material. As far as I knew then, UFO's were for goofy science fiction movies and even goofier careless pseudo-science documentaries.
Concerns about doctrine aside, I liked the original church and had high hopes of continuing a positive church experience in my new town, where I'd moved because of a good new job.
I'll pause in the story here to see if anyone else would like to comment before I continue.