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Heard an interesting statement

Acts Mod Posts: 25305 **7/5/19 7:50 am**

"Our worship services have turned into Christianized mosh pits."

Your opinions on this statement?
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[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 13654 **7/5/19 7:53 am**

Reformed churches have long advocated a theological concept called the regulative principle. To quote Wikipedia, "The regulative principle of worship is a Christian doctrine, held by some Calvinists and Anabaptists, that God commands churches to conduct public services of worship using certain distinct elements affirmatively found in scripture, and conversely, that God prohibits any and all other practices in public worship."

I like the positive side of the regulative principle -- that each service should absolutely contain all the elements of worship that the Bible directs.

I don't personally hold to the prohibition side of the regulative principle. But I'll tell you this, churches that do don't have Christianized mosh pits in their altars.

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 7307 **7/5/19 11:11 am**

I would say it depends on whether there is a move of God taking place or if folks are "in the flesh"?
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Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1865 **7/5/19 6:51 pm**

Sounds like a lot of flesh.

I remember when I first introduced our church to liturgy and responsive reading. At first, they bristled at the notion of a â€œformâ€. But now they love it.

Acts-celerater Posts: 935 **7/5/19 7:43 pm**

I left the liturgical and found the Presence of God. I suppose He can be found in a high mass but that's not where I want to be. I knew you guys were heading the wrong way but you just made it clear. Wow.

I dont consider contemporary worship services with the manifestations of the Spirit any form of Christian mosh any more than a holy roller ole time Pentecostal service was. Is there some flesh observed occasionally. of course. But as some one famously said many years ago I'd rather have a little wild fire sometimes than no fire.

You can keep your liturgy. Why don't you put on your robes and stoles while your at it? Holy Spirit you are welcome to break in, break out and manifest your Presence in our church any time. Come Holy Spirit.

Acts-dicted Posts: 7604 **7/5/19 8:51 pm**

Re: Wow

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 13654 **7/6/19 4:47 am**

Re: Wow

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1994 **7/6/19 7:57 am**

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 5923 **7/6/19 11:09 am**

I really don't get why we feel we have to judge everything and everybody. This has been the thing I have seen the most consistently in the COG since childhood. Then it was hair & makeup and mini skirts.

Now, we want to judge anyone who does anything differently than we do them. As long as they are worshiping, let them worship!

"Christian mosh pits?" So the young people are at the front jumping around & worshiping God? Why exactly would this be a problem? Because they don't do it like we do or Grandma did? They're not running around the church and shouting?

Responsive reading isn't my thing but if it draws someone closer to God? I'm all for it! It's certainly a good practice to read the scripture in church!

I have a very dear friend who pastors an independent work and wears the robes and backwards collars sometimes. I don't get it, but it doesn't bother me. He hears the voice of God with extreme clarity and discernment. He leads his people into the presence of God. That is what's important.

Why do we have to be so judgmental? Why can't we just rejoice that people are finding God and worshiping Him?
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[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 13654 **7/6/19 2:25 pm**

Hi Carolyn,

To a large extent I agree with you. There should be wide space given to those who approach God with a heart of worship, especially to the new in faith.

At the same time, God is not some interpersonal force. He is a distinct and unique Person who has commanded particular and distinct methods and practices for our worship. Even in this, there is wide berth!

But the space is not total. If it were, we might ask why we would judge Nadab and Abihu and their desire to sacrifice to the Lord, or why we would judge Cain and his desire to bring an offering to God. Both of these stories challenge a view that any form of worship or offering is acceptable, so long as it is brought with the right heart. In neither of these stories is there any indication that the hearts of Nadab, Abihu, or Cain were wrong. But the form and method of their worship was profane to the Lord, because it ran counter to what He desired.

I am not suggesting that kids jumping and shouting in an altar is profane to the Lord. If it is a genuine expression of worship, we would do well to give it a wide berth, and trust the Holy Spirit will continue to guide their hearts into biblical knowledge and worship as they mature both naturally and in the faith. At the same time, the charge to each generation is that they pass the faith on to their children. Part of this is educating them that worship is for the Lord, and is to be done according to His desires; not according to what brings us the most happiness or satisfaction (though the two often overlap in God's great grace).

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24285 **7/6/19 4:30 pm**

I am sure I do not know what a mosh pit is, but I am getting the picture. BUT lemme tell you, when you attend a church with 4-5 great kids in it, and you see them in worship once a month, the other time in teen church.

AND THEN per chance you get no reccommendation for a church in a neighborhood. No COG listed in the area under the name COG soooo you see a church 2 blocks away called the ROCK. So let's try that this Sunday.

I must tell you to see 75-100 teens singing, moving in unison (sorta dancing) and worshiping IN CHURCH. AND they seem real! MY mind runs to the time my boys were in that age group. They were deep into drugs. Both boys spent many years doing every drug they could find (they said later), then found their way back to God.

When I saw that I said thank GOD these kids are here on Sunday Morning and are scheduled for about 3 times a week and most attend, a stranger said. Now mind you I have looked up the ROCK on the net, it is NOT MY CHURCH, but I was glad to see that many young folk there instead of waking up in a stupor on Sunday morn.

I would first have to see what a real church mosh pit is before I would understand I guess.

BUT I must agree with Carolyn, we did/do a lot of judging as I grew up. I remember that pretty well. Smile

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