Sillenbuch Methodist Church Eldest Son went to a bible club last week, and the finale was the Sunday service, so on Sunday I went on my first visit to a Methodist church in Germany. Come to that, it was my first visit to a Methodist church anywhere in several years.
The funny thing is, it looks the same as a British Methodist church. Even the outreach (aka: “children's club) looked and felt the same as the ones I'd been on as a teenager. I don't mean it looked or sounded like the 1990's, thank goodness, but that the slightly chaotic, low-key community feel was there. It reminded me of the isolated pockets of joy in the desert years of school, when I was with the incredible people who God allowed me to know, people who didn't just tolerate my presence but seemed to appreciate my contribution in what we were trying to do. Those people were, and are, a great gift from God to me -although many wouldn't believe it of themselves- and a great influence in what I'm doing now. (That includes you over in Heaton- you know who you are)
God gave me another gift during this service. 'Modern' worship frequently leaves me depressed: I usually leap out as soon as the blessing is over, and sometimes before. It seems that for many charismatic organisations that means you're 'against' their style of worship. Therefore you are not really 'in love with Jesus', or 'Open To The Holy Spirit' or something. Maybe not really a 'true christian' after a few years of this I really began to wonder if this was correct and I am just hiding behind tradition and 'Avoiding God'.
Well anyway, I relaxed. In the midst of all the chaos and movement and action songs, I was as relaxed as I am out in the fields, and at the end of the service I didn't want to leave. This makes a change. I genuinely felt like Jesus was hanging out in the building- and I was in no hurry to go outside, which was a gift as well, as if God was reminding me that I do love him, and I'm not avoiding him or his Spirit, even if my expression of worship isn't exactly what some people would like it to be.
A good start to the week.
God gave me another gift during this service. 'Modern' worship frequently leaves me depressed: I usually leap out as soon as the blessing is over, and sometimes before. It seems that for many charismatic organisations that means you're 'against' their style of worship. Therefore you are not really 'in love with Jesus', or 'Open To The Holy Spirit' or something. Maybe not really a 'true christian' after a few years of this I really began to wonder if this was correct and I am just hiding behind tradition and 'Avoiding God'.
Well anyway, I relaxed. In the midst of all the chaos and movement and action songs, I was as relaxed as I am out in the fields, and at the end of the service I didn't want to leave. This makes a change. I genuinely felt like Jesus was hanging out in the building- and I was in no hurry to go outside, which was a gift as well, as if God was reminding me that I do love him, and I'm not avoiding him or his Spirit, even if my expression of worship isn't exactly what some people would like it to be.
A good start to the week.
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