Have you found a good place to Worship on the Internet

How do you help people worship on the Internet and is it possible to have a communal act of worship on the Internet?

I’ve seen many examples of churches who have tried to provide some kind of worship experience over the Internet. Some of them are better than others but just a few miss the mark completely (it seems to me).

The problem is that you can’t expect the Internet to do something that it is impossible for it to do (at the moment). We must of course allow for developments that will make something possible but I’m talking about how things are in April 2008.

You wouldn’t expect to be able to use a car as a toaster (I’m sure some bright spark would work out a way but most of us normal people wouldn’t expect to be able to do this). However some Christian web sites seems to want to be able to do something similar with the Internet.

The Internet for all its developments is still a text based medium. Yes there are videos and streaming and video conferencing and Internet phones etc but still the vast majority of it is about people sitting down and reading text or looking at pictures.

People like the Internet because it enables you to find things out at a time and place that is convenient to you.

Even with the rise of social networking the vast majority of this takes places at times and places that are convenient to the users.

So how do churches overcome this problem to help people worship?

Some sites think that the only way to worship is at the same time. So they try to persuade people to sit in front of a worship service at the set time the church has chosen.

It always seems to me that if you wanted to sit in worship at a set time you would probalby have gotten in your car and driven somewhere to do this. One of the problems that Christians who leave church find is that they cannot worship when the church expects them to and so they stop going. So why do churches try to get everyone to look at their website at a set time. Surely this is an opportunity to include people who can’t get to church by being far more flexible.

Of course there will be exceptions to this because some people will be housebound or not able to travel as far as is needed to participate in the worship.

Some sites think that they have to involve people in the worship (otherwise it isn’t real worship) and so they will get them to type some kind of affirmation or prayer while the worship is going on.

Why?????

Surely this makes it less like true worship which comes from the heart and not the fingers.

Churches need to get far more creative with their approach to Internet worship.

Try not to think along the lines of set times or physical audience participation. These are both nonsense when it comes to the Internet.

Instead allow for flexibility in the timing. Don’t make it out to be less of a worship experience if peopl enjoy it at a time that is convenient to them. Instead think that this is a way to get people worshipping God 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Instead of thinking about how you can get people to participate in the worship understand that people participate by logging on to your websites worship area. They participate by opening their hearts to God not by typing responsive prayers etc. They might participate in some way but please find ways others than what would happen in a more ‘normal’ churchs service.

I have searched high and low for a good online worship experience but have not found one yet. Perhaps it just is not possible. However the only way we are going to make it possible is to stop thinking like clones of the ‘regular’ church and start getting creative. I have a feeling that we will discover online worship is possible only through the age old medium of art, music and the written word.

Let us all know by posting a comment below

Is the Internet Good for God?

Christians are struggling to know what to do with the Internet (in my opinion).

One of the things that Christian preachers have enjoyed over the years is that they know more than the congregation do about the Bible and what it says. Some might even argue that they have deliberately kept it that way although I’m not sure that’s true myself. The studies that Clergy undertake are available and have been for a long time to others as well.

However the Internet has opened up a whole can of worms (or should I say Diet of Worms – Luther fans will know what I’m talking about) for Christian leaders.

Now whatever is said in the pulpit can be looked up on the Internet. Some of the information that is presented will be good some will be bad.

What are the consequences and are they good or bad?

The consequences are that no Christian can now make statements about the Christian faith and expect it not to be challenged in some way. It is no longer adequate for preachers to just quote a few verses out of context and not expect to be challenged on the topics raised.

This is bad for those who like to use the Bible as a tool to glorify themselves and to justify bigoted opinions.

This is good for the Christian faith in general.

If Christians believe (as I do) that the Bible is in the inspired word of God then why should we fear being questioned about it?

If the claims of the Christian faith are valid then why fear anyone challenging it?

If people challenging the Christian faith leads to open and honest enquiry then why should anyone be upset?

Do we honestly think that God should be worried because someone somewhere happens to think up an argument that isn’t very nice for Christians?

I believe that there are many answers to the critics of Christianity (search out some apologetics websites if you doubt me).

I also know from experience that most people who challenge the Christian faith (even famous atheists) often do so from a position of ignorance about what Christians claim.

Surely it is far better for Christians to be able to take a good long look at what the Bible says and then to test it and see if it stands up to scrutiny? If this was not to be allowed then why did we ever let it be translated into languages that the average person can understand? This problem was answered back in the days when the printing press was invented it’s just now that it has become even more available.

Of course we need to understand that not every website tells the truth (but this is also true about Christian web sites) but given enough research its possible to have a reasonable go at understanding what God’s will really is as it is revealed in the Bible.

I say the Internet is great for God and the more Christians learn to use this powerful tool for getting our viewpoint across the better.

Of course those preachers/teachers who like to use out of context Bible passages to justify their own viewpoints will be upset by the Internet because it must mean their days are numbered. At last!

What do you think?

Is the Internet good for God – leave your opinion

Nice faith shame about the trousers

What is it with trendy Vicars/Ministers/Pastors?

I came across a site the other day (no url to save any embarassement) which was all about modernising the church – good subject. However on the front of the site was a picture of their modern and inspirational leader in his 1980’s waistcoat.

Now I’ve know a lot of clergy in my time and many (not all) have been kind and nice people who have had the best interests of others in their heart. However if there is anything to do with ‘alternative worship’ or ‘youth ministry’ you had better get your sunglasses ready.

So many of them make the effort to look more contemporary but end up looking like a fool. I’ve seen ties that were never in fashion but might have found their way into the Charity Shop just after Christmas. I’ve seen tank tops that mums probably knitted for them when they were in their teens. I’ve seen waistcoats that look like they were used to protect the TV when the decoraters were in. I’ve seen trousers that seem to levitate six inches off the floor and were either bought in a sale in a fit of daftness or were purchased by mum for their thirteenth birthday party.

Sorry if this sounds like a man thing because women clergy are just as bad. Why do so many women clergy think they have to dress like a man anyway?

I would like to say that this is unusual but sadly it isn’t. Perhaps what is even sadder is half the congregation also looks like this on their dress down family service day (only someone forgot to tell THE family to come – more of that on another day perhaps).

So often Christians are told to wear something bright when the ‘outsiders’ are coming to visit. Wear something bright? Why? Is church so boring that we think wearing a bright pink boa will someone make it exciting?

“Hey, won’t the outsiders and young people be impressed when we turn up with something bright on!”

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When will we learn that to be contemporary is actually about being yourself?

By all means leave off the cassock but if you feeling comfortable wearing a shirt and tie then go for it. There is nothing more offputting than falsity and this is just what it feels like when the clergy turn out in their ‘trendy’ gear.

Of course there are exceptions to this rule and some clergy wear more contemporary clothes naturally. Good for them!

What we need to start doing is breaking down the old images of the church and putting in new better ones. This is not done by looking like a scarecrow.

Relax – be yourself – dress like you want to.

What came out when I prayed today

It’s not like me to rant. I don’t often get carried away with things but as I prayed today I felt compelled to write this. I doubt anyone will read it but I felt it needed to be published.

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I want a revolution!

It’s time for change in the UK Christian Church.

How often have I heard that said but does it ever happen? NO!

We have people who are Bible believing who call for revolution in the teaching.

We have people who are Bible doubting who call for revolution in the teaching.

We have people who like more modern music calling for revolution in worship.

We have people who don’t fit the ‘normal’ church calling for radical church.

We have people calling for house church because that’s what they like and it’s Biblical isn’t it?

Every group calls for something different in the church but what happens?

We get church made in our own image.

We get Christians breaking away to form ‘new’ churches.

But where is the revolution? WHERE O GOD IS THE REVOLUTION!!!!

Where are the generations lost to the church? Why don’t they come?

We’ve tried trendy services and new age thinking. We’ve tried everything but who comes?

People already connected to the church – that’s who comes. Very few ever come in from the outside.

Do they then hate Jesus? Do they think Jesus’ teachings are dead and gone?

No they don’t.

Why is every normal Christian ashamed to admit they go to church? Why are Christian ministers called names in the streets?

Why do people who don’t go to church hate the church?

Why do they believe that the church has highjacked the teachings of Christ and used them for their own ends?

Is it the Devil? Perhaps. Is it us? Yes.

Christian Revolution comes only when people are ready to repent.

Is the church ready?

Would we be prepared to go on national TV and say – sorry we got it wrong.

Are we prepared to admit to the world that we have not always followed Jesus?

Are we prepared to say that there is a problem with power hungry people in God’s own house?

Will we admit that instead of washing feet we have often been driven by greed?

Then when we have repented can we be converted?

Can we convert to foot washing and service?

Can we change our worship so the focus is on Jesus?

Can we listen to those who have a different view and then sensitively give ours – as equals.

We seek the broken and miss the lost.

We seek out the worst but have no time for the best.

It is right to help the drunk and the homeless – God expects nothing less than this.

But we pat ourselves on the back while every week we drive past houses full of lost souls who don’t suit us because they are not bad enough yet.

One street full of people in a Town would fill a church with hundreds. People of all ages squeezing through the doors.

Are not most church buildings in a street? Yet they are fit only for carpet warehouses and New Age Healers.

O God when will we change? When will you bring the revolution?

O God how long must we wait? How long must I wait to see this?

My heart is broken waiting for your deliverance.

My heart loves your idea of the church but it is broken as the man made systems fall.

O God bring your new church soon.

Please Lord release me from feeling this way. Let me rest and not feel the pain. I love your church so much yet my heart is broken over it.

Your will be done. Your will be done! YouR WILL BE DONE!!!!

I doubt to believe

Doubt tends to have a lot of bad press in the Christian faith.

Doubt is often seen as the opposite of faith. So if you doubt then it must be because you are a fallen unbeliever. In fact so bad is this seen in some churches that it’s illegal to mention to anyone that you might have doubts.

There is a difference between the doubt of a believer and the doubt of an unbeliever. Doubt for the believer is not about unbelief – although it can lead that way if left unchecked.

Now don’t misunderstand me because I know that Jesus encourages us not to doubt. Living in a constant attitude of doubt will have a negative effect on your relationship with God. However it is nonsense to assume that nobody ever has any doubts.

I know from talking with many Christians that nearly every Christian (great and humble) goes through periods of doubt, even though few ever mention it.

Jesus must have understood that we would doubt otherwise he would not have bothered to tell us not to do it.

The thing is that if you have doubt don’t suppress them and don’t assume it makes you a bad Christian.

Doubting is often an avenue to greater faith.

There are many different reasons for doubting and I don’t have time in a blog to cover them all.

If you have the time and inclination then read this book (for free):

http://www.garyhabermas.com/books/thomas_factor/thomas_factor.htm

It’s an excellent book all about how and why Christians doubt and how to deal with it in your life.

Times of doubt can be hard and worrying. It can feel like all the things you have based your life on are falling apart. Try to understand though that if you keep working through your doubts then you can build an even stronger faith. I don’t mean this to belittle those whose doubts don’t lead to greater faith but just to encourage those who doubt to explore and not give in too easily.

 

Sprinkled Blood

to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Heb 12:24

Talking about blood might not seem like a very nice subject. There is plenty of blood spilled for all the wrong reasons in this world. One might say this is just like the blood of Abel. Do you remember Abel? Able is the chap in the book of Genesis who has his head bashed in because he worshiped God. We are told that Ables blood was crying out to God.

Then we come to the sprinkled blood of Jesus. Sprinkled because it relates us back to the time of Moses (mediator of the old covenant) and the sacrifices that released the people from guilt.

Whatever we think about the cross of Jesus today there are plenty of references in the Bible to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. It is the sacrifice that speaks a better word.

The sprinkled blood of Abel called out for justice and revenge. Perhaps this is the way that innocent blood cries out to many today.

The sprinkled blood of Christ cries out with forgiveness and justice done. It isn’t easy to understand and to some it seems crazy but the blood of Jesus is shed for our personal forgiveness.

There is nothing we have to do only trust in Jesus to help us.

Every sprinkled drop of Jesus blood pays the penalty for every sin we ever commit. The penalty we deserve is paid by Jesus.

Through the death and ressurection of one man – Jesus Christ – we can now face eternity with confidence.

Never neglect your prayers

For some strange reason prayer for me is always a struggle. Not the doing it but the getting motivated to do it. It’s strange because I actually like praying and I’ve experienced God more in times of prayer than at any other time. Yet every morning I have to make myself sit down and pray. Perhaps there is some negative force at work or perhaps I’m just plain lazy.

Anyway I urge every Christian to make prayer a number one priority in life. Whatever else you get done today make sure you pray.

I sometimes get challenged by people who say things like:

I have five children how do you expect me to find time to pray? or

I’m really busy – I have to get up early in the morning to set off for work and I don’t get back till late. I don’t even have time for lunch how can I ever find time for prayer?

My response is usually in two parts:

1. Prayer times don’t have to take very long.
It seems there are a great number of people who seem to be under the impression that unless you can get half an hour for a quiet time there is just no point in bothering. Jesus pointed out that it is not the fancy prayers that get answered but the ones that are honest and come from the heart. He also told us not to keep saying the same thing over and over. I think it’s also significant that when the disciples asked to be taught how to pray Jesus gave them a prayer that can be said in well under a minute, even if you take your time over it. Of course there is benefit to having a longer quiet time but never use a lack of time as an excuse for not praying – time is not an issue with God.

2. We find time for things we really want to do and are committed to.
When people complain about a lack of time for prayer they invariably talk on other occasions about the TV programme they watched or the golf they played etc. I don’t want to be mean but it is true that we will usually find the time for those things that are important to us. For instance as a business person I used to get up very early one day a week to go to a business breakfast meeting. It was important to me to be able to promote my business so I would get up early to do it. Many other business people do the same. Yet often they say they find it hard to find the time to pray.

I’m sorry if this feels like a telling off – that wasn’t my intention when I began – but I want to encourage you not to neglect your prayers. If you are struggling to find time then think about your whole life and be honest about if you find time for things you want to do (e.g. watch your favourite soap). If this is true then think about how you can find time for prayer. Even those of us who make it a priority often find it tough to get started. If you are really struggling then remember that even short prayers can make a big difference. Who honestly can’t find two minutes in a day to say some short prayers?

Leap of faith

Do you remember in the Indiana Jones film called “The last crusade” there was a moment when he had to take a leap of faith. He had to trust that something would hold him up if he stepped out blindly. I really enjoyed that film but I fear that this is exactly how people see a leap of faith. Someone blindly stepping out and hoping – against the odds – that God will help them.

Yesterday, being a holiday for my children, I took the day off and we went up into the Brecon Beacons in South Wales. We walked up the track to the top of Pen-y-fan. It was a good experience and it even snowed at the top.

Anyway we reached a point where we had to walk along the track which was cut into a steep bank. The path was quite wide and for me it was no trouble at all. For my 8 year old son though – who is not too good with heights it was really very scarey. For him it was a kind of leap of faith to walk along the path.

However it was not the blind stepping out because:

1. He trusts me. I told him it would be ok and this gave him some confidence to know it would be safe. This is the same with God. When God tells us that something is going to be safe we can have enough confidence to take that leap of faith. How do we know what God says – the Bible, prayer, other people etc.

2. We could see that others had been that way before. The path was well defined and we even saw some people walking along it as we started out. In the Christian life it’s usually true that someone else has been that way before. This is one of the many reasons its good to read the stories of other people. There are many people who have faced similar situations to yourself before and we can read how God helped them. This will give us confidence to step out for ourselves.

3. We had walked along many other paths before. One of the things I like to ask people if they are nervous of walking along a high path is: “how many pavements/sidewalks have you fallen off in your life – even when the wind was blowing?”. I’m sure one day someone will call by bluff who has fallen off a pavement/sidewalk but the vast majority of us feel perfectly safe on a path when we are low down. Why would it be any different high up? Don’t get me wrong because I don’t like heights myself but sometimes paths are so wide that the nervousness I feel is just plain silly. In the Christian life we walk along many paths. Every day we walk with God. When we are then asked to take a more scarey path we ought to remember all the easier paths we have taken and remember how God helped us in the simple things.

Taking a leap of faith can be a bit scarey. Remember though that you have already walked many paths and lived to tell the tale. Others have passed that way before and not only survived but even enjoyed themselves. Last remember that you can trust God completely. God will never let you down.

Was God designed by God?

I feel compelled once again to address another argument put forward by Richard Dawkins (if he does nothing else he is giving me something to do at the moment).

Again I wish to say that I believe Richard to be a caring man who is simply trying to do what he believes to be right. I have nothing against him as a person and I don’t share anyones view who says he is the devil incarnate. There have been many atheists who tried to bring God to His knees throughout history and Richard is just another. I am saddened by the vitriol he directs at people of faith and can’t help but feel that people who resort to such language (especially when they are writing a book) are doing so because they know their argument is weak.

I’ve read recently about another of Richards (so called) brilliant arguments. In this one he uses logic (actually I challenge this in a moment) to create a new argument for the non-existence of God. I’m not sure what he wants to prove by doing this because Christians don’t claim that the proofs for the existence of God are conclusive and neither is his argument (if it worked) so it seems to me there is no progress at all. Never mind let’s get stuck in.

Richard claims that he there is an argument for the existence of God which goes like this (the teleological argument):

a) The world is complex

b) Complexity implies a designer (I used implies because this cannot be proved 100% but it’s pretty close).

c) Therefore the world has most likely been designed. We call that designer God.

Richard then (in his so called masterstroke) turns the argument around by saying:

a) God is complex

b) Complexity implies a designer

c) Therefore God must have been designed

He claims that the conclusion (c) is logical nonsense (which it is) so the whole argument falls apart.

However he misses one fundemental part of the argument for the existence of God and that is that the Christian argument is that the world came into existence in a complex way.

So the argument for the existence of God is:

a) The world came into existence in a complex way

b) Complexity implies a designer (I used implies because this cannot be proved 100% but it’s pretty close).

c) Therefore the world has most likely been designed.

It is logical nonsense to say God came into existence (logically God must always exist otherwise he becomes another creature and not God).

The argument includes the part where the world comes into existence otherwise the flaw in the argument is that this implies the world has always existed; something nobody believes (at least nobody I’ve ever heard of).

There are other counter arguments but I can’t be bothered writing them up. I think one is enough.

Although Richard may claim that his argument is fool proof it isn’t and the simple application of logic shows this.

There is no absolute proof for the existence of God and neither is there any proof that he doesn’t. We could argue the logic for hours but it would prove nothing. This is why ultimately belief is a matter of faith and I happen to believe its better because it involves faith but that’s a discussion for another time.

If you would like to read a book report on Richard Dawkin’s book by a scientist who is a fan of his then go here (I warn you though that it’s not positive).

 

Judging Jesus

I find it interesting that the world tends to judge a person by their followers. Is this because we see the results of following (the fruit to use a Christian phrase) in the life of the follower?

I suppose for those who want to find out about Jesus there is the opportunity to observe those who say they follow Him to see if there is any truth in His claims. The sad reality, however, is that they observe people and then try to decide if God is worth believing in and following.

It’s also a sad truth that most people enjoy a good scandal. So when a follower of Jesus makes a mistake (the bigger the better) it gets to be sensational news.

Let’s take a Catholic Priest as an example. I need before I start to say that I do not condone any behaviour I might write about here. The abuse of a position of power is a terrible thing especially when it involves children. People who abuse children are criminals of the worst kind.

Anyway back to our Catholic Priest. There are some – I’m sure you are aware of this – who have abused children in their care. Sadly on occasions the church has not dealt with the situation well. These are big failings. However does this make Jesus any less than He is?

Can we hold Jesus accountable for the actions of a person who has done wrong? If we say yes then we have to hold Him accountable for every crime that was ever committed – He did after all give us free will. His punishment perhaps should be execution.

However I don’t think we can blame Jesus when a person makes a wrong choice. Without choice we are all going to live a miserable existence.

Of course those who follow Jesus should know better but the truth is they are still people and people are capable of doing stupid things.

Then again why do we concentrate on the few who make mistakes and ignore the many who work hard to follow and do some pretty amazing things?

If you are a Christian then I encourage you to understand that people judge Jesus by what they see you do – be careful.

God bless you as you serve Him.

If you are not a Christian but a critic of Christianity then I encourage you to understand that followers of Jesus are still people (who make mistakes) but this does not change the way that Jesus actually is.