Are you new in your area, need a change
of church or looking for a church with a particular focus or a
particular denomination, service, teaching or worship style? -
try our UK church directory and other Church finder websites below.
What we say: - The answer
to 'what are the best churches' is often reduced to which ones
appear to have the biggest and best congregations - and the best
worship music. This couldn't be further from the truth. Don't
assume a huge congregation is the 'fruit' of a great church. Many
large organisations have come and gone that were not at all 'good'
and I don't need to list them here as you will know what I mean.
The best Churches are the ones where you
can get real Bible based teaching - the hard stuff and the nice
stuff. A good church is where your cell group has some older more
experienced and wiser people than you who are able to counsel
and advise in matters they have already experienced themselves.
I've been to many a cell group that is just a group of young people
guessing - I'm not happy when I see churches allowing older (more
experienced) people being marginalised (don't worry I'm a young
person but I recognise young people today are getting very watered
down teaching in many churches and are not taught the value of
being accountable to older people).
Biggest isn't always best!!! - it may be
more exciting at a big church that has thousands of members and
amazing worship bands and musiscians but always check out the
teaching!!! Some of the super-churches and some of the smaller
ones too are following the 'successful' modern church model and
leave out the more 'tricky' teaching - especially where money
is concerned and most learned a while back that the best way to
get people into your meetings is to use music. The fruits of Good
Bible teaching is GENUINE love and compassion. Loads of self improvmnet
sermons is NOT the way to grow - it's part of it but you can't
leave out the harsher side of Jesus teachings. OK - check out
the teaching;)!!
A Note on Worship & Music
Music is more powerful than words in many ways since it speaks
to the soul and affects the emotions regardless of language and
it is therefore quite easy to manipulate people emotions during
and after services. Really good musicians know this very well
and if you trace some of the more modern forms of music - especially
music with constantly repeating patterns or beats, much of it
started with rythmical trance type drum patterns and beats designed
to stir up spirits and stir the emotions - these that have since
had western melodies added to them and turned into what we now
call Jazz and rock and roll. The term 'rock n roll' was originally
used to describe sex in the back of a car! Now the term 'rock'
id more fashionable but just be aware where a lot of these eords
and forms of music have come from ok:) Do some research yourself
if you are unsure and remember that music will affect you in ways
that will not always be apparent. Music has the amazing property
of seeming inocuous - the very reason that it's so heavily used
in advertising (notice how an old melody can stir memories of
the past - no bad thing but proves the power of music to affect
the emotions, mind and body) and also the reason that so much
money time and energy is poured into writing pop songs with catchy
tunes that grab the attention (and money) of kids. Notice that
most pop songs are devoid of meaningful lyrics - since the record
companies well know that it is the music - not the words - that
carry the most power. Beware and take care od what you listen
too:)
In spite of the above - don't get too anxious
about this since as the Bible says, nothing in itself is evil
(including musical notes!). It's the spirit behind the music that
is able to assemble the notes and play them in a way to either
harm or heal. Musical notes in themselves can never be evil -
but like in every other walk of life - God has given us the ability
to build structures - in this case musical structures, chords,
words and music that can hurt or heal. Muscicians - you have a
responsibility to focus attention on God - not yourselves - a
very hard thing to do and the test of a man or a mouse;)!
Misuse of Music in Churches
Note: Music is meant to stir our emotions - to worship,
to praise creation and God - but be midful how how it is sometimes
misused by churches more interested in your wallet than your spiritual
health. I belive that in this age of modern hi-tech imagery and
new media it can be difficult if not impossible to tell the 2
motives apart - hence the Bible says that many in the last days
will be drawn away and follow false teachings and teachers who
very artfully will manipulate people using amazing music, careful
words - even lead people astray by not teaching certain hard to
sawallow truths in the Bible.
UK
Church Directory finder
USA
Church Directory finder
Canadian
Church Directory
Australian
Church Directory
Churches
in London
christians in london - sites and help
Christian social network for Chruches
Hillsong
Chruch
Other
Chruch Directories
Add your Church here? - email
us:)
Other
Christian topics
London
Churches Guide
| Christian
Singles at Church
The Best Churches at www.christianadvice.net
- 2005
|
