We haven't had another home fellowship meeting since and it's been at least two months. People just...drifted, especially the ones in charge of our group. Somehow they only seem to remember that we have a meeting on the very day itself (Thursday) and by then it's too late to get anyone to volunteer to host the group. I wish my house was big enough; I'd host the meeting there every week for two months 'till someone got jealous and decided to host it at theirs. (I'll use that little motivation to work harder, make more money and upgrade to a fellowship-friendly digs.)
So in the meantime I really missed my 'peeps' and had to find a way of seeing them all again (in one place) so I did something I'd been resisting for ages. I went to church...Mavuno, that is. That sounds like a strange thing to say, that I'd been resisting, but hear me out. I'd heard lots of non-positive things about Mavuno, like it being too gisty and the service resembling a night out at a club on Friday. But eventually I gathered my guts up one Sunday and went. Hm.
Experience one wasn't so bad. The topic of the sermon I thought was interesting and relevant, however one song they sang during the praise and worship session...wa! "Niko na, niko na, niko niko na...reason ya ku...CLAP!" Some gospel-crunk track by some guys whose name I can't recall. I was horrified! To others this is isn't a biggie...y'know, so long as someone is singing about God then the style doesn't matter. But when I was growing up it did. Church and worldly music used to be quite different since of course the motives for singing either are different, n'est ce-pas? One to praise God, the other one to boogie to, serenade, etc? But nowadays it's all mashed up. Tsk.
Anyhoo, that was my session one. It didn't put me off Mavuno completely so I went a second time. THIS time around my beef was with the pastor. Some well dressed, well spoken lady with hilarious stories. She really knew how to engage the crowd, but what I couldn't stand about her was she just wouldn't stop giving us orders! "Turn to your neighbour and tell them bla bla bla." "Now turn to your other neighbour and tell THEM bla bla bla." "Stand up if you need Jesus to do etc. etc." Aaargh!
Ok, I sort of understand her reasons for doing that. One was to keep us busy so we don't fall asleep or drift off into Wonderland. Most speakers (motivational and the like) use such tactics. Two was to
People mainly go to services to be taught, lecture-style. Not to interact with their neighbour. That is why they all face the preacher and not each other during the service. I am yet to hear of people that met and became fast friends because of bonding while seated side by side during a service. Most intros and bonding happen either before or after the service. That has been my observation. Another place bonding happens is during fellowship meetings such as the one I'm currently missing. In the latter you HAVE to bond otherwise the meeting falls apart pretty quickly. People sit facing each other and probably share a beverage of some sort or a meal. Just like a family sitting down to dinner.
That is what I believe true church to be and I resent that ours has possibly been ruined. Away with the short-sighted bigwigs at Mavuno! You don't know what damage you've caused. Just when everything was going so well. And with that I declare that you will never see this fellow here at any of your services again. I'm skipping your harvest.
2 comments:
There is a Frank Peretti novel that has a scene that parodies that 'turn to your neighbour...' phrase that a lot of pastors seem to like using.It always makes me think that they have been watching a lot of TV, but I try to imagine that my neighbour really needs to hear the message.
I just find the whole thing annoying. But even when I try and 'lenga', an enthusiastic neighbour turns to me and says whatever we've been told to say and I'm forced to return the favour. Grrr!
Post a Comment