The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum It's not just for the academic

I was just reading one of Robin's blogs called "it not just for the academic".
As I was reading it, I found myself thinking things like "this sounds like something I would write."
There are times that I need to force myself out of boredom, or sleepiness.
These feeling make me feel guilty at times, because what I am participating in is Biblical and solid. Yet, doesn't always (there are exceptions) pull at the heart strings.
The hymns are geared towards the sermon that morning and although they are great hymns of the faith. They are not always sung on key.
The sermons are always rich in scripture and detail, but there are times when they are so deep, some find themselves lost.
My pastor knows this, so he is being proactive and is taking courses to try to improve his preaching. He is half way through his courses and I have not noticed much difference.
Don't misunderstand me, I will take this over what I had before any day.
But...
Tom

It's so important to remain true to the Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW)! But a lot of churches struggle with how to keep folks awake without betraying that vital principle.

I'm grateful that my church takes the RPW seriously enough to "risk" the loss of families who find church "boring," but for the most part the fault is in me when I get "bored."

Yet the elders at my church are examining the issue and bathing it in prayer and urgent study, for which I am also very grateful!

I recall going on some historical tours of old churches in New England where we were told that the deacons would walk through the church with poles that had feathers on the end to tickle anyone who had fallen to sleep. Sermons used to be very long, lasting nearly all day, with of course some breaks for meals and so forth. But they weren't the quickie sermon that many church have today. What comes to mind is that it isn't only the elder's delivery that may need to change some, but what about the congregation's preparation for worship by getting good rest the night before and not staying up late for some sort of entertainment. And praying for the pastor that he is well prepared and will preach the truth, with the unction of the Holy Spirit, and that He prepares the minds of the congregation as well to receive this teaching and to worship God in spirit and in truth. Just a few thoughts I had.

I agree with you.
My pastor did make a mistake last year to try to rectify part of the problem.
He invited a group of people from his old Reformed Church to come and lead worship.
The problem however is he assumed those people still held to the RPW.
As a result, to make a long story short, one of the elders and his family ended up leaving the Church. Believing dispite lack of evidence that our pastor was trying to lead the Church away from the RPW.
Sinse that time many families have left because of that day. When the fact is my pastor is very sorry for his mistake and dispite clames by some, our local body has kept the the RPW. However the damage has been done.

The sermons are always rich in scripture and detail, but there are times when they are so deep, some find themselves lost.

With the modern problem of the dearth of solid Biblical Christological preaching ,,,,
What a delightful dilemma, to be lost in the depth of sermons that are always rich in Scripture and detail...

Many would envy you, Tom :-)