This church does NOT welcome you as you are. This church will judge you if you don't sing loud and wave your hands in the air like you just don't care, and make yourself look holier than thou. As a third time visitor I am greatly disappointed in what this pastor has said 8/25/19 10am. I sat roughly at the middle section on the right hand side and stood there alone as per the usual at new churches. I usually stand still and remain quiet during song service, hands in pocket is a comfortable habit. I have done this my whole life growing up in my old hometown church. This pastor stood at the front middle pew and kept turning around and staring at me. My first impression was 'hey, he recognizes me as a returning newcomer, and maybe wants to get to know my name.' WRONG! He was silently judging the way I worship. He gets up on the stage and tells people "I'm sitting here watching all of us sing. And we're doing this." He then puts hands in pocket and mocks people standing still awkwardly 'praise the lord' in a mocking tone. He then says "You know we have as many people watch us online as come to church." "And you know why I think their doing it streaming, is because they don't think coming here would make it more interesting."
Let me just say, you cannot know what is in a person's heart based on their outward expressions. You cannot measure how great a person's praise and worship is based on their exterior expression in a sanctuary. What's next? Are you going to judge what I wear?
You also do not know what is on a person's mind at that time. Maybe they had a bad week and thought it best to go to a worship service on Sunday morning to try and turn it around. Or maybe they are super introverted. Did you think of that?
You should not judge a person based on their appearance. The Lord looks at the heart.
But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his [Eliab's] appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 ESV
Let's look at the act of worship through giving.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-all she had to live on." Mark 12:43-44 NIV
It's not the amount you see, it's what's in the heart that matters.
Let's look at God's people in the Old Testament. They believed that God only wanted them to sacrifice bulls and goats to him. What they forgot, however, was that God cared far more abut their hearts than their goats.
Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Amos 5:22 NIV
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. Psalm 51:16-17
Needless to say, I will not be returning to this church for worship. Thank you, for verifying what I already suspected, that I am being watched and judged during praise and worship. I will not be as the hypocrites and put on a show for others. I do not draw attention to myself especially being a third-time visitor. How can anyone feel the comfort and freedom to worship as they feel? There are other churches that do not use instruments because they believe it draws attention to one's own self.
And no, I am not saying there is anything wrong with raising your hands to worship. As it is written in Psalms: Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. Psalm 134:1-2 NIV
I wrote a Google review also, because I heard them say that they pay for a service where searching on Google, "Bible church" will list them first. What a way to use money. read more