I Can't Feel At Home In This Church Anymore

Yes, I know. The lyrics to the old gospel song are "I can't feel at home in this world anymore." But I would argue that today's Church, at least in this country, is becoming very much like the world.

Back in the 60's the Church sensed that the young people were slipping away... (I suppose because the boys' hair was getting longer)... And the Church snapped into action. Their idea was to compete with the world for the hearts of the young people by catering to the young... By honoring the young... Just like the world.

Would the youth have been better served if they had been taught God's way... To honor the older people in the Church and cater to them? Yes, but that would have involved trusting the Holy Spirit to move in the young peoples' hearts, (that trick never works) and He sometimes has a different time table than ours.

When I was a boy the Elders in our Church were men in their 50's, 60's, and older... And they never retired... (They died). Today many are in their 30's and 40's, and instead of leading, they follow the dictates of the hired preacher. (Not terribly Biblical)

My parents, who are in their 80's, loyally attend their Church where they are weekly subjected to a group of frustrated rockers who play modern music - obnoxiously loud - and poorly - but the "performers" do manage to get the attention they so desperately need. The congregational singing that my mother loved... Gone. (Gone also is 1/3 of the attendance since the format changed.) My parents still get attention and respect... Every time the Church needs their money.

My Church's "final solution" was to stick all the old people in an 8AM service... And there we sing hymns (Everyone sings), pray, and worship the way our grandparents - and their grandparents - did.

I believe the American Church continues to become more like the world every day - being influenced by the world much more than it influences the world. But there will still always be pockets of the faithful who seek Him... A Church within the church. And that is a long held tradition that will never change.