Very Different Worship Styles

[Mike S]

Thanks for all the responses.

To be clear, when I said I see neither style as wrong, I was talking about the casual dress and laid-back approach.

So, for those of you who are lifted by this style, rock on! And wear your t-shirt and ripped jeans. I'll go where I'm Led, and you do the same.

As far as dress, our congregation is a business suit and tie bunch. Even the little tykes are dressed in their dress pants and little vests. The women are dressed up in Sunday best as well, often in their yorubas.

 

[aquamarinesky54]

So I grew up in the Roman Catholic denomination, and that's generally a big dress up kind of crowd. And I always felt sloppy and bad about what I wore even though I was generally wearing the best I had. And really, I was too young to be worrying about what I was wearing, but I did.

And we left that denomination because we felt like we were just going through the motions and not learning anything about God there. It all seemed to be shrouded in rules and ceremonies that didn't make us feel like we were getting close to God. One thing I will give the RCC is the reverence in the services. There did seem to be fear of God and real respect for Him. But not much growth or learning.

So after we left for years we didn't go to church. We started searching God in our own way and never forgot Him. We then found our current church. And while I consider myself a non-denominational believer now, this church calls itself interdenominational. Either way, we'll have been there 2 years this May. And in those two years, I've learned so much more than I ever have. I've had myself challenged to learn more and be better. I've had my eyes opened to things I may have missed or not understood fully in the Bible.

There's such strong love for God and happiness about what He's done in this church. There's such a lively, warm, and friendly atmosphere. People aren't afraid to be vocal and aren't shy here. Worship music does vary from louder to softer. And while it is very much a "come as you are" situation, people do tend to dress nicer on Sundays and more casual on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

I used to think in those past years that I didn't need church to be closer to God, and that there shouldn't be anything between Him and I. I still believe that and think I'm right. But this is beneficial. I didn't know all that a church could be until I came here. People just need to find what's right for them.

 

[Mike]

Aqua, besides me inserting the LCMS as my current church, I could put my name at the end of your post and call it my own. Almost the exact same path!

 

[aquamarinesky54]

That's something else! Yes, I'm sure plenty of people like us may have to go through some time in a denomination to find out whether it's really the best for our faith. And this thread's given me an idea for a topic.

 

[Lewis]

Even though my church is baptist, I am attracted to the Pentecostal form of worship, which my church slides into constantly