I now know what visitors feel like in our churches.
My sister got baptised at her church last night and I was in attendance. This is the church I grew up in, spent my teenage years in and attended every Sunday morning, and yet as I sat in the pew it felt foreign to me. I knew a grand total of 1 song in their worship celebration, (a hymn). The rest of the songs were from Tommy Walker and I had never heard of them before. If you've bnever sang a Tommy Walker song, it's not a simple song. It is complex, and hard to sing along to if you don't know the song. (Plus the Pentecostal versions are over 8 minutes long)
The experience opened my eyes to how visitors must feel in our churches. Sure WE know the songs, and we put the words on the screen for those who don't know them, but it's not enough. Last night the words were on the screen and I still didn't get it, and by the 3rd time through the song I was ready to quit trying to get it. I don't know what the solution is for this, but I can tell you as an outsider it was an uncomfortable experience.
