So, I woke up one Sunday and decided to resume church-attendance in America. From that day though, I discovered that I was not feeling at ease any more in spite of having many smiling faces around me. Soon, going to church was like being dragged to a place I didn’t want to be, until I finally stopped. Then, I began to change churches. Unfortunately, the feeling was the same everywhere I went. I was beginning to think the problem was with me in view of my strange “extra-sensory perception” (ESP). I’m one of the very few individuals that can see and feel beyond smiling faces. And there were times when I wished I was like my wife who could, at will, turn off her “antennae". By so doing, she sees no evil, hears no evil and speaks no evil.
I was about giving up when a friend suggested a church. Skeptically, I went visiting the place one Sunday. And…boom…I did not just feel much at ease, I actually fell in love with the church. For the first time in years, I’m always looking forward to be in church. Now, like a dream, I’m attending a church where the accumulated stress and pressures (from work and life’s tribulations) disappear as soon as I walk in. And after each service, I leave the church feeling exhilarated with a new supply of vigor and freshness. This is amazing.
23 comments:
Church attendance, in addition to everything else, is all about the word, "Fulfillment". what's the point in attending a church religiously every week in spite of knowing within yourself that you're not being fulfilled.
It's so good to look forward to reading your blog everyday without getting disappointed by the content. This is a nice piece, as usual.
Hey, I sent an e-mail to you early in the day. Just wanted to know if I could add some of your blog postings in a book of essays that I'm editing. Please get back to me for a discussion on terms. Thanks buddy. By the way, you come highly recommended by one of your fans. I mentioned her name in the e-mail.
“God prefers kind atheists over hateful Christians.” - Rose City Park United Methodist Church. Please where is that church located? I'm not a church going type. But if that church (with that beautiful, practical-Christianity sign) is located close-by, I will start going there to worship.
As you already know, your wife is just like mine, she "sees no evil, hears no evil and speaks no evil." I guess it's a woman thing. They can tolerate a lot of stuff.
Interesting piece. But how about looking at the issue this way: If you didn't like certain things about one of the churches you'd earlier attended, why didn't you just discuss those things with your pastor so that he/she could look into them? I'd rather do that than leave the church entirely.
I'm totally hooked on your blog. It's really different from many others I have come across. You have a way of touching on certain issues that many others don't talk about. And you can be very witty, sharp/blunt and have this air of no holds-bar attitude about your opinions. It's like "hey, this is my opinion and I don't give a sh@#% what anybody says"...lol.
Awesome----as usual!
Personally, church going is (to me) a matter of fellowship. I don't expect the place to be perfect to my taste. I guess, I just want to go in there, worship my God and leave. But we are all different in our expectations from a church. I can understand the truth that a whole lot of churches are filled with people (especially women) who are gaily-dressed and looking all cute when their hearts are filthy.
In all of my years in the United States, one thing I have come to notice very sadly is that "oyinbo" churches are the best. They all go in quietly, worship God quietly and leave. But go to an African or, more precisely, a Nigerian church. It is like an "owambe" party arena with all the singing and dancing. But that's where the joy ends. Afterward, the hurtful gossips and back-stabbings will start (most times, right inside the church compound).
Most of the problems associated with churches are found in our black folks churches and, regretfully, among us women. Too much gossips over issues like "my car is bigger than yours" or "my home is bigger than yours". Aside from that are the gossips over hats, clothes, body sizes and a whole lot of dumb stuff.
Although you didn't actually spell out what drove you away from those churches, it's obvious. You're much like my hubby who will go to church and be bothering himself with the bad things other people (women, most often) do inside the church. As for me, I only care about worshiping and serving my God. You men care so much about other things...lol.
This is a very interesting topic to read about...lol. Men are always concerned about every stuff that happens in their church.
What a very nice issue to read on a Sunday. And I love the message in that picture about God loving kind atheists over hateful Christians. That's a thought-provoking message.
A lot of pastors think it's all about sermons. But there is a whole list of other factors that can make people keep coming or leaving a church.
There is no law, religious or otherwise, that says one must attend a church in a bid to communicate with God.
Too much importance is being attached to church attendance these days. How about we all first try to love our neighbors the we way we love ourselves?
Uhmmm. This is very interesting. As a Christian, I am more focused on the God I go worship in my church than other things that might distract me. But be that as it may, it's very important for pastors and church workers to be above board. Most times, they do or say certain things and don't care about what others feel about them.
This is very thought-provoking. I only wished that you, at least, list one or two of the things that drove you off the churches you earlier attended. That way, readers could have an idea of how those things affected you.
My family just experienced something similar. Although you didn't exactly list those things that got on your nerves, it's easy to guess. No be our people? I know what we can do even in churches. And those things are worse in the churches we attend outside Nigeria.
I would have loved for you to mention the name of the church you are attending now. Something great must be going on in the church for you to feel so much at ease there. And that's the place I would like to be as well.
There are some churches where the pastors concentrated more on their persons than the flocks. Almost everything (sermons, welfare and other things) will be about the pastors. And when this happens, there is often the tendency for some members of the church to feel disturbed. Even, when such members voice out their observations, they will be ignored.
I'm downloading some of your postings for more readings when I feel down. They are necessary for education, inspirations and motivations. Good job!
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