Visited Baptist church on Easter

by snakeface 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • snakeface
    snakeface

    I live in a rural area; in field service we had to drive from house to house.

    I have not had any desire to visit any church for several years now. Saturday I was doing chores in my yard - washing the car, etc. - and 2 ladies drove in, dressed like witnesses would be dressed. They were from a small local Baptist church around the corner from me, inviting neighbors to their Easter Sunday service. I never even knew that church was there, less than 1 mile away. They were handing out printed invitiations. I saw that there was an early service followed by breakfast, then another service later on at which time the children would be putting on a play. The ladies said they are just a "small, country church". I didn't have anything planned for Sunday, and the thought of the children putting on a play caught my curiosity. You'd never see that at a Kingdom Hall! So I told the ladies maybe I will go.

    I did go and it was really nice. Less than 50 people there. Casual dress. The children re-enacted the scene where the women came to roll the stone away from the tomb and the angel told them, "He is not here; he has risen..." and the angel then tells them to go tell the other disciples. The play was very enjoyable. I could tell the parents were proud of them. Then there was a short service. I was actually impressed that the preacher used many scriptures; I could not disagree with anything he said. They use the King James Bible. He stuck to the message of Jesus having risen from the dead. He didn't bring up that the congregation needs to do this or that or we must show our obedience to God by obeying his representatives or anything like that. He stuck to the one topic and he let the topic speak for itself. Afterward I had to tell him what an effective teacher he is, and that he knows his bible. It was a pleasant experience. The complete opposite of what you'd experience at a Kingdom Hall.

  • FlyingHighNow
    FlyingHighNow

    If you think you will enjoy a fundamentalist church, Baptist will work. There are different Baptist sects, though. What country do you live in? Here in the USA, we have some pretty hellfire and damnation sects.

  • Laika
    Laika

    Glad you enjoyed it. :) Even if you're not a believer and you never intend to join I think it's a worthwhile experience for finding out that it's nothing like the Society told us it was.

  • RubaDub
    RubaDub

    Do they enforce the One Towel Rule at that church?

    Rub a Dub

  • FlyingHighNow
    FlyingHighNow

    Church is a good experience. I recommend visiting different churches. I prefer the Anglican type liturgy, but it's good to visit other churches and even investigate how non christians worship.

  • talesin
    talesin

    I agree, FHN. I've been to a Buddhist temple (once) and to church quite a few times (I will admit, just weddings and funerals). It was an enlightening experience. I thought the RCC funerals, when someone would play guitar and sing, the most moving and comforting. The mass also gave me comfort, when we turned to each other for the formal greetings, etc. It's too bad that the new Poop has tried to take the fun out of Mass, though. Poopy old Nazi that he is!

    I love to visit old cathedrals and churches when no service is going on. There is a beauty, a stillness, that gives me peace.

    t

  • FlyingHighNow
    FlyingHighNow

    One of Julian's friends committed suicide on Saturday. They will be giving him the full Roman Catholic rituals for the dead, including the Rosary service they do the night before the funeral. I'm without a car still, but I hope I can go. He was spending a lot of time here the past few weeks. I know the services will offer some comfort.

  • snakeface
    snakeface

    I'm in Florida, USA.

    Yeah I'm not interested in joining, just visited. I've visited other churches too. It's interesting to see women on the platform. One church I visited had a female pastor and she was an excellent speaker. Many churches have one or several persons playing instruments, others singing in groups or solo. I think having that variety keeps the services interesting. The service might be, say, an hour long, but it's broken up into different presentations. The sermon, a soloist singing, someone making announcements, a piano solo, a group singing and playing guitars, a child reading a portion of the scriptures, and so on. Whereas with the JWs, it's just one brother talking, then another brother talking, then another brother talking, then another brother talking....maybe a sister talking to another sister....

  • Enlightenment123
    Enlightenment123

    Not all churches are created equal, and not even all Baptist churches. It isn't just the witnesses that don't really teach what the Bible says. It takes a lot of trial and error to find a good one like this. I attend one that is very similar and I've never been happier. I've extensively studied the Bible and my church truly teaches what the Bible says and doesn't go above and beyond what is written. They absolutely let the Bible speak for itself.

    And I agree, the variety is good. In my opinion, the KH is just a good place to take a nap.

  • quellycatface
    quellycatface

    I'm really glad you enjoyed it.

    I had a great weekend of worship. Best Easter ever. Roll on Christmas.

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