This is not a gossip post. This is not a post about some new scandal rocking the church. Well…not directly.
A young lady moved to another city to attend university. A “good church” with a “good reputation” of “good preachers” was recommended, so on her first Sunday in town she gave it a try. She arrived early and took a seat up front. A few minutes later, a couple walked in and stood over her. She looked up and asked if she was in their seat.
“Yes.”
She moved three rows back. The next person just told her straight up, “You are sitting in my seat.” She moved again, this time to the other side of the auditorium and farther back. Shortly, another couple came, sat in the pew directly in front of her, and turned and glowered at her.
“Am I in your seat?”
“Yes, that has been our seat for 40 years.”
She got up, moved to the balcony, and thereafter never returned.
Knowing the pastor personally, her “home” pastor called him and told him what happened. The following Sunday, he put on his prophet hat and called the church to do better. When the home pastor told the story to his church he said, “If ever someone is sitting in ‘your’ seat, consider it a divine appointment: God has given you a lunch date.”
When I read that several things went through my mind.
- I would not have been a happy camper if I was that pastor and found out it happened “under my watch.” I am afraid it would not have been a not-too-nice Sunday the next week.
- I would not have considered it something to brag about if I was the pastor of that church and I found out it was someone who had sat under so-called “good preaching” for 40 years- mine or some other pastor.
- You gotta wonder about the people who sat in the same place for 40 years and never gained one thing. Do words like spiritual infants come to mind?
It is good to have a church where the Word is preached. A church will cease to be a church if it is not. But much can be said about a “church” being a “church” if the Word is never made flesh by the folks who are the church. Is a church really a church if no one senses Jesus’ presence when they enter and worship? Is a church really a church if people cannot “touch” Jesus, “see” Jesus, even “feel” Jesus on a regular basis?
What do you think?
Who are these people that you are describing? Is this like the Jets and the Sharks defending their territory with threats? Move out of my seat or I shall break out into a choreographed dance routine? If I hadn’t seen this type of crap with my own eyes, I would think this story humorous. Now I may not be the most outgoing person, but I try to make people feel they belong in my own way.
i wish it was just a joke Daniel. As you will see by Larry’s it is all too common. I think it is great that you do make people feel they belong in the way that you feel comfortable doing. Thanks.
Bill, as you know we are in a new church. We have been sitting near the friends we knew when we started. A couple of Sundays an older couple sat there and we sat elsewhere. We sat there again a couple of weeks ago. This couple came in, looked at my wife and said, “They got our pew.” I don’t think they are over it yet. They cast a glance at us a couple of times. I asked someone that has been there awhile if they knew them. No one seems to know who they are. I guess you don’t have to be there 40 years. It can take just a couple of weeks.
WOW you rabble rouser! 🙂 The nerve? Taking someone else’s pew. We solved that…we don’t have pews. LOL This is an incredible story that really backs up what I have tried to write about. Sadly…thanks.
I am sure this happens in many churches across America every Sunday. Maybe not the same thing but a lot of churches are underwhelming when it comes to being friendly and welcoming.
Does the word hypocritical apply to people who say they believe one way and actually live another. The actions here don’t seem to match the image these people want everyone to have of them. But it seems to work for a lot of people who are content to show up on Sundays and just as content to let it have no real impact on their daily lives.
I for one have never touched Jesus, seen Jesus, or felt Jesus. I just don’t try to pretend I have.
There is no doubt in my mind Jeff that hypocritical fits the description here. Unfortunately, it fits many of us,myself included from time to time when I don’t act as I say. After 40 years in a church, I have to wonder if anything at all has sunk in with these folks. Hypocritical might be too kind of a word to use. Thanks for your thoughts.
Sad. I wonder if this would have caused Jesus to flip pews over. I can’t judge though. I am selfish with other things in the church. I like when they play my favorite worship song, I pay attention more when the message is about something I am dealing with, and I even cringe when the communion bread is given by dipping it in a glass of juice. I see people’s fingers go in that juice. If a church does it that way I run to the front of the line so I don’t get grossed out. Selfish I am.
You bring up a good point Rob. I may not cringe when someone sits in my seat but I like it when my favorite song is sung. Or when someone greets me who hasn’t in quite awhile. As for the dipping: I am glad we don’t do that. 🙂 Thanks for coming by today.
we don’t dip the bread in the juice…we just pass around a big goblet and drink after one another.
🙂
just kidding.
I wouldn’t know what to do with that if I saw that taking place.
Glad my mouth was empty. 😛
It is hard for me to swallow stories like this. I know there are flocks out there that fall into this category. I’ve been there myself.
funny you share this today. last night in my men’s group we talked about how a lot of our culture doesn’t like to have their boat rocked – by other people, circumstances, or by God. It is easy to fall into the trap of wanting life to be comfortable, easy, and zero complications.
it is sad when folks are more worried about their “seat” instead of the person who “took” their seat.
Your last statement rocked Craig. Well said.
I was at a church this past weekend for a meeting and people had seat cushions in “their” spots – not the people who were at the meeting but the church members who were not at the meeting! No lie. I was dumbfound – how comfortable must you be to leave your pillows and seat cushions on “your” spot when you leave each Sunday!
I have had to sadly deal with at times – it comes down to people thinking they own the church because they have been there a long time or grew up there. It is His not ours and the best way to kill the Spirit moving is to make it about us and not about Him and those He brings in.
I’ve seen that very same thing Jim. Messes my mind up every time. I mean, leaving a pad for a seat on a table is one thing, but in specific pew/chair? Give me a break! I think you have hit on something with the ownership aspect.
Yikes… that is a sad story. I’ll be honest, my first reaction is to judge those who wouldn’t give up their seat. I’m trying instead to let my reaction be to work on keeping a fresh perspective on faith, and not getting so “cozy” that there’s nothing left but resentment for “outsiders”.
Great perspective Stephen. Love the open heart.
As Craig mentioned, a lot of it is being a comfortable habit. People tend to always sit in the same place in church. In fact, pastors often expect to see the same people in the same seat every week. One pastor we had got nervous when people changed their seating, especially if they moved further to the back of the auditorium. He believed it meant they were getting ready to leave the church. In our case it did mean that.
We are creatures of habit at heart. Some more than others, perhaps. What we need, perhaps, is a clear channel open to the Holy Spirit when He is waiting to move us into some kind of change. Change is scary. But, resisting change when it is a gift from our Father leads to a dull spiritual walk.
Funny you mention the preacher view of this Susan. I have been in places where people not sitting in the same place had me looking for them. 😛 Totally agree with your thought on change.
It always comes down to the heart. We can do or say all the right things, but if it isn’t a reflection of our heart, then it’s all a show. A church is more than a building, it’s us.
Can’t say it any better Jon.
Sad story when “seats” take the place of actually being there for the people sends our way. Makes me think of what I might be hording in my heart when visitors come.
Good post bro’
True Jay. God sends them. We often send them packing. Thanks.
I would have asked them to see their tickets. If no seat was assigned, I would have given them the “Shakirah” hip bump! 🙂
Only you Moe…only you. 🙂
Makes me want to move the chairs around on Sunday. Shake people up a little bit.
Good post Bill!
Turn ’em around. I double dog dare you. 😀
That’s the things that give us all a bad name. Worse yet, we soil HIs Holy name. I’m like you, I wouldn’t have been so calm in my voicing of His truth. What is wrong with people? Good grief!
Soil His holy name…nail on the head there Floyd.
I think that describes a lot of churches in America.
A LOT of them.
Sad but true.
Unfortunately, I’ve heard of stories like these before. I think it just shows you what people think the church is there for – a place where they go and sit and listen for a little while and then go home.
Definitely shows the wrong attitude we have toward church. It is all about ME.
Good preaching is wonderful–good responses to the preaching by the convicting and drawing power of the Holy Spirit is much more preferred even if the preaching isn’t the best.
Lives changed by the Spirit is most excellent. 🙂
Sounds like just about all the churches that are lead by man, and not God. When are we going to lose “self”?
Good question Ed. When?
Hi Bill,
I’m in Calgary today. I got my materials filed into the Court. Thank you for praying.
My modem is not connecting to my service provider so I have no Internet at my house. I will be calling my ISP this week to find out what I should do about this situation. I’m missing the Internet!
When the temple of Solomon was destroyed, God rebuilt a new temple. When the Jews rejected Jesus the old Law was fulfilled by faith. Faith in the death of Jesus Christ for righteousness.
God isn’t going to restore the earth at the end of days, he’s going to make a new heaven and earth.
We can be sure that this ineffective system we have functioning now as the ‘church’ in North America will not be restored. We don’t see this pattern in Scripture. We see God doing something new.
talk to you later.
Linda
Glad I could pray for you Linda. Hoping this comes to a close for you soon.
Not surprising, sadly I’ve seen this & experienced this myself by getting “the eye” look. Michael & I move around, we try to sit more in the middle of the seats, so as to let others have the outside seats if it’s crowded or someone comes in late. I couldn’t care less where I sit, I just want to worship through song, prayer, communion & learn from the message. If I had to sit on the floor in the aisle, I would 🙂
On a more humorous note, I happened to watch “King of Queens” late last night, Doug & Carrie were at a movie theater and a man was sitting in the middle of an empty row, saving all the seats, Doug & Carrie ended up in the front row, until she got mad & decided to “claim their seats” from the man who was saving the whole row. haha
you and Michael have the right idea Jan. Moving around. Then you can’t claim any one seat. 🙂 The big plus is you also get to see new people. I wonder what would happen if a “Carrie” did that in a church building. I would love to see that! 🙂
This came via Sally to my email. I told her I was posting them in the comment section. I think I picked her off the floor. (Just kidding) She gets it right though.
No and no. The “church” is the people. If Jesus is not seen in the people come together in His name, worshiping Him and going out to make disciples in His name, then the “church” is not a church. A body moves, feels, acts with purpose if it wants to be effective. Jesus is the only real purpose worth pursuing. Sally