Aztec Discussions - the junction Online

Re: Planet Shakers

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 22:56:40 GMT

I attached an interesting article, Jav. Thought you may want to take a look. I agree with what you are saying, however, Im not so sure that the world looks at such churches as we do -through our 'churched' eyes.

Re: Planet Shakers

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 05:06:16 GMT

Its not just Pentecostal churches. I know that when I went to a mainstream Pentecostal church, I could get quite judgemental about any other sort of church. Scary, considering I knew many people who went to those churches. Was it just insecurity on my part that I was judging anyone going to another type of church? Probably at least partly. Fortunately, through a few wise friends and various circumstances came the conclusion that there are different churches for different people. Each type of church is meeting the need of someone who goes there, just as the Pentecostal church did for me for a long time. The Junction is now my home and that's fine too. But I still have to remind myself of this on the odd occasion, so I know where you are coming from.

Planet Shakers

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 01:02:16 GMT

A couple of months ago I visited the planet shakers church in Melbourne. I was going primarily to see Stephen get baptised (which you can read about on this web site). It had been three years since I had stepped into a big Pentecostal church and I wasn�t sure about what I was going to be confronted with. I was also wondering would I like what I heard or would it be like sitting through the movie SAVED and cringing all the way through it. I arrived at the venue on Swanston St about 30 minutes early so as to make sure I was there on time all I could see was spillage of people between the ages of 15 � 30 all over the place at the front of the venue excited to be there. I just walk in acting calm thinking I�ve seen this before this is no big deal, but feeling what is attracting people to this place? I met Stephen in there and found a seat. I began to look around a see a cauldron of cultures all meeting together clearly defined by there dress code, actions and speech, but being united by a love for Jesus and an acceptance by others.

I began to think about my journey over the last four years. I really had turned my back on most things that had to do with the Pentecostal church because of the cringe factor.

�Cringe factor� � when the word awesome is used as an answer to every question eg. How was your day? Pretty crap, Awesome! What the? or when Christ and the bible was used as an entertainment tool and only connecting on the surface instead of genuinely trying to connect with people.

I started to ask myself a few questions. Had I gone so alternative that I no longer could connect with people that were into this style of church? Had I personally discredited this style of church as Mickey Mouse church where it just made you feel good but didn�t really challenge? What dawned on me was WHO CARES. What I saw that night was thirty people be baptised in water and another fifteen saved (I went to the second service for that day). What I saw was an effective method of communication and a church praising and worshiping God in a way that I missed.

I still don�t know whether I could go back to a church like that long term, but it certainly has its pro�s and I could definitely go there for the worship. As much as my eyes have been opened in the last four years as to what I need to change and God has definitely shown me an alternative way of being a Christian. Do we in the missional church consider ourselves too cool or to underground that we discriminate against mainstream culture, or are we prepared to give praise and acceptance where it is due?

Re: Baptism

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 03:36:21 GMT

HI snakey....i'm impressed with your entry and I too think you worded it perfectly, because everything you said you experienced made sense. That scripture you put in also makes a lot of sense and is powerful. Receiving the gift of the holy spirit...that in it's self is powerful. Congrats snakey

Re: Baptism

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 08:45:15 GMT

great stuff snake, it was interesting to read about what you went through