[Worship] Introduction

["Stephen C. Merritt" <scmerritt@mindspring.com>]

Hello everyone...

I am 34, married and live in Nashville, Tennessee.  I do not have a church
home yet, having wandered through nearly every denomination in town and not
finding one that doesn't seem to be man's church.  

I'll be the first to admit that my problems are intellectual... and I DO
tend to over-intellectualize things.  I joined this list btw, not because I
am involved in Worship Ministry (not yet, for I'd like to be ) but because
this is a key interest and concern of mine.  

So what is my key prob/concern/question?  The nature of worship that is
valid/okay/pleasing to God.  Are tongues and Spirit-Filled services okay?
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE them, but they appeal to me emotionally and when
I first encountered one, I thought everyone was nuts.  Now, this seems (big
"S" on seems) to run counter to what Paul warns in 1 Cor 14... about
non-tongues speakers encountering a group of tongues-speakers.

He _does_ seem to caution us against making to much out of tongues (and
here he is speaking of the ecstatic prayer language type, I believe) but
does not discount them.

That said... what's right?  The New Testament is ambiguous in several
areas, which leads me to feel the Truth does not lie in one direction... as
long as Christ is the center.

I know that I must be MOVED in a church... if I feel nothing, not only is
the experience boring, but in the long run doesn't challenge me to change,
to grow. My point is the catholic church moves me, but differently, every
bit as the pentecostal/charismatics do.  However....  I want to be on FIRE
for Jesus... to answer God's call on me to serve Him.

I'm searching for a church home that is Spirit-Filled and has many ministry
opp's but isn't concerned with the church of man (know what I mean?).  I
want to find an answer eventually for these concerns.  I'm tired of living
life on my terms...  I want to serve... to grow... to be a true disciple.
And I'm hoping this list can help me at least start in the right direction.

Does anyone have any recommendations as to Nashville area churches I might
enjoy?  My only other concern is racial... I am STRONGLY anti-racist and
look for churches that are multi-ethnic... if not in policy (overtly) then
in attendance.  That's one of my Spirit-Given Inspirations....  a need to
work toward ethnic unity/healing/whatever-it-is-I-am-trying-to-say(-ing)....

Thanks for letting me take up the bandwidth, folks, and God bless you all...


Stephen Merritt
mailto:scmerritt@mindspring.com
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