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I was watching one of my favorite Star Trek movie and Spock turns to Kirk and says, Have we lived so long that we have outlived our usefulness?I didn't hear much from the rest of the movie. The very question reverberated throughout my heart. I began to consider ministry and where I am. I examined the ministry of many large churches and honestly, it just isn't me.Please don't crucify an old minister. I'm just pouring out my heart. I'm not attacking or criticizing any church or ministry. I'm just doing some soul searching.I visit other churches and I see things that I just can't get into. Young people getting up in front and dancing, drama teams, etc. I know people enjoy it and I'm sure it gets kids involved, but honestly, to me it looks like a show of flesh. Our platforms are multicolored light shows with some even with smoke machines. When the speaker makes a point, the color change is quite orchestrated. I recognize smooth Madison Avenue presentation, but deep inside, I can't stand it.Our music has come to the point where we often leave the worship to the professionals and the atmosphere is more like a concert than a worship service. I endeavor to learn the words to songs I don't know, try to sing in keys best suited for someone who hasn't gone through puberty, raise my hand and praise God while feeling totally out of place.I read church growth books, publications, and articles. They list tool after tool such as these that just leave me cold.I realize now that I'm part of a huge section of the ministry of the Church of God.Have we lived so long that we've outlived our usefulness?Just musing. Please don't stone me for just sharing my musings

Rough , I know exactly how you feel. I went through the very same. I found that peace in a smaller church where worship service is more what I'm used to with no lights or drama Just simple worship.It has its drawbacks to that I have learned to overlook. Very poor music team , simple pastor and few kids. But then I realized , I'm not here for my entertainment but for worship , learning and teaching. God put me here for a reason and thats good enough for me. I dont know if the Drama churches are right or not but I do know that they can trap and cause some people to lose focus on your objective. It happened to me.

I posted this a couple of weeks ago - it's even worse than you think

Roughrider,

Rough, I am 53 and have seriously considered retiring from pastoral work for all the reasons you posted. I know that may sound extreme, but the reality is that the pressure to perform in a way that is not me...It feels like I am between a rock and a hard place. I feel like I need to get out of the way and let someone who can grow a rural church have the rein.

I had a feeling that I wasn't the only one who felt this

Could you stand a little texas swing on amazing grace ?

I guess I could say I have 'no dog in this fight', but I would be lying. There are so many wonderful ministers, some even great, who are pastoring 'the church that will not grow'. They are blessed with the satisfaction of God's hand that has guided their lives over the years. But then something whispers in their ear, Bro XYZ is doing 'zzxty' and everyone is praising him to high heavens. Then Bro. Goodguy begins to feel like he has out-lived his usefulness. BALONEY! Look around at the people who depend on you, respect and call you friend and pastor. If it is 10 or 1000 when you are doing what is right and honorable, YOU ARE USEFUL.I remember a guy who once told me about a small church in Florida that should be closed. The preacher is ancient and the congregation is too. Since I knew the situation I told him, The church will never grow, they have closed the Citrus plants, the jobs are gone, but someone needs to comfort and bury the saints who labored, taught, won souls and blessed their world when it was GOING. That pastor has not outlived is usefulness.Now to us who sit on the pew, we too feel at times that we have outlived our usefulness. We cannot work, our tithes are half what they were. We cannot see to drive to church at night and if we want to, can feel completely useless.This post is a VERY IMPORTANT post. I was only in service with RR one time, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt those folks love him. Rough, you will never know how many times I have related that morning (SS class?) in the basement, as you led a sort of round table discussion. I have never set-in a more inspiring morning.We have too many good men who fall into the trap of listening to the voice on shoulder urging comparisons........Love you guys who give your heart and lives for us who sit in the pews and we may forget to say, Thank you for being YOU! but we do think it. Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

Good word!

No, you haven't outlived your usefulness, Rough.This is why we have so many different churches in so many different places. Like ice cream, we used to just have strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate. Now we have Rocky Road, Snickers, birthday cake flavors and the list goes on and on...Different strokes for different folks. Not everyone is into the hype and glitz. And because you're doing it differently doesn't mean it's wrong or not hip enough. My sister has not truly walked with the Lord in many years. She grew up (in the same church as me) that was classic Pentecostal. She likes churches that sing from the Red Back and use live music. The church I attend is pretty old school in a lot of ways, but we also use a blend of contemporary praise/worship, Southern Gospel, and black gospel as well as hymns. And we don't have a band so we use sound tracks. My church would never appeal to my sister. But that doesn't mean what we're doing is wrong. It's what works for us. And it blesses our people.The style of worship and ministry that you are comfortable with relates to who you are as a person and who you are in Christ. The people who come to your church enjoy those things too, or they wouldn't be there. If your worship and ministry is sincere and touches the heart of God, don't worry about what the big churches or other churches are doing. Please the Father and everything else will fall into place More of Him...less of me.twitter.com/camiracle77www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=691241499&ref=name