Extremes In Worship

I am glad that many of our Hardshell brothers are doing more "expository" preaching, or at least making the attempt. This is the kind of preaching you will find in many Baptist churches, especially in the "Reformed" Baptist churches. This is good, but to limit worship to this kind of preaching is going to an extreme in my opinion.

I have already written several times on this topic, and have criticized the total abandonment of topical or textual preaching.

One of the other things that strictly lecture type of preaching is often guilty of, is that it does not lift the spirits, as does the former type, and leaves many church services simply dry and emotionless. There are extremes on either side on this issue. Church services can become too emotional, but they can become stoical also.

For my own part I love to go to church where one has both good teaching and also much exhortation and witnessing. I want to hear the saints shout amen and hallelujah, seeing them raising their hands, and just plain getting happy.

Some churches offer opportunity for any brother to give testimony at the end of services. This is good and my personal experience has been to be greatly uplifted by the personal testimonies and exhortation from the lay people.

I have often said that in regard to how to rejoice and be glad in church service that I am more "Bapticostal." Thankfully many country Baptist churches have not become stoic in their worship and are not afraid to praise!

Many times while I was with the Hardshells they had services where sisters shouted and people were expressing their joy in bursts of enthusiasm.

I simply want to praise God when I go to church as well as learn something.