How have I never noticed how toxic church services can be
Decided to watch an online service with my dad from the church I had been a regular attendee of for years.
The pre-service started with the service leader reminding everyone of their fallen sinful nature and how God’s grace was sorely needed in our lives… ok…
Worship began with songs like Nothing but the blood of Jesus… ok…
The pastor began preaching from Zechariah 3, emphasising (yet again) how sinful we all are but there is hope in Christ and he not only cleanses us but commissions us yada yada. What disturbed me most was how he used these specific words to describe us all - Rotten, Broken, Fallen. Strong words.
The service left me extremely turned off in disbelief that these were things I used to be nodding and agreeing to in the past. Why would I have not sensed anything wrong. I also couldn’t help but cringe that the old me had banked on these messages to convert/convince someone.
My point is, are all these service structures planned? It felt like the pre-service, to the songs chosen, to the sermon, were all planned to drive home the theme that ‘we are unworthy and filthy on our own and need Jesus’. It all seems so toxic and troubling to me now to observe these all from a different lens.