I probably won't remember all those questions but I will try. I attend the Touchet SDA Church. There are approx. 200 or less in the town. The church has a membership of 50 and I'd say the average attendance is close to that number.

We have an outreach leader in our church that keeps us busy. We are new to our church but I would guess the membership has about doubled in the last year. We had the recent Doug Batchelor series in our church and many came.

We have a good relationship with those in the town. A week ago last Sabbath we handed out loaves of homemade bread to our neighbors in the community. A few weeks before that we went door to door handing out literature and just visiting with people on Sabbath afternoon. It was a wonderful experience.

My husband and I with a few friends (in the past several years) have covered all communities within a 120 mile radius handing out books, any kind of literature we could get our hands on--when people heard what we were doing, they began to bring boxes of books and things we could give out. We went on foot and covered every door.

We covered Milton Freewater, Oregon, Walla Walla, Washington, College Place, Washington, Touchet, Washington, Lowden, Washington, Prescott, Washington, Wallula, Washington, Burbank, Washington, Elgin, Oregon, Athena, Oregon, Weston, Oregon, Adams, Oregon, Helix, Oregon, Lewiston, Idaho, Clarkston, Washington and several other small towns.

We often knock on doors and visit with people and invite them to take Bible studies. When we covered four towns that were close together, it was when we were having a Doug B satelite seminar and five whole families were brought into the church. This was several years ago when we were attending the Blue Mountain SDA Church. Since then we have moved our membership to Touchet, Washington Church.

We don't have all members attending prayer meeting, probably about 3/4ths do.

Has not the same process been repeated in nearly every church calling itself Protestant? As its founders, those who possessed the true spirit of reform, pass away, their descendants come forward and "new model the cause." ... {GC88 385.1}

Was there lifting up hands in the beginning of the SDA Church Pastor Barry?

Barry,

quote:

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So, next time your child or grand child runs to you with uplifted hands because they want to picked up and held by you, are you going to rject their pleadings because that is outside your worship box???

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I think the analogy of denying a child because they lifted up hands is not the greatest one let alone not correct in context. What I mean is that its not even comparing apples to oranges, but lumber and butter.


Being a child I never felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to raise up my hands ever, not even when I was without a car in a different country for 1 whole year and thirsted to hear the word of God, was taken to one of those megachurch celebration style services. I did not "feel" compelled, driven, nor any inclination to rise my hands as if I were waiting for someone to throw me money.
I know that I can boldly approach the throne of grace in time of need, and if I need to raise my hands its private, out wide open in humility. God will not in now way cast out anyone who comes to Him.
I understandwhat you are saying though, but we are in church and in the sanctuary where there should be reverance, and this means turn off your cell phones, or put them on vibrate, if the kids get rowdy take them outside or into one of the rooms for parents and kids. We have to show respect. Its as easy as that. How many people do you see with their arms wide open as described in the Bible at a church service? I usually see them waving side to side. Anyways interesting topic
God Bless & Happy Sabbath,
Will

I don't know why but when I was reading these post the old anti-perspirant commercial kept coming to mind "Raise your hands, raise your hands if you're sure". I never thought I would see any religious symbolism there...hmmm.

Redfog

The point I was and still am trying to make is not all people worship in the same way. There is no one church service here on earth that fits everyone. But the fact that not everyone worships the same should not result in a rock throwing contest or condemnation. If Jesus did not come to condemn then why should we????

I do not like cold, legalistic, boring church services. Here is a hint to look for if you are trying to find a church to worship.

Park your car in the parking lot and wait until church is over. If at 12.01 the church doors blow open and the people start pouring out and running for their cars. If by 12:10 the church is closed and locked, chances are there is no fellowship or anointing in that church. Sheep that are well fed and watered tend to hang around the trough. mi dos centavos............

God had specific instructions on how to worship Him and He gave those instructions to Abel. Abel obeyed God in slaying an innocent lamb and putting it on the alter.

Cain probably didn't want to get his hands dirty or perhaps he didn't want to kill the lamb, but he thought his offering to God was the best he could give -- the best of the fruits and vegetables that he grew himself. But God did not accept his gift of worship.

There is only one way in which to worship God and that is the way HE outlined in the Bible and SOP.

"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." Deut. 29:29

Debbie, it would appear that one way to worship God is outlined in the verses Thomas posted...

If there is only one way as you have suggested would you give us the Scripture text that outlines that one way?

Tom

Like I said, at least it is, or at least should be, quiet, so it will not interupt the service.

When you start making noise with it, it seems more like a way of getting, or even diverting, attention. That would be one of my biggest problems with clapping.

Reading the thread one could almost think that there was an unspoken but generally accepted agreement not to consider the scripture. Neither has there been any EW quotes except one (and it beats me what that one has to do with lifting hands to the Lord as excepmlified in the scriptures). I can only assume that the reason is that due to a lack of support from these two sources, any post against lifting hands in worship must be based on circumstantial "evidence"... The most of which seem to be that since other denominations have done this before SDA, it is somehow defiled as a practise. Is there even one practise within SDA that originated with this movement? If yes, shouldnt that worry us as idealy all our practises should have originated with God, thus mentioned in the bible and therefore have been in use by one or another church during all of church history. Somehow this is also connected with other pracises like talking in tounges as if one would by nessessity come in a package with another. Why this would be the case noone has yet explained. And even though it doesnt belong in this thread, I ask the question, did the enemy create speaking in tounges or prayer for the sick or was he able to create copies becourse God first had introduced these?
Finaly, I will await a reply helping me understand the connection between Genesis chapter 4 and

quote:

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Psalm 134
1 Praise the LORD , all you servants of the LORD
who minister by night in the house of the LORD.
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
and praise the LORD .
3 May the LORD , the Maker of heaven and earth,
bless you from Zion.

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May God bless all peoples this sabbath day.

/Thomas

"In order to serve Him (God) aright, we must be born of the divine Spirit. This will lead to watchfulness. It will purify the heart and renew the mind, and give us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. It will give us willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true worship."

9T 156

Mrs. White often equates "willing obedience" to true worship. If you want a verse, look up Revelation 14:6-12 and it says what true worship is NOT.