Church Hunting in Angeles Pampanga

Written by Warren |Posted on October 3, 2008 | Comments

last Sunday we really ran out of cash to even commute to our home Church in Caloocan, Manila
so we had no choice but to face reality and start looking for a like-minded Church
afterall, its not practical for us to travel that far to go to our Church every Sunday

we started by inquiring with the 2 attendees of our weekly biblestudies
they pointed us to a local church that they were attending from time to time
so we went there and it was not a surprise for us to realize that the couple wasn’t there
I felt a little bad that time to realize that they weren’t consistent in attending their local church
so we entered the church building and see a lot of smiling faces greeting us
gave us a small form for us to input our names and numbers
since I didn’t trust the place, I didn’t put in our numbers
the program started first with their so called praise and worship service
during that service, a rock band would play contemporary tunes
singing God is good God is good, etc. etc
we wanted to leave the place already cause we weren’t used to listening to rock bands
at least not anymore
in our Church, we don’t even have a piano
we sing hymns in akapela mode
so seeing drums, electric guitars, keyboards, is definitely a culture shock for us couples
and its definitely not welcoming us
I’m not even complaining because we come from a conservative background
no
I would even disagree that we’re conservative
but I’m complaining because of the banging of the loud sounds
the church room is secluded
all doors and windows closed
and its too small to have a rock band inside
but they’re doing this from Sunday to Sunday
to us its like having a band right inside your bathroom
and to us it is not convenient
what amazes me still are the old folks that would sit near the rock band
most of the attendees are young
I would estimate at least 10% are 50yrs to 65yrs old
but no more 70 somethings for sure
is this their way of kicking out the old folks?
bringing in a rock band inside a small secluded room?
how can Christians understand and think about the Word of God while you feel the bass beating in the insides of you?
no wonder our Church sings hymns
so Hazel and I looked at each other from time to time during the rock band service
hoping that one of us would signal to the escape pod
but still inside us is hoping that we’d find that decent Church that we’re looking for
we’d go to further extents just to find that decent Church
its really like treasure hunting
you don’t expect to encounter a P100 bill on the ground everytime you walk the streets
so we waited and waited
we couldn’t stand any longer so we didn’t join in the audience in dancing and we sat down
while sitting down everyone was still smiling, dancing, raising their hands, and singing
and we realized that we had done all that for 30 minutes
the lyrics of the songs were shallow and doesn’t teach anything
it just says “God is good”
but “why is He good” should be the question everybody is asking
so after the 30 minute fiasco Hazel and I released a deep sigh of relief
when I was about to ask people around “is there preaching of the Word of God here?”
- – -
so we sat there and listened to the pastor
looking around us we see one, two, probably three people who were holding a Bible
none of them opened them
now you might be surprised at the setting but I’m serious
a so called Christian church not using Bibles
how contradicting is that?
the Bible on which a Christian is being saved doesn’t read it?
using the word “Bible”, “Christian”, and “doesn’t read it” in one sentence is just crazy enough
let alone them practicing it!
the sermon wasn’t emphasizing the preaching of the Word
of which was a Biblical Mandate to ministers
it was all a definition taken from secular sources such as newspapers, histories, and everyday life
but it wasn’t manifesting Scripture interpreting Scriptures preaching pattern
during the preaching I see the audience not listening to the pastor
not only are they not listening to their pastor
but their chatting and laughing
yes
its as if I’m in a public restaurant
I really didn’t know whether I should be happy or sad at that time
- – -
after the service there was another go on the rock band
got bored with the preaching?
don’t worry we’re here to entertain you folks!
after all that fiasco we met several folks there
and we introduced ourselves as unofficial Grace to You Pampanga
at first we asked if they know Grace to You
John MacArthur?
702 DZAS radio station
AH YES YES!
so I mentioned that we have some materials at home that they can borrow
we realized at that time John MacArthur wasn’t really much heard of
Rick Warren maybe but not John MacArthur
but ofcourse, what can we expect?
we’re standing on a provincial ground
so the senior pastor came out from his burrow
and his wife brought him to us (because we introduce ourselves to his wife as well)
so the senior pastor greeted us warmly
what’s your name?
Warren and this is my wife Hazel
welcome welcome!
you’re always welcome here
please come by and visit us again sometime soon
we hope you like the service here
then we introduced ourselves abruptly
do you know Dr. John MacArthur?
uhm uhm…well…yeah
and Hazel confidently interrupted
do you have any plans in doing expository preaching?
well ah…I can consider that
we’ll see
you see, it depends on the situation
uhm maybe you have a catalog or something
you can just leave me a copy and I’ll see what I can do from there
ok
well it was really nice meeting you pastor
while walking out of the place Hazel and I agreed that this isn’t the Church we’re looking for
- – -
the following day our biblestudy attendee asked us
so what ya think?
I said its a no-no for a Christian to be even there
you can’t grow by just singing and listening to worldly definitions as food for your soul
so she went
I knew it!
I knew something was wrong there but I just needed your approval
at that time I realized that our attendees are growing in the Word of God
they were maturing and beginning to see the difference of what it is like to preach expositionally and preach for entertainment purposes
praise God!
what we found in our Church hunting was two potential souls in our biblestudy group to be saved by God’s Grace!