thoughts on this church service?

Question

I went to my girlfriends church on sunday and the service was basically saying for god to be your friend you must worship him and do as he commands you without question
they also made a bunch of kids stand up and say that god was their best friend

just wondered what other peoples thoughts on this are

thanks for answers and voting
yes i should go to more than one service - agreed
yes - they did put it that way around (you must worship god to be his friend - and you must put him above all others)
yes - they did force the children - at the age of 10 would you dare say anything else when all the kids before you had said god or jesus is their best friend - I would praise the kid that got up and said 'No - I don't think someone should demand worship before he calls me a friend'.
which is my point a friendship should be based on mutual respect not demanding worship.

Answer 1

it sounds like a jesus camp all you need are gards in the towers

Answer 2

Interesting way to interpret the service. I am assuming that you talked to the each of the kids after the service and confirmed that they were "made" to go up and say that - rather then sincerely having a relationship with God that they wanted to share with others.

I also wonder if the said you have to praise and obey before God would be your friend, or whether they said that your friendship with God will be reflected by your wanting to praise him and follow his leadings.

Always love the way people can take perfectly good things, like wanting to love and serve God, and somehow make them sound like they are abusive, or manipulative.

Answer 3

There is a valid concept here. God is our friend and He wants us to worship so we can become closer to Him. He also wants us to obey Him because it's in our best interest. He does know that we will question sometimes and has tolerance for that.

I would be cautious about saying any more. I don't get to my own church as often as I'd like because of work and can see that going one time might give someone the wrong impression of our church, especially if they come on the Sunday the pastor reviews the church finances with us (he believes we all need to know exactly were the money goes). It's usually best to give them a couple times before making any conclusion.

Answer 4

I see nothing wrong with emphasizing to a congregation that God is our friend. However, if you go to a service at this Church in the future and that's all they preach, then there's a problem. In order for a congregation to be spiritually fed, they must hear sermons emphasizing Scriptural teaching, an on-going spirit of repentence, etc. Today's emphasis on the "feel good Gospel" is deceiving alot of people right into Hell.

Answer 5

They are trying to turn God into a feel good warm fuzzy if it feels good do it.
Jesus said take up your cross and follow me.
Jesus never said we would have a flower garden
then when these kids have problems they are going to blame
Jesus for not keeping them in the warm fuzzy zone.
It sounds like one of the new age everything is within yourself if you think positive churches.

Answer 6

Abraham was the friend of God because of his faith; Jesus called his disciples friends because they knew his Father's business; and the early Christians called each other friends because of their fellowship and brotherhood in the Lord. Friendship is a beautiful thing. Seek it and enjoy it. As for the children: It's just a method of teaching, to help them to first internalize a truth and then to encourage them to think about the truth and be aware of it as they go throughout their day. A truth like that, that God is your friend, is a precious possession.

Answer 7

God is God and we are not. What you may be struggling with is putting him on the place of who he is.
When God is accepted in your life he does require loving obidience, but did you know that there are over 7,000 promises in the Bible that God gives sayong that he will love and care for us? This is not a relationship like a master and slave in the South in 1840 - this is a loving God who loves you more than you can imagine and wants to be close to you - provide for and teach you in love. We are fallen, broken, and his love is the most precious gift that leads and blesses our lives. Did they really say "without question"? Christian churches say to question, just weigh it against the truth.
Keep going - they key is to get the whole picture, not just a quick snapshot.

Answer 8

Leave your g/f, RIGHT NOW, Dude.
She is following a CULT!
Get out of town, before they behead you!

Here's the Solution (before they brain-wash U):

Create a private, personal, direct, divine Relationship with Our Creator and save your Soul from religion.

Only with Our Creator's Love and Peace will we be Truly Free!

Without God, there is No Love; Without religion, there are No Wars!

"religion is Spiritual fraud"; "religion is the Worse invention of humanity" - Jesus Christ

Answer 9

Well that's certainly isn't everything that you find in church, but I don't find an awful lot wrong with it. God does tell us that if we love Him we will keep is commandments. Jesus does presents himself in the Bible as a " friend", but he also presents himself as our Lord and our God.

Answer 10

Don't drink the Kool-aid.

Answer 11

That's kind of odd. Coerced faith isn't really faith. No one should be forced to believe or say they believe in anything.