manito2000
Puritan Board Freshman
I am a 28 year old pastor of a congregation in East Palo Alto. 50% of the attendees are primarily Spanish speakers while the remaining 50% are bilingual. I have been facing major struggles. I am not seminary trained but have worked hard to diligently search the scriptures to understand what God meant to say to his church in regards to faith and practice. It has been very difficult.
Our congregation belongs to a Pentecostal denomination of various levels of actual charismatic practice. I grew up in this congregation and have been attending since I was 12 years old.
Currently our struggle has been 3-fold:
1. We have no musicians. The previous musicians left the congregation due to various reasons. Therefore, I have attempted during this time to purchase backing tracks, find instrumental hymn accompaniment, etc…so that our services were not without some form of musical accompaniment. Some members of the congregation have complained greatly about them not “feeling” the spirit specially during those “boring old-fashioned hymns.” Believe me we’ve made an extra effort to include old hymns, modern sound praise choruses, etc…so that there is variety and that we do not start a worship war in the congregation. But still…people were used to 1 hour of singing, dancing, etc…without end.
2. We have been diligently preaching expository messages through 1 John, Joshua, and now the 7 letters to the churches in Asia Minor. However, there are several in the congregation who insist that we are not following the “spirit’s” leading and therefore lack unction to courage to preach on tongues, faith, miracles, etc…
3. We have been doing our best to visit folks in the congregation while holding a full time day job (since many discontent people have decided to abstain from offerings and tithing).
There are several good strong Christians that pray for us and have stood by our side in times of conflict. However, I fear that they too will become discouraged to see negative attitudes amongst the congregation. The young people are enjoying the expository preaching and have commented that they are learning so much, they enjoy the hymns and more contemporary doctrinal rich music…but the parents seem to be stuck in their ways.
I am very discouraged and heartbroken. I have tried to remain faithful but have come to think that we are at opposite ends as to our theological positions. I am writing requesting prayer that the Lord would give us strength to endure and we will probably have to make a tough decision within the following weeks. We have looked for a good solid congregation in the area that offers a Spanish ministry. Reason is that my wife primarily speaks Spanish. I am bilingual since I grew up in the US. In addition to the stress in church we are also facing a difficult situation as a family – that Lord willing should be resolved within a year’s time. Mostly all the Spanish congregations in the Bay Area are of Pentecostal tendencies. If you have knowledge of any solid-Spanish ministry in the area we would love to hear about it.
Thanks and God Bless you…
Abe
Our congregation belongs to a Pentecostal denomination of various levels of actual charismatic practice. I grew up in this congregation and have been attending since I was 12 years old.
Currently our struggle has been 3-fold:
1. We have no musicians. The previous musicians left the congregation due to various reasons. Therefore, I have attempted during this time to purchase backing tracks, find instrumental hymn accompaniment, etc…so that our services were not without some form of musical accompaniment. Some members of the congregation have complained greatly about them not “feeling” the spirit specially during those “boring old-fashioned hymns.” Believe me we’ve made an extra effort to include old hymns, modern sound praise choruses, etc…so that there is variety and that we do not start a worship war in the congregation. But still…people were used to 1 hour of singing, dancing, etc…without end.
2. We have been diligently preaching expository messages through 1 John, Joshua, and now the 7 letters to the churches in Asia Minor. However, there are several in the congregation who insist that we are not following the “spirit’s” leading and therefore lack unction to courage to preach on tongues, faith, miracles, etc…
3. We have been doing our best to visit folks in the congregation while holding a full time day job (since many discontent people have decided to abstain from offerings and tithing).
There are several good strong Christians that pray for us and have stood by our side in times of conflict. However, I fear that they too will become discouraged to see negative attitudes amongst the congregation. The young people are enjoying the expository preaching and have commented that they are learning so much, they enjoy the hymns and more contemporary doctrinal rich music…but the parents seem to be stuck in their ways.
I am very discouraged and heartbroken. I have tried to remain faithful but have come to think that we are at opposite ends as to our theological positions. I am writing requesting prayer that the Lord would give us strength to endure and we will probably have to make a tough decision within the following weeks. We have looked for a good solid congregation in the area that offers a Spanish ministry. Reason is that my wife primarily speaks Spanish. I am bilingual since I grew up in the US. In addition to the stress in church we are also facing a difficult situation as a family – that Lord willing should be resolved within a year’s time. Mostly all the Spanish congregations in the Bay Area are of Pentecostal tendencies. If you have knowledge of any solid-Spanish ministry in the area we would love to hear about it.
Thanks and God Bless you…
Abe
