CHURCH: TIMELESS OR TRENDY?
Malls are trendy; coffee shops are trendy.
Churches should feel timeless.
At Maranatha Baptist, we are …
Still CHURCH.
With the forceful current of constant change sweeping over every part of our lives, people have the need to connect with something enduring and firm. We believe Christ designed the church to fulfill that need by representing an eternal kingdom and ageless truth with no need to imitate the culture. We want you to know that there’s still a church that feels like a church. It won’t feel like a rock concert, comedy club, or motivational seminar. It’s not old-fashioned, as in 50 years ago. It is timeless, as in 2000 years ago.
Still PREACHING.
Preaching conjures up a lot of different images in people’s minds these days. Boring. Dry. Irrelevant. May we clarify it a bit? Preaching is simply a passionate and dynamic communication of an important and vital truth from the Bible. The preaching you hear at Maranatha will, first of all, be Bible-centered. We still believe in the absolute truth of the time-tested Word of God. Be sure to bring your Bible because you will need it. Second, it will be relevant and clear. You won’t wonder what the point was and you will be able to use it immediately. Last, it will be passionate and unapologetic. In a culture of “believe-whatever-you-want-regardless-of-whether-it-is-actually-true,” preaching might seem offensive to sensitive ears. Rather than water it down and mix it with entertainment, we still believe in that timeless, biblical practice called preaching.
Still REVERENT.
Casual is all the rage in American institutions, but God deserves better from those who worship Him. We still believe that the presence of a Holy God deserves our best attempt to express respect and reverence; not because it impresses Him, but because it affects our own hearts and attitudes. Reverence is a fading virtue in America, not because God no longer deserves it, but because churches no longer promote it. While you won’t find a judgmental spirit here, you will find a place that still believes reverence and respect is appropriate for gathering in the presence of God. Come discover how refreshing reverence can be.
Still EXCITING.
There is a mistaken idea these days that God needs the help of the latest fads and technologies to be considered exciting. The truth about Him just isn’t enough; it takes the latest music styles and entertainment rends to bring life to His attributes. However, entertainment and true worship don’t produce the same result. Once a church starts down the path of entertainment, the destination is unpredictable and likely undesirable. What is exciting to the older folks is not tolerated by the younger and a church becomes divided generationally. That doesn’t quite sound like the church Christ had in mind. We still believe that church can be exciting without borrowing the latest fads to kick-start the crowd. Several practices have been used for centuries and they haven’t gone out of style because entertainment is not the standard. It can still be exciting when it still feels like church.
Still FAMILY.
The family has been redefined in America until there seems to be no absolute standard. In fact, the traditional, biblical definition of the home has become the minority. Even the most casual observer would have to admit that the American home is in trouble. A marriage with a mom and a dad whose love for each other grows year by year, surrounded by children who are happy and respectful, is little more than a fairy tale. Yet, in truth, it really is much more than a fairy tale. It can be a reality, and we still believe the key is the biblical roles for the family. Call them old-fashioned or timeless; the biblical plan still works when people work the plan. Our church is full of homes of various kinds, whether starting out right or trying to restore broken relationships around the proven biblical principles. Come enjoy a church that is still family with an abundance of young families and children.
Still HYMNS.
Have you noticed that church doesn’t sound like church anymore? The latest pop music trends rule the pew and no one really knows where that will stop. Isn’t it amazing how rock stations can make it promoting “the oldies”, but the modern church is now scared of the hymns? Even the oldies stations want the music pure, but if today’s church includes a hymn, it has to be reworked in modern rock to be accepted. We still believe the hymn is the most truthful and exciting form of music used in the church. Where it is appreciated, it is not boring. Even the hymnal is alive and well. Public schools know that if you want the most learning and participation, give the kids a book. Don’t get us wrong. We love new music and we like it to be loud. We just enjoy the volume coming from the congregation rather than from the guitar speaker. Come rediscover the excitement and the enrichment from the hymns.
Still MEN.
Look inside most churches today and one of the most notable vacancies is men. We want you to know that’s not true everywhere. We still believe men are expected to provide strong leadership within the church and their homes. Generations of that kind of leadership is one secret to America’s greatness. Feminism would have you think that masculinity demeans the woman, yet biblical masculinity is humble and compassionate and values a lady more than life itself. Our men are involved in every aspect of our church. Come see a revival of Christian masculinity.