why am i not moved?

[runwaydream]

Ok, so I just came from church and I'm feeling a bit disturbed.
This church service was a bit different from the other ones b/c today the pastor was healing folks.
Everyone was going crazy and feeling the spirit, but while I thought what he was doing was wonderful, it didn't move me.
Most of the time when I go to this church I am moved, and I do feel the spirit. But this time I didn't, though 97% of those in church was. I mean the church was packed today and everyone was going nuts!
I don't know why I didn't feel anything.
It wouldn't have bothered me so much if the pastor didn't make a few statements about those who weren't going wild.
He said by now everyone should have lost their minds in praise, and he was telling us to turn to our neighbors and say (w/e it was he decided to tell us to say at that moment) but he said, "if your neighbor is actin cute and saddity, you have my permission to skip over them, they should have lost their minds in praise by now" and i'm over here lookin like
I'm not tryin to act saddity or cute, i just didn't necessarily feel moved, i feel like it would be wrong to fake it and jump up and down and act like I feel the spirit when I didn't.
I left church a little early b/c of it. I felt really disturbed and guilty.

Idk... any thoughts?

 

[goldielocs]

Ok, so I just came from church and I'm feeling a bit disturbed.
This church service was a bit different from the other ones b/c today the pastor was healing folks.
Everyone was going crazy and feeling the spirit, but while I thought what he was doing was wonderful, it didn't move me.
Most of the time when I go to this church I am moved, and I do feel the spirit. But this time I didn't, though 97% of those in church was. I mean the church was packed today and everyone was going nuts!
I don't know why I didn't feel anything.
It wouldn't have bothered me so much if the pastor didn't make a few statements about those who weren't going wild.
He said by now everyone should have lost their minds in praise, and he was telling us to turn to our neighbors and say (w/e it was he decided to tell us to say at that moment) but he said, "if your neighbor is actin cute and saddity, you have my permission to skip over them, they should have lost their minds in praise by now" and i'm over here lookin like
I'm not tryin to act saddity or cute, i just don't necessarily feel moved, i feel like it would be wrong to fake it and jump up and down and act like I feel the spirit when I didn't.
I left church a little early b/c of it. I felt really disturbed and guilty.

Idk... any thoughts?

Don't feel bad. It's happens to me too. I don't have anything scriptural to add, but I go by that same rule. If I don't "feel the spirit," I usually read back over the scripture text or pray. Usually I feel the spirit more during personal prayer or family devotions than during services.

I think the pastor was wrong for calling those not praising out like that. That statement could have broken someone's spirit. Take care.

 

[blazingthru]

I do not agree with the pastor and in general I do not like pastors that make you say this or that to your neighbor or gets mad if you sit in your seat and not acting like everyone else. Which draws unnecessary attention to you. I think you should move when you feel the holyspirits prompts. I can't comment on the healing service as I never see anything like that accept on TV and I was never feeling that either. I think you should feel free to be you. Thats what God wants he wants the real you to come before him not acting out something others are doing. I agree with you I would have left and most likely I would not have come back as this has happen to me. Everyone was jumping up and down and going on and I was sitting there looking at them like what in the world and the pastor was talking about stiff necked people act like they can't move I was insulted and got up and left.

 

[PinkPebbles]

Please don't feel bad. I would have been disturbed as well.

A lot of times people forget that many praise and worship God in there own way. You don't necessarily have to be loud or jump up and down during praise and worship.

The most important thing is that we worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

If you feel compel to speak with your pastor or deacon about it; by all means please express your sentiments to them. I'm quite sure your Pastor did not mean any harm but perhaps your feelings would enlighten him.

 

[Renewed1]

^^What she said.

 

[Duchesse]

^^^^me too!

Please don't feel bad. Something similar has happened a couple of times at my church, when the pastor alludes that if you are not jumping or shouting, that something is not right with your spirit. I'm a relatively quiet person and have a more internal, personal relationship with the Spirit, and don't always feel the need to shout, though I do and have in the past.

 

[music-bnatural-smile]

that church was scary lol

 

[momi]

I know EXACTLY how you feel. When I first began visiting the ND "led by the spirit" churches I would feel the same way. Everyone would be running around speaking in tongues and falling out and I would just sit there looking. It caused me to go on a search to find out what the real deal was with all of that. I searched and searched scripture trying to find some type of reference to this happening - and really could not come up with anything. I was not really moved until the word of God revealed to me the truth according to scripture. Now this moved me - sometimes to tears, clapping, and rejoicing - but NOT because the mand of gawd tried to guilt me into it.

Now when I visit churches and this type of thing takes place I am confident to just sit there. I visited one church where the pastor commanded everyone to speak in tongues on "one accord". I just sat there - wishing someone would ask me why I was not participating so I could share what the bible says about the use of tongues in a public setting.

Anyway - dont get me started.

 

[Ramya]

Please don't feel bad. I would have been disturbed as well.

A lot of times people forget that many praise and worship God in there own way. You don't necessarily have to be loud or jump up and down during praise and worship.

The most important thing is that we worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

If you feel compel to speak with your pastor or deacon about it; by all means please express your sentiments to them. I'm quite sure your Pastor did not mean any harm but perhaps your feelings would enlighten him.

Exactly! I'm not a loud person when I'm not being moved so why then would I be loud when moved? I might cry or smile or blush etc because it's natural for me to do that. I don't like people telling me how I should respond or feel.

 

[curlcomplexity]

Don't feel bad. It happens at my church too. I've learned that people worship in different ways, as long as your praising the Lord that's all that matters IMO.

 

[GV-NA-GI-TLV-GE-I]

O
He said by now everyone should have lost their minds in praise, and he was telling us to turn to our neighbors and say (w/e it was he decided to tell us to say at that moment) but he said, "if your neighbor is actin cute and saddity, you have my permission to skip over them, they should have lost their minds in praise by now" and i'm over here lookin like

Was he trying to heal people through his power or Christ's? People's reaction to worship is within...you don't have to turn flips to know you love G-d.

 

[runwaydream]

Was he trying to heal people through his power or Christ's? People's reaction to worship is within...you don't have to turn flips to know you love G-d.

He said sometimes God speaks to him and gives him the power to heal. Which is another thing... I never really quite believed when I saw pastors do that on t.v. and I wasn't quite sure I believed all of it right then. I kind of felt like maybe ppl were fallin out when he touched them b/c they felt that's how they were supposed to act.
I felt guilty in being skeptical in that too b/c I kind of felt like if I felt that, it meant maybe I didn't believe in God strongly enough.
And it's not that I don't believe God has the power to do it, I just didn't believe the pastor had the power to heal all of these folks. It just seemed odd to me that everyone reacted the same way.
When he put hands on them everyone fell out the same way, everyone started shaking the same way, everyone fainted the same way. idk...
And when there was this one girl who didn't fall out like everyone else did, it seemed like he was trying to make her react like everyone else. He even asked her after awhile of her not reacting a certain way if she was saved, and if she has accepted God as her savior. I didn't like that at all

 

[Laela]

Please don't take it to heart..you did nothing wrong. I just believe it was not your time for God to deal with you.

There are times the Spirit moves and I'm not moved...I do feel the Spirit near, but I'm not being dealt with. And there was a couple of times, the Spirit dealt with me and the rest of the church was not "acting up". Though his Spirit moves throughout a church, God deals with us individually... that's the beauty of it. Also, please be reminded some people can get caught up in the emotionalism and keep going long after the spirit has moved... that has nothing to do with God.

Ok, so I just came from church and I'm feeling a bit disturbed.
This church service was a bit different from the other ones b/c today the pastor was healing folks.
Everyone was going crazy and feeling the spirit, but while I thought what he was doing was wonderful, it didn't move me.
Most of the time when I go to this church I am moved, and I do feel the spirit. But this time I didn't, though 97% of those in church was. I mean the church was packed today and everyone was going nuts!
I don't know why I didn't feel anything.
It wouldn't have bothered me so much if the pastor didn't make a few statements about those who weren't going wild.
He said by now everyone should have lost their minds in praise, and he was telling us to turn to our neighbors and say (w/e it was he decided to tell us to say at that moment) but he said, "if your neighbor is actin cute and saddity, you have my permission to skip over them, they should have lost their minds in praise by now" and i'm over here lookin like
I'm not tryin to act saddity or cute, i just didn't necessarily feel moved, i feel like it would be wrong to fake it and jump up and down and act like I feel the spirit when I didn't.
I left church a little early b/c of it. I felt really disturbed and guilty.

Idk... any thoughts?

 

[runwaydream]

thank you all for answering.
I felt the same way, no one worships the same way. But the way he kept going on and on about those who aren't jumping up and down and those who were sitting down got to me, and also he kept saying how if we all weren't jumping and shouting then we were gonna miss out on our miracle.
And another thing.. he says that every week. That we're gonna receive a miracle in a few days. But that's a whole nother thread lol, I won't even get into that

But my point is the fact that he kept saying these things made me feel guilty.
And seeing how so many ppl were feeling something I wasn't made me feel uneasy.
How is it that they're all feeling something I'm not? Kind of made me think he might be right.

 

[Laela]

to the bolded: How do you know they're feeling something???

Also, I understand your annoyance with the pastor. Maybe he just got excited and wanted everyone to "catch the wave"? lol

thank you all for answering.
I felt the same way, no one worships the same way. But the way he kept going on and on about those who aren't jumping up and down and those who were sitting down got to me, and also he kept saying how if we all weren't jumping and shouting then we were gonna miss out on our miracle.
And another thing.. he says that every week. That we're gonna receive a miracle in a few days. But that's a whole nother thread lol, I won't even get into that

But my point is the fact that he kept saying these things made me feel guilty.
And seeing how so many ppl were feeling something I wasn't made me feel uneasy.
How is it that they're all feeling something I'm not? Kind of made me think he might be right.

 

[runwaydream]

to the bolded: How do you know they're feeling something???

Also, I understand your annoyance with the pastor. Maybe he just got excited and wanted everyone to "catch the wave"? lol

idk, i guess i'm just going off the way they were acting. everyone was pretty hype and many were crying and a few caught the holy ghost.
i just would think if they were faking that would be like making a mockery out of the church
so i guess i just rather assume they weren't faking and really felt the spirit

 

[Janice]

I would be very leary of going to a church with a pastor that preaches this way. Besides people should not come to church to "catch" the Holy Spirit, they should already be filled with the Spirit.


Prayer, obedience, spending time in the word, and fellowship wth the brethren is how you draw closer to God's spirit. Not hootin' and hollerin'.

I can't speak for everyone but 9 out of 10 times these pastors huff and puff through their sermons to get people hyped and don't even focus on the word. What their congregation is experiencing is not the "Holy Spirit" but just going through a sense of intense emotions (kind of like a temporary high). The Holy Spirit never causes one to "act the fool."

 

[discobiscuits]

"if your neighbor is actin cute and saddity, you have my permission to skip over them, they should have lost their minds in praise by now"

i think that is rude and crude and 100% inappropriate for a "spiritual leader" to say something like that. + he does not control an anointing or the move of the HS only the HS does IF the HS was even in the house to begin with.

i'm the kind to walk right out or say some thing to him after service & not come back.

 

[CosmopolitanChic]

I know EXACTLY how you feel. When I first began visiting the ND "led by the spirit" churches I would feel the same way. Everyone would be running around speaking in tongues and falling out and I would just sit there looking. It caused me to go on a search to find out what the real deal was with all of that. I searched and searched scripture trying to find some type of reference to this happening - and really could not come up with anything. I was not really moved until the word of God revealed to me the truth according to scripture. Now this moved me - sometimes to tears, clapping, and rejoicing - but NOT because the mand of gawd tried to guilt me into it.

Now when I visit churches and this type of thing takes place I am confident to just sit there. I visited one church where the pastor commanded everyone to speak in tongues on "one accord". I just sat there - wishing someone would ask me why I was not participating so I could share what the bible says about the use of tongues in a public setting.

Anyway - dont get me started.

Good for you Momi, people take that very lightly, and they play with the gifts. They are to be taken seriously and you must know what to do. Some churches open the gate to other spirits by being disobedient.

 

[Spongie Bloom]

i think that is rude and crude and 100% inappropriate for a "spiritual leader" to say something like that. + he does not control an anointing or the move of the HS only the HS does IF the HS was even in the house to begin with.

i'm the kind to walk right out or say some thing to him after service & not come back.

That very statement from the pastor also caught my eye, it doesnt sit well with me. Since when do pple guilt trip and shame others for the way they worship? What if there was someone new at the church who wanted to join the fellowship imagine how disheartened they would feel after hearing that

I have been to church like that will a lot of hollering screaming and I dont 'get it' also and yes at the time I also felt guilty for feeling like that I think people should worship whichever way they feel but some take it to another level with throwing themselves on the ground repeatedly and convulsing on the floor like they are having a seizure and so on.

 

[Raspberry]

Yea, I agree with what a lot of the other ladies have said.

Plus the Holy Spirit being present with you is not based on what you're feeling at any given moment. A lot of what you see in churches is an emotional response - and there's nothing wrong with being emotional while praising the Lord. Psalms says we are to praise him with a shout, song, and dance, but the Bible doesn't connect how you praise physically to how the Spirit manifests. However, you do see instances in the bible where the Spirit manifests in power among a people who have a pure heart and are unified in one accord. There isn't enough solid teaching about the person of the Holy Spirit and the fullness of how He operates.

It's not that hard to have a church full of women cryin and shoutin - women are emotional by nature, that's no indication that they really are being "moved" by the Spirit. But are their lives being changed by the Word as well as by the Spirit. Are they not just "feeling" the Spirit, but obeying His voice in their daily lives? Shouting is the easy part lol.

runwaydream, dont' feel guilty over what people may say, but read the Word, that's where you'll find your answers. God says that if anyone asks for wisdom He will give it liberally - so ask Him for wisdom and understanding regarding this..

 

[Pooks]

A lot of times people forget that many praise and worship God in there own way. You don't necessarily have to be loud or jump up and down during praise and worship.

The most important thing is that we worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

I just believe it was not your time for God to deal with you.

There are times the Spirit moves and I'm not moved...I do feel the Spirit near, but I'm not being dealt with. And there was a couple of times, the Spirit dealt with me and the rest of the church was not "acting up". Though his Spirit moves throughout a church, God deals with us individually... that's the beauty of it. Also, please be reminded some people can get caught up in the emotionalism and keep going long after the spirit has moved... that has nothing to do with God.

Cosigning with all these quotes. God wants sincere worship from the heart! There are times when you need to give a sacrifice of praise i.e. in your flesh you may not feel like praising God, but you know He's worthy and if you don't that you can be holding yourself back - now I do not mean runnin up and down and making all kindsa noise when that is not how you feel, it can even be a silent praise, as long as it is sincere I believe God accepts it as a sweet smelling savour.

The way the preacher spoke was disturbing to read, especially questioning the individual who didn't react like the others... suspect...

 

[GV-NA-GI-TLV-GE-I]

He said sometimes God speaks to him and gives him the power to heal. Which is another thing... I never really quite believed when I saw pastors do that on t.v. and I wasn't quite sure I believed all of it right then. I kind of felt like maybe ppl were fallin out when he touched them b/c they felt that's how they were supposed to act.
I felt guilty in being skeptical in that too b/c I kind of felt like if I felt that, it meant maybe I didn't believe in God strongly enough.
And it's not that I don't believe God has the power to do it, I just didn't believe the pastor had the power to heal all of these folks. It just seemed odd to me that everyone reacted the same way.
When he put hands on them everyone fell out the same way, everyone started shaking the same way, everyone fainted the same way. idk...
And when there was this one girl who didn't fall out like everyone else did, it seemed like he was trying to make her react like everyone else. He even asked her after awhile of her not reacting a certain way if she was saved, and if she has accepted God as her savior. I didn't like that at all

Maybe you should find another congregation. I hate that...just hate it. Whether I'm Muslim, Hindu, Buddist, Catholic, Jewish....all my choice...who is he to question someone's else's beliefs because they are not falling over into a psychologically-induced fit? I don't think he's kosher, theologially sound, by the way he's conducting himself. Not judging him, but I'd be very wary of that church....not because there are healings and happy folks...but due to his misjudgments. This touches on an older thread but it all seems like some kind of old transplant syncretistic practice from voudun. You can thank and praise G-d without looking "crazy."

Can I share something? Once upon a time, when I attended this baptist church for a semester, this one pastor with the snarly face always stared me down (he was hell on wheels with the pastor, toe-to-toe, trying to get the pastorship from him). One Sunday, he called me up front. Was that an altar call or something? I don't know...but he was pointing at me. Why 'o why? I went hesitatingly...but did so to not scandalize them. See, I was respectful. But he tried some kind of laying hands over me, "praying for my soul ...whatever." Okay. Meanest looking guy ever! Stoic, stern, unhappy face and a royal jerk. But he's trying to "save" me. Geez, but I let him have his public moment. I never went back. Point of this story....never, ever try to superimpose your beliefs on anyone, attempting to know how they are inside. Only G-d knows that.

Edit: So much of this type of thing is religious abuse and it's one reason I have "hated" religion for many, many years, esp. the "holier-than-thou" types. Fronting! And I think that most people actually do not mean well...they are attempting to focus attention upon themselves, embarassing others and harming them spiritually, because they are standing in the way between that person and G-d. It touches a very sensitive part of me and often induces mental wrath or tears...depending upon the memory. Religious abuse is never kool. It doesn't help to turn on the television and see the plethora of Robert Tilton's and Popoff's and their holy crackers/manna/whatever you call it, holy waters from Chernobyl., and false healings and prophesies/knowledge aided by hidden mikes and ear pieces...making up stuff that sounds good but with their hands out begging money from the masses. Nonsense. Where is the accountability in the protestant realm? Who can you alert to see if there are documented abuses in cases such as those mentioned in this thread???

 

[Poohbear]

This has happened to me before too. I was caught off guard. The church was having a revival. Before service started, everyone was just cool, calm, and collected, talking and socializing among each other. Then, when service started, a woman got up there to start off the service saying "Welcome to the house of the Lord! Everyone say Hallejuah!", and everyone that was a member of that church went crazy immediately! I was thinking to myself "Did I miss something?" And when the preacher got up to preach, he was doing all that "Turn to your neighbor and say..." crap too. I don't need someone to jumpstart my praise for God. And I don't think it's right when preachers get up there and say stuff like you're dead if you're not hooping and hollering like everyone else. Everyone praises God differently and feels the Spirit in different ways.

 

[Prudent1]

Ok,
Honestly, I don't know whether to laugh or cry(not at you just at this stuff in general). I hate you had this experience in one way then again in the long run it may benefit you or someone close to you? Just as these ladies have stated that didn't seem very Godly- what your pastor did and said. I have an excellent church. Thank God! Not bragging just thankful... Before I prayed and found this one I had some experiences like some of you. Even at my church where I know ppl have been healed during some services there are times when I don't feel the same thing that everyone else feels. Like Momi said, my worship is not a competition. I often say something I heard Pastor Dollar say b/c it's true. "I am not moved by what I see, hear, smell, touch, or taste. I am only moved by the words of God." He often refers to all of that jerking as "Spooky Pooky". Don't get me wrong, the Holy Spirit is real and he manifests himself in us but as Momi said there are rules in the bible as to what's appropriate and what's not.

 

[HeChangedMyName]

Ok, so I just came from church and I'm feeling a bit disturbed.
This church service was a bit different from the other ones b/c today the pastor was healing folks.
Everyone was going crazy and feeling the spirit, but while I thought what he was doing was wonderful, it didn't move me.
Most of the time when I go to this church I am moved, and I do feel the spirit. But this time I didn't, though 97% of those in church was. I mean the church was packed today and everyone was going nuts!
I don't know why I didn't feel anything.
It wouldn't have bothered me so much if the pastor didn't make a few statements about those who weren't going wild.
He said by now everyone should have lost their minds in praise, and he was telling us to turn to our neighbors and say (w/e it was he decided to tell us to say at that moment) but he said, "if your neighbor is actin cute and saddity, you have my permission to skip over them, they should have lost their minds in praise by now" and i'm over here lookin like
I'm not tryin to act saddity or cute, i just didn't necessarily feel moved, i feel like it would be wrong to fake it and jump up and down and act like I feel the spirit when I didn't.
I left church a little early b/c of it. I felt really disturbed and guilty.

Idk... any thoughts?

)))hugs((( ITA with the bold. I am the same way. I don't feel the spirit in the same way as everyone all the time. But God revealed something to me in church Sunday that really changed my thougt process and opened my eyes. Sermon was about the prodigal son and how when he came home there was celebration. Even when we don't feel the spirit we can still rejoice in knowing that other people are. Sometimes the message just isn't for us, but we can celebrate with and for those who received the message and were touched by the Holy Spirit. It makes sense to me to celebrate, rather than focus on what I might be missing. . .hope that makes sense because I totally feel you

 

[Renovating]

Ok, so I just came from church and I'm feeling a bit disturbed.
This church service was a bit different from the other ones b/c today the pastor was healing folks.
Everyone was going crazy and feeling the spirit, but while I thought what he was doing was wonderful, it didn't move me.
Most of the time when I go to this church I am moved, and I do feel the spirit. But this time I didn't, though 97% of those in church was. I mean the church was packed today and everyone was going nuts!
I don't know why I didn't feel anything.
It wouldn't have bothered me so much if the pastor didn't make a few statements about those who weren't going wild.
He said by now everyone should have lost their minds in praise, and he was telling us to turn to our neighbors and say (w/e it was he decided to tell us to say at that moment) but he said, "if your neighbor is actin cute and saddity, you have my permission to skip over them, they should have lost their minds in praise by now" and i'm over here lookin like
I'm not tryin to act saddity or cute, i just didn't necessarily feel moved, i feel like it would be wrong to fake it and jump up and down and act like I feel the spirit when I didn't.
I left church a little early b/c of it. I felt really disturbed and guilty.

Idk... any thoughts?

I've heard statements like this several times in church, but it doesn't bother me because I know that I'm not resisting the Holy Spirit, but at that time I just may not feel/experience what the other church members are feeling.

 

[nathansgirl1908]

I know EXACTLY how you feel. When I first began visiting the ND "led by the spirit" churches I would feel the same way. Everyone would be running around speaking in tongues and falling out and I would just sit there looking. It caused me to go on a search to find out what the real deal was with all of that. I searched and searched scripture trying to find some type of reference to this happening - and really could not come up with anything. I was not really moved until the word of God revealed to me the truth according to scripture. Now this moved me - sometimes to tears, clapping, and rejoicing - but NOT because the mand of gawd tried to guilt me into it.

Now when I visit churches and this type of thing takes place I am confident to just sit there. I visited one church where the pastor commanded everyone to speak in tongues on "one accord". I just sat there - wishing someone would ask me why I was not participating so I could share what the bible says about the use of tongues in a public setting.

Anyway - dont get me started.

I could have written this post myself!

I have been to a church where "passa" instructed everyone to speak in tongues at the same time. Even then, before I knew more about the gift of tongues, I felt that something wasn't right about that.

To the OP, don't feel bad. I have been in numerous situations where just about everyone in church is in the "spirit" and I have not felt moved. As someone else said, I am more moved during personal prayer or worship. While I am not trying to judge, i do feel that sometimes people do things for show. And when "passa" makes comments to the effect that something is wrong with anyone who isn't also jumping and shouting with everyone else, then that encourages people to act that way even if they don't feel anything because they feel guilty or feel a sense of obligation. They are too concerned with how people on Earth view their relationship with God.