Completely Different Yet The Same

While out of town this past weekend, I visited 2 completely different churches. And 2 completely different services. The first was a newer church with a brand new building. It was modern. No steeple. Huge kids area with lots of creative stuff everywhere. A popular speaker. Expensive audio visual stuff. Rockin' band. And no mention of Memorial Day. They continued on in their series...and no mention of Memorial Day. Zero. But a very powerful message. Engaging. A clear Gospel presentation.

The 2nd church was a more "traditional" church. (I hesitate to use that term...but for the purposes of this post, it fits best.) Steeple. Dress a little more traditional. More 60+ yr olds. One of the hand held microphones had a blue fuzzy cover. Orchestra. Choir. Pews. And the whole service..as in WHOLE service...was dedicated to honoring those who have sacrificed for their country. EVERYTHING was about recognizing those who have served. The service included armed services flag presentation, bagpipes, and a military guest speaker. It was moving. Dana and I sat near a couple who has a son serving in Iraq. They cried through the whole service. We cried with them.

It would be very easy to critique and judge either service. Obviously us Christians are good at that. Over coffee and in seminary classes and in living rooms we talk about our preferences. Some say church A was wrong for not saying anything about Memorial Day. Some say church B is wrong for glorifying America.

Sure I have my own preferences and lean certain ways on certain issues. But on Sunday, I just enjoyed the VAST differences between the two. Because in the end, they were serving the same God. The messages being spoken were ministering to those present...and ultimately glorifying God.