Should Choir Visit Church where Leader Does Not Accept Pastor's Message

[malthumb]

Chances are I WILL take my choir to this church, but I am trying to not be a hypocrite about it. Here's the issue.....

My BIL is THE worship team at his church, about an hour away from us.  They play tracks, he sings.  A couple times in the past we have had him join with our choir at my home church.  He and my wife grew up in my home church and their mom still sings in our Chancel Choir.  We've discussed on a number of occasions taking our Praise Connection choir to support the music for one of my BIL's church services.  My MIL would join us for that event and make it a true family affair (wife and MIL are sopranos, BIL has a powerful tenor / baritone voice, our kids each play multiple instruments).

We're targeting 3rd Sunday in August.  So I attended service today to have an opportunity to observe the order of service, meet the pastor, and assess what our equipment needs might be.  Today the pastor preached from Matthew 24:1-14 emphasizing Jesus' warning to be wary of false prophets.  Here's where y'all need to have patience with me.....

We often joke about one of the leading ladies of LGM having ADD (she doesn't, we're just funnin').  She would be focused and studious compared to this pastor.  And he propped up his sermon on examples that were filled with factual errors.  I mean stuff that was just FLAT OUT WRONG.  It was killing me to sit still.  Just a few examples.....

O US has combat troops stationed in Afghanistan (yes), Iran (not sure but doubt it), India (no), and South Korea (troops yes, combat? Don't know)

O Another Earthquake recently struck China (no, Japan) and that it caused another tsunami (did not)

O A Muslim sect in Africa was chopping off the arms of people who proclaimed Jesus as saviour or who did not recognize Mohammed as God (Muslims do not profess any deification of Mohammed.  He is viewed as a prophet)

O Engaged a detailed discussion on how to tell a real pit bull from a "counterfeit" pit bull (bringing it back around to "false prophets")

It became very clear to me that I would never be able to attend this church or take much of what the Pastor chose to teach seriously since he is very comfortable with throwing out highly questionable "facts".

I started to question whether I would be a hypocrite to bring a choir in in support of this ministry that I KNOW if I were ever asked to join, I would decline as politely as I possibly could.

Am I being a hypocrite?

[sjonathan02]

Was his message not Biblical in nature?

[malthumb]

Was his message not Biblical in nature?

It started there but it veered off into a lot of strange directions.  All of his examples to try to tie the Scriptures to what's going on today were so wrought with inaccuracies that if I were seeking Christ, I would hold up his lack of ability to forward examples to support his sermon as a reason to stay away.

You're in the educational system.  Suppose someone was speaking to you about charter schools and clearly mis-stated several instances of widely known fact.  How much confidence would you have in that person's views on charter schools?

[sjonathan02]

It started there but it veered off into a lot of strange directions.  All of his examples to try to tie the Scriptures to what's going on today were so wrought with inaccuracies that if I were seeking Christ, I would hold up his lack of ability to forward examples to support his sermon as a reason to stay away.

You're in the educational system.  Suppose someone was speaking to you about charter schools and clearly mis-stated several instances of widely known fact.  How much confidence would you have in that person's views on charter schools?

You pose an interesting hypothetical.  It would depend on what facts he or she was mis-stating.  If they're general education facts, then that would give me more pause.

Now, in your situation, there are a few things that definitely would have me raise an eyebrow or give the side eye (the pit bull and the Muslim examples).

But, I don't know that it would be enough for me to decline an invitation to sing or to merely help your BIL.

[baggettcindy]

You should go.  Maybe you can be a shining light/example. Also, if you talk to him about this, I think he would be more willing to listen. If you didn't visit his service, not to say there would be love lost, but maybe he wouldn't be as willing to listen to you.  IMO

[LaylaMonroe]

I agree with Cindy.

[malthumb]

Update:

Looks like we're gonna do it.  Spoke with my BIL Saturday.  He was planning on getting confirmation Sunday and we discussed the songs we will plan to do and how we'll pull rehearsal time together.

I have not reconciled if, when, or how I would engage the Pastor on discussion of his message from July 17th.  I have always had this thing about people drawing strong conclusions from a sample size of one.  It occurred to me that I was doing exactly that.  Maybe he was just off his game that day or dealing with concepts / facts that he wasn't very familiar with.

I will listen to the sermon on August 21st with an open mind and then react accordingly.

SJon, Cindy, Layla, thanks for weighing in.  If I do wind up engaging him in conversation on this, it will be because I took your words to heart.

[Blessingss]

I agree with Cindy.

+1

[sjonathan02]

Update:

Looks like we're gonna do it.  Spoke with my BIL Saturday.  He was planning on getting confirmation Sunday and we discussed the songs we will plan to do and how we'll pull rehearsal time together.

I have not reconciled if, when, or how I would engage the Pastor on discussion of his message from July 17th.  I have always had this thing about people drawing strong conclusions from a sample size of one.  It occurred to me that I was doing exactly that.  Maybe he was just off his game that day or dealing with concepts / facts that he wasn't very familiar with.

I will listen to the sermon on August 21st with an open mind and then react accordingly.

SJon, Cindy, Layla, thanks for weighing in.  If I do wind up engaging him in conversation on this, it will be because I took your words to heart.

Bruh, with your wisdom and extensive vocabulary, I'm sure the Holy Spirit will guide your tongue to say what needs to be said in Christ's love.

Now, go play that bass!! 

[catslock1]

I would just take the Word for what it is.  I'm not making excuses for inaccuracies or for being unprepared  but I believe that if the pastor was genuinely trying to impart the Word of God then God has a way of getting across what He needs to.  I like the fact that you are willing to be open to what he is saying the next time you visit.

[malthumb]

I would just take the Word for what it is.  I'm not making excuses for inaccuracies or for being unprepared  but I believe that if the pastor was genuinely trying to impart the Word of God then God has a way of getting across what He needs to.  I like the fact that you are willing to be open to what he is saying the next time you visit.

I understand what you are saying about taking the Word for what it is.  This is the reason why I personally cannot do that.

Not everybody knows the Word.  Many are getting exposed to it for the first time and may not be able to discern what is coming through the Pastor from God apart from what is coming through the Pastor from the Pastor.  That presents two difficult situations.......

• Sometimes people scrutinize the words and actions of the messenger to attack the message.  If they choose to use a Pastor who is known to toss out misrepresented information as fact, it is easy for them to discredit the incorrect information and in so doing, discredit the Messenger and the message.  They could inaccurately hold up these abuses of fact as proof that the Word itself is not true
• Some innocents who don't know better could walk away believing everything they've heard and walk away feeling filled.  Then later on when some of the easier to refute "facts" are challenged, it can lead them into doubt of the things that were said that really are the heart of the matter.

I can look out for me and filter the cornsilk from the cornstalk.  It's the people who have not matured those filters that I'm concerned about or those that would use trivial mis-statements as the basis to disproof what is factual.

[mplsbender]

   If the paster preaches bad doctoran dont bring the choir . they might be week minded. In the evil and wicked end times many will teach fale doctoran and many will be decieved. Our church attended a church founders day with a good church but they invited some bishop we never heard of who said we need to bring in rap musicinto the church then he had his sons rap  group perform they were endlesslly grabing themselfs . every one was in shock myself I got up and left but if this happend in my church I would turn off the power and point to the door and pray for them on there way out