Pastors, Bishops, Apostles, etc. that don't participate in devotion/p&w

[JQUEEZY101]

why is it trending that clergy don't participate in devotion and or praise worship? i don't understand this..lol
i see all around in different denominations and churches where the clergy proceed out after or during the last song of devotion/p&w.
if your church does this.....post your view, biblical reference, or opinion....

[lordluvr]

I've seen this happen a few times when guest speakers have come to my church.  I'm not even going to discuss the fact that they came so late that my pastor thought he was going to have to deliver the word....

Anyway, I can't speculate too much on why they do that.  I had a pastor once who would meditate on his sermon prior to speaking.  So, he often missed a portion of P/W. 

[Hasmonean1]

I've seen this in many churches.  Maybe they are praying and/or preparing.  However, for some it seems like "that grand entrance" is the motive.  I'm here all rise, and let the real church begin.   I've seen some pastors be present during testimony service / praise service  and whole church is on fire and they just sitting there like a bump on a long. 

Who knows there could be many reasons and I'm sure some will be presented here.

[Mysteryman]

I think some preachers feel more consecrated when they don't have contact with people before the sermon. I believe you should already be prayed up and not wait til the day of. I personally have more respect for preachers that intermingle with the congregation, pray, and work.

[gtrdave]

I'll have to search for a Biblical reference...until then, here's my opinion;
The church leadership should be leading by example, up front and engaged in whatever form of physical worship that they expect the congregation to be engaged in, period.

We had this discussion at a church staff meeting about 6 months ago, when it was revealed that our head pastor, associate pastor and others in leadership were out in the narthex greeting people while worship was beginning and they weren't coming into the sanctuary until the 2nd song.
This was doing three negative things;
1. showing us, the team, that it was not important for them to be there on-time at the start of worship
2. holding up people in the congregation from entering the sanctuary for the start of worship
3. preventing the greeters in the narthex from actually greeting, since everyone wanted to bee-line to the pastoral staff and chit-chat.
I told the pastor that his actions speaks volumes to people and if he doesn't see the entire service, from song start to closing prayer and blessing, as important, other people will follow suit and not see the need to be there at the start.
I'm happy to say that he agreed and he and others began changing their habits.
And you know what happened?
People actually started coming into to the sanctuary BEFORE the start of the first song.
There are still a few stragglers...shoot, some folks don't arrive until worship is over *smh*...but the change in behavior is much appreciated. 

[nessalynn77]

Narthex... that's a new one for me.

[betnich]

"The Grand Entrance" - that's it. Lots of tradition, ego, IMO...
 

[LaylaMonroe]

Narthex. Also new to me.

In case Nessa and I aren't the only ones:

The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper. It was either an indoor area separated from the nave by a screen or rail, or an external structure such as a porch.

Etymology

Traditionally the word comes from narthex (Medieval Latin from Classical Greek narthex νάρθηξ 1. fennel, 2. scourge) and was the place for penitents. In modern Greek narthekas (νάρθηκας) no longer has this meaning and is either the porch of a church, as English, or the brace of a sprained wrist or sling of a broken arm. In English the narthex is now the porch outside the church at the west end, formerly it was a part of the church itself.

Purpose

The purpose of the narthex was to allow those not eligible for admittance into the general congregation (particularly catechumens and penitents) to hear and partake in the service. The narthex would often include a baptismal font so that infants or adults could be baptized there before entering the nave, and to remind other believers of their baptisms as they gathered to worship. The narthex is thus traditionally a place of penitence, and in Eastern Christianity some penitential services, such as the Little Hours during Holy Week are celebrated there, rather than in the main body of the church. In the Russian Orthodox Church funerals are traditionally held in the narthex.

[lordluvr]

Narthex... that's a new one for me.

Beware, WWF opponents!

[under13]

Our pastor is the main piano player, so he always participates

All of the other churches I've attended, when the pastor came out, it meant that service was starting, so they were always on time.

[gtrdave]

Man...y'all are HARSH today!

 

But we learned a new word, so there! 

[Fenix]

It is not Biblical IMO. The kings of Israel openly participated in and in many cases LED PnW.

SO I don't know who the heck you think you are to not participate in PnW.

[Arkhams Finest]

why is it trending that clergy don't participate in devotion and or praise worship? i don't understand this..lol
i see all around in different denominations and churches where the clergy proceed out after or during the last song of devotion/p&w.
if your church does this.....post your view, biblical reference, or opinion....

Interesting first post.

[sjonathan02]

Interesting first post.

Not his first post.

[LaylaMonroe]

Interesting first post.

Not his first post.

You meant first discussion thread?

[nessalynn77]

Are all churches built with the pews facing east and the pulpit facing west?   I actually think I answered my own question, because the church I grew up in was built this way, but when they built the new one, the congregation faces south.  Hmmm... I wonder if traditionally they were all built to face that way, though...  Seems like I remember someone saying that, but as I look back over churches I've entered, I find a few exceptions.

[JQUEEZY101]

Lol, glad to see the general consensus is that this is bogus...
i try to be open-minded but its hard to really get behind someone that makes the "mr. brown entrance" into the church, grabs the mic, and tries to invoke praise/worship but was no where to be found during that designated part of service. seems rather fake and for spectation.
i'd really like to hear from someone who knows for a fact their pastor, ministerial staff does this every sunday...

[LaylaMonroe]

Are all churches built with the pews facing east and the pulpit facing west?   I actually think I answered my own question, because the church I grew up in was built this way, but when they built the new one, the congregation faces south.  Hmmm... I wonder if traditionally they were all built to face that way, though...  Seems like I remember someone saying that, but as I look back over churches I've entered, I find a few exceptions.

I think that as church assemblies became more.... uh... hmm... can't think of an acceptable adjective... but anyway, the more churches that were established, the less likely (and less feasible) it became to care/worry about churches facing certain ways.

But it probably doesn't matter anyway.

[SirTJ]

One thing I can say about Bishop Blake is that he's ALWAYS at his post before P&W starts. Even before the scripture and prayer is said. I think that's very stand-up.

[JQUEEZY101]

I think that as church assemblies became more.... uh... hmm... can't think of an acceptable adjective... but anyway, the more churches that were established, the less likely (and less feasible) it became to care/worry about churches facing certain ways.

But it probably doesn't matter anyway.

i know for a fact that now....the "pulpit" or alignment of chairs aren't directly facing congregation sometimes now for churches that record/broadcast because it is an eye sore. meaning, that the praise team or praise leader is leading and whatever clergy might be doing behind them is hard to focus around for camera personnel.