Sermons vs. Dialogue... an experience

Yesterday we went to church with my parents and it was a really strange experience for both of us. The church we’ve been going to in Prague has been meeting in someone’s home most Sundays and the “service” has involved a lot of discussion and dialogue instead of just one person being up in front preaching. Once a month we have meet in a larger space and have a slightly more formal gathering – with music and usually one to three people speaking up front but even that isn’t really lecture/sermon based. So, it was strange to sit in a sermon again – it was strange to not feel like I was a part of the dialogue and to instead feel like I had to just sit there and listen to this one person’s view of God – not that I really disagreed with his view and not that I didn’t like this particular person but it felt strange to not hear other people’s views and takes on the story and to not share my own. The sermon yesterday was about the fall and maybe the fact that we had just discussed that at a Sunday gathering in Prague made the difference between the two styles even more evident. I found myself missing Prague a lot and missing the dialogue of fellow believers coming together and discussing and questioning and sharing and participating together in the story of God instead of just one person lecturing on the story. I also found myself thanking God yet again for leading us to Prague and to the community of people we are involved with there.

Rejoicing in the journey - Beth Stedman