Amen-Guy

Transferred.... from 9/10/08

OK… seriously, enough with the "Amen!" guy in the front row at church. Don't get me wrong, I love the word "amen". It's a wonderful word used for affirmation. It means "let it be". Let me say that again, it is a wonderful word…. used for affirmation. It is used to affirm. I think I've now said that enough times that we should all know what the word "amen" is for.






Now, that being said, and said, and said again, why, then does Amen-guy in the front row yell it out every 2 seconds? I mean, come on! Really? You feel you need to affirm something every 2 seconds? And I'm not exadurating, he really does say it every 2 seconds. Each time the pastor pauses, this guy's yelling out "Amen!" in his best southern Baptist voice.






If the pastor were saying "Praise God!" and Amen-guy yelled it out then, fine, I totally get that, even applaud it. But the pastor is talking about the book of Revelations, where God is talking to the church in Sardis, saying "And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars says these things: 'I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.'"






Explain to me, how it is appropriate to say "amen" at this point. I mean, really? "You're dead, AMEN!" I don't understand it. I understand affirming what the bible says, but I think there is an appropriate time to yell out your affirmation, and an appropriate time to keep quiet and try to learn.






The pastor went on to say that there are some churches today that are like the church in Sardis, they say they believe, and they look like they believe, but their faith is little. I agree with this completely. But after the pastor said this, the man again yelled "amen!" This sounds almost pompous to me! By yelling "amen" to this, are you acknowledging that yes, there are other churches that do this, but there is no lack of faith in you personally? I know I lack faith. I know most people I know lack faith. I mean, sure we have faith, we trust God, but do we really trust Him as much as we could? No.






On top of all of this, it's an obvious distraction. I was not the only person who noticed this. My parents noticed it as well, and, judging by the people with giraffe necks around me, trying to look around to see who it was, we weren't the only ones distracted by it.




So, that's my rant. Jesus loves you, "amen!" God is good, "amen!" Ending a prayer? "Amen". This church has lost it's faith, NO "amen"!