Upper Room in Dix Hills, NY

[Chad]

I attend the Upper Room Tabernacle in Dix Hills, NY. Its a great church. A lof of worship music (about 1 hour straight, about 1 hr of talking and more music). In all honesty I can never find myself to stay the entire time (I used to). Part of my discouragement is the fact that I am hearing impaired and have a hard time hearing what they say. The other part, as good as the band is (truly awesome) I cannot get into it much. I have the secular rock n' roll in my blood from long ago but I am looking to grow into Christian music.

Anyways, great church, very active, alive and full of worship. Amen

 

[Bobinfaith]

I attend the Upper Room Tabernacle in Dix Hills, NY. Its a great church. A lof of worship music (about 1 hour straight, about 1 hr of talking and more music). In all honesty I can never find myself to stay the entire time (I used to). Part of my discouragement is the fact that I am hearing impaired and have a hard time hearing what they say. The other part, as good as the band is (truly awesome) I cannot get into it much. I have the secular rock n' roll in my blood from long ago but I am looking to grow into Christian music.

Anyways, great church, very active, alive and full of worship. Amen

Hey brother Chad! Thank you for sharing your church of worship! I hear you regarding rock to Christian music. I still have an itch for rock but have phased away and grown more with Christian music. It is God using His children to get His word out in song and instruments and its a reverential approach to worship.

Psalm 150:3 Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre!

And tambourine, amen Strypes?

 

[mymakersdaughter]

Hey Chad, in terms of hearing your service can you not get a hearing aid to help? I can not imagine not hearing my Pastor speak or the music.
As for music I am a big music fan.. I just bought a CD yesterday by Jeff Deyo called "light." Can you find a Christian radio station to help you find new music? I listen to a great station.
http://www.fm100.net/index.php
The music is very now and great.

 

[Chad]

I've been wearing hear aids all my life but I stopped because the problem is, it builds up moisture quickly (within an hour) and there fore wax buildup, and clogs up my ear within an hour so it makes it worthless to even wear them. Plus, my hearing is bad enough that the aids can no longer keep up with my loss

 

[pappa]

Sorry to hear about your hearing problem... but I must admit I would have a hard time staying through a church serevice that long as well. So don't feel bad. Most of us (rightly or wrongly) think 1 hour is long enough.

Just a curiosity ... because I know nothing about it. When you begin to loose your hearing do you compensate by learning to read lips or learn signing?

I know some churches have people translate the music lyrics and sermons into to sign for hearing impaired.

 

[Chad]

Well they do have headsets (from what I see) but still. I'm 25 years old and I'm "not down" with those things LOL. Seriously though, I want to hear crystal clear like a normal set of ears should be able to. I can talk and hear somewhat ok, I'm not "deaf" all the way. I can converse like a normal person, but it just gets worst.

 

[Maureen]

Chad
I'm so sorry to learn about your hearing impairment
and you only 25 may I say you sound so very learned
for your years, when I think I have 3 sons 21, 26, and 30
and none know the Lord, such a shame,
I sometimes blame myself for not having been with the Lord
in my youth, well I was at 16 but fell away unfortunatly
to late to worry about regret now, I know it's never too
late to come to Jesus but I could have influenced my family
more, I sent them to Sunday School but that's as much as
except for having them Christened, but now at 52 myself
I do so much regret not coming to the Lord so much sooner
I waited till I was 50 God forgive me please
Well about the music bit, I love gospel music in a wide range
old hymns new ones, groups choirs etc, I have just ordered
Nichole C Mullan very R & B but such a great voice,
Don Meon I think is great too, Sonic Flood, oh theres loads
but recently I've taken to listening to music and no words
don't know why really cause some of the words are awesome
but I have a bit of a problem lately with this very modern
worship looks to me like it's a concert, worldy like, as that's
what they do at them, can you ease my mind on this Chad?
I'd be gratefull if you could try, thank you and Godbless

 

[FordSVT]

I need some more understanding

Can anyone explain why they only listen to Christian music or stations? That seems a bit culturally incestuous. It may be that if you only are exposed to Christian subculture than that is ALL you know. No wonder we can't relate to the world when trying to evangelize. Christ told us we would be known by our love for one another (again, I am bad with references...help?) not by our music or books. Anyone heard of a christian group called The Normals (they signed with forefront records about 6 years ago and have at least 2 CDs out)? Their major influences are U2, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Sting, and Willie Nelson, to name a few. Does that make them a bad "christian" band? Do those creative influences mean that their music is tainted? Or possibly could that be that they see, in the creative process, the hand of THE Creator. So its a song by Green Day? Can you listen and see if maybe God is there somewhere? Can you listen and maybe begin to understand a generation's need for something real or a generation's pain? Perhaps then we can begin to love like Christ with compassion. In high school I wanted to play a Phil Collins instrumental for a friend. He wouldn't listen because he was going through a period where he wouldn't listen to anything secular. I disagree with that mindset and think it harms our ability to be a presence for Christ in the world. We can bring this into books, art, and theatre as well. Have any of you read or seen Angels in America by Tony Kushner? That play opened my eyes and allowed me to see men and women who are gay as humans who bleed and hurt. You are inhuman and your heart is caloused if that doesn't cause you to feel anything but compassion for someone. Yes, there are consequences for sin. That is between God and the person.
If we are to Love like Christ, I don't understand how sequestering ourselves from the rest of the world will enable us to feel compassion for those not yet aware of Christ's Sacrifice and Yahweh's gift of grace.
Grace and Peace

 

[Chad]

I'm not sure where you come up with "they only listen to Christian music or stations". That is because whoever "they" you are referring to choose to do so. They are not sinning are they? You choose to listen to what you like, they do the same. That has absolutely no affect on evangelism whatsoever what music a person listens to. However, I'd rather listen to Christian music than secular music for a good obvious reason.

If your friend refused to listen to Phil Collins so be it. That is his choice by GOD's freedom. It does not revolve around what you believe out of your opinion but what someone chooses to do unto GOD themselves personally. Just because someone listens to Christian music only (the healthier choice than "green day" for example) it does not mean they cannot evangelize or preach to others at all. As long as they do not judge the others for the secular music they listen to of course.

 

[mymakersdaughter]

Well, I thought about the post by FordSVT and after the morning news I listened to the secular music. I normally listen to Christian music on my way to and from work. I began taking a strong interest in Christian music about 15 yrs. ago and decided to only listen to that. So today I wanted to hear the pleas of youth today in secular music, to understand the kids, "to relate to the world" as Ford SVT put it. That experiement lasted about a song...okay, not really, half maybe.
I work in the world everyday, I hear foul language, negative attitudes, dealing with discipline everyday in my job but I need to feel lifted up, inspired to keep focus on Him, encouraged to allow myself to be positive, to see through the sin and help the ones I deal with daily. I don't find encouragement in secular music, I can get soaked by the negativity of the world or be light to those around me because my spirit is satisfied due to the fact I just spent 40 mins. praising my Heavenly Father. I walk into my job and feel alive, positive, knowing I will have to discipline some students but knowing He will guide the discipline because I give it to Him everyday.

I used to have a job where my life was threatened, I was harrassed daily, sworn at daily, called every name in the book but I drove an hour to work and I spent it with Him. Not once did my job drag me down, it never effected me because I sang on the top of my lungs to Him. I worship God, through how I live my life daily with each of the kids I deal with and my colleagues.
I don't need secular music.