[2Jedismom]

>>So I figure it will take a bit for them to catch on.

Don't bet on it catching on. None of the churches I've visited in years have been without the clapping. I hate it, personally. I dislike change.

There was just something fantastic about hearing a special music by the choir or the pianist and then hearing all the men in the congregation rumble out "Amen!" at the end and you could feel the bass tones running into your very bones!

Also, I love the old hymns more than anything and most churches now sing the 24/7 "praise chorus's" (Sing a 7 word song 24 times) that a brain-dead person could sing. I see it as nothing less than an attempt to induce a trance on the congregation.

Now I like many praise chorus's, but if I start feeling like someone is trying to induce a trance on me, I become very rebellious, completely blowing any chance of worship.

I'm a very belligerent baptist!

[JenB]

We don't clap. Sometimes when the little ones sing, maybe, but we don't clap. We also don't say amen, there's this rather difficult silence before moving on to something else.

[Corin Stormhands]

None of the churches I've visited in years have been without the clapping. I hate it, personally. I dislike change.

You guys have a problem with scripture?

Psalm 47:1
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.

Psalm 98:8
Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for joy;

Isaiah 55:12
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands

Us Pentecostals don't have a problem with clapping. That's pretty tame for us.

But don't get you vestments in a bunch. I'm pretty open to different styles of worship. It's one of the things that makes me a heretic over on that forum. I believe God made us as individuals and that we all have individual preferences and tastes, but since He created everything, including our preferences, He enjoys our different forms of worship.

I once ended an argument on an AOL forum (this was years ago) with a person who said they preferred four-part harmony 'cause that was the music God liked. They were deriding the Middle-Eastern type music, so I said "You mean like the kind Jesus would've listened to?"

[John Farson]

Also, I love the old hymns more than anything and most churches now sing the 24/7 "praise chorus's" (Sing a 7 word song 24 times) that a brain-dead person could sing.

That really annoys me too. I'll just quit singing.

I love singing, clapping, dancing to old hymns, but can also appreciate newer songs if they have a foundation in Scripture.

Here are two of my favorites:

Days of Elijah (by Robin Mark)

These are the days of Elijah
Declaring the Word of the Lord
And these are the days of Your servant, Moses
Righteousness being restored
And though these are days of great trial
Of famine and darkness and sword
Still we are the voice in the desert, crying
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord!"

Behold, He comes - riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun - at the trumpet call
Lift your voice - it's the year of Jubilee
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes

And these are the days of Ezekiel
The dry bones becoming as flesh
And these are the days of Your servant, David
Rebuilding a temple of praise
And these are the days of the harvest
The fields are white in the world

And we are Your laborers in Your vineyard
Declaring the Word of the Lord

Behold, He comes - riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun - at the trumpet call
So lift your voice - it's the year of Jubilee
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes

or:

Come let's dance let's celebrate
The Holy Spirit is upon us now
Let's go out and preach freedom to the captives
And proclaim the year of jubilee
As He leads us on victoriously

We there is more, but I'll stop here.