Jonathan Caswell posted: " CARL GOOCH Carl's Thoughts On - Circuit Preacher These are just my observations and comparisons between churches of today and of years gone by. You don't hear of this much anymore. Maybe in some of our smaller areas. A circuit pre" By the Mighty MumfordRead on blog or Reader
These are just my observations and comparisons between churches of today and of years gone by.
You don't hear of this much anymore. Maybe in some of our smaller areas.
A circuit preacher was a man of God who would travel from area to area. He would come and the folks would set up a tent and some makeshift benches. Folks would come from all around to hear the word of God preached. And if the area had a couple wanting to get married he would handle that as well.
Back in the hills most folks lived off the land. Either working in the timber, sawmill, farming or hunting; there wasn't a church around. So when the preacher man would come around it was a big event for them.
That didn't mean that they didn't have God's word; every house had a well worn bible that they read daily. Their faith was fed every day and it was strong for they understood the blessings of the Lord.
From every hill and holler they would come to worship together and sing praises to the Lord. In the heat or cold, rain or shine they would come. Sometimes they would bring homemade food of all kinds to share with one another. The service may last a few hours or it may last all day. In the sawmill camps not everyone could come at the same time so the preacher may do more than one service a day. (not always were the services held on Sundays.)
Sometimes the preacher was only there for a day or two, sometimes a little longer. One of the families would make sure he had a warm place to stay and a meal.
As I think back on these circuit preachers and tent revivals, I can see how they strengthened the faith keeping God's word alive in those who struggled to survive.
I wonder why it is that today's churches must have comfortable sets, conditioned air and timely services. I'm not saying these things are not nice but it should not be a must have.
Maybe we have become a little too comfortable in our worship; a little too self centered, we think more of our comfort and less on what Jesus did for us.
I enjoy having live music, padded pews, air conditioning as much as anyone. But if they were not available it would not stop me from worshiping God and singing His praises.
This is just my thoughts on the church as a whole, not any individual church.
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