J Lee Grady last week compiled a list of the “Top 10 Rudest Things People Do in Church.” He mentioned talking during a service, texting or surfing the web, sleeping, clipping fingernails during church (I’ve actually seen this one and it grossed me out!) and six other pet peeves you probably agree with.

His list got me thinking—and asking others—about rude behavior in church. I asked some of my Facebook friends to chime in on some of the rudest things they’ve witnessed during Sunday morning worship services. The responses were troubling and indicate a sign of the times we live in, where, in many cases, the Word of God being preached is no longer revered. 

Here are some of the most interesting responses:

1. Eating Pop-Tarts (or other food) during service. I understand that some people have blood-sugar issues or other problems, but I am hard-pressed to believe that most of the people noshing on breakfast foods during morning worship are prediabetic. In our rushed society, many may not get up early enough to eat breakfast before church. Some are bringing food from the church cafe into the sanctuary. Nibbling on a cracker is one thing. Having your morning meal is quite another. This is inappropriate. We should be focused on eating a spiritual meal or else step outside to snack if we can’t make it through the service. With regard to people eating the Lord's supper (communion), Paul wrote: "Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?" (1 Cor. 11:22).

2. Eyeballing the opposite sex with lustful eyes. Many people meet and fall in love in church. That's awesome! But the church is not a meat market. People should be able to go to church without being gawked at with lustful eyes. Based on some of the comments I saw on Facebook, apparently the sanctuary isn’t always a safe place for women pursuing God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. Of course, with some of the outfits women wear to church these days, it’s hard to put all the blame on the guys. The Lord says, "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16).

3. Heckling the pastor. If you are in a church that deals with recovering alcoholics and homeless people, you are bound to have at least one guy who heckles the pastor—or at least hollers out with inappropriate answers to rhetorical questions from time to time. They don't know btter, but ushers need to be properly trained on how to deal with this and other disruptions so that the word of God can go forth unhindered.

4. Tapping you on the shoulder when you are deep in worship to scoot by you and find a seat. How annoying! You are crying out to God over a deep issue in your life and on the verge of a breakthrough when Johnny Come Lately barges in, bumping into you as he tries to find a seat next to his buddy (who’s eating his breakfast on the third row).

5. Coming up behind you and laying hands on you suddenly. I’m all for the laying on of hands, but having a stranger who just clipped his fingernails—or who just heckled the pastor, or who disrupted you during deep worship—deciding to lay hands on you without permission is beyond rude. It can be sort of creepy. Even if they weren’t eating Pop-Tarts or engaging in any of the other rude behaviors mentioned, it’s still creepy for someone you don’t know to pounce on you and begin praying in some strange tongue.

Here are a few other pet peeves folks mentioned about rude behavior they see in church:

Not showing up at all because you find out the senior pastor isn’t preaching

Clipping coupons

Treating those less fortunate like they don’t belong there

Being unfriendly

Digging up their nose (yuck!)

Constantly looking at their watch

Mocking the way someone worships

Making fun of people singing on the platform

Passing notes back and forth

Conversations across pews

Clapping and shouting so loud during prophetic words that you can’t hear what’s being said

Talking about how someone’s weave looks

The list goes on and on. Yet some of my Facebook connections were upset that I asked the question. One commenter said it was judgmental. Another said it wasn’t edifying. Still another said the person sleeping in church could be having a prophetic dream. I think they are missing the point. Church is not a place to clip your toenails—or your coupons. Church is not a place to lust after the opposite sex. Church is not a place to catch up on your meal planning. 

God is gracious and merciful, much more than we are about distractions. But here's the bottom line: When the Word of God is being preached, respect should be offered as if Jesus was standing there Himself. It’s not about the messenger or what he is wearing or what his hair looks like. It’s about the message. We should pay attention to the Word of truth, especially in this hour when deception is rising, instead of texting our friends, passing notes, whispering about what we’re going to do when the pastor finally finishes preaching, or talking about somebody’s hairstyle.

Lost souls who don’t know better, well, they don’t know better. But church members who come in every week need to be gently corrected. After all, Jesus warned us to be careful how we listen: “Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him” (Luke 8:18). When we’re in church, we need to remember why we’re there. We need to cut out all the distractions and focus on the Lord—and we need to be respectful of the people around us whose lives may depend on the Word being preached. Amen.

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/40223-5-more-rude-things-people-do-in-church

Ignoring Da sermon,, Nairalanding in da church.....

.

2. Eyeballing the opposite sex with lustful eyes

This is the only one I'm guilty of.

Most of these demonic utterances and posts are from people who are selling things via nl.

Why is that?

But later you'll want people to buy from you.

If you have no respect for your potential customers, you must be a scammer.

Who cares??

Not everyone is religious, you know? At the end of the day, it's your general attitude towards mankind that will define you, not the way you comport your person inside the church ground.

Typical nairaland, church threads on Sundays, politics on Mondays, tonto dikeh on Tuesday, amaechi on Wednesdays abbl.

They're just trying to incite violence in churches.

People who are mentally unstable or bitter in life, will read all the crap and become even more bitter.

Sorry, whoever sows the wind is the one who will reap the whirlwind.

Oloun o ns'oba ika.

Yet again another list of what people do in the church. Nobody is perfect you know.

People come from different background and upbringing, don't expect people to act the way you seem fit. one way or the other People will do one of those things. People need to be tolerant or else, better stay in your home and worship. Enough said.

Farting in the church.... esp the men, dem sabi dis tin ehhn?? If dem raise one of dia ass lyk dis kasala don burst be dat

All acts in the list are not good.
A person that's sleeping in church may be having prophetic dream. The person that wrote this on Facebook must be a clown.
Last Bullet: Okay,
* person wey steal for church wan save the money for bank
* a man looking lustfully at a single lady in church is looking for a wife.

White007: Yet again another list of what people do in the church. Nobody is perfect you know.

They are witches.

Copy!

IamAthens: 1st 2 comment sha. #nowletmereadtopic

for your yeye mind

Still another said the person sleeping in church could be having a prophetic dream.

^ Now this gat me cracking

k2039:
This is the only one I'm guilty of.

u beter ask God for forgiveness now...

What of Nairalanding in the church..somebody said even se*n is guilty of this. Smh.

90% of people are guilty for the above thread so stop decieving yourselves. Anyway am not guilty of any. ;D90% of people are guilty for the above thread so stop decieving yourselves. Anyway am not guilty of any.

Damn, I really need prayers

IAMBREEZY: u beter ask God for forgiveness now...

I'm not ready to repent, so it's pointless asking for forgiveness.

I am soo guilty when it comes to surfing the web in church. With the kind of preaching wey the pastor dey give, I only have 2 options:
a. Fall into deep slumber
b. Surf the web
Of course I choose the web.

k2039:
This is the only one I'm guilty of.

Me too,I do this too.K2039 na you cause am oo

Demelza


I suppose staying home is not an option.

White007: Yet again another list of what people do in the church. Nobody is perfect you know.

People come from different background and upbringing, don't expect people to act the way you seem fit. one way or the other People will do one of those things. People need to be tolerant or else, better stay in your home and worship. Enough said.

excuse me;we are not talkin about background and upbringing here,mind u,any one in Christ is a new creature,old things(background flaws nd others)av passed away........
:
and about the perfection of a thing,my Bible makes me to understand dat we must be'..perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect'matt.5:48...alrite?

@prettyangel25, sweetie, why didnt u respond to my pm? Abeg do na!

*Thank God say no be inside church be dis. I for don contravend church rules*

4. You are crying out to God over a deep issue in your life and on the verge of a breakthrough when Johnny Come Lately barges in, bumping into you as he tries to find a seat next to his buddy (who’s eating his breakfast on the third row).

now that's hilarious

First to comment. Front page @ mod

Na wa o...sum pple no go jst accept dia wrong,instead dem dey argue

Hmm...

Last week in church a girl bside me who had cattarh actually blew her nose into a tissue comfortably nd nosily 4 abt 2mins.It was Disgusting nd 2 b doing it inside d church is jst plain bullcrap