Blogust & Everything After

So our Taiwan church has recently shifted in a direction that I must admit I’m not comfortable with. We have a new pastor and he’s good and it’s good for the church but he’s brought a sort of charismatic style with him. I enjoy enthusiasm but a group of people praying in all sorts of ways at different volumes and about different things just throws me off and others as well. Part of the problem is that there has been no communication with the congregation about this new style. Maybe I’d be able to choke it down better if I knew it was the majority decision. It just sort of happened over a week or two and it’s everywhere. It’s in small groups, it’s in our weekly church prayer meetings and it’s on Sundays. I just miss the personal touch of one person praying for another rather than a room of bellowing. I also have a focus problem, I don’t find it easy to pray for long periods of time, like 30 mins max. And with this new prayer wave the sessions last for hours. I guess I need to open my mind a little and try to adapt but I also wish others could be more sensitive and slow down the pace. I know others feel the same way as me but no one is willing to stand up. I’ve also been feeling a lot of that these days. I end up looking like a jerk a lot of the time just because I’m the only one willing to say what’s on his mind. Why do people find it so hard to express their real feelings. Why do we hold back so much. Nothing ever gets accomplished in the world without someone making a stand or offering change. If we all just went with the status quo than nothing would ever improve or advance. I’m just tired of being the only one willing to offer resistance. But as long as I’m the only one than I have to keep on speaking my mind. I’m also no soldier but I am willing to be an outcast in the face of the mob…