Background: Christ Central Manchester is part of the New Frontiers network of churches. It’s a reformed charismatic church. Three Mystery Worshippers attended the 2nd April service.
What was the name of the service?
10:30am service
How full was the building?
2/3 full – probably 100 people were there.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Yes, with (exceptionally high quality) goody bags! Very friendly welcome.
Was your pew comfortable?
Yes x3
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
Relaxed and chatty.
What were the exact opening words of the service?
Hello, so welcome everyone.
What books did the congregation use during the service?
None. Words on digital screen.
What musical instruments were played?
Bass guitar, drums and keyboard.
Did anything distract you?
One of us was distracted by the numerous attractive women present.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
Literally happy clappy
Exactly how long was the sermon?
31m33s
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
7.5, 8, 8
In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
The title was Walking with Jesus … in Trust.
The minister, Keith, discussed what a lament was and then quoted N T Wright “a complaint is an accusation against God that maligns God’s character, but a lament is an appeal to God based on confidence in His character.” It was a sympathetic sermon as Keith kept reminding us how most people react to disappointment and the trials of life – we easily resort to bitterness and cynicism. However, the trick to deal with this is by all means lament, but also place our trust in God who will vindicate us. Keith got a bit emotional when he retold a member of the church who was killed in a hit and run incident – in that situation Keith lamented to God and found it was cathartic. He warned us that it is easy to slip from a lament to a complaint – the difference being trust in the character of God.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
Our responses were:
- It was a family like atmosphere – the congregation were good eggs.
- The preacher was a good and honest communicator.
- Friendliness of the congregation to us after the service.
And which part was like being in… er… the other place?
Nothing x1.
Music dragged on a bit too long X2.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
Loads of people engaged us in conversation
How would you describe the after-service coffee?
Tea full bodied – best tea so far!
Impressed with choice – tea, water, OJ, or coffee. Generous goodie bag.
How would you feel about making another visit (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
9, 6, 6.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?
Yes x3
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days’ time?
- The friendliness infectious.
- When the preacher got emotional and the genuine reactions to emotive section of the sermon.
- The decent message of the sermon.
The Mystery Worshippers 