Standing Ovations

cast.sheep

cast.sheep

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During a Schaap era Pastors' School, we hosted the speaker...a young man... who had direct ties to Hamas leadership.  We also hosted the man's pastor from California.  We were sitting on the front row.  During the evening session there were literally DOZENS of standing ovations for various things.  Our guests just looked at us like, "What is going on here???".  It was kind of embarrassing. 

I recently had the opportunity to hear George W. Bush and family speak.  It was a bi-partisan group.  There was plenty of clapping and obvious admiration, but not a single standing o. 

I have often wondered about all of those standing ovations.  Every HAC chapel speaker received one just for walking out onto the platform.  There were plenty in church services too.

Thoughts, anyone? 



 
At HAC I always thought it was just a sign of respect.
 
I have never gone to HAC, but I would submit that if a standing ovation is summarily performed for each and every chapel speaker...it is a ritual designed to perpetuate the elevation of the man of God.

At FBC, we had one particularly zealous fellow who used to sit in the front row or close to it...he initiated every standing ovation. The practice is finally dying away, to the point where recently Pastor Wilkerson had to urge the congregation to give a standing ovation to someone, don't recall who. But the point is, it (the standing o) is no longer de rigeur.

Edited to add: It was pretty amusing when our Standing O Initiator was sitting a little further back and off to the side at the service when we said goodbye to Cindy Schaap...he tried to initiate a standing o for her, and no one followed suit. What was amusing was the look on his face as he realized he was alone in the standing ovation...
 
This is a classic example of how man centered FBCH became. If you want to give a standing ovation to your long time pastor who is retiring after 40 years of service, well, I've got no problem with that. Almost every other case I'm sitting in my seat looking like a rebel to everybody else around me. Can't stand those things. Almost always wildly inappropriate.
 
kaba said:
At HAC I always thought it was just a sign of respect.
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"You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:32

This must be qualified with
"The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness." Proverbs 16:31

I have no problem rising for an elder gentleman who has been faithful to the Lord. The practice of multiple standing ovations for something said during a message is simply for show and not for honor.
 
Nothing new. Remember Hyles honored the convicted child molesting deacon back into church to an arousing ovation back in the day.

There are times and circumstances where it can be appropriate. Church may or may not be one of those places, not sure. If so, would seem it should be very limited if practiced at all.
 
Once there was a king..
who had 10,000 men..
he marched them all right up the hill and right back down again.


We were trained at an early age.......
 
The year I went to HAC, every chapel speaker was honored with an enthusiastic standing ovation as they appeared on the platform. It seemed to be an expression of "we can't wait to hear what you are going to tell us" and "we are honored that you are speaking to us." As critical as I am of the man worshiping culture that was so prevalent at FBC and HAC, I must say that I found it kind of a nice cheer leading type gesture from the students to the speaker. Was it deserved in all cases? Surely not. Did it pump up the speaker? Probably. Is that a bad thing? I just don't know. If I was a speaker there, I think I would really appreciate the enthusiasm. In many cases, the speaker was a complete unknown.

That being said, there are a few standing O's that are egregious. The aforementioned A.V. Ballenger ovation was probably the worst example. The EL standing ovation.......well, I'll leave it to the members to decide on that one.
 
Perfect thread! I just changed the Karma feature to say "Standing Ovation?"

Now you can give Standing Ovations to anyone you want!
 
No one is mentioning all the Standing O's the first Wednesday night after the Schaap ouster (or Post A-Schaapalyptic), when David Gibbs addressed FBC? That rubbed a few of us the wrong way. Too much clapping for what should have been a much more somber night. Too much effort to try to show "Everything's alright in my Father's House" when we should have been remorseful and honest.
 
FSSL said:
Perfect thread! I just changed the Karma feature to say "Standing Ovation?"

Now you can give Standing Ovations to anyone you want!
Click to expand...
So...... what is a negative karma?  A walk out?
 
I well remember the 1st service in the "new auditorium" at HAC. We had outgrown the "old" chapel building. Jackie-boy very seriously & somberly lead the staff & students from the old to the new building.

When we were all seated on the new fresh pews (I'm guessing IFB churches still use pews) he taught & demonstrated how Jack wanted & expected every chapel speaker to be greeted.....yep....you guessed it.....with a loud standing O. And the rest is.....well.....history.
 
fishinnut said:
I well remember the 1st service in the "new auditorium" at HAC. We had outgrown the "old" chapel building. Jackie-boy very seriously & somberly lead the staff & students from the old to the new building.

When we were all seated on the new fresh pews (I'm guessing IFB churches still use pews) he taught & demonstrated how Jack wanted & expected every chapel speaker to be greeted.....yep....you guessed it.....with a loud standing O. And the rest is.....well.....history.
Click to expand...

We no longer have pews anywhere in any of your buildings. All seating is padded single chairs in the auditoriums. In the main auditorium we have padded pew backed 22" wide padded theater seats that pop up automatically when you stand up thus producing a regulation fire isle in every row.
 
Binaca Chugger said:
FSSL said:
Perfect thread! I just changed the Karma feature to say "Standing Ovation?"

Now you can give Standing Ovations to anyone you want!
Click to expand...
So...... what is a negative karma?  A walk out?
Click to expand...
If I could label it, it would probably say "Called out from the pulpit"
 
FSSL said:
Binaca Chugger said:
FSSL said:
Perfect thread! I just changed the Karma feature to say "Standing Ovation?"

Now you can give Standing Ovations to anyone you want!
Click to expand...
So...... what is a negative karma?  A walk out?
Click to expand...
If I could label it, it would probably say "Called out from the pulpit"
Click to expand...
How about:  HNYYAAAAHH!
 
Norefund said:
The year I went to HAC, every chapel speaker was honored with an enthusiastic standing ovation as they appeared on the platform. It seemed to be an expression of "we can't wait to hear what you are going to tell us" and "we are honored that you are speaking to us." As critical as I am of the man worshiping culture that was so prevalent at FBC and HAC, I must say that I found it kind of a nice cheer leading type gesture from the students to the speaker.
Click to expand...

A preacher is lifted up above people so that he may be seen. He is often deferred to by others around him. His advice and counsel is sought. When you add to those a crowd of people standing and cheering for him it has to be almost impossible for pride not to grow in his heart. Pride is what ruined Bro. Hyles' ministry, and what will ruin mine if I'm not careful. It has brought down more good men that I know than I can count. It is at least careless and probably foolish to cultivate a reception of preachers that is nothing more than a breeding ground for pride.
 
cpizzle said:
Always stand for the millionaire too!
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Yes, someone posted a clip recently of Russell Anderson getting a huge one. And not just the clap and stand in honor of an older man. It was over the top stuff. Also remember one for Dave Hyles. There was also a huge one for this guy that decided several years ago to put jh's sermons into book form and publish them. He wasn't aged or well-know; just wealthy.
 
You are probably right. Being an HBHS graduate, and sitting through chapel services with the majority of the student body bored silly, it was refreshing to see a group of students appear to be busting at the seams excited to hear a chapel speaker. Had it stopped there, I guess it would have been acceptable. The laws of unattended consequences usually kick in.


Tom Brennan said:
Norefund said:
The year I went to HAC, every chapel speaker was honored with an enthusiastic standing ovation as they appeared on the platform. It seemed to be an expression of "we can't wait to hear what you are going to tell us" and "we are honored that you are speaking to us." As critical as I am of the man worshiping culture that was so prevalent at FBC and HAC, I must say that I found it kind of a nice cheer leading type gesture from the students to the speaker.
Click to expand...

A preacher is lifted up above people so that he may be seen. He is often deferred to by others around him. His advice and counsel is sought. When you add to those a crowd of people standing and cheering for him it has to be almost impossible for pride not to grow in his heart. Pride is what ruined Bro. Hyles' ministry, and what will ruin mine if I'm not careful. It has brought down more good men that I know than I can count. It is at least careless and probably foolish to cultivate a reception of preachers that is nothing more than a breeding ground for pride.
Click to expand...
 
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