Standing Ovations

I think it probably started out simple at HAC.  Dr. Hyles wanted the student body to love and respect preachers.  Instead of having sports heroes, Dr. Hyles wanted the students to have preachers as heroes.  Some of the preachers that preached in HAC chapel were going through tough times.  I believe Dr. Hyles wanted these men to have a refreshing, uplifting time while they were at HAC.  Visiting preachers were treated very well while at HAC.  I believe it all started with the best of intentions.

As is often the case, when you turn a group of college students lose they take things to the next level.  This happened with the standing ovations.  They spread like wild fire.  Yelling, whistling, waving Bibles and standing on pews soon followed.  This spilled over into Pastor's School, Youth Conference, and the Christian Womanhood Spectacular.  At some point Dr. Hyles should have brought things back to earth, but he did not.

I, like many of you, hate most standing ovations to this day.  Yes, there are times when it is appropriate and merited, but many times it is just goofy.  I know of two preachers in my area that get into this.  When I attend a special service at their church it drives my crazy.  One of the preachers is a HAC grad.  After his song leader finishes leading the opening song he says, "And now here is the worlds greatest preacher!" and the whole place erupts with clapping and yelling.  I don't know if this guy thinks that this is good for his people, or if he is just insecure.  He has the crowd clap for visiting preachers.  During a special meeting with several preachers I was sitting next to Larry Brown.  He leaned over to me and said, "I believe if I slipped out to use the bathroom these people would clap.  I laughed for 5 minutes.

The other preacher is not a HAC grad but has been greatly affected by Pastor's School.  He has his people clap for a visiting preacher when he comes to the pulpit.  At the end of the service he with say, "Wasn't that a great message by Brother ____________!  Let's thank him for it" and the congregation claps.  Again, it drives my batty!

I'm reminded of the words of Dr. Hyles when he said, "The only thing I hate worse than a standing ovation is not getting a standing ovation".  :)     
 
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.
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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.
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I'm giving a standing ovation for this response! (Clap! Clap! Whoop! Whoop!)

Pride is so dangerous.  I realize this more and more as I get older.  While we were focusing and preaching on pet "sins", PRIDE crept in and did more damage than all of those "sins" put together.  Yes, we were conditioned at FBC/HAC to lift up the man of God, leadership, etc.  What we did not realize is the damage we did to our own pastors by lifting them so high.  Pride is so dangerous in my own life.  I find that when I take a good hard look at my own life, pride is everywhere.  I'm not sure if it just takes years of living to recognize and understand the danger of pride or if we could have been warned somehow. 
 
By the way, how many posts does it take to not be a Newbie anymore? haha!
 
We would give standing ovations for some visiting politicians too.  I always wondered about that.  I think we should have given standing ovations to all the women in the church who had disabled husbands.  Nope.  Not a single one for them, that I remember. 
 
I never really had a problem with the SO at HAC.  It was HAC, after all.  This was a different place where the preachers were honored.  The students were just being goofy college age kids and this was a chance for them to act their age in a way that cheered the preaching of the Word.  Tom was right.  JH wanted to encourage visiting preachers and the lower staff members who faithfully served without recognition or pay.  JH wanted the students to be more excited about God than they were about football, so he asked them to cheer the preaching time instead of the kickoff.  I don't think it was intended to be what it became.  For most students, the cheering was just a time of silliness to cheer - something.  Most who spoke there knew it and joked about it: "Oh, sit down.  Your'e just cheering cuz your not taking a test right now!"

However, to some, this became something more.  To these little HACkers, it is what a pre-e-e-e-eacher deserved - the honor, respect and admiration of sheeple.  So many HACkers never really got it.  They took the method, but lost the meaning.  Just a few years ago, I visited a church where the pastor walked out on stage to a standing ovation.  Aside from his family and us, there were like 15 people in the church.  I was like - REALLY!?!
 
I think it is a bad practice; that's how the world welcomes its idols.

It may make an obscure person feel good, but that isn't a good reason to do things in church -- what we do in church should have a Bible basis.

Not to mention that SOs let in pride.
 
Walt said:
I think it is a bad practice; that's how the world welcomes its idols.

It may make an obscure person feel good, but that isn't a good reason to do things in church -- what we do in church should have a Bible basis.

Not to mention that SOs let in pride.
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Agreed.
 
Walt said:
I think it is a bad practice; that's how the world welcomes its idols.

It may make an obscure person feel good, but that isn't a good reason to do things in church -- what we do in church should have a Bible basis.

Not to mention that SOs let in pride.
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So how many who realize that standing O's are wrong now just sit and clap for everything?
 
My church surprised me yesterday with a card for "Pastor Appreciation Week" (I didn't know that was a real thing.)  The elder deacon presented it and told me that the church loved me and my family.  I was then honored with a standing ovation from the members.  It was very humbling and at no point was I filled with pride.  I felt honored and appreciated (and I certainly knew that I didn't deserve it.) 
 
cpizzle said:
My church surprised me yesterday with a card for "Pastor Appreciation Week" (I didn't know that was a real thing.)  The elder deacon presented it and told me that the church loved me and my family.  I was then honored with a standing ovation from the members.  It was very humbling and at no point was I filled with pride.  I felt honored and appreciated (and I certainly knew that I didn't deserve it.)
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IMO, this is when it is proper and right.
 
I'm just thinking here...not passing judgment AT ALL...because I honestly don't know the answer.  I think it is awesome when a church family expresses their appreciation to their pastor.  I think we should!  I wonder, however, if it would be better to have some kind of fellowship after the service in a fellowship hall or something and honor the pastor then....standing ovations and all!  Or maybe it doesn't matter.  Just thinking out loud.  Maybe it is because of my experience at FBCH but I cringe at standing ovations in the sanctuary for anyone other than God.  Maybe I am just getting old and cranky.  haha!  It's just that I saw the pride that grew from such things done so innocently by the congregation. Pride is a dangerous thing.  Some men can handle the praise...and some can't. 

Does that make sense?

 
cast.sheep said:
I'm just thinking here...not passing judgment AT ALL...because I honestly don't know the answer.  I think it is awesome when a church family expresses their appreciation to their pastor.  I think we should!  I wonder, however, if it would be better to have some kind of fellowship after the service in a fellowship hall or something and honor the pastor then....standing ovations and all!  Or maybe it doesn't matter.  Just thinking out loud.  Maybe it is because of my experience at FBCH but I cringe at standing ovations in the sanctuary for anyone other than God.  Maybe I am just getting old and cranky.  haha!  It's just that I saw the pride that grew from such things done so innocently by the congregation. Pride is a dangerous thing.  Some men can handle the praise...and some can't. 

Does that make sense?
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You better believe it!
 
cpizzle said:
My church surprised me yesterday with a card for "Pastor Appreciation Week" (I didn't know that was a real thing.)  The elder deacon presented it and told me that the church loved me and my family.  I was then honored with a standing ovation from the members.  It was very humbling and at no point was I filled with pride.  I felt honored and appreciated (and I certainly knew that I didn't deserve it.)
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This is nice... however, a church I was at, the pastor planned out his anniversary, including the gift/money he wanted, and then instructed a staff person or the deacon to bring it up under the guise of "providing a surprise for pastor".
 
[quote author=Walt]This is nice... however, a church I was at, the pastor planned out his anniversary, including the gift/money he wanted, and then instructed a staff person or the deacon to bring it up under the guise of "providing a surprise for pastor".[/quote]

What the Hyles?
 
cpizzle said:
My church surprised me yesterday with a card for "Pastor Appreciation Week" (I didn't know that was a real thing.)  The elder deacon presented it and told me that the church loved me and my family.  I was then honored with a standing ovation from the members.  It was very humbling and at no point was I filled with pride.  I felt honored and appreciated (and I certainly knew that I didn't deserve it.)
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This is a bit off topic, but it reminded me of Bro and Mrs Hyles being honored for their 25th anniversary at FBC in 1984.  I had attended FBC for 17yrs at this time, and Mrs Hyles was asked to join the Pastor at the pulpit.  This is the first time in 17 yrs that I had seen the two stand together at the same time.
 
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