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Labels
- arm wrestling
- article
- article blog rant
- blog
- book review
- camping
- Charles Spurgeon
- choir music
- coffee
- controversy
- Culture
- fatherhood
- grace
- hello?
- hip hop
- humor
- hymns
- Isaac Watts
- Man Foul
- man gathering
- marriage
- mercy
- personal reflection
- philly
- prayer
- quote
- rant
- reunion
- Roll Call
- Rules and bylaws...
- school etc
- technology
- Theology
- update
- Video
5 comments:
What do you guys think it is about the South and the culture there that makes churches like these explode? I can't think of a single church with that type of atmosphere that is that huge up here in Philly. Maybe it's that churches up here resign themselves to smaller attendance and so don't get caught up in the whole "relevant" thing and trying to just attract as many people as possible.
As far as this video, it seems like a spectacular misuse of time, talents, and money. Having said that, I don't know if it's an "as long as the gospel is being preached" moment, or a "you foolish Galatians" moment.
What do y'all think?
That's a really good question. I think there are a lot of components that add up to the result of the kind of church we're talking about. Northerners are more reserved, for one, and that's the way they expect their church to be.
I think Southerners see church as something that "good people" do, a way of letting the community know that you are a decent human being, one of the right kind of people. Church really doesn't do that in the North. Because church in the South is a little bit more of where you are and what you're doing than who you are in the South, I think there's more of a draw to getting as much church-bang for your buck, so to speak. "You're a good person and you deserve good church."
There are a few megachurches around here, so maybe Reggie is just lucky that he hasn't run into one yet. Does the idea of a church selling tickets to a main service as an "outreach" event make anyone else's head explode? While I believe that the conversation has to change in relation to the people being talked to (as far as sharing the Gospel is concerned), I think that someone can "preach the gospel" in such a way that they are no longer actually preaching the gospel.
Which, as I think about it, isn't to say that God can't work through that, but I don't think that means people shouldn't be trying very hard all the time to respect the power and responsibility of speaking Truth in the Name of God.
I think I'd land on the "as long as..." side of Reggie's question. From working on a bigger churches staff I've been in on those staff meetings where someone pipes up and says "What if we did _______" and sometimes I gently offer another option and sometimes I just pray.
However I do know it comes from an earnest desire for people to see Jesus as glorified. Now I don't see that as an excuse for 3D Easter.
James I think your last sentence carries a lot of weight.. that we should work "very hard all the time to respect the power and responsibility of speaking Truth in the Name of God."
I think there is a point where as we try to speak the gospel in the language of the people we over vernacularize the message and loose it's potency.
what say the rest of you slackers.
Also Reggie... Would you please tell Chris that i miss him and would cherish a phone conversation this weekend.
I'm really surprised I'm the guy most not in favor of this kind of thing! I wish we could have an emergency council meeting this weekend to discuss it.
I think I'm ultimately pretty wary of "the Gospel as Entertainment" when it feels like it's meant to lure people rather than artistically instruct them.
Not that this is one of those things and not the other, but that I'm always checking the air for it.
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