What the American Church Needs
…to be successful.
I venture way out on a limb to say this because I love any and everything technology and “performance” related, but the American Church does not need newer or better technology and brighter lights to be successful. Sure, we need them to compete with the “world” – but I think that argument (there are exceptions to the rule) is an apples and oranges argument.
Do we NEED to be competing with the ENTERTAINMENT industry for the hearts and minds of the people in our community to be a successful church? Is being a successful church all about drawing as many people as we can with the latest look, style, and vibe of the entertainment industry? Why are we comparing our church services to the entertainment industry anyways?
So how many of our churches can actually compete with Avatar? Or a Celine Dion show in Vegas? Or American Idol? Because that’s pretty much what we’re trying to do.
God hasn’t called the Church to entertain people. The Kingdom is about BEING CHRIST to people. I say compete with the spirit of the world for the hearts and minds of people. But not with the entertainment industry. We’re too focused on the natural.
No, I say with boldness and confidence that the Church doesn’t NEED the latest technology and flashiest lights to be the Church. Sure, one could argue that you need them to communicate with cutting edge authenticity and to capture the wandering attentions of our ADD generation. Maybe.
But what the Church needs to be successful is simple. In fact, what she needs and wants are two totally different things. The Church needs to be a collective representation of Christ to her surrounding communities. Period.
Focus on that and you’ll be successful. Oh you might not grab the attention of people who want to be entertained, but why does the church need to duplicate that arena anyways. James Cameron seems to be doing quite nicely as it is.
Start with CHRIST. Christology (or knowing who Jesus is and what He does) is key. We can’t represent something we don’t know.
Let your use of technology and your desire to be cutting edge ALWAYS flow from a bigger purpose: BEING CHRIST TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU.
Can we use technology to “be Christ” – I’m sure some could argue effectively that we could and should use what we have to influence others for Christ. But the plain and simple truth of the matter is we don’t need technology to be like Jesus to those around us.
The numbers are in and we’ve spent more money the last decade on growth techniques and being technologically cutting edge to “keep up with and compete with the world” than in any time in history and the American church has declined. It hasn’t worked. Throwing money at our facilities doesn’t grow the church. Representing Jesus to the world as a group of people does.
Want to be a successful part of the Church? Represent Jesus collectively right where you are, individually and of course collectively, and God will honor that.
Want to be a cool, cutting edge, and ultimately entertaining church? Pursue stuff and neglect being Christ to those around you and you’ll probably be a beacon of technological “coolness” to churches across the land…but you’ll be a small fish swimming in a much larger ocean, the sea of entertainment that moves people but doesn’t truly impact them for eternity.
* Disclaimer: I’m ALL FOR using technology in our gatherings. I’m all for creating memorable experiences. I’m all for setting moods and atmospheres for our worship gatherings. But I’m also willing to admit that those things alone DO NOT make us better representatives of Jesus to the world around us.
Hi Russ…I wrote a blog post after returning from India that reminds me of this. I had many of these same thoughts as I worshiped in India with the Believers there. In fact, I came home and could hardly stomach normal church. My argument – as a worship leader and service planner for many years – is that we almost depend on our own talents and abilities to win people to Christ. While I’m all for creativity I am afraid we’ve almost lost the realization that we will never WIN someone to Christ by impressing them. As I sat in the tiniest church you’ve ever seen with the poorest of the poor in the slums of Kolkatta and we sang and prayed together I thought “this is church” – and there is nothing impressive about it but the love people had for God and one another.
I know the context is different. We live in a different world. But I felt the presence of God in a more powerful way in that simple church service than I have in big churches with all the bells and whistles in a long, long time……..
I had to wonder why?
Thanks Jan for sharing! I know that when I’ve returned from overseas I’ve always been SLAPPED with that reality in a major way. Like you said, we do indeed live in a different culture.
But I choose to believe that deep down inside of us there is actually a desire planted by God to really connect with people on the most basic level possible. It’s the way the Kingdom grows. through relationship, serving and authenticity. Not through bravado, clamor, and pageantry.
We’re spoiled (blessed) here in America and I think sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees.
amen. The Holy Spirit brings people to Christ. Period.
do it.
do it.
do it.
doit.
doit
doit.
I like this post.
Thanks, Andy.
It’s something we could ALL hear continuously. It’s not a message that we hear once and should forget.
The Church is God’s, not our own. Really the only non-negotiable purpose of the Church here on this side of eternity is to REPRESENT CHRIST. Of course that includes lots of sub-purposes. But we are HIS body!
Blessings!
I blogged this image a while back:
Oops, here you go
http://denverintranslation.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/relevancy.png
That’s so straight forward and to the point, Mark! I love it!
Man I struggle with that all the time. I look at the book of Acts and I see that the church spent their time helping on another and in small groups. I can’t remember any mentions of large group gatherings where one person spoke to the crowds except when Jesus did and that was only recorded a few times. I guess I just realize that we put all our effort into Sunday mornings without putting a ton of effort into growing the “Christianity in everyday life” segment.
There are more than just a few large group gatherings in the NT, so I don’t have a problem with that. But I think we’ve got those covered and covered well. I think it’s the during the week, in our homes and in the marketplace, in which we are mediocre at best.
I am the “chief of sinners” in this area but it is something that is stirring in my heart in a major way!
Dude. Homerun. Triple “Amen”.
Thanks, Shannon. We need to hang out sometime.