Weekend Thought: When is it too much?

Starting a church can be a difficult task. You hand and mail out fliers. You may make phone calls to invite folks to your new church, but all in all, the amount of folks coming to your newly started church will vary. It could be several families in one weekend, it could be two families in three months. Such a task can be disappointing and difficult at times . For that matter, growing an established church can be a difficult task as well. Some churches try to reinvent themselves; others might operate with the mindset of give-them-what-they-want. It seems to be the trend of churches today that are struggling to bring in new visitors to change their music to more upbeat and contemporary music, to replace all or a portion of their preaching worship services to entertaining dramas and Power Point presentations with movies clips, or to loosen their conservative standards to a come-as-you-are standard. The question is should the church accept this as a nature course of change. I would argue not.

A perfect example of this so called "modernistic church" is seen in the flyer I received today in the mail. As a matter of fact you probably already looked at the picture of it with this post. This particular church promotes a new message series entitled "I love the 80s." The "messages" are entitled "Back to the Future", "Different Strokes", "The A Team", and "The Facts of Life". Some of the things you can expect at this church are "a casual, comfortable atmosphere; a practical, creative message; fun and safe kids ministry; donuts and coffee; and quality nursery." Now some of those things mentioned are good, but why the emphasis on a "casual comfortable atmosphere" or the need to mention "donuts and coffee"? It doesn't seem that the preaching of the Word of God is point worthy for this church.

What is the purpose of church? From my studies and from my own understanding, we go to church to worship God. No where on this flyer did it mentioned the worshiping of God. Truthfully, I find this kind of promotion worldly and only focused on "bringing them in". We live in an entertainment age, where people demand to be entertained. People are even desiring entertainment in the church and some churches are quite happy to give them what they want.

When churches do that, it doesn't breed "quality" Christians. It breeds lukewarm Christians (Revelation 3:14-22) who distort the real thing for something far less in quality. It's more appealing because one doesn't have to be totally committed. They can still have their worldly fun and be a Christian. Jesus warned that you cannot serve two masters and I think we have a lot of Christians trying to do that today.

We do not find in the Bible the early church fathers using entertainment to advanced the Word of God. We find the focus of their ministry the preaching of the Word of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5) As it ought to be in our ministries.

I'm not saying that technology is anathema in our churches, but it should never take the place over the preaching of the Word of God. If we have to advertise coffee and donuts to bring them in, our ministries have a problem. We are not to cater to the worldly; nor are we to come down to the muck and mire they live in. We are to lift them up out of that muck and mire and into the fold of God. To show them a different lifestyle, one that changes people, not one that allows them to have it both ways.

You might not agree with me and I understand some people will not. It is my belief that many churches have chosen to mix themselves with the world to gain numbers in the church and that the cause of Christ, the spreading of the Gospel, has been hurt by this. While the Great Commission states that we are to go until all the nations, we are also suppose to teach them the whole counsel of God.

"¹ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. ² For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, ⁴ Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; ⁵ Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. ⁶ For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ⁷ Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. ⁹ But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

¹⁰ But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, ¹¹ Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. ¹⁴ But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; ¹⁵ And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."

2 Timothy 3:1-17