Under the Big Top
On Wednesday as Genni the wonder dog and I were out for a stroll we passed the local performing arts center. During the summer, on Wednesday evenings they have a series of outdoor concerts. Now that we're getting closer to autumn's less pleasant weather (at least in this part of Canada) the concerts continue but under the shelter of a big tent.
There was a crew outside setting up the tent and it made me think of times I've watched circus crews setting up the big top, although this tent was much smaller. I snapped a quick shot of the crew at work. Not the best photo in the world but it captured the moment.
The thought of being under the big top made me think of many churches. The church leadership seems more concerned about providing a good show than making and teaching the disciples. The entertainment draws big crowds of people but they are there to "take in the show" and to "be entertained" rather than to meet God.
The crowds are fickle. If the show grows stale and doesn't keep getting better they will leave. That leaves the church in a quandary because they need the big crowd to pay for the programming. So they stretch more and more, adding bigger, better, flashier entertainment in the hope of keeping the crowd. In the meantime God grows smaller on the program as the whims of the fickle crowd are catered to.
Now don't think I'm saying that it's wrong to have some entertaining elements to a worship service. It's just that church isn't all about being entertained. However strictly entertainment develops a passive audience rather than the participants Christ wants to engage, equip and mobilize into life transformation and world transforming service.
Christians can laugh and have fun while still being engaged and equipped but there is a line that is easily crossed. Church does not have to be stoic, painful and boring. There can be enjoyable music, moments of great spontaneity and the word of God well preached engages people. The word of God by itself has the power to transform lives.
Fellowship is great. Community is awesome. Music is important. All of those things however should provide a platform leading up to the proclamation and exposition of God's Word nor replace it. The form of the message may vary from place to place, audience to audience or culture to culture, but the Word must be proclaimed.
Even Jesus preached God's Word.
Matthew 4:17 NIV
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Matthew 11:1 NIV
After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.
Mark 1:38 NIV
Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else -- to the nearby villages -- so I can preach there also. That is why I have come."
Luke 4:18-19 NIV
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
If Jesus, with all His signs and wonders felt it important to preach the truth then I think we miss the boat when we de-emphasize preaching in favor of entertaining.
There is no reason our preaching needs to be staid, stuffy and boring. It can be engaging and relevant.
Kevin
On Wednesday as Genni the wonder dog and I were out for a stroll we passed the local performing arts center. During the summer, on Wednesday evenings they have a series of outdoor concerts. Now that we're getting closer to autumn's less pleasant weather (at least in this part of Canada) the concerts continue but under the shelter of a big tent.
There was a crew outside setting up the tent and it made me think of times I've watched circus crews setting up the big top, although this tent was much smaller. I snapped a quick shot of the crew at work. Not the best photo in the world but it captured the moment.
The thought of being under the big top made me think of many churches. The church leadership seems more concerned about providing a good show than making and teaching the disciples. The entertainment draws big crowds of people but they are there to "take in the show" and to "be entertained" rather than to meet God.
The crowds are fickle. If the show grows stale and doesn't keep getting better they will leave. That leaves the church in a quandary because they need the big crowd to pay for the programming. So they stretch more and more, adding bigger, better, flashier entertainment in the hope of keeping the crowd. In the meantime God grows smaller on the program as the whims of the fickle crowd are catered to.
Now don't think I'm saying that it's wrong to have some entertaining elements to a worship service. It's just that church isn't all about being entertained. However strictly entertainment develops a passive audience rather than the participants Christ wants to engage, equip and mobilize into life transformation and world transforming service.
Christians can laugh and have fun while still being engaged and equipped but there is a line that is easily crossed. Church does not have to be stoic, painful and boring. There can be enjoyable music, moments of great spontaneity and the word of God well preached engages people. The word of God by itself has the power to transform lives.
Fellowship is great. Community is awesome. Music is important. All of those things however should provide a platform leading up to the proclamation and exposition of God's Word nor replace it. The form of the message may vary from place to place, audience to audience or culture to culture, but the Word must be proclaimed.
Even Jesus preached God's Word.
Matthew 4:17 NIV
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Matthew 11:1 NIV
After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.
Mark 1:38 NIV
Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else -- to the nearby villages -- so I can preach there also. That is why I have come."
Luke 4:18-19 NIV
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
If Jesus, with all His signs and wonders felt it important to preach the truth then I think we miss the boat when we de-emphasize preaching in favor of entertaining.
There is no reason our preaching needs to be staid, stuffy and boring. It can be engaging and relevant.
Kevin
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