I came up with the name because when looking at a lot of denominations, they are moving to the packaged, quick stop, we will give you all of your spiritual needs all in a two hour window Sunday Morning. Like the Baptist Burner Combo, starts off strong with a little power pointed praise singing appetizer, moves into the main course with the hellfire sermon, and for dessert, the close your eyes alter call. Or the Catholic Cathartic Combo, Starting with a little blood pumping up down up down, hoping the extra oxygen will keep you awake through the desert dry sermon, then the finale', the passing of the plate, forgot your cash, no problem, we take credit cards. (no lie, they take credit cards.)
Each type of service meticulously preplanned, or engineered not to just get people to come back. But to attract future people to attend. I like the word attract. Like an amusement park has roller coasters as attractions. Churches have award winning praise teams. Everything designed to make people feel as if all of their spiritual needs are being met. If they are not, we can teach you about your finances, your marriage, other faiths, softball, basketball, and many other distractions to keep you interested in coming to us. All of this is wonderful, is it not. So American. Catering to just the right demographic.
But Jesus said "GO", not get them to come to you. Also it is a personal faith, and an individual quest, not a package.
7 comments:
that made me chuckle, and then I said, 'amen'!
Reaching the demographic -- oh that strikes a chord with me; a very dissonant one.
I have a dear friend who is very close, if not, THE best musician in my area. Rhythm and meter - solid as a rock; hearing harmonies and structural changes - very quick and appropriate. I could go on but I'd be telling a different tale.
After our team left our previous church and were scattered to different places, he went on to fill in as a worship leader at another local church. He really pulled them out of a stuck spot - if you consider not having a full praise team a tough spot. It's a church that follows the Purpose Driven Model so you can imagine their level of stress! ;-)
The previous worship leader, young and 'dynamic' was paid a part time salary. My friend, leading from the drums, and being a bit older (not falling within that spry demographic) was NOT paid for his time and efforts.
When he finally asked the pastor about compensation since he recently retired from his full time job, the pastor said that while he appreciated the efforts given, he was going to continue to look for someone who met that demographic fit.
Ummm.... I'm sorry... WHAT?!
And on another note, have you seen this article? Theooze has a string on this which is quite humorous with people's comments but basically, this MacDonald's church finally woke up and realized they were crippling an entire generation with their fast-food mega approach. For me, though, it's too little, too late.
HERE
Thanks Michelle,
Great Article.
Faintnot,
When you said it made me chuckle, I was surprised. I was being viciously cynical, calling things exactly like I see them. Then I looked at it with a different tone and realized. That could be funny too. Why? Because it is too close a reflection of reality, making it rediculous.
exactly.
I'm glad. :-)
Good stuff, Nate. Obviously I liked it, since I posted a link.
I've been home from Mississippi since Sunday night and I'm still exhausted--don't have a lot of words of my own right now. But I will!
John 4:31-38
Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, " Rabbi, eat."
But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about."
So the disciples were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?"
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
"Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.
"Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
"For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.'
"I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor."
I find this especially interesting. Since the disciples were just beginnning to help Christ spread the good news ... He tells them that they will be entering into a work already in progress. In fact it reads like those who had toiled over the tilling of the soil and planting the seed had gone before the death of Christ. Christ had begun His ministry when the harvest was full grown and ripe.
So who were these farmers who sowed AND planted AND tended the field to have it ready for the apostles and Jesus to reap ???
The prophets?
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