I WAS JUST THINKIN'...
Wayne Raney may have been inadvertently prophetic when he penned these words to an old gospel song in the 50's: "We need a whole lot more of Jesus And A Lot Less Rock-n-Roll."
Do we need a lot less "Rock-n-Roll"? No doubt we need a whole lot more of Jesus! Don't get me wrong, I like R&R. I was raised on Larry Norman. But what is happening in our churches? Do we have too much show-time in our services and not enough of the basic, simple focus on the One whom it is all about?
Perhaps the church is entertaining too much and not teaching enough. I like what Charles Spurgeon asked; "...are we amusing goats or feeding sheep?"
I have some skeptical concerns about modern day trends in our churches. Os Guiness got me thinking about it and I can't get it off my mind. It's almost impossible to find one evangelical congregation that has not grasped the coat tails of The Purpose Drive Life, 40 Days of Purpose, Willow Creek Small Group methodology, Seeker Sensitivity, etc. Since when is God's will for individual churches "rubber-stamped" as a one size fits all methodology? C.H. Spurgeon would very likely say "never!".
I don't think it has to be so complicated. I grew up in a church that sang the old hymns, taught Biblical doctrine and theology and kept me on the right path. I mostly enjoyed Sunday night services as a youth. There was no entertainment, just straight forward Truth.
In 1 Corinthians 1:17 Paul said that Christ sent him to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none affect.
Maybe we are getting in the way with show-time. Let's point to the cross. Let's preach Christ crucified in the highways and the hedges and see what happens. Godspeed!
from KCO
posted by kennyo at 10:57 AM
4 Comments:
What an excellent perspective and this article was very well written.
This is a great site and I am looking forward to checking in daily to see what other articles you have posted.
Thanks-keep up the good work.
wasn't your church of your youth the same one that ran you boys out for your long hair,tatooed arms and loud larry norman christian rock n roll music? im confused with your testimony and your history?
Actually like any other church it had some people in it who only saw the external appearences of people like the bible says people are proned to do. God looks at the heart.
There were others in that church who were not intimidated by people who looked and acted different than they and who reached out to the undesirables without fear. The emphasis should be on biblical doctrine where we are able to hold fast to the faith once delivered to the saints not methods to look appealing to the world.
I remember clearly one frail elderly old lady in particular who, in spite of the "rough" looking characters making fun of the church service and making fun of the christians attending, she continued to conduct herself in a godly loving manner even while these guys were mocking her in her prayer. The strength was in her dependency upon God and not in her ability to handle the thugs. In contrast I did see elders in that same church drive away young men who looked threatening to the others attending the church but as a kid it was the elderly lady who demonstated the strength of God and it was the elder of the church who looked weak and whimpy.
Love your comments....
The tendency to create the "franchised church" is increasingly finding numerical success, but then, measuring by that means would make Wal-Mart very spiritual.
The purpose of the church has to be on a dimension above the systems of our world.
Dave
www.grandpadavid.blogspot.com
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