September 05, 2007

That Pretty Much Says It All

A great bit of truth from The Gospel Centered Church. I would have but couldn't have said it any better. Notice that Jared has been spending time in the Gospel Coalition media room:

If you're going to exert copious amounts of energy and resources to bedazzle and impress with lights and loud music and elaborate sets and flashing video and fog machines and glossy promos and Guy Smiley spokespeople and performed sermons, if you're going to usher people into a showy atmosphere of spiritual entertainment, how dare you then tell them to put down their guard, "open up," share their hearts. If you're going to create a culture of impressive facades, how dare you request their "authenticity."You're putting on a show. Why wouldn't they?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes.....Conversely you could prepare your message on Saturday night under the pretense of "waiting to hear from God". You could then preach your message on Sunday morning while the congregation doodles on the bulletin and crenges because you have allowed aunt Martha to sing becasue she has a good heart. You then have an alter call while the congregation anxiously awaits the end of Just As I Am so they can check the "I've been to church box" and go eat. That's Great! I am sure the unchurched will want to experience that! I wonder if the walls would come down and people would be "authentic" when they are treated like you treated the Disney Condo Salesman. "Let me show you how wrong you are from my pedestal so you can be a christian too". I am sure he wanted to open right up and be authentic! By the way, were you really thinking of buying a condo or did you just take the trip. A bit disingenuous for a church planter...

Jared said...

Ah, disingenuousness: the clarion call of the Anonymous commenter. :-)

This guy commented at my post too, I'm pretty sure.
I love how he assumes what I am promoting is a return to older entertainment. That is the dichotomy this sort of church methodology mindset is addicted to. It's death before cultural irrelevance!

It'd be great if they could find just one of the people who write like us promoting long invitations and letting Aunt Martha sing.

Because those are the only two kinds of churches in the world: stale religious ones and hip "authentic" ones.
God help us if that is true.

Marc Backes said...

It was a time share, not a condo. Big difference. I, as an aspiring church planter who wants a really big church and a lot of money, find condos are a bit beneath me. Time shares are for people much more like me..high fallutin...I love em and can't imagine life withouth them...I want to spend every week at them...There's nothing that makes my year more than a trip the French Riviera..

Geez...learn the difference man...anyone who knows me personally would know I wouldn't be caught dead in a condo :-)