As a Seeker Driven Pastor was I driving people from the church?

It is one thing to question another person’s motives. 

It is something else to question their systems, tools, processes and operations.  I have no doubt that the vast majority of ministers are operating from the most noble of motives.  Loving the Lord, His church and the lost they have looked for effective systems, tools, processes and operations to reach the lost and grow the church. 

The problem is that when we focus on the wants and perceived needs of the un-churched we slowly untie our connection to eternal things.  This transition was by no means instant, but like the frog in the kettle we began to cook ourselves to death.  We began with music that was more culturally appropriate and the illustration of Biblical truth with skits and drama. 

Somewhere along the way things got silly.

For example I once talked with a minister that was highly contemporary in his approach-which included a liturgical dance during communion-and whose church plant was in attendance free fall.  (See liturgical dance for communion).  He told me that what he thought they needed was a copy of a picture he had seen of Jesus laughing.  He felt that if he could put that picture in the entryway of the church it would make people feel happy about being a part of a church that loved a Jesus that loved to laugh.

A preacher I know led his church to spending $40,000 for a light system for the stage.  This was a smallish congregation with an auditorium that would max out at about 250 in seating.  The preacher felt that with this lighting system they could control the mood or atmosphere of the worship service better.  I will give you one guess who spent most of the time in the spotlight.

One church I visited offered me earplugs when I came in.  They did this because in their words, “We like our music loud and that bothers some older people.”  Let me state, I don’t mind being older.  Actually, I like it.  But I couldn’t help but feel this was less of a service to those of us in the advanced years of our 50’s and more a statement about the church’s youth and hipness.   It was similar to the worship service in which during the second song of the worship set a fog machine started belching out white smoke.  By the time the set was over, a good 6 inches of smoke had rolled off the stage and covered the floor.  Nothing says “God” like a fog machine.

Once, at the beginning of the sermon, I was shocked to hear the preacher say, “I want to apologize for reading so much Scripture today.”  Apparently, reading a lengthy passage of scripture was in someway unacceptable to his audience.  He really didn’t want to do it because it wasn’t what they wanted, but to make the point he had to, so he begged for their indulgence.   

From Silly to Idiotic

When those we want to reach drive our systems, tools, processes and operations we can move beyond silly to stupid and idiotic.  There was the church that gave a way a free motorcycle in worship one Sunday.  Under every seat was taped a ticket. Whoever had the matching ticket matched drawn during the sermon won a brand, new motorcycle.  It was a lesson on grace.  The good news reduced to a carnival game show.  

Put and Arm-Bar on your declining attendance!

Or like the preacher who delivered the Easter sermon wearing a bunny costume.   He promised that the Easter Bunny would show up.  For those who have a more macho ministry your church can now schedule a professional wrestling ministry.  Large sweaty men in tights will come to your church, yell at each other, beat on each, other strangle each other all the while your congregation can boo, hiss, and yell at the “bad guys” in Jesus Name of course.  If being a spectator is not enough you can go to a Christian wrestling school or a mere $1,200.  No mention was made of accreditation.   We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but they do!

Is this why the church is in decline?

When those we want to reach drive our systems, tools, processes, and operations there is no way for us to draw a line and say, “No more.”  As I try to imagine the next level of ministry driven by the wants of the world I am afraid.  The abuses of the pre-reformation church come to mind; a great show followed by the offer of salvation- for a small fee of course.

I believe that part of the reason that the church is in decline is not our lack of being contemporary or relevant but because of it.  As we have kept offering newer levels of greater novelty we are experiencing the law of diminished returns.  In other words, the church is in decline because we have exhausted the supply of the “seeker’s” curiosity.  The seeker has come and seen the novelty of that which we have to offer; they have seen it and now they are moving on.  We the church have forgotten that only God can be the source of inexhaustible fascination, attention, and adoration.

In our attempt to adapt to the culture, which can be appropriate at times, we have succumbed to the culture and have simply become a religious expression of the culture.  In too many cases the church is the expression of the dominant culture not in terms of economics, fashion, or entertainment, or politics, but an expression of the culture in religious terms.  Our culture is oriented toward showmanship, power, entertainment, wealth, popularity and a matrix that measures success in numbers.  That is not an unfair description of the church in many cases.

We must awaken from our cultural slumbers.  Having eaten Lotus we are numb to the changes in our own soul and spirit.  That awakening is difficult, but it is possible.  In fact, I believe it is already beginning to happen.

To be continued.