You are an object to be pursued. You are not a person, but another mark on our bed posts – pun intended. We don’t want to really be your friend, but we are good at pretending like we are. We don’t really care about you or all of your silly problems, but we will listen – up to a point. You’re not like us. We just want your butt in one of these perfectly aligned chairs every Sunday with your wallet open. Not to worry though, we don’t care enough to pursue any kind of relationship with you unless of course you miss a Sunday. Then we will send out our form e-letter that we download from the latest “Make Your Ministry Great” web site and filled in the appropriate information. We definitely can’t be seen with you outside of this church building because who knows what you were doing Friday night and that will make us look bad. We are sure you have some lousy friends. We don’t care that you have know them all of your natural life, loose them and come hang with us.
Come see, come see, come see the Sunday show. Step right up and listen to our band – we call it worship. Step right up and listen to some relevant preaching. We’re cool.
Unfortunately, this is the perceived message of the church by many with whom I spend a considerable amount of time with each and every day. Most church leaders have a huge passion for reaching generations of people, but do not have any real meaningful relationships with them. If they do, they are superficial at best. Instead of investing in the lives of people, churches invest in marketing and programs to appeal to the “needs” of spiritual consumers and call it creative arts and ministry.
Now this is a self admitted rant on my part. I’m not anti traditional church or anti any church for that matter. I love the church, but think about how many times you’ve heard “mature” believers say…. “I just don’t get anything out of worship.”
Is there a way forward? Yes. I hope to over the next couple of post offer some practical suggestions. But for now this rant is all I can offer. So what would you say is the way forward? What suggestions would you offer?
Thanks for the post. It may feel like a rant, but I think its more an assessment of the current spiritual landscape. I feel like we have been shamed into not being critical of that which is under the christian banner, but not necessarily making disciples. The prophets were extremely critical of the church and yet gave their lives to purifying it as I know you have too. It is astounding the amount of resources that are spent on drawing a crowd. tragic. I hope as young leaders we will not fall into the same traps, and commit to constantly dying to self in our deeds and not just in our sermons. Thanks bro, its always an encouragement to know that people like you are doing just that!
Aaron. Thanks for the encouragement. Love what you all have going on the east side. What do you see in your context as far as consumer-driven culture?
Its a challenge. We have already run off a few. I think its just that constant tension between structures that empower and those that cause passivity. We are pretty driven toward equipping but still learning how to do it well. We are still in a process of pouring in our core values. It is difficult to challenge people to make their own meals when they have free drive-thru’s surrounding them
but all that matters is that we are actually making disciples who make disciples rather than consumers, so…
I love the “make your own meal when we have drive-thru’s surrounding us” analogy first of all because we have a drive-thru at the coffee shop.Second of all it really says a lot about our quick fix instant gratification mindset. Hirsh and Frost write in “Shaping of Things to Come” that “the missional church always thinks of the long haul rather than the quick fix” (11). Sticking with your analogy – we have to slow down, get out of the car, come inside, sit down and eat.
hey michael, thanks for the post. first time reading your blog. i find it super interesting… i’m pastoring a transitioning traditional church in East Nashville (sounds funny when i say that), and it seems like many of the people in the traditional churches are afraid of relationship with the current culture that surrounds them because they don’t know how to communicate. as i have listened to many of the people talk about “community” i have had numerous people ask, “how do i walk across the street to start communication and community with my neighbor when i just witnessed a drive by at their house?”
we are finding it difficult at our church to keep people over 60 while reaching people under 40. i don’t know the answer to the issue or any of the issues at our church really, but i do think the answer is found somewhere in continuing to walk the journey of our faith and continuing to pursue the things that are holy. at least that’s where i think i am. anywho… i look forward to reading more. thanks again for the post and your vulnerability in it!
matthew
It tough in a situation like East Nashville where the neighborhood has transitioned so much over the last 10 years or so. But you are correct, we must continue to live the story and pursue the things of Jesus.
Thanks for reading.
I was wondering if you would mind being candid in some of your future posts. (smile) Thanks for sharing. Press on friend.