No matter what you do as a Church you will always be perceived to be selling something. But what is it?
There will always be something about your congregation that is the reason why you attend worship (otherwise why are you attending), and by nature, when speaking about your congregation you will instinctively talk about those things that are the focus of your worship. You will be selling those things!
Well, recently the local paper here in Standish, Michigan did a piece on the area churches, asking for information, doing interviews, etc. (the article I wrote for the paper is posted here). Including ours, there were 13 area churches listed. And I am saddened by the content of most of these articles... not to criticize the paper, they did a fine job of compiling the information, but it's the information, the things that these Pastors were selling, that deserves criticism.
So if you read these articles, or for that matter any advertisement of any congregation anywhere, notice what's being sold. Notice where the focus lies. Here's a list, according to theses churches who advertised in the paper, of the reasons why I should attend their church:
- The church's impressive history
- The many programs offered
- The pastor is personable
- The events and activities offered
- The opportunities to serve
- The friendly people there
- The impressive building they have
- The emotional experience
- 4 churches went as far as to boast over their attendance!
If these things are the focus and purpose of your congregation... then it's time to FIND ANOTHER CHURCH!God's Church was never intended to impress the culture with it's whistles and bells and yuppie foo-foo-ness. You go to church NOT for an emotionally uplifting experience! You go for the forgiveness of your sins in Word and Sacrament! You go to be crushed by the law that calls you "Sinner!" and then receive the Grace of God, which is only found in His Word and Sacrament. That is what the church should be selling... except they're not selling it, it's free and undeserved, but essential. Without it... we're no longer a church. I can't say that about the above list.
If the forgiveness of your sins in Word and Sacrament is not the reason your congregation gathers together on Sunday morning... Find another church!
How do you define the difference between church and worship service?
ReplyDeleteI ask because I recently attended a church that had the sacraments, the forgiveness, and preaching from the bible. But, the teaching was minimal at best. The congregation, outside the worship service, is not known for living their faith as James noted we need to do (http://bib.ly/Jm1.22-27.ESV).
There can be worship services that have the elements of teaching, sacraments, and forgiveness where the church congregation is not healthy to be in for living our personal faiths, raising kids in the faith, and so forth. Unfortunately, there are quite a number of churches that fall in this area.
Note, I'm not supporting the churches you noted as how they sharing/telling people about their church. We have churches like that around me. A lot of people aren't living the faith they claim to profess. Many of them don't know the faith, they know the fun times of belonging to something.
@Matt you bring up a good point… although I don’t know the specifics of the situation you speak of, I would still strongly suggest that individuals not leave their congregation because of issue in sanctification or how one lives out their Christian faith. It is no doubt that this is a problem that must be addressed, though it is the problem of sin and thus is found in every congregation to varying degrees. (I argue this in older post http://allbeggars.blogspot.com/2011/01/does-your-church-need-repair.html).
ReplyDeleteBut to get to your question, the Church is inseparable from worship! Inseparable. If you’re not doing worship, you’re not a church. The Church is “the assembly of all believers among whom the gospel is purely preached and the holy sacraments are administered according to the gospel” (Augsburg Confession Article VII).
I’m not saying that these specific churches referenced above are not the church… This is important. They may be preaching, they may be celebrating the eucharist, but not properly.
The building, the programs, the events, the AV system, the whistles, the bells, the fads, the gimmicks, etc., those are not the necessary activities of the Church!
Therefore, where a congregation views the Word of God and the Sacraments as trivial or secondary to their fluffy nonsense, they are neglecting that which is most central to the life of the church and the life of the Christian. This is a reason to leave! Not to shun or reject those churches but simply because we need the pure Word or God and the proper administration of the Sacraments!
Good question!
Excellent post!
ReplyDelete@Anthony For the most part I agree with you. The part that is so tuff is when it comes to living the faith. Sure, every congregation has sin. Yes, worship and corporate worship are important.
ReplyDeleteHow does someone live the faith in spite of the congregation and leadership at their church not doing very well at it and not mentoring, guiding, or providing and example of what that means? How does someone raise their kids in that?
When churches focus on buildings, fun activities, AV systems, and all that stuff it takes focus from God and his mission. At the same time putting all the volunteer time you can muster into corporate worship means that time isn't doing the mission out in the world. Putting tons of volunteer time into meetings, committees, etc means those people aren't serving the world and sharing the message through their actions.
Someone posed a question that I struggle with. Take two churches. One that doesn't do the sacraments, has too many activities, but does provide a flawed worship and teaches the bible. Then those people are out living their faith, sharing it with others, serving others, and loving then. The second church has the sacraments, all the parts of corporate worship, and hold tight to the bible. But, they don't do much of anything for the mission in the world. Both churches are flawed severely. Which would be better to be apart of if the leadership isn't being shifted for change?
Where are the resources that teach the leaders who do a good job at worship to lead the other parts? Where are the leaders who want that (I know a lot of leaders who aren't interested at a lot of churches)? This is something we should strive and pray for.
@Matt, I totally agree with you that a lot of churches put way too much time into meetings, volunteerism, AV systems, etc., when that time could be better spent in the community fulfilling one’s vocation of parent, spouse, child, neighbor, friend, etc. So, yes, you’re right there, if someone really wants to serve God, don’t try to find something to volunteer for at church, but serve God by living your life and taking care of those around you!
ReplyDeleteBut this is not in any way antithetical to the core function of a Church!
The problem comes when we treat Worship and Mission as separate things. They’re not! What happens in worship drives us out to mission and what happens in mission drives us in to worship.
But practically, here it is… if you have a church that doesn’t celebrate the sacraments, then you don’t have a church, period! The Sacraments are essential to the Christian life, they are the core, the lifeblood of God’s people. Word and Sacrament are the one place, the only place, where you can find the assurance of the forgiveness of your sins, everlasting life, and salvation. God does not give his grace apart from Word and Sacrament. So my question is… why would you ever want to leave them out????
I see this as a central problem with American Christianity, a denigration of the means of God’s grace, Word and Sacrament. If you get rid of that… what are you left with?
Instead, the church should function as a beacon to the community, not trying to be the center or star of the community but a place of refuge. The place where you go, not to serve God, but to be served by God. To receive, from Him, the body and blood of God, THAT is what worship is all about. The music, the AV system, the ushers, the money, the number of volunteers involved, it’s all secondary to the means of Grace.
Now if one belongs to a church that is doing Word and Sacrament ministry, but is not driven out into the community to serve their neighbor… then they need to start! So if a guy is convicted to be a better husband, father, son, brother, neighbor, employee, etc., he is under to obligation to wait for the Pastor to tell him how to do it. Just do it. If that person wants to work in the community then he should meet with the Pastor and the leaders of the congregation as well as leaders in the community, and see how/where he can get involved.
But simply because I see a young mother come to church and not be involved with any missional outreach or small groups or soup kitchens or any philanthropy whatsoever, does not mean that she’s not living out her faith. She a mother! And taking care of her young children is the most holy, God pleasing, life forming, missional thing she could do. God is no less pleased with her than Mother Teresa.
What must be understood though, is that the works flow from the faith, not the other way around.
Good Discussion!
Glad I discovered your blog! Stumbled upon it through Issues, etc. Was intrigued by the Martin Bashir interview with Rob Bell--then found a follow up interview with Bashir about it at "God and Culture" by Paul Edwards (never heard of him before). I must say that I think anyone who was impressed by Bashir's exposure of Bell's shallow theology, must listen to that follow up interview. (You can google it). Martin Bashir is a brilliant man and was born a Muslim, but converted to Christianity, and puts most Christians to shame!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have a question: My church (in Arkansas) is without a pastor currently, but the last middle aged pastor from MN we had, showed Rob Bell videos during Bible class and quoted Beth Moore in sermons. The attempt to make the church more palatable and "emergent" really annoys and offends me. Can I trust that Mo. Synod churches will stay true to their own confessions and teachings?
@Anonymous, welcome! I'll have to look at the follow up interview, I haven't seen it.
ReplyDeleteYour question is an important one. Let me first say I'm sorry that you've had to endure the delusional self-absorbed attempts of the church growth movement. But let me assure you, this is not Lutheran!
While there may be many in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod who promote such emergent, consumer driven, filth, they are the exception not the rule. When a guy becomes a Pastor, he is required to subscribe to the Lutheran Confessions as the true exposition of Scripture. And while there will always be those who stray from the vows they take, these vows do not change, and I am very confident in the new leadership of our Synod, as well as the graduates coming out of the seminaries, to remain faithful to the Lutheran Confessions!
I understand your concern, and I hope and pray your congregation finds a Pastor who is committed to being Lutheran, and not pretending to be something else. I suggest you work with your call committee, your district president, or other district officials involved to extend a call to the right man. Most importantly, pray. Pray that God will send you a faithful Lutheran Pastor! For our God is faithful!
Thanks again for the comments! God’s Peace.