User Friendly Churches

[Mark the Builder]

The church today seems a lot off balanced. We have entered the age where we are trying to make our services appealing to sinners in order to get them to attend. Some churches have even passed out textbooks that teach them how to make their church a "user friendly" church.

But my thought is that if sinners are brought in with marketing, and if we try and make ourselves different in order to be accepted by the world, then we have greatly reduced our mission and our message.

Our mission is not to be loved by the world but to reach the world. And the way we reach the world is with the truth. And, having been in church my whole life, I've seen some gimmiks come and go and marketing strategies come and go but the one thing I've seen that stays constant and works consistently is when we don't try so hard to reach men's souls on a worldly level, but allow God to reach them through the consistent preaching and teaching of the Word of God. Not only does that work but it produces a Christian that is healthy, not one who is weak and shallow. We complain about discipleship within the church but the one great tool that's so seldom imployed is the pulpit and the persistent, careful, exegesis of Scripture.

Gimmiks and marketing strategies last only as long as the fickle crowd is interested. The Word of God remains forever.

 

[Rick Otto]

I agree except I see the pulpit & the building as part of the problem.
Incorporation legally removes Christ as head of the Church.

 

[Hands&Feet]

As one who spends most of his time working with the unchurched, I must say that this McChurch strategy that has been developed is the one problem most people I talk to have with the church.

Narccisism is rampant in institutional religion. In most cases it has even lost the idea of marketing itself to the lost. Much of what I see now markets itself to the saved in orer to keep them from going elsewhere, or, if to take them away from where they already worship.


This is just wrong.


I spoke with a fellow on Friday night who told me of the grandiose plans his church has for thier new center. 100 acres which they bought at what they thought was a bargain at 1.1 mill. In this real estate market, that was over twice the going rate.


Their plan will cost them $42 million to complete!!

He lamented that the congregation has drained itself financially and that they haven't even scratched the surface of meeting their goal. But, they refuse to consider that perhaps God is not with them.

Of all the features this new church would have, not once was evangelism or any kind of service to the community addressed! He knew of no plan as to how they will become the hands and feet of Jesus to their community and he is a leader!


Just imagine what $42 mill could do in ministering to REAL needs in that community and beyond. Sadly, it is not likely that they would consider spending it on someone else when they already have trouble raising it for themselves.

Someone please clue me in. I just fail to see where God fits in this picture. It is like the institutional church has gotten into a race to build the ultimate tower of Babel. There must be a better way.

 

[Peter]

The EOS will never change to draw sinners. The priests and nuns will not change their vestments to accept sinners. The sactuary will never change to draw sinners.

We, as people who are the body of christ, should be the building and the programs that others see and be drawn to Christ by. Can we be as bold as St. Paul and say "If you do as I do you will be okay"?

Peace.

Peter

 

[Acceptance]

But my thought is that if sinners are brought in with marketing, and if we try and make ourselves different in order to be accepted by the world, then we have greatly reduced our mission and our message.

I could not agree more. I think this is one of the biggest problems with Christianity today. We change Christ's teachings to conform, to be popular, or P.C. The best example of this I can think of off the top of my head is the Episcopalian's acceptance of gay bishops. 100 years ago, when there was no MTV or Glamour magazine to tell us how 'cool' it is to be gay, there was virtually no chance of this happening (well...obviously because it didn't happen). But not to single them out, they are in no way alone in their changing of Christ's teachings. I think it would so interesting to see what people from Christ's day think of Christianity as we now know it.

 

[Peter]

I think it would so interesting to see what people from Christ's day think of Christianity as we now know it.

As an Orthodox believer, I'd say they would say, "Well done."

Peace.

Peter

 

[Shiphrah]

I for one am quite sad at the rate at which the church seems to be changing. Now grant it, the church needs to be "updated" if you will to be in with the times but commercializing it so much?! I went to a church where they had a coffee, exspresso bar in the sanctuary and they were selling coffee during the "sermon" if thats what you even want to call it for the pastor didn't even open the bible once, all he talked about was how great Helen Keller, Gahndi and Abraham Lincoln was. I wonder if it grieves God?

 

[reformedfan]

I have friends still in the cult we used to belong to. Presently they attend a 'mega church'. We were SO excited to hear that news, we rushed to spend the wkend at their house not too long ago, to see if they'd have any questions, etc.
It was unbelievable! The fact that they both raved about how "comfortable" they both felt there should have tipped us off. Our 3 year old kept asking "Where are we? What is this place?" I believe we were the only people in the mega congregation who had Bibles.
When the church becomes a place people deep in their sins feel comfy at, it's no longer a church, it's a social club. Heathens & cult people should feel supremely uncomfortable in God's presence, not like 'one of the gang'. Isaiah, Peter, Ezekiel all were true believers, yet being in God's presence made them starkly aware of their sin.

 

[Mark the Builder]

Just read a great book I'd recommend. 'Hard to Believe' by John MacArthur. A must read for all who love and long for the purity of the church to return.

mark.

 

[Rick Otto]

Excellent point, reformedfan.

 

[Colabomb]

I could not agree more. I think this is one of the biggest problems with Christianity today. We change Christ's teachings to conform, to be popular, or P.C. The best example of this I can think of off the top of my head is the Episcopalian's acceptance of gay bishops. 100 years ago, when there was no MTV or Glamour magazine to tell us how 'cool' it is to be gay, there was virtually no chance of this happening (well...obviously because it didn't happen). But not to single them out, they are in no way alone in their changing of Christ's teachings. I think it would so interesting to see what people from Christ's day think of Christianity as we now know it.

To be fair though, many Episcopals/Anglicans stand against this including myself. I am extremely opposed to this action. I am a very Traditional Anglo-Catholic.

Africa Specifically is extremely opposed.

 

[aanjt]

To be fair though, many Episcopals/Anglicans stand against this including myself. I am extremely opposed to this action. I am a very Traditional Anglo-Catholic.

Africa Specifically is extremely opposed.

I am as well. The diocese of Texas will not ordain anyone who is in a sexual relationship outside the sacrament of marriage. The bishop of my diocese will not ordain anyone who is gay.

Yours in Christ,
Jen

 

[aanjt]

I meant to also say that there is a church in the city I live in that has a bowling alley, McDonald's, putt-putt miniature golf course, movie theaters, etc. Not only that, the minister has his personal private plane that he bought to fly him to church and out of church. Now they have also bought another building where pro basketball games use to be played in for several million dollars and they are going to do renovations that are way over for what they bought it for. Basically, what this church has done is made itself a private community within its own walls. After church, unless you have to go to the grocery store, you don't even have to leave until you need to go home and go to bed.

Yours in Christ,
Jen

 

[Shiphrah]

I meant to also say that there is a church in the city I live in that has a bowling alley, McDonald's, putt-putt miniature golf course, movie theaters, etc. Not only that, the minister has his personal private plane that he bought to fly him to church and out of church. Now they have also bought another building where pro basketball games use to be played in for several million dollars and they are going to do renovations that are way over for what they bought it for. Basically, what this church has done is made itself a private community within its own walls. After church, unless you have to go to the grocery store, you don't even have to leave until you need to go home and go to bed.

Yours in Christ,
Jen

Woooohhhh now that is something, I wonder how much of there funding goes to missions or at least to help reach their community around them?