Sunday, August 16, 2009

three things.

three things that don't belong in a church:
#1 light shows ---i don't care if it's your gift or calling to create such great light shows and that's how you worship. please don't make me sit and wonder why i'm in a worship service to see your distracting lights. it creates an atmosphere of entertainment and i'm not there to be entertained. i'm there to worship, and worship is not for me.. it is for GOD...my advice? become a DJ and get a dance floor.

#2 foilage and fabric --- never before have i seen so many fake flowers and trees in a church. there are some by the piano. drum set. in front of the "Jesus candle", in the bathroom, in each and every classroom, in the kitchens, in the hallways, windows, on top of the mailboxes.. i'm not kidding.. they are everywhere. and although not totally taking away from my worship, when the light show starts.. i find myself not focusing on how great a God we have.. but instead.. wow.. those are really ugly flowers... and add too that really huge fabric draping behind and over the trees.. and you have yourself a wonderfully cheesy environment... way to go church ... cause your goal in building the church building you did was for it to never look like a church. it looks more like a funeral home... goal accomplished.

#3- Community with out leadership-- it's my opinion that community is so very important in church life. it's were the rubber meets the road, where folks are held accountable and lives are impacted, it's where the "work" of becoming like more like Jesus is lived out and learned. but here is the thing. community still needs a leader. someone to say "no", someone to say "yes", someone to say.. "that's not right" or "lets go this way." i'm afraid in community lives become so intertwined that it becomes that much harder to lead people, because leaders are afraid to upset people by making unpopular decisions and destroying the community of that they wish to build. it's a balance, but if your a leader being lead by God you should lean harder on Him then those relationships in your community anyways, after all.. it's leaders who will be held accountable for the souls that they lead.

oh church.. my heart aches for you.. you are the Bride of Christ.. He's coming for you.. i pray you are found ready.




1 comment:

Unknown said...

I kind of like the light shows (personal opinion totally unrelated to the eternal destination of my soul). Sunday mornings are for celebrating! I kinda like celebrating with exciting lights and loud music and a shiny disco ball (we have one hanging way high up in the auditorium)

I don't like the ugly fake plants, either. The nice ones are okay. a few ficus and pretty things help form an 'atmosphere' for visitors that don't really know or understand what this celebration and worship is all about. Also, there is some lady in our church who loves to serve the congregation by putting together 'beautiful' plant and flower arrangements.

community without leadership? sucky. I don't like it either. anarchy is not our friend.