The Big Show

While at dinner with friends in a small group from church, someone began talking about Jentezen Franklin, pastor of Free Chapel, a large church in Gainesville where AIM is located. While at training in April we had the opportunity to attend Free Chapel on Easter Sunday.

Easter Sunday at Free Chapel was an experience. Growing up in a VERY small church I wasn't entirely prepared for the things I would see. Here's the short list:

-Buses to take people from the parking lot to the sanctuary
-Lions and Lambs (yes real ones)
-Kids on Hollywood style trolleys as angels dangling from the ceiling

As I was talking about this and what some of my first thoughts were, I said, "I just don't know, it all seemed a little like a big show to me." I was a little surprised when I heard someone say, "Well you're in America and that's what you have to do. Really you are competing with everything else that vies for peoples attention."

On the ride home I began thinking about this conversation. I was thinking about this "We need to entertain" mentality vs. the surge of twenty-something's who are returning to the more traditional form's of worship (hymns, liturgy, etc). I wonder how would Jesus react if he physically walked into one of the more "seeker friendly" services Would he react in the same manner as he did in the temple in Mark 11, or would he go up and give the pastor a big high five and tell him "Awesome job, dude." I wonder how much to we take away or nullify the Gospel of Christ in an effort put butts in pews.

Saying all that I guess I should say, I do go to a church with "contemporary" worship. In fact we are getting ready to put a show on for the community. We are bringing in a Christian blues player, Jimmie Bratcher, to play and tell his story.

So what's this about? Is this just an opportunity for me to gripe and complain about the flaws I see in the bride or does it serve an actual purpose? I guess what I'm trying to figure out is how do we as the boldly communicate the love of Christ and remain relevant to the culture but not feel like we are competing with everything else. Shouldn't the gospel be enough? Why do we feel like we need to dress it up to make it attractive? Are we looking at the church though cultural glasses or are we looking at culture through biblical glasses?