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Hurry up people…I’m waiting!!
I overheard a small child saying this while we were waiting for church to start last Sunday. Apparently the music and slideshows weren’t enough to keep this kid occupied for the 5 minutes that she was forced to sit and wait for the first guitar chord to be strummed.
Granted, the person I am writing in response to was only a child (10 at the max). I do believe that the principle applies to all of us, however, regardless of age.
Nirvana sang, “here we are now, entertain us,” in a popular 90’s grunge song (I’m borrowing this argument from people much smarter than me). How many of us go to church each Sunday with the same mentality: “I’m here, now perform you monkey! Entertain me! Sing for me! Play guitar solos for me! Tell good jokes, preacher! If you don’t, I’m outta here!”
I wonder if the world’s perception of the church would be any different if us church members changed our perception. I wonder what would happen if we went to church with our work shirt, boots, and name tag (all figuratively, obviously) on each Sunday…mission minded…ready to rock, ready to build relationships, ready to change the world.
Instead we show up expectant, cars keys in hand, ready to head for the doors the second our little selfish desires aren’t met. The music is too loud, right? You’ve heard this same tired message preached a hundred times already, haven’t you? Or worst of all, somebody is sitting in YOUR chair. God forbid!
As for me, I’m gonna be making an honest effort to lace up my boots and put a little extra spit shine on them each Sunday morning. If we’re really gonna change the world, the change first starts within.
So next time your church isn’t gently stroking you in that exact spot you love oh so much, try to figure out why you’re even there. I wonder if you won’t find yourself standing face-to-face with an incredible amount of selfishness. If that’s the case, recognize it and act accordingly. Remember, the change first starts within.
If you’re completely happy with how the world perceives the church, please disregard everything I just wrote.
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Tsk! Kids these days have no patience.
As boy being raised in a moderately observant Catholic family…
I am fully aware of humdrum nature of the mass.
By the time I was 12 I had heard it ALL a million times or so it seemed to me.
The only time I was emotionally invested in the service was midnight mass Christmas Eve. The music! The pageantry! The attention I received as being the altar boy that sung the solo chorus of ‘Adeste Fidelis’.
Yes, people want to be entertained.
But, people also want certainty.
In this age the church seems the only voice to profess to have certainty.
R
Sad but true! Alot of times I see the church trying to appease people instead of God, and we all know you can not please all the people all the time.
For me, church is a time for corporate worship, time set aside for only God, so in the attitude of “entertain me” that would be self worship. I don’t like all the music that is played at my church either, but they are not playing it for me..its not about me at all, its all about worshipping God as King. So what ever they preach or sing or play for special music is supposed to be to please God not me. So here is to the church-Get over yourself, its not about you!
While I agree with and appreciate your sentiments Bill, the two things from this post that will stick in my memory are
and
Hilarious. And true.
i hear ya!