I guess this is a follow up to my last post. It started as a response to a great comment and question posted on my iGod entry, but I went off on a bit of a rant, so I figured I would make it more visible in this forum.
I like the way you use the term manufactured describing community at many churches. I worry that many churches in order to show the effectiveness of their ministry end up, often through the use of media, manipulating people in the process. When I go to many large and mega church worship services, I see a formula to their worship. It's designed to first pump people up and get them excited using video and music. Second it gets them to look inside themselves and brings them down quickly. This rapid letdown makes people want to hear the Gospel message, and open to it to. They are looking for that quick fix to make them feel good again. Lastly, people are brought up again. They leave church feeling how broken they have been, but excited for a new relationship with Christ. They hop in their car, turn on the same old radio station. Go grab a bite to eat, feel good for the afternoon, but by tomorrow nothing has changed. They have also not been presented with the whole message. It's easy to tell people that following Christ is good and happy, but when is the message of "if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering." presented. Use of music, lights, and video has made all of this manipulation easier. The problem is the best way, and the way Jesus used to bring people to God, isn't in manipulating their emotions. He sat down with them and had a dialog with them. He modeled what it was he was teaching. He wasn't just there once a week, you could come to him when you wanted, and ask questions. Ask most strong and true Christians today what brought them into a RELATIONSHIP with God; it has everything to do with a friend or family member modeling that relationship to them. They may have become aware of God somewhere else, but you don't form a relationship overnight, it takes time and a human touch. I'm not saying it's impossible to have these relationships in a mega church, but it's so much easier and personal in a smaller church. I don't know what God's will is as far as size is concerned, and I don't think you can put a number on it. I do think that he would have his church be one where you know the people you worship with as people, not just the person you saw in the grocery line the day before.
I don't want to you think I'm trying to say all large churches are this way, but it is a pattern I have observed quite often in my life, and wonder about.
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3 comments:
I think you have to realize that even little churches have to "manufacture" things in order to have people and relationships. Shoot. I wouldn't have a job if you didn't. The thing with a relationship is that it is a two way street. There has to be work both ways... this is with the relationship with God and the relationship with the other believers. You are going to have this problem in mega churches and in smaller churches. My church has 900 members. I don't know who all of them are and I have worked there 2 years. Not everyone is connected, but it isn't for a lack of opportunities for them. People have to be putting the work in during worship and working on their personal relationship with Christ during and afterwards. Could we be doing more for this. Sure. Everyone in the church office could work 24-7 and still find more to do. When lay people see the need, I think that means they are maturing and if you see something that could help connect people then by all means tell someone, ask how you can help and volunteer to be a part of it. We live in a world that we have to have a certain amount of hype to get our attention, the church is trying to be in the world but not of the world, it isn't easy, many haven't found the right balance, but at least they see that what was done 100 years ago can't be done now and reach the people of today.
I am not trying to debate or to say someone is right or wrong. I am trying to give a perspective from a church workers point of view. IT'S SO HARD to find how to reach everyone in everyway that they think they should. In those church servcies where people are there and hyped up is a great time to talk about that, its when you have everyone in front of you. Every churc is going to be different. Even different mega churches work differently.
Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, know that you are part of making those relationships happening. Once you start to care about people one on one it spreads to others and before you know it you have people who feel connected and that they have a place.
Well said Mel.
Your right, it is a full time job, and you can't make people take advantage of all the opportunities afforded them.
I think my biggest hope is by asking and debating these questions (which probably have no correct answer) we can maybe get a glimpse of how to make our ministries more effective.
My hope is that churches create space for organic friendships to form, big church or small church. I do work at church, and I do try to create space for this to happen. I think there is a distinction between facilitating these opporitunities for relationships to happen and creating an illusion that they are happening. What people offen miss out on are the deep, rich relationships where we work out our christianity, where we learn to follow Jesus by loving one another. It just lends that at big church, (and I appreciate both, and am part of both) there is a greater tendancy towards surface relationships that leave the people in the midst of a "crowded lonliness". They may be busy with church things, and know a lot of people...but have no one that really knows what it is like to live along side of them in their daily life. This is an epidemic problem in the American church.
And on the other topic...
As someone who has created those worship services, I do think that there has to be an intentionality about how we go about creating worship services. You do ask the question "what do I want the people to feel/do?" "confession? celebration? etc..."
This is fine to do...but you are right...that unless this transports into our daily life it is wasted for an emotional high or a one night stand with Jesus. I fear that often we major in hooking up with jesus for an hour...and minor in creating an lifestyle, a relationship with Him.
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