10.18.2009

Seeker Sensitive

Have you noticed that the overwhelming desire of people these days is the desire to be entertained? We spend billions and billions of dollars each year on entertainment! We buy music, we go to the movies, we go to sporting events, we get on the internet. We get bored so very easily with everything. We're like children who are crying for new toys three days after Christmas because we're already tired of what we got! Entertain me!! And keep on entertaining me; Push the envelope; Come up with something new because I'm bored with the old stuff!
And now we see the church trying to use this fleshly desire for spiritual purposes. What?! The very body of the Lord Jesus has gotten into the entertainment business!
I understand the underlying motive and I do believe that it is sincere: If we make our churches more inviting to the lost, they will come in and hear the good news. If we shorten our services, maybe lighten up on the sermons that condemn sin, liven up the worship music, and loosen up the dress requirements, we will be able to preach to people we have never been able to preach to before because they wouldn't come to church! While they're here, we'll be able to save some of them!
I respectfully disagree. It sounds good, but I don't believe it's biblical. I'm all for getting people into church and I'm all for trying different techniques for doing so. I'm not rigid, Pharisaical and religious, but I see a great danger to the church in what we are doing.
We do not decide how God is worshiped; God decides how He is worshiped! God is awsome and terrible and all those in the Bible who came into His glorious presence even a little were overwhelmed by His glory. Some fainted, some swooned and some even fell down as dead men! God is not safe! He is glorious and holy beyond our ability to understand! When we are in His presence (and if He if not present in our church services, why are we even there?!) we must be careful to not be nonchalant and "comfortable"! We are in the presence of the living God who created all things and that honor must be recognized and appreciated!
In the parable of the sower, there were seeds that fell on the side of the road and, even though they found enough soil to begin to grow, their roots didn't go deep into the ground. When the sun got hot they shriveled and died. Is this what we're doing? Are we more interested now in quantity than quality? Are we raising up a generation of believers who will fall apart the first time things get tough? The first time they're not "entertained" will they get bored and walk away? Are we making things "easy" for them to come in and then expecting them to stay when things get tough?
Preach the gospel. Tell people about Jesus. Give them the whole Bible. Don't try to make it "easy", make it true! Don't try to be seeker sensitive, be seeker loving and seeker truthful and seeker honest. If they're seekers that's what they're seeking!

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