Hi Monty,
I have a worship leader friend who posted this http://www.thebetaversion.org/2010/05/sunday-blueprint/# on his Facebook wall today and I am struggling with what I believe about this. What do you think? I mean I see it as helpful to Christians in many ways but I also see it as he sees it too, over programmed, only for the "selfish" needs of Christians who are not being mission minded and going out into all the world, etc. It's churches that perpetuate the idea of Christians serving other Christians and that's about it. Not doing what God commands. I guess I just wanted to get another worship leader's two cents on it. What do you think? I would appreciate it if you had a few minutes to let me know your thoughts.
Thanks so much!
(see my response below)
"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.
My concern after viewing the video wasn’t as much about whether that has become the “formula” for a worship service. My concern with it was that it seems to reek of cynicism AND was created by people inside the church (northpoint). There’s no question that there is a liturgy that has developed in non-denominational churches, but to take a swipe at the intensions of that liturgy is to suggest that somehow all non-denominational services are human-centered. The truth is that the very church that created this video (northpoint) abides by the same liturgy it denounces and sees hundreds of people coming to Christ each year.
I assume the film-makers think they are only poking fun at themselves and/or those churches that gravitate towards these stereotypes...but the problem for me rests in the unawareness of people outside of the church that will not ‘get’ this video as a family-joke, but as a confirmation that—in fact—churches, at large, are shallow communities within an increasingly shallow American culture that has already begun dis-integrating because of self-focused living.
In short, cynicism is dangerous because it is one of the thickest layers of hopelessness that covers over our hearts ability to believe there are people today that truly do focus their attention on God and serving others--for no other reason but because they have been loved/forgiven and want to give love/forgiveness in return. And if people changed by grace are to become God’s face on earth—the literal representation of Jesus in skin--cynicism within church leaders may be a litmus test for how healthy the heart of Christ’s body is...
Ergg.
Monty
what do you think?
3 comments:
I saw this video on Facebook on Saturday, and it made me laugh. I took it as just a funny tongue-in-cheek little poke. But you are right, Monty. I can totally see your point about the danger of cynicism and how this video might look to those outside of churches.
Thanks for a different perspective!
Unfortunately, I played this for a friend who finds the whole idea of my faith to be a waste, and I was told this: "As you people say, 'AMEN!'"
It may be intended as satire, perhaps to remind us to not become formulaic and absent, but satire swings a two edged sword. For my friend it only reinforced their perception of church and "it's christians."
When I saw this video (posted on facebook by one of my former college professors) i too was concerned in the same way you were monty. I had a "ick feeling" in the pit of my stomach. if a seeker, like a few in my family, saw this video and compared it to a similiar church they've attended... it could be dangerous and push them away. Cynicism is dangerous. And it almost frustrates me that people inside the church would do something like this. My two cents.
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