Church Marketing Is Nothing But Wood Hay And Stubble That Will Burn Easily

[1still_waters]

1 Corinthians 3

10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

What I'm about to say and write may step on some toes and be offensive and harsh, but it's burning in my heart intensely.

Why is much of today's church relying on marketing techniques to get people in the church and to stay in the church? Why is much of today's church appealing to the entertain me mentality of human nature as a means of attracting and keeping people in church?

Sometimes I wonder, if you stripped a church down to its bare bones, just the presence of God and the simple preaching of His word, what would be left? Would the seats be full or empty? Would people still come? Or if you stripped away all the hoopla, would there even be any presence of God's presence and word at all?

So many churches spend tons of time making sure their stage is lit just right. Some youth ministries invest in fog machines and snazzy futuristic lighting to keep attention. Often churches spend time on over hyped multi media to tickle the ears of the world, with shallow marketing tactics meant to get them in the doors and keep them there. To me this seems like wood hay and stubble that will burn and not last on the day of judgment.

We're told in 1 Corinthians 3 to be careful how we build. Because in the end our work WILL be tested.Fire will test the quality of every church's work for God. Some work will be burned up easily and some work will endure and stand through the fire.

My question is this. Are these marketing techniques with fancy lit stages, over hyped multi media presentations and fog machine lit stages, are they works that will endure? Or are they simply wood hay and stubble that will burn to the ground?

I think the church could easily find the answer. Strip away the fog machines, the well lit, fancy designed stages. Strip away the clever multi media presentations and marketing videos. Let there just be the presence of God and the simple, substantive preaching of His word. If people quit coming once all the hyped up stuff and fog machines are gone, then you'll have your answer as far as the quality of your work!

On the other hand, why not just stick with the presence of God and the simple preaching of His word in the first place and avoid the fog machine and marketing campaigns? I think I know why.

Because our seats probably wouldn't be full on Sunday.

 

[pickles]

I believe that many have left the organized churches for many of the reasons you listed and more. A few examples also are the prosperity docturine, a local church where we lived made a couple that worked for the church buy a new car even though they could not afford it on their salarie because it did not look good if they had an old car. Another because the pastor told the truth and it made the elders wives unhappy. A good thing I see happening are simple churches developing and keeping it very simple. leasing their buildings for sunday only and keeping a simple office. The teachings are bible based and the goals are to serve and witness. This is what I hope will be the future in our churches here and elsewhere. We need to support and bring a heart of disipleship, teaching, serving and the understanding that Jesus calls us and our answer is to come to him. And the first act of faith is to come to his church because we seek him, not to be entertained. I have no problem with celibrating Jesus with music and dinners and other comunnity baced affairs, just good reason in the choices. God bless, pickles

 

[1still_waters]

pickles...that makes sense

 

[carpetmanswife]

lol stilly , let the a.c. go out in a church and see how many still show up for worship service.Let alone rid the church of all the hoopla...i totally agree with ya, we are a spoiled,move me if you can Lord ,bless me if you can Lord ,bunch.

 

[1still_waters]

lol stilly , let the a.c. go out in a church and see how many still show up for worship service.Let alone rid the church of all the hoopla...i totally agree with ya, we are a spoiled,move me if you can Lord ,bless me if you can Lord ,bunch.

I know and we seem perplexed over Christians in south america who will walk miles to sit in a church that's basically a glorified hut/shack. They'll sit in service for HOURS too in very umm...non trendy settings...

Not that it really takes hours to have church n stuff.....but still..their devotion says somethin!

 

[Baptistrw]

1 Corinthians 3

10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

What I'm about to say and write may step on some toes and be offensive and harsh, but it's burning in my heart intensely.

Why is much of today's church relying on marketing techniques to get people in the church and to stay in the church? Why is much of today's church appealing to the entertain me mentality of human nature as a means of attracting and keeping people in church?

Sometimes I wonder, if you stripped a church down to its bare bones, just the presence of God and the simple preaching of His word, what would be left? Would the seats be full or empty? Would people still come? Or if you stripped away all the hoopla, would there even be any presence of God's presence and word at all?

So many churches spend tons of time making sure their stage is lit just right. Some youth ministries invest in fog machines and snazzy futuristic lighting to keep attention. Often churches spend time on over hyped multi media to tickle the ears of the world, with shallow marketing tactics meant to get them in the doors and keep them there. To me this seems like wood hay and stubble that will burn and not last on the day of judgment.

We're told in 1 Corinthians 3 to be careful how we build. Because in the end our work WILL be tested.Fire will test the quality of every church's work for God. Some work will be burned up easily and some work will endure and stand through the fire.

My question is this. Are these marketing techniques with fancy lit stages, over hyped multi media presentations and fog machine lit stages, are they works that will endure? Or are they simply wood hay and stubble that will burn to the ground?

I think the church could easily find the answer. Strip away the fog machines, the well lit, fancy designed stages. Strip away the clever multi media presentations and marketing videos. Let there just be the presence of God and the simple, substantive preaching of His word. If people quit coming once all the hyped up stuff and fog machines are gone, then you'll have your answer as far as the quality of your work!

On the other hand, why not just stick with the presence of God and the simple preaching of His word in the first place and avoid the fog machine and marketing campaigns? I think I know why.

Because our seats probably wouldn't be full on Sunday.

Um that verse is actually talking about teaching and doctrine.

 

[1still_waters]

Um that verse is actually talking about teaching and doctrine.

Yeah and the marketing techniques show a lot about the doctrinal and teaching mentality of a church. A doctrinal and teaching mentality that says entertain and appeal to the flesh. See it's a fit.

 

[Baptistrw]

from the Believers Bible Commentary.. "Continuing with the idea of building, the apostle first of all acknowledges that anything he has been able to accomplish has been due to the grace of God. By this he means the undeserved ability from God to do the work of an apostle. Then he goes on to describe his part in the beginning of this assembly at Corinth: "As a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation." He came to Corinth preaching Christ and Him crucified. Souls were saved and a local church was planted. Then he adds: "And another builds on it." By this, he doubtless refers to other teachers who subsequently visited Corinth and built on the foundation which had already been established there. However, the apostle cautions: "But let each one take heed how he builds on it." He means that it is a solemn thing to exercise a teaching ministry in the local church. Some had come to Corinth with divisive doctrines and with teachings contrary to the word of God. Paul was doubtless conscious of these teachers as he penned the words.
Only one foundation is required for a building. Once it is laid, it never needs to be repeated. The Apostle Paul had laid the foundation of the church at Corinth. That foundation was Jesus Christ, His Person and Work.
Subsequent teaching in a local church may be of varying degrees of value. For instance, some teaching is of lasting worth, and might be likened to gold, silver, or precious stones. Here precious stones probably do not refer to diamonds, rubies, or other gems but rather to the granite, marble, or alabaster used in the construction of costly temples. On the other hand, teaching in the local church might be of passing value or of no value at all. Such teaching is likened to wood, hay, and straw.

This passage of Scripture is commonly used in a general way to refer to the lives of all Christian believers. It is true that we are all building, day by day, and the results of our work will be manifested in a coming day. However, a careful student of the Bible will want to note that the passage does not refer primarily to all believers but rather to preachers and teachers."

 

[1still_waters]

from the Believers Bible Commentary.. "Continuing with the idea of building, the apostle first of all acknowledges that anything he has been able to accomplish has been due to the grace of God. By this he means the undeserved ability from God to do the work of an apostle. Then he goes on to describe his part in the beginning of this assembly at Corinth: "As a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation." He came to Corinth preaching Christ and Him crucified. Souls were saved and a local church was planted. Then he adds: "And another builds on it." By this, he doubtless refers to other teachers who subsequently visited Corinth and built on the foundation which had already been established there. However, the apostle cautions: "But let each one take heed how he builds on it." He means that it is a solemn thing to exercise a teaching ministry in the local church. Some had come to Corinth with divisive doctrines and with teachings contrary to the word of God. Paul was doubtless conscious of these teachers as he penned the words.
Only one foundation is required for a building. Once it is laid, it never needs to be repeated. The Apostle Paul had laid the foundation of the church at Corinth. That foundation was Jesus Christ, His Person and Work.
Subsequent teaching in a local church may be of varying degrees of value. For instance, some teaching is of lasting worth, and might be likened to gold, silver, or precious stones. Here precious stones probably do not refer to diamonds, rubies, or other gems but rather to the granite, marble, or alabaster used in the construction of costly temples. On the other hand, teaching in the local church might be of passing value or of no value at all. Such teaching is likened to wood, hay, and straw.

This passage of Scripture is commonly used in a general way to refer to the lives of all Christian believers. It is true that we are all building, day by day, and the results of our work will be manifested in a coming day. However, a careful student of the Bible will want to note that the passage does not refer primarily to all believers but rather to preachers and teachers."

Well the entire chapter seems more than about just the preachers. He's correcting the people in the church for following men instead of Jesus.

If anything it's about NOT focusing on preachers and rather focusing on God. It's a firm rebuke to the folks "in the pews" to watch what their foundation is,..ie personalities.....and things other than Jesus the real foundation....


1Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men? 5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
16Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 17If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
18Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"[a]; 20and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."[b] 21So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas[c] or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

 

[His_will_i_am]

What you're really doing is shining the light on the superficiality of what many call the 'Institutional church'. This is what happens when our foundations aren't built upon the Lord's words and ways, but instead on the ways of the world and of man.

 

[Baptistrw]

What you're really doing is shining the light on the superficiality of what many call the 'Institutional church'. This is what happens when our foundations aren't built upon the Lord's words and ways, but instead on the ways of the world and of man.

Exactly. Some people lay on the foundation of Christ doctrines of wood and hay and stubble rather than the precious stones of truth revealed by God's word. Good stuff. Good discussion.

 

[e-Sword86]

1 Corinthians 3

10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

What I'm about to say and write may step on some toes and be offensive and harsh, but it's burning in my heart intensely.

Why is much of today's church relying on marketing techniques to get people in the church and to stay in the church? Why is much of today's church appealing to the entertain me mentality of human nature as a means of attracting and keeping people in church?

Sometimes I wonder, if you stripped a church down to its bare bones, just the presence of God and the simple preaching of His word, what would be left? Would the seats be full or empty? Would people still come? Or if you stripped away all the hoopla, would there even be any presence of God's presence and word at all?

So many churches spend tons of time making sure their stage is lit just right. Some youth ministries invest in fog machines and snazzy futuristic lighting to keep attention. Often churches spend time on over hyped multi media to tickle the ears of the world, with shallow marketing tactics meant to get them in the doors and keep them there. To me this seems like wood hay and stubble that will burn and not last on the day of judgment.

We're told in 1 Corinthians 3 to be careful how we build. Because in the end our work WILL be tested.Fire will test the quality of every church's work for God. Some work will be burned up easily and some work will endure and stand through the fire.

My question is this. Are these marketing techniques with fancy lit stages, over hyped multi media presentations and fog machine lit stages, are they works that will endure? Or are they simply wood hay and stubble that will burn to the ground?

I think the church could easily find the answer. Strip away the fog machines, the well lit, fancy designed stages. Strip away the clever multi media presentations and marketing videos. Let there just be the presence of God and the simple, substantive preaching of His word. If people quit coming once all the hyped up stuff and fog machines are gone, then you'll have your answer as far as the quality of your work!

On the other hand, why not just stick with the presence of God and the simple preaching of His word in the first place and avoid the fog machine and marketing campaigns? I think I know why.

Because our seats probably wouldn't be full on Sunday.

There is a website that I frequently visit which is dedicated to exposing worldliness in the church and many of it's "leaders". Hear is a quote from Chris Rosebrough the Curator of the site which can pretty much sum things up:

What has become of the Christian Church in America?

Answer: Too much of it has decided to mimic the world. Too much of it has stopped preaching about man’s sin and need for a Savior. After all, that message is boring, passe and irrelevant to unbelievers. These new seeker sensitive, purpose-driven, willow creek wannabes have discarded expository Biblical teaching and have replaced it with man-centered, self-help pep talks that are appealing to the world around them. This was foretold in God's word nearly 2000 years ago by the Apostle Paul.

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." 2 Timothy 4:3,4

We are not called to partner with the world and pop culture. Instead we are called out of it and set apart from it.

"Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. " - Corinthians 5:6-8

 

[loveschild]

God can go any where. If the fancy music and fog machines brings them so God can get to them fine. God had music and worship teams that that was their full time jobs. Yes God can go to a poor hut. It's all to the glory of God. God comes in the praises to him.

 

[BLC]

Baptistrw,

If you are going to be a a good teacher, preacher or minister of the gospel, give an example of the doctrines that would be considered wood, hay and stubble. The foundation is already laid, which is Christ, so what are the doctrines of Christ that we are to build upon that foundation? Unless you know and can teach the doctrines that are to be taught, then what you say has no substance or power to transform lives or edify the church, the body of Christ.

 

[BLC]

There is a website that I frequently visit which is dedicated to exposing worldliness in the church and many of it's "leaders". Hear is a quote from Chris Rosebrough the Curator of the site which can pretty much sum things up:

What has become of the Christian Church in America?

Answer: Too much of it has decided to mimic the world. Too much of it has stopped preaching about man’s sin and need for a Savior. After all, that message is boring, passe and irrelevant to unbelievers. These new seeker sensitive, purpose-driven, willow creek wannabes have discarded expository Biblical teaching and have replaced it with man-centered, self-help pep talks that are appealing to the world around them. This was foretold in God's word nearly 2000 years ago by the Apostle Paul.

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." 2 Timothy 4:3,4

We are not called to partner with the world and pop culture. Instead we are called out of it and set apart from it.

"Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. " - Corinthians 5:6-8

Instead of going around and exposing worldliness in the church and its leaders, why not go and preach Christ and Him crucified and see if God will use you to build His church. At the church in Corinth, who had problems with worldliness and carnality, Paul determined to know nothing among the believers but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Have you ever gone to an area and believed God to build or plant a local church? If you have then you have an idea of what it takes to have a fruitful ministry. It is hard work, it requires much discipline and you are constantly dealing with human beings who fail and sin often, which includes yourself. When that happens you get to know the grace of God, you get to know the patience of God and you learn to look at things that are not as though they were, all through faith in the cross and according to the promises of God.

If you preach good doctrine and you are Spirit-filled then the leaven will be exposed and believers will be given grace to purge out the old leaven. Sometimes it takes years for that to happen in the lives of some people. But that is where you need to be longsuffering because that is what the love of God is like. It bears all things, endures all things, it believes all things and hopes all things and continues to be kind and tenderhearted even to worldly believers that are having a problems with the flesh. Paul had a problem with his flesh and sin nature in (Rom 7) and asked who would deliver him from his body of sin and death. He thanked God through Jesus that there was NO CONDEMNATION (Rom 8:1). What would be the need of patience or the fruit of longsuffering if there was not a problem that required it. How longsuffering has God been with the Israel?

 

[Ryan1976]

1 Corinthians 3

10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

What I'm about to say and write may step on some toes and be offensive and harsh, but it's burning in my heart intensely.

Why is much of today's church relying on marketing techniques to get people in the church and to stay in the church? Why is much of today's church appealing to the entertain me mentality of human nature as a means of attracting and keeping people in church?

Sometimes I wonder, if you stripped a church down to its bare bones, just the presence of God and the simple preaching of His word, what would be left? Would the seats be full or empty? Would people still come? Or if you stripped away all the hoopla, would there even be any presence of God's presence and word at all?

So many churches spend tons of time making sure their stage is lit just right. Some youth ministries invest in fog machines and snazzy futuristic lighting to keep attention. Often churches spend time on over hyped multi media to tickle the ears of the world, with shallow marketing tactics meant to get them in the doors and keep them there. To me this seems like wood hay and stubble that will burn and not last on the day of judgment.

We're told in 1 Corinthians 3 to be careful how we build. Because in the end our work WILL be tested.Fire will test the quality of every church's work for God. Some work will be burned up easily and some work will endure and stand through the fire.

My question is this. Are these marketing techniques with fancy lit stages, over hyped multi media presentations and fog machine lit stages, are they works that will endure? Or are they simply wood hay and stubble that will burn to the ground?

I think the church could easily find the answer. Strip away the fog machines, the well lit, fancy designed stages. Strip away the clever multi media presentations and marketing videos. Let there just be the presence of God and the simple, substantive preaching of His word. If people quit coming once all the hyped up stuff and fog machines are gone, then you'll have your answer as far as the quality of your work!

On the other hand, why not just stick with the presence of God and the simple preaching of His word in the first place and avoid the fog machine and marketing campaigns? I think I know why.

Because our seats probably wouldn't be full on Sunday.

I agree. However, I often hear sermons that are filled with smoke and mirrors. What complaints would you have if you just gathered, sang Psalms and other passages in the bible and simply gave readings out of the bible without some dood putting his two cents into the mix?

At the very least, you would know that what was being offered to you (despite what one might offer to Him) was flame-retardant.

God bless!

 

[MahogonySnail]

I truly hope no one is able to say "I was led to God by smoke and mirrors", but led to God by the grace of God and the preaching of the Word and the Good News. I do find the ones led to God by smoke and mirrors to be flaky, lacking substance, depth. They stay on the edges and superficialities of their particular church or denomination and the life of God, only because they know not anything else. The simple fact is, when we are in God's presence we don't need anything else. We can sit quiet and patiently without need of entertainment, music, smoke and mirrors or any of these things, because God is all in all and is all the entertainment needed. This was the secret of the great mystics in the past who practiced God's presence.

 

[e-Sword86]

Instead of going around and exposing worldliness in the church and its leaders, why not go and preach Christ and Him crucified and see if God will use you to build His church. At the church in Corinth, who had problems with worldliness and carnality, Paul determined to know nothing among the believers but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Have you ever gone to an area and believed God to build or plant a local church? If you have then you have an idea of what it takes to have a fruitful ministry. It is hard work, it requires much discipline and you are constantly dealing with human beings who fail and sin often, which includes yourself. When that happens you get to know the grace of God, you get to know the patience of God and you learn to look at things that are not as though they were, all through faith in the cross and according to the promises of God.

If you preach good doctrine and you are Spirit-filled then the leaven will be exposed and believers will be given grace to purge out the old leaven. Sometimes it takes years for that to happen in the lives of some people. But that is where you need to be longsuffering because that is what the love of God is like. It bears all things, endures all things, it believes all things and hopes all things and continues to be kind and tenderhearted even to worldly believers that are having a problems with the flesh. Paul had a problem with his flesh and sin nature in (Rom 7) and asked who would deliver him from his body of sin and death. He thanked God through Jesus that there was NO CONDEMNATION (Rom 8:1). What would be the need of patience or the fruit of longsuffering if there was not a problem that required it. How longsuffering has God been with the Israel?

When I speak of worldliness I'm not talking about Christians battling with their sins on a personal level but leaders embracing the worlds methods to please themselves and people instead of God. Perhaps you are not aware of just how far from sound doctrine many of the newer as well as some established Churches and their leaders have gone but any God-fearing Christian would certainly want to expose them.

1Jn 4:5,6 "They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

1John 2:15 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world".

Romans 16:17,18 says "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple".

Sounds like many of today's popular preachers. Why does God want us to avoid them? I would say for one because He doesn't want true believers to be influenced buy them and secondly He doesn't want unbelievers thinking they serve the Lord when they don't. God is willing that none should perish but that all come to repentance and I think each believer should be led by the Lord as to reaching out to those that are misled, without compromise.

 

[wwjd_kilden]

Y know... there is a middle line between using a party tent and decorating the walls in gold.

I do agree that many churches seem to use maerial objects to draw people, which is probably wrong. But If it does draw people, and they THEN are met with the true word of God, does it matter? As long as what beeing preached is true, the surroundings don't matter. I personally feel better in the type of churches without an altar, without a set preachers stand, without benches... just a place to sit, maybe a table for those who wnat to take notes, and the people. thats what matters.

As for the fog machines and stuff, that ight be excaggerated, but it can be nice too, once in a while, as long as the message is what is in the centre of everything. And i LOVE worship with both accoustic and electric guitars, drums, base, flute or whatever peole have talent for.
Praise him on the loud cymbals: praise him on the high sounding cymbals!

 

[1still_waters]

Y know... there is a middle line between using a party tent and decorating the walls in gold.

I do agree that many churches seem to use maerial objects to draw people, which is probably wrong. But If it does draw people, and they THEN are met with the true word of God, does it matter? As long as what beeing preached is true, the surroundings don't matter. I personally feel better in the type of churches without an altar, without a set preachers stand, without benches... just a place to sit, maybe a table for those who wnat to take notes, and the people. thats what matters.

As for the fog machines and stuff, that ight be excaggerated, but it can be nice too, once in a while, as long as the message is what is in the centre of everything. And i LOVE worship with both accoustic and electric guitars, drums, base, flute or whatever peole have talent for.
Praise him on the loud cymbals: praise him on the high sounding cymbals!

Good point. Maybe some things are good for attracting people. But once attracted, I wonder what is 'keeping' them there? I'm sure if you pulled the 'fog machines' and all the other hoopla away, you'd find out really quick.