since beginning my spiritual journey
since beginning my spiritual journey over a decade and a half ago, and more intently over the past few years, I’ve come to realize the fine taste I have for how people do church, and I’m one of the few who enjoys a wide variety of worship expressions (I’ve heard it said that most people can only ‘worship’ in a particular packaging), to the degree that I’m a church connoisseur, and now have the freedom to be churching-at-large.. it’s my observation that with the megachurch movement (paralleling the Walmart phenomena in retailing), people attend church for two things: (1) programming, and (2) people.
On the programming side, people are more consumer minded, and look for the preaching and music that will be most comfortable or engaging to them, and each person has certain criteria of how they best hear God, or how they don’t want to hear God. While how people choose church rest on many factors, the most popular reasons are not theological nor style. It comes down to peripheral issues of parking, music, low expectations of the attender, and children’s program. What a tragic commentary on people’s lack of faith engagement..
On the people side, churches are very much social institutions, with each having a particularly ethos defined by the way a given local church community relates to each other.. if you fit their social strata, then you’re welcome.. if you don’t, then they make it obliquely clear that you’re not welcome — unintentional as it may, it takes intentionality to build relationships. Most churches appoint the smiley-face welcoming-greeters, but the ethos is just plain missing from, b/c the social factors and cliques are already in place. Add to that, some people are very choosy about who they relate with, for whatever excuse/reason.
next weekend I will be
next weekend I will be in the Bay area, Monterey to be specific.. it was a crazy gig, b/c the original plans fell through due to last minute health-related cancellations, but still left holding this hotel contract. On an improvised idea, we’ve decided to revamp the program into a whole different deal, and so that’s what I’ve been busy with the past 2 weeks, and will be busy with the next week.. it’ll be fun.
with mobility freedom comes many
with mobility freedom comes many choices; recent conversation and ponderings comes to where ought I live, should I stay or should I go, as the song goes.. with as many as 1 in 5 Americans moving every year, there are many people on the move.. when should I make my next move? Sometimes people move because of a new job opportunity, which would be the most compelling, but what of other reasons? Sure some move for family reason, or weather/climate, avoiding allergies, or cost of living, or proximity to recreation/entertainment, but what about making a move for a church? Not because of vocational reason to work on a church staff, leadership, or active ministry, but just a move to attend a particular church? As much as a church connoisseur as I am, I don’t think it’s a compelling reason to move for attending a particular church.. this would seem too consumeristic.
hot item I found out
hot item I found out about a day late, not that I coulda tuned in for it: Transcript to U2 Bono’s interview on Oprah
