Christian Junk Mail
December 21st, 2007 by tempe
As probably most pastors will tell you (at least those without the benefit of a church secretary!), one of those unwritten job tasks is sorting out the junk mail that comes nearly every day. Now, I don’t mean the ordinary junk mail (sale papers and the like) that show up at your house — I’m talking about distinctively Christian junk mail. This would include the endless catalogs that wind up in the church mailbox.
Yesterday, I received the “Easter 2008 Catalog of Christian Drama” from Contemporary Drama Service. The plays are amusing and clever sometimes, but I cannot imagine a church that would put one on, particularly during a worship service. They seem, imho, to border on the irreverent in many cases, and they make the mistake of thinking that a clever spin on a story from Scripture is somehow better than the bold proclamation of God’s word. Here are a few samples from the catalog:
Dave! The story of David and Goliath set in the American West. The most joyful, action-packed and suspenseful musical ever offered to members of your church choir! They will love being brave, young Dave — that easy-ridin’, Bible-readin’, gittar-playin’ deputy who knows that God is on his side! And Sheriff Buzz Saul and his lovely daughter, Michael! All great roles including: Preacher Sam and Kid Goliath, that gun-slinging killer from the rampaging Phil O’Steen gang, three soloists, two strong actors and a chorus. Some Western garb and a few items of scenery are about all the preparation needed. The audience will enjoy witnessing how a gentle spirit like Dave overcomes his fear and, with God’s help, wins over the evil force of Kid Goliath.
Whose Cross Is It, Anyway? A series of Lenten sketches. Special delivery! All throughout Lent, the JPS (Jerusalem Parcel Service) man tries to unload a cross. Following the company’s motto of “Prompt delivery service anywhere in Israel,” the JPS man takes it to disciples John and Andrew, a church secretary and a woman concerned that it may not match the decor of her home. All refuse delivery, though the cross comes free and undeserved. During each week of Lent, it makes the rounds to many customers with surprising, funny and moving results. Mary Magdalene already has a cross. Martha would rather make her own. Peter denies having anything to do with it. Judas says he doesn’t deserve it. This drama in six parts reveals how people make excuses for not wanting Jesus in their lives. The concluding drama features a cross sale. The price? Free. Someone already paid.
Noah and the Arkettes A rap play for a large group of children. The beloved story of Noah and the ark is updated in this new rap version, where Noah forms his menagerie of animals into a hooting, squawking, purring choir of Arkettes! The story is told by a cool, rappin’ narrator and the children through pantomime and animal sound effects. Ample room for costuming fun. The rap ends with the reminder that the rainbow is God’s promise that he will never send a destructive flood again.
And I’ve saved probably the “best” for last. The photo is actually featured alongside the blurb of the play on the company’s website:
This Is God … I Need You! Four petitioners, on behalf of all mankind, request an audience with God to protest hunger, poverty, injustice, disease and loneliness. They are stunned when God appears before them as a rather plain-looking woman or man. God responds to each with humor and compassion, but shows that humankind has been empowered to solve these problems. God needs all of us to make the world a better place.
Wow… That is all I can muster… Wow…
Wow is as good a comment as any, Benjamin. The question I have is this: if there is no Regulative Principle of Worship, then can this type of thing be “forbidden” (for lack of a better word) in worship?
Tempe,
I like what you have to say here, you may have an ally in my blog. Please come and check out my mission and I think you will be in agreement.
Shh…Tim, you say, “I forbid this kind of thing in worship at my own church…you are free to go start your own “Church of Divine Junk” if you want to use such tacky religious services. I presume God allows believers to be tacky, though there may be a high price or there may be extreme forgiving. I am the last one to venture an opinion on the topic, though that does not stop me.
Actually, Random, it doesn’t matter so much that I forbid it (although in Presbyterianism I am not a “lone wolf”; the church is governed by a body of elders called the Session — they would also have to approve/forbid these things — and I am under the oversight of the presbytery to which I belong as well). What matters is that God forbids it. God might allow believers to be “tacky”, but this goes beyond tackiness. It is a denial of the sufficiency of Scripture (at the very least, imho), and the last one is just down-right blasphemous (and just plain theologically wrong as well).