Gairney Bridge

I just received the latest catalog (yes, this is another example of Christian junk mail) from Outreach, a company that specializes in that form of outreach best known as “advertising.” I bought some stock paper (for printing up brochures) from them about a year ago, and now I am forever on their mailing list, I suppose. I may have commented on this before, but the program they are pushing is still continuing — therefore, so will I.

Outreach is pushing a program entitled “Faith in Action: Be the Church.” So far, nothing bad. On their website, they describe the program this way:

The Church has left the building

Faith in Action is a 4-week, church-wide campaign that creates in your congregation an outward focus and a heart to serve. Faith in Action culminates in a Sunday where regular services are canceled and the entire congregation engages in service projects in, and with, the community.

Once again, I have no problem with the idea of getting the folks out of the pews and into the community. But canceling worship service? Can’t you do the community service and still gather to worship God on the Lord’s Day (in all fairness, though, they do describe this as “1 Cancelled worship service replaced by a day of community service – all wrapped up with an evening celebration”)?

Part of of the marketing (for that is what it is) includes postcards, t-shirts, door hangers, etc. with the slogan: “Don’t Go to Church” (followed by “Be the Church” in much smaller font).

I suppose all of this is cutting edge. But what churches are going to do this? Probably not the ones that “need” to grow. It’ll probably be mostly megachurches and gigachurches, already with thousands of members, with the opportunity to pad those numbers and slap themselves on the back just a little bit more. Or, perhaps it will be those mid-sized churches, number in the 100’s, that so disparately wish to be megachurches. This can get them one step closer to the evangelical dream.

The church needs to wake up, imho. Smaller churches that insulate themselves from the community need to understand the unbiblical failure of that ideology. The gargantuan monolithic churches need to realize that numbers aren’t everything, and if the worship of God is neglected in exchange for looking good in the eyes of the world, then He will not be honored.

Much of the increase of membership in megachurches is the result of Christians being enticed by numbers and programs to leave smaller churches. It’s been compared to Wal-Mart rooting out downtown businesses when it comes to town. A simpler view might be “musical chairs” in the church. A more pessimistic view might be rearranging deck chairs on the Titantic.

Maybe I’m being too harsh. Any thoughts, dear reader?