Recently a relative of mine called words I had directed toward her in reflection on something she had written a "sounding gong and chiming cymbal." Actually I believe she was calling me those things as she quoted from I Corinthians 13:1. Perhaps she merely was expressing that to her it sounded like I was correcting her without love. It was a response to something she had posted on Facebook about a video that can be found here: http://vimeo.com/11501569. You should cut and paste and take a look at it. It's pretty slick and insightful. Go ahead, open another browser window; I'll wait here.
Nice job fellows at North Point Media (a ministry of the multi-campused mega-church North Point Community Church in the Atlanta, GA area.)
But I think this very cool video is not what some might interpret it to be. You see, the same guys who gave us this http://vimeo.com/8637774 gave us this http://vimeo.com/11501569 - perhaps they were simply providing themselves and the other 220 mega churches throughout the USA and the other 1200 around the world with a little wake up call.It certainly is a funny parady to them.
The rest of the churches who would want to emulate this kind of production couldn't if they tried and can't afford it as it is.
Still all in all the message in the video saddened me but it doesn't surprise me (Though given who they are really did sort of confuse me). That my sweet and loving relative would call me or think I was unloving toward her a noisy gong or clanging cymbal likewise saddened me.
The video as an inside joke is funny. If, its primary intent be to shoot holes in 21st century church, well then guys I would tell you that this is old news about contemporary ills of the Church. This particular piece is wrapped in the very technology that it criticizes; using the same "vices". That's weird.
Perhaps it is "the heart" of the church, the minister or the worship leader that the video, "Sunday's Coming". But who is it? It never says. It just seems to criticize some church (or ministry), somewhere, at some time. But it is just so totally random.
We will never know about whom this specifically was aiming at. We will have to call the character who plays the guy who knows it all, Pastor Guru since whomever this charismatic charmer is in the clip has no name. It just doesn't say.
I guess, since the message is posted for the world to see on YouTube, then the whole message appears should just be taken as a think piece much like you might have gotten from the Wittenberg Door guys back in the 70's and 80's (Shades of Mike Yacconelli). That job, policing and sarcastically criticizing has now been replicated in 10,000 blogs. The difference is that this one is great media. It's well produced. A few magazines of the Christian ilk have attempted to be a helpful policing agent for all things Christian in the past but it was hard to take them seriously across from a full page ad by Zondervan by the latest greatest book by the latest greatest writer, teacher, pastor, expositor, celebrity.
But I have a problem with the video "Sunday's Coming". It has no target. It's an old, worn out misdirected method of trying to cure an ill (or ill's) in the church. The strategy becomes this:
"We, the concerned, will talk about things in a general way that will be validated by the many who view themselves as "not this." I can't say for sure but "not this" offends me and therefore anything that I define as "not this" will be struck from my professional, objective, and classically trained spiritual eye as to be brushed aside. After all "not this" has no place in the 'Kingdom of God.'"
Now, before I get too far you may ask, "John what do you mean by, 'not this?'"
Well I'll give you some examples. Let's say I go to a small church of 45-65 which "preaches the pure word." "Not This" then becomes highly polished, well orchestrated ministry. Perhaps my church has no electrical instruments nor electronics of any kind to wow the masses. "Not this" is then the fancy electronica, sound and lighting affects of the world being used in less than spiritual churches. And certainly our pastor isn't that slick, cool, knowledgeable, Steve Jobs-esque fellow depicted in the video "Not this" becomes any pastor who has charisma, delivery and uses current terminology. Further, no one walks up front with a logo'd t-shirt, sneakers and cool glasses in my church because we honor God by our Sunday best! "Not this" becomes multi-media used to present the announcements or anyone who acts as the Master of Ceremonies of a spiritual service. (Really? Those were cool glasses?) Or, and I am "not this" might say/believe I am not in a big church. I am not in a modern church. I am a Christian but I am not in church at all. These examples could all be a part, in this instance, of the "not this."
And, since you are "not this" don't you just feel better knowing it?
It gives you great comfort in knowing that you are far off the hell bent path of "not this" and therefore much you are much closer to "what it is!" What it is, in my verbiage, is your idea of the right thinking and correct path to follow Jesus.
The problem brothers and sisters is this; In this us and them strategic ideological division you would say to yourself, "I understand 'what it is' because 'not this' makes me convulse to think about it!" I spend time with my fellow believers (or disbelievers) and we all shake our heads in disapproval at "not this," grateful that we have a clearer if not crystalline, objective and abiding understanding of "what it is." I thank my God I live under His protection in "what it is."
So I watched "Sunday's Coming." And in it I recognized the "anti-spiritual" players and realized in 46 years of church attendance I have only seen all of them on the same team, at the same time and place, espousing a similar format and mission twice. I had seen all of those things that Sunday's Coming espoused separately but not all in one place and to think it was the mission and vision of those ministries to succor people on slick stylings would be the subjective rant of an infidel attempting to justify their disbelief in Jesus Christ. ("I don't believe because Christians are hypocrites." Somehow, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher..." is lost in that line of thought for me...I'm just sayin'.)
Jesus was contemporary for His time. He did things that woke people up. He changed up the way to ask questions and to speak to people...even WHO He would speak with changed. Using the language of the day, the tools and technologies of the day to reach the churched better to disciple and the unchurched to deliver them into God's kingdom, though must come with God's anointing and direction (as would anything) certainly isn't patently anti-god or anti-church.
The video is funny. I hope every minister who watches it gets that he/she better not become "not this." But to my loving relative and anyone else who validates feelings, experiences and media as well as sentiment to discredit "the church," it isn't that easy. I cannot get past the true, obvious, "smack-you-in-the-face" plain teaching of scripture about why some people would embrace it to validate a particular point. It doesn't make any of us right to acknowledge we know worship leaders who just want to sell CD's (usually to shore up some paltry salary they try to subsist on) or some pastor who has learned the delivery of a teaching or sermon with professionalism and competency.
The video does not say that churches, bodies of Christ are whack; stay away! It does NOT say that. The Bible is plain...
• It says Jesus died for His body - the church (and though we are members of that body...the body is still recognized with ALL it's members working together) - Colossians 2:19; I Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 5:23
• Oddly enough something we hold very personal, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, is for the Church. You have spiritual gifts. And since you do they are to be used in a corporate body of Christ setting. Check it out - Acts 10:44,45 & 11:15-17
• It says we are to be those who organize as the parts of the body to better attack the gates of Hell (the gates don't attack back) and that Jesus is the churches (not the individuals) leaders - Ephesians 1:22,23 & I Corinthians 12:27
• 47% of those who profess Jesus as Savior in America don't go to church or involve themselves regularly with a body of Christ and I suppose since God allowed, slavery, polygamy, divorce, a taxed society He doesn't kick anyone out of eternity for not attending church but they certainly can't call themselves disciples of Jesus Christ either
• 37% of that group indicate they do not go to church because of deep wounds caused by past associations and that includes being guilted into service and other personally viewed harms.
• The Church body is a unique place where God's glory is illuminated - Ephesians 3:21
I do not know what your "not this" is or if it relates to the church of Jesus Christ at all. But, let me suggest that nothing in life reflects on those who are able-bodied and capable or taking their place as a member of a local body of Christ and do not do it as the kinds of hypocrites that the world finds unbelievable. Secondly, God has few people that He expects to act as a sort of internal KGB to police His own army. He doesn't use believers to ambush His own. It's time we all were part of the solution instead of spy's in the land sent to throw rocks indiscriminately and make self feel better for both agreeing that error lives in the church as a sort of general statement (duh!) and pointing out the errors of our brothers and sisters...where is the love in that? More to the point how loving, in grace, is it and where is the lack of hypocrisy you hope to avoid?
I remain...
InHISgrip, ~J~
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