Eliminate a team from play-off contention and attendance wanes.
Sell off all your stocks and following the markets becomes blasé.
It isn’t easy to stay engaged in things that have no real importance to them.
Once the team is eliminated it doesn’t really matter how slick the advertising promo is - they’re done - see ya next year!
When it comes to finance - I don’t care if Poppy stands on her desk and sings the latest acquisition news, I have nothing invested, I’m not tuning in.
Here’s my point. There is a lot of talk these days about church being boring, especially to men. We need to find ways – we are told - to be more relevant, more engaging. Eerie warnings abound that the masses are beginning to find the “courage” to “leave church”, to exchange commitment to a local body of believers for chats about God over coffee or on the golf course. There’s a coming revolution don’t you know?
I think our quest for relevance is the problem – not the solution.
We have neutered the church by cutting out everything that might be found offensive.
There are no sinners anymore, only the horrible spectre of global injustice. There is no coming wrath, no judgement, no accounting for individual iniquity, only a call to “look for what God is doing” so we can join Him in His dream for humanity. It’s all so beautiful... one could even say Christianity is the search for beauty... but...here’s the thing though...
We don’t need a crucified savior for that – in fact what was Jesus doing up there on that cross anyway – didn’t he realize that the cure for the human condition is to switch to fair trade coffee and to drive hybrids? (yawn)
So then ... Let there be lights, motion backs, dance, drama and the arts. Bring on the professional singers, comedians, and occasional athlete testimonies, don’t forget the video announcements, secular music, and clowns in a Volkswagen - but, at the end of the day; if we are just another concerned citizens group trying to hold the attention of the crowd we are already irrelevant.
The only thing we have to offer is the message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Christ died in my place on that hill – and that never gets old - or boring!
I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! (Gal. 2:21)
