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Producing Church

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I Love Church

This article is a consideration of some of my concerns related to production tools and standards in the context of the Christian church service. I am writing from a perspective which is my own. I do not claim to speak on behalf of anyone other than myself, but that does not mean I believe I am alone in these concerns. The truth is, although many of these concerns are indeed my own, they mostly did not originate with me as well.

"The Church" is indeed the people, but the service of corporate worship and preaching and teaching in a gathering together is also "church". I love old fashioned, praying, singing and shouting in the Holy Ghost. I love altar calls and testimony services. I love the laying on of hands and prophetic utterances that given direction and hope to the hearers. Nothing thrills me more than to see a sinner after hearing the simple Gospel are convicted of their sin and convinced of their need of a Savior in the person of Jesus Christ God's only son. Through the lens of all the possibilities and potential the Christian church service holds, I LOVE CHURCH. I'm not so deluded to think that the details of my own experience are the only way to "do church". I see all sorts of gaps and flaws in how I do it, but I am also 100& appreciative of my heritage. These are cornerstones to my faith.

When you love something, you will fight for its defense. we can "lose our minds" on some things. be angry and sin not. On matters of preference, most people I talk to do demonstrate alot of grace. And it is generally considered un-Christ-like for someone to be dogmatic or "lose their minds" on such matters.

When someone takes the voice of authority on a matter it is usually not that they view their position as a personal preference but have chosen to speak emphatically or demonstratively because to them it is a conviction.

A healthy and edifying Christian discourse can only be had in my opinion if we choose to emphasize those things that we are convicted of by the Word and the Holy Ghost. We are chasing our tails if the sum of our Christian discourse is opinions and preferences of man. Every man may have a right to his own opinion but that is not equal to saying that all opinions are accurate or even helpful for anyone else.

"Why have we lost our minds?" In this question is the inference that is without value to speak with authority on a matter as its silly for a teen age Greta Thunburg to scold and educate a world she's bearly experienced. Inexperience is not the only place boldness can be found. It is possible to meet God on the mountain and come away with clear directives for God's people.

Scenario 1 is someone applying a local remedy as if it were a generaly cure. "Because I have experienced it this way, it is therefore true for all." This is foolish, but this fact does not negate a second Scenario where God does still reveal his will to men and those men may with both wisdom and unction declare that will to others. The Bible is full of men who "lost their minds" for God.

  • Noah Built an Ark and told the world it was gonna die.
  • Hosea married a tried and proven unfaithful women, knowing for a fact she would be unfaithful to him.
  • Jesus refused to defend himself and rebuke his discples when they tried.
  • John the Baptist lived outside of society, eating and dressing oddly.
  • Paul talked about the blessing which is marriage as if were a bondage.

Why would someone "lose their mind" on a theological topic? One reason is that God gives conviction to men and women and those people find themselves in a world that has taken a different position and they find themselves wiht no gently or reasonable course. Then just say it like they feel it. I think is an honest and sincere approach even if it is not agreeable.

Imperfect on Purpose

Visited a shaker home as a child and saw a beautifully embroidered alphabet. The embroidery was absolutely beautiful and the great attention to detail by its maker was evident. Except for 1 small detail it was perfect. It was missing the letter v. Our tour guide explained that it was made "imperfect on purpose." The mother was teaching her daughter a lesson in humble worship. The young girl crafted with her utmost skill, but still maintained there is no perfection outside of God.

Isa 64:6 ¶ But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Herein lies a caution to the Christian not to take ourselves too seriously. Saul before he was king hid among the luggage and had weighty sense of his own limits. Fast forward a few years and King Saul had bought entirely into the propaganda that he was somehow more than just a man. He lost sight of himself.

1 Samuel 14:43, He gives a command that is so nearsighted it condemens his greatest ally and son, Jonathan.

Saul even usurped the role of priest which was especially grievious he being a man of war.

King Saul and those around him produced a persona

It is an attitude of humble sincerity. Christian's should be the ultimate realists armed with the hope of the Gospe.

Enmity with the World

The church needs this fight. This resistance to all that is carnal and earthly helps define and give purpose to the church. The church borrowing the tools created or at least sharpened by Hollywood or Nashville is a concession.

Song: I'll stand for Jesus and let the world go by.

First Things First

Most value judgements cannot be made in a vacuum. On one hand its seems heavy handed to say you shouldn't use a camera or a screen in church. But if you place the question in the context of most of our lives, it isn't heavy handed at all.

Mt 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

It is a less interesting question to me to to ask, "Can someone use production tools and principles to create a better church service?" Less interesting because its too broad and in my opionion the answer is just too obvious. Consider the question, "Should I utilize this[fill in the blank] particular production tool or principle to complement our church service."

Now the conversation gets interesting. Before I seek out a tool not mentioned in Scripture, am I fully implementing the tools explicitly given in Scripture? Before the Bible preacher seeks out a better library of sermon illustrations, he prays, searches the Scripture, waits on the message and meditates, seeks personal application and also for his congrgation. A good story is not out of place in Christian preaching, it just falls in much later in the process. The sermon illustration may ultimately be what most listeners will remember and will testify as what stuck with them or impacted them, but Christian preaching will then lose its authority and power to change lives if the preacher concludes, "I can skip all those old fashioned disciplines and get to the good part. I just need to be a better story teller because that is what the public wants to hear."

There is a real danger here that some things introduced into church will displace some much more important and valuable things.

There is also a potential reality that we could be over compensating for a shortage in "spiritual meat". We can be tempted to disguise our spiritual short comings with trimmings. People are often fooled by such things, we may even fool ourselves, but God sees straight through us. You can't make up for a lack of anointing by getting louder and angrier or even just by becoming more polished. Before we are ready to serve God in a cathedral, each minister must learn to worship Him from an altar of earth. No lights, people, music, production, script, schedule, decorations, and etc. just me, God and a pile of dirt. With so many production tools and princples rooted in phsycology and other sciennse of humna behavior, would't it be wise to seek God first the sanctuary of His creation before we add the noise of human invention?

Ex 20:24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.

Where are the lines?

  • How do we measure enough or when its "too much"?

Production values

Caution lights verses "don't touch any of it."

Comparison of Quakers Moving Toward "QUIET" meetings and Shakers holding on to trembling, shouting, singing, and other expressions of ecstatic spirituality.

Learn Religions: In addition to the principles and rules of daily life described above, Shakers conduct regular worship services in simple buildings similar to Quaker meeting houses. Initially, those services were filled with wild and emotional outbursts during which members sang or spoke in tongues, jerked, danced, or twitched. Later services were more orderly and included choreographed dances, songs, marches, and gestures.

Quaker song "Tis a Gift to Be Simple," https://hymnary.org/text/tis_the_gift_to_be_simple lyrics & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk4M_d5MvOU

  1. a concern of losing a valuable culture.

  2. over production can kill off spontaneous and personal.

  3. whether highly produced or very little productionefforts we still are helping provide focus. over emphasis on talent beauty or charisma by definition distract from chriat as focal point.

  4. concern of losing what makes the Christian church unique.

  5. concern of losing the honesty of a naked truth. an altar of earth was required long before the luxurious temple of Solomon. whose to say that solomons temple was even the ideal? to begin with.

"Losing Our Minds" Over "Preferences"

"Can someone please explain to me why we’ve lost our minds. A preference is one thing. I got no problem with preferences."

  1. But so many are limiting the move of the presence of God to where lights, words projected on the wall, and a modern song is getting the displeasure of God.

  2. Why is a colored light or a projector such a distraction from worshipping God? Please, for the life of me I cannot figure out how a few spotlights on a stage is such a hindrance.

  3. I wonder if the singers and musicians, the tapestries and decorations of gold and exotic woods that decorated the house of God when Solomon dedicated it was such a distraction that they couldn’t worship God? Oh wait, it wasn’t! In fact the glory of God filled the house to where they weren’t even able to stand to minister. If electricity was a thing back then, Solomon would have had it. GUARANTEE IT!! So again, please tell me why a few colored lights or spotlights and a projector is such a hindrance and limits you from worshipping God. Why can Paul and Silas worship from a prison cell but you can’t worship from a comfortable chair and a pink light. I’ll be waiting….

What About Moderation?

  • Resources

https://www.learnreligions.com/the-shakers-4693219

CONTROVERSIAL POST BUT ALL RESPONSES ARE WELCOME… Please!!! Let’s discuss this!! Can someone please explain to me why we’ve lost our minds. A preference is one thing. I got no problem with preferences. But so many are limiting the move of the presence of God to where lights, words projected on the wall, and a modern song is getting the displeasure of God. Why is a colored light or a projector such a distraction from worshipping God? Please, for the life of me I cannot figure out how a few spotlights on a stage is such a hindrance. I wonder if the singers and musicians, the tapestries and decorations of gold and exotic woods that decorated the house of God when Solomon dedicated it was such a distraction that they couldn’t worship God? Oh wait, it wasn’t! In fact the glory of God filled the house to where they weren’t even able to stand to minister. If electricity was a thing back then, Solomon would have had it. GUARANTEE IT!! So again, please tell me why a few colored lights or spotlights and a projector is such a hindrance and limits you from worshipping God. Why can Paul and Silas worship from a prison cell but you can’t worship from a comfortable chair and a pink light. I’ll be waiting….

CONTROVERSIAL POST BUT ALL RESPONSES ARE WELCOME…

Please!!! Let’s discuss this!!

Can someone please explain to me why...

Posted by Kirk Powers on Friday, February 4, 2022