Monday Morning Insights

Photo of Todd
    .

    Worship is NOT Entertainment

    Bookmark and Share

    People are evangelized, not by a juggler, but by the presentation of the Gospel. And while evangelism may occur in worship as the Gospel is faithfully proclaimed, the purpose and focus of worship is that those who believe in Christ should gather and meet with God.

    --Robert Godfrey, quoted on OldTruth.com

    When will we stop trying to entertain people with the word of God?  Why can’t we just meet with God like my grandpappy did?

    I’m open to your comments (as long as they agree with me).

    Todd

    The call for entertainment in worship in our time is often cast in a particularly seductive form. Entertainment is often sold in the name of evangelism. We are told that we must make worship interesting and existing for the unconverted so that they will come to church and be converted. At first glance that argument is very appealing. We all want to see many brought to faith in Christ. Who wants to be against evangelism? But we must remember: entertainment is not evangelism, and evangelism is not worship...

    Comments

    if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, they will displayed on any website that supports them.

    1. Anthony Coppedge on Tue, April 01, 2008

      If the definition of Entertainment is to capture and hold someone’s attention for an extended period of time, then that definition fits every single growing church I know.


      Does entertaining equate to watered-down? No. If it did, then many churches experiencing tremendous growth, conversions and servers would not be seeing such amazing life-change.


      Does entertaining mean giving our best and being as creative and dynamic as possible to go from a mere weekend service to a weekend experience? Yes, it does. And that might include ‘entertainment’ aspects that relate to a media-savvy culture that’s found the local church to be boring, uninspiring and ineffective for years.


      If being ‘entertaining’ reaches people for Christ, engages the old and young alike and results in life-change, then bring on the entertainment!

    2. sam on Tue, April 01, 2008

      ah, the old if the church is growing then it must be blessed argument. How do you explain the growth of the Mormon church? You see the same things you mentioned, Anthony.  Oh, and Joel Osteen? Numerical growth, so called conversions, life change. All seen at his church. All built on watered down gospel.


      People can experience life change in any religion or cult. It happens every day. Life change is not the end goal of the Church. People can experience life change without ever coming to salvation.

    3. kent on Tue, April 01, 2008

      Okay okay, I get that rock is bad, but country is okay isn’t it??? Please??


      Dude what did you do on vacation?

    4. Anthony Coppedge on Tue, April 01, 2008

      Sam,


      I think it’s possible that you might have missed my statement where I said “churches experiencing tremendous growth, conversions and servers would not be seeing such amazing life-change.”


      If it was all about numerical growth, then you’d be 100% dead-on accurate, Sam. But I submit to you that when you see a healthy church, you’ll see numerical growth and conversions (a changed life that bears fruit) and servers (people plugging-in, being discipled/discipling and serving).


      When we talk about life-change here in this context, it’s about the freedom that equates to service, for no one that serves only himself is truly free. (Galatians 5:13)


      I can’t throw any stones at Joel Osteen’s ministry, though I may not agree with his style or all of his theology. If there are lives being changed and growth is resulting in fully devoted followers of Yeshua, then I’ll let the Holy Spirit make that determination.


      Really, Sam, I think that coming full-circle here it’s clear that to teach truth and not water down the message doesn’t equate to a boring church service. Church can be dynamic, free and engaging by leveraging the ‘entertainment’  (capturing and holding one’s attention) of being exciting and passionate instead of boring and uninspiring. If that’s entertainment, then consider me entertained! http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/smile.gif

    5. Sam on Tue, April 01, 2008

      Define the term “boring” for me in this context. What do you consider boring? Does “boring” come down to a certain musical style?


      Is it also “boring” just to have expostional preaching?


      Are you saying that all the churches that you consider “boring” are in decline?


      Does a church need to have a band playing Nirvana and AC/DC to be considered exciting and passionate followed by a topical sermon on being a better father, husband, and/or son to be “exciting”?


      Does God need all of man’s gimmicks and cleverness to bring people to salvation?

    6. deaubry on Tue, April 01, 2008

      i think the church and the world blends very nicely thank you, and joel is suppose to make us feel good,if people does not feel good about themself then they will go some where else, whats wrong with feeling good. i think we should entertain people , we have to if we dont they will get bored and leave, jesus entertained people every where he went, and jesus said for us to be like him, he healed the sick, cast out devils, raised the dead, he even healed the lame the halt, hey now thats what i call intertainment.hey but that is old fashioned, lets get in a new grove, bring on the rock, let us rock be happy,feel good, were in a new age . make everyone feel good.

    7. Rob on Tue, April 01, 2008

      Worship is not entertainment but it should be entertaining and engaging.  Think about the opposite - if worship was uninteresting and unengaging, it would then be like our grandpappy’s church which has led people to the stereotype that church is boring.  Hence, God is boring and the Christian life is boring.


      If that’s what we want to convey to people then yes, lets go back to Egypt because this land that flows with Good Singing and Quality is ungodly.

    8. sam on Tue, April 01, 2008

      How “entertaining” was Jesus in John 6 when many of his disciples turned away from Him and left Him?


      Deaubry, is the purpose of the church now to make people feel good? you cant be serious.

    9. deaubry on Tue, April 01, 2008

      of course im not serious sam i was just saying how most people think today, i want to ask a question, a lot of people say they have to be entertained, did jesus have a band with him to get the people to listen to him, he had thousands follow him to the hillsides just to listen to his words, and he told preachers to preach HIS gospel, he told believers that signs would follow them, music is good very good, but it can not take the holy spirits place in a meeting. the holy spirit is there to change peoples life, to heal to set free, to make whole, he is our helper in the gospel ,the preacher preaches the word, and the holy spirit honors the word of god, if you preach healing , then he will heal people to confirm the word, the word of god is not empty it will do what he sent it to do and the holy spirit will see that his word does not come back void of whatever was preached, IF WE WILL ONLY BELIEVE.   mans efforts are a waste of time without the power of the holy spirit, i am like my uncle said, i had rather be on a creek bank fishing than be in a church service without the anointing being present. its like dry bones, the preachers need to proclain, oh four winds come and make these bones live, THAT IS WHAT I BELIEVE.

    10. Tyler on Tue, April 01, 2008

      what is the point of a comment if it agrees with you. no reason to say anything if i agree. i might as well pat you on the back.

    11. deaubry on Tue, April 01, 2008

      i agree with the word, so pat god on the back. people73

    12. deaubry on Tue, April 01, 2008

      opps! i wrote people73 in the wrong place,

    13. Rob on Tue, April 01, 2008

      Ok, so here’s what we’ll do.  We’ll make church unengaging, monotonous and boring again.  Then we’ll get all our entertainment from the secular media.  Oh, but wait—isn’t that bad too?


      I have no problem with an exciting worship experience.  After all worshipping God should be joyous and entertaining.  At least that’s the way I think David would put it as he danced before the ark of the covenant.


      Is worship any less spiritual if it’s actually fun?

    14. Rob on Tue, April 01, 2008

      Where do Christians get the idea that things that are fun are actually evil?  Get with the program people.  Jesus saved us from darkness.  In heaven we’re going to have an entertaining feast (Party). 


      Why would God want to be surrounded by a bunch of Party Booping Sourpusses for all eternity.


      Psalm 66:1-2


      1 Shout with joy to God, all the earth!


      2 Sing the glory of his name;


          make his praise glorious!


      Psalm 33:3


      3 Sing to him a new song;


          play skillfully, and shout for joy.


      Show me where in the Bible it says that we can’t be entertained in worship as we entertain God with our praise and I’ll shut up.

    15. Sam on Tue, April 01, 2008

      Rob,


      joyous and being entertained or not the same thing. God should be the sole focus of our worship.


      Not sure what “party booping” is??


      I will ask you the same question. How do you define “boring”? Does it have to do with musical styles?


      Again, WE are NOT!!! the focus of worship. God alone is the focus of our worship. Being entertained and worshipping GOD are not the same thing. How is a band playing Nirvana, Friends in low places, AC/DC, etc. in any way shape or form considered worshipping God. But yet people are entertained. The focus is on man not on God. We gather together as a church to WORSHIP God and not as Spurgeon would say, “to amuse the goats”

    16. Page 1 of 7 pages  1 2 3 >  Last »

      Post a Comment

    17. (will not be published)

      Remember my personal information

      Notify me of follow-up comments?

    Sponsors