ROFLOL. The only sad part is that pretty room has 4:3 (not widescreen 16:9) screens! Too bad they can’t type the lyrics like they’re actually sung - the real benefit of 16:9.

- Anthony

Hey, at least they didn’t cover the cross!  That always caused an uproar in my old church - and it wasn’t even a TV screen, just a retractable projection screen. 

By the way, what’s the aspect ratio of a cross? And is that determined by culture or history?

I see the use of these screens, becoming a “wordly thing” For entertainment, for the agenda of the man in charge. I do not understand why there is so much importance put on the Pleasing of the lost. To entice them to come to church. I would like to know were in the bible, the teaching of Jesus & Paul pleased the people. I find NO where in the bible of such teaching. Jesus was straight to the point, and stepped on toes. In the same maner Paul did too. There was No hoop-la of constant singing, or being careful on what we say, because the un-saved might not come back. The church was sent up to TEACH the Saints, Not please the lost. I feel that this day and age we are in some very sorrowful times because the Church is no different than the world.

I have a friend who is very conservative. When I said once that he was a fundamentalist, he laughed and informed me he was a “Dominionist”.  I’m not really clear on the differences but I understand they are very conservative.  He is against not only same-sex marriage, but inter-faith and inter-racial marriage.  I’m not real sure how we’ve remained friends except that I still hold out hope that Jesus will un-harden his heart and he says he still has hope that I’m one of the “elect” and will one day really be saved.

Anyway, he’s always telling me that we need to focus on the Gospel and not worry about culture or society or relevancy.  If we preach the Gospel, some will believe and be saved because God has chosen them, and those who do not believe and are not saved have not been chosen by God and therefore we should not be concerned with them for it is God’s will that they are not saved.

I don’t wish to offend “concerned” or anyone else, but I think my friend is full of it and his beliefs are counter-mission.  We MUST, MUST, MUST continue to reach out to the unchurched and unsaved.  We must present a culturally relevant and scripturally correct Christian spirituality, both in our churches and in our lives.  We must live the example we want people to follow, Jesus’ example.  And our churches must be seen as culturally relevant, relevant to peoples lives, or we’re not going to reach many of the people Jesus wants us to reach.

Making the church relevant is NOT making the Gospel irrelevant.  Wanting our message to reach the world is not making our churches “worldly”.  Jesus and Paul were relevant to the culture of their time, Jesus’ church needs to be relevant to the culture of our time.  No, the church was not set up to please the lost, but part of the mission of the church is to reach the lost.  If you believe the church is no different than the world, you either haven’t taken a good look at the world today, or you’re going to a church I’m not familiar with.

I myself think it is funny, that they would get into a rift over T.V. Screens… Looks like the Baptist are rubbing off on them.

Although it is funny it is an enbarrassement that they would allow something like T.V. Screens casue a rift in the church…

Our church used a white wall with a overhead projector for years before we moved into the new church building and had overhead screens installed.

This is completely silly…

Oh yea, these people who are fussing about this will be the same ones who go out to eat at a resturant after church fuss, complain, talk about the food, church memebers, the resturant, the service is poor, and the waiteress is big, ugly, or they don’t like them…

Where’s my flannelgraph again?  O...I need to buy a needle for my hi-fidelity record player.  The 8 track is stuck again.  Hmmm.  Screens?  Will a king size white bedsheet do?  Now where is that autoharp...?
The mimeograph machine will just have to be replaced with a copier ... maybe one of those thermal jobs will do.  Technology...don’t you just love it!

Hey Ya’ll… SATIRE ALERT!!!

This is from Horn Swaggled; and most of you have been.

This is a joke… I would have labeled it as such; but that 1.  really takes the fun out of it and 2.  I thought it was pretty obvious from the source.

Lighten up! 

Todd

I’m sure Praise Him church has done everything possible to eradicate poverty and provide healthcare, housing, and any other assistance needed to the less fortunate in the Cincinnati area, and having done so, I’m quite positive that the most important priority among the wonderful people in this congregation is whether to go High-Def or analog on the Big screens in the worship center.  In fact, there’s little doubt that the High-Def route will display to the city of Cincinnati what an “awesome God” we serve. 

By the way, I’m a musician and make a living in the entertainment industry and am as into the latest cutting edge techno gadgetry as anyone, but OH MY GOSH!!!

WOW!!!!

Poor Jason - all concerned about pixelating praise yet expressing himself with a tired old tune (God bless the talented late Rich Mullins) that refers to an awesome God who “ain’t just puttin’ on the ritz...” That line always makes me laugh because it reminds me of the scene in “Young Frankenstein” where the doctor and the monster are dancing and singing.... (Please spare me posts doubting my sanctification because I like Mel Brooks movies) Seriously, if God gave you a funny bone that appreciates healthy satire and dry humor, you have to visit http://www.larknews.com and http://www.churchmarketingsucks.com. Remember - Jesus came to take away our sins, not our minds :c)

Todd (not that Todd) is more right on Point #2 than he probably realizes!  The comments at Horn+Swoggled are pretty funny sometimes—unintentionally.  When someone like Todd (yes, that Todd) posts a link to my blog, it brings in a bunch of people who aren’t aware that the whole thing is satire. And I am constantly amazed at how many people take it seriously!  It makes it kind of hard to write satire when real life is so outlandish, but I have fun doing it anyway.