A Thin Line Between Right And Wrong
Last week I was at a Christian bookstore and I saw something that got me thinking. It was a little yellow rubber bracelet. The word "Jesus" was pressed into the rubber. I am not a trendy person. The fact that I have a blog often surprises me. However, I watch enough sports to know that Lance Armstrong has a bracelet that looked a lot like the "Jesus" bracelet, but all of the proceeds of Lance's bracelet went to Cancer research. I wonder where the proceeds of the "Jesus" bracelet went.
When I was in college, the Christian t-shirt phase was huge. You were not a good Christian unless you had a t-shirt that resembled a marketing campaign of a secular company. I think the most popular t-shirt was the "God's Gym" t-shirt. Another popular shirt ripped off the "Ford" logo and replaced it with "Lord".
Many Churches are performing a seeker sensitive worship service. I had absolutely no idea that seekers could worship the Lord, but this type of service is really popular. The basic idea is to use all the cutting edge technology, and the most popular music of the day, and have a service. Biblical preaching is replaced with a fifteen minute speech on "Living Your Best Life Now". The music is upbeat, but mostly fluffy and harmless.
I find myself struggling with the need for many in the church to conform to the things of the world. We find ourselves stealing the world's ideas and baptizing them to meet the needs of the church. I remember when "The Prayer of Jabez" became popular. Now folks, I have a problem with this book on a theological level, but for the sake of this post, I will deal with the book solely on a marketing level. "The Prayer of Jabez" was marketed to the Christian audience in the same manner as "Chicken Soup For the Soul" was marketed to secular audiences. "Jabez for Teens", Jabez for Adults", Jabez for Seniors", Jabez for Kids". Should we market like the world markets. The truth is, if "The Prayer of Jabez" was a good book, I probably would rejoice that it was marketed so successfully.
I believe that Christians need to think long and hard about who they are copying and why they are doing it. I believe that many things the world has given us falls within our Biblical guidelines. However, I believe some of the things we take from the world is nothing more than sinful and displeasing to God.
Let's take worship for an example. The Bible tells us that worship is for God and God alone. It also teaches us that Lost people cannot worship God. Nevertheless, Rick Warren teaches us in "The Purpose Driven Church" to create worship services to meet the needs of certain groups of people. For his church it was "Saddleback Sam". I find this appalling, and I do not think it honors God. For worship is not for man, it is for God. However, I also think that we should worship God with the best we have. We should have the best technology in the Church. We should use the best music. We should make certain that everything runs smoothly. So this causes me to search for the line of right and wrong.
I wrote this blog with the hope that it will cause us all to stop and think before we do something because the world is doing something. Just because something is affective doesn't mean that it is right. If numerical growth automatically means God blesses it, then the Mormons are being blessed by God.
Before we worship, advertise, write, or serve; let us ask ourselves if what we are doing is Biblical. There is a thin line between right and wrong. I would rather us always choose to do what is right even if it means we forfeit a neat idea. Pushing the limits of Bibilcal integrity is not a worthy thing to support. Before we rip-off the next popular logo, let us ask if stealing is wrong. Before we print the next bracelet, let us ask if Jesus would appreciate what we are doing. Before we plan our next worship service, let us seek Biblical understanding. We should always strive to do what is right. We should always avoid the appearance of evil.
_____
On a side note, I guess my idea of a Christian reality show "When Baptist Attack" probably doesn't hold to Biblical standards.
When I was in college, the Christian t-shirt phase was huge. You were not a good Christian unless you had a t-shirt that resembled a marketing campaign of a secular company. I think the most popular t-shirt was the "God's Gym" t-shirt. Another popular shirt ripped off the "Ford" logo and replaced it with "Lord".
Many Churches are performing a seeker sensitive worship service. I had absolutely no idea that seekers could worship the Lord, but this type of service is really popular. The basic idea is to use all the cutting edge technology, and the most popular music of the day, and have a service. Biblical preaching is replaced with a fifteen minute speech on "Living Your Best Life Now". The music is upbeat, but mostly fluffy and harmless.
I find myself struggling with the need for many in the church to conform to the things of the world. We find ourselves stealing the world's ideas and baptizing them to meet the needs of the church. I remember when "The Prayer of Jabez" became popular. Now folks, I have a problem with this book on a theological level, but for the sake of this post, I will deal with the book solely on a marketing level. "The Prayer of Jabez" was marketed to the Christian audience in the same manner as "Chicken Soup For the Soul" was marketed to secular audiences. "Jabez for Teens", Jabez for Adults", Jabez for Seniors", Jabez for Kids". Should we market like the world markets. The truth is, if "The Prayer of Jabez" was a good book, I probably would rejoice that it was marketed so successfully.
I believe that Christians need to think long and hard about who they are copying and why they are doing it. I believe that many things the world has given us falls within our Biblical guidelines. However, I believe some of the things we take from the world is nothing more than sinful and displeasing to God.
Let's take worship for an example. The Bible tells us that worship is for God and God alone. It also teaches us that Lost people cannot worship God. Nevertheless, Rick Warren teaches us in "The Purpose Driven Church" to create worship services to meet the needs of certain groups of people. For his church it was "Saddleback Sam". I find this appalling, and I do not think it honors God. For worship is not for man, it is for God. However, I also think that we should worship God with the best we have. We should have the best technology in the Church. We should use the best music. We should make certain that everything runs smoothly. So this causes me to search for the line of right and wrong.
I wrote this blog with the hope that it will cause us all to stop and think before we do something because the world is doing something. Just because something is affective doesn't mean that it is right. If numerical growth automatically means God blesses it, then the Mormons are being blessed by God.
Before we worship, advertise, write, or serve; let us ask ourselves if what we are doing is Biblical. There is a thin line between right and wrong. I would rather us always choose to do what is right even if it means we forfeit a neat idea. Pushing the limits of Bibilcal integrity is not a worthy thing to support. Before we rip-off the next popular logo, let us ask if stealing is wrong. Before we print the next bracelet, let us ask if Jesus would appreciate what we are doing. Before we plan our next worship service, let us seek Biblical understanding. We should always strive to do what is right. We should always avoid the appearance of evil.
_____
On a side note, I guess my idea of a Christian reality show "When Baptist Attack" probably doesn't hold to Biblical standards.
posted by Foundes Community Church @ 7:35 PM
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