Okay, so this one is a long time coming. I think if I had time I would create a conference built around the ideas that I am about to present to you. You see, I am sick to death of watching the church recreate God into a corporate image. We streamline him, we make him safe, accessable, and in many ways, the church has decided to act as his publicist, or campaign manager rather than pilgrims on an unsafe journey.
Consider for a moment the fact the people such as Joel Olsteens of the world who package God as though he were the first bright hope of self-actualization. According to his Billboards his church will help you "Release Your Inner Champion." Excuse me Joel, but last time I checked my inner champion looks out for his own perverse desires and to hell with God and everyone else. If I could do it on my own, as you so wickedly propose to our "be all you can be" culture, I would not need God to be my champion.
Look even futher however, at how we dress ourselves. In order to be cool and clever we take corporate logos and rework them with cute little christian messages for our t-shirts. In doing so, we adopt the ethos of the corporations whose symbols we are STEALING and are therefore now only on the earth to sell our religious product and make money. Our God technology that works for you is now proudly displayed to a culture that is saturated with advertising images to the point that we barely notice them anymore.
Meanwhile, Christian music, art, poetry, books, and any other form of cultural expression are sorrowfully following corporate trends. Boybands in fashion? Try the Christian Alternative. Grunge? Try the Christian alternative. It just a bit blander than the original.
Long ago artists and musicians like Bach and Michelangelo found thier own voice and spoke with it. God wanted to create something with them, not lead them copy someone else.
The church that allows itself to be tempted into the evil of the corporate businesslike, technological "Gospel Product" is in danger of losing it's soul to the powers of the world.
5 comments:
I cannot say I agree with you 100% but I think u have made some great points here. We need to get away from the thinking that Christianity is about the "me generation" and start focusing on what Jesus taught. The saying "They will know we are Christians by our T-shirts" is pretty sad. I think we need to go back to the "They will know we are Christians by our LOVE" and then maybe we might start getting it right.
I have two things to say...
1. Dude, yo...
2. Preach it, brother!
miss you bunches. (I guess that's three things.)
Great thoughts! Good to know that I am not the only one thinking them. Let me know when and where the conference is being held, I want to come and bring some of my church people.
Whoop, whoop!
....get 'em, Michael!
Great thoughts you should expand even further. i would enjoy reading, maybe shoot some thoughts out on philosophy of the church's minstry.
Post a Comment