Why? It's just the church.
I cringe even typing the above statement. Unfortunately, there are many people who think or say those blasphemous words. Why knock yourself out for a Sunday service at church? All we want to do is come to church so we can check that off our list... our weekly duty list. Don't do too much or we'll have to tithe more to pay for all that unnecessary stuff. It just shocks me as to how a Christian who has been saved by the sacrifice of God's only Son, Jesus Christ can think that way. We must navigate through that minefield mindset and measure our efforts against God's word and His Great Commission.
What does the world think of our art? Today's culture expects excellence. When they listen to the radio or watch TV or attend a concert or live theater, they are surrounded by high quality. Standards are high and everyone is a judge. From Star Search to American Idol, we've all become critics. And at the church, our levels of acceptance are way behind the world and the worlds knows it. What does it say to the world about our faith when they experience it through substandard art?
Doesn't God deserve excellence? What does it say to Him when we throw table scraps at the church? There was a time when creative art was born in the church. Today they are our masterpieces. Handel, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bach, are just a few artist the church sponsored and encouraged. Creative souls creating for the Creator. . . and financed by the church. The church in Rome was at the center of European prominence. Today, the church is considered far behind the curve in creativity. Why has the phrase Creative Church Services become an oxymoron?
The Bible mandates using our talents with excellence. In Matthew 25:14-29 you find the story of the man who gave 3 of his servants each a different sum of money to trade and invest. When the man returned, 2 of the men had used the money wisely to earn a return. The 3rd man simply buried his money, so as to take no risk and guarantee that he would not lose his master’s money. The master was happy with what the first 2 men did and displeased with what the last man did. Consequently, he took the 3rd man’s money and gave it to one of the other men. Lesson: use it for excellence or lose it.
The days of out-of-tune pianos with warbly voices singing an old-time gospel song for God's chosen are quickly coming to an end. If today's church is to mean something to the lost people of the world, the bar of excellence must be raised.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Now, some people use this verse as an excuse to NOT exercise excellence in the church. In fact, it means quite the opposite. Essentially, Paul decides to go in and preach a simple message to the Corinthians, rather than a deep theologically rich and impressive message. Instead, he came in with simplicity and spoke to them simple truths that they would much more easily respond to. But the key here is HOW Paul came to that decision. Look at his words:
For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Paul knew his audience. This is key, remember this.
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom
Note that Paul does not condemn a message that is expository, just one that is full of a bunch of opinion. Paul stuck to the primaries, and left his opinion on the secondaries out of the message.
that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
OK, that’s really good stuff, did you catch it? Paul was obsessed with making the message about GOD, and dedicating every part of it to pointing to Christ and making sure that it stuck! There’s no point in talking about Jesus in Spanish to an English speaking man. He won’t understand. Likewise, if your art is substandard, there's a good chance that today's culture will not recieve God's Word properly. Substandard art doesn't just refer to music, it covers everything from the sermon to the architecture to the condition of your restrooms. Everything has artistic value.
portions from Todd Rhoades Monday Morning Insight . . .
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