Media Cool...God Bad?

So, I am excited about the next 2 weekends at Table Rock. We are going to be spending 2 weekends talking about unwinding. If you want to see the bulletin for the series, head over here. I am excited because we are reaching out to the neighboring community. We have invited neighbors to join us. I am excited about visitors, people who don't come to church, people who have never been or would never go back because of what the church has been to them.

A couple of us were talking about who we are as a church this morning. We aren't cutting edge and innovative like Lifechurch. We aren't charismatic like Fellowship Church. We don't have the money that Lakewood has. And you know what...who cares. I am not discounting any other ministry, I am accounting for who we are and who God has asked us to be. When we started the church, Pastor Tom prayed that God would use Table Rock to be a refuge. A place for hurting, broken and dismissed. When we evaluate what brings people to Table Rock, sometimes we can say it is the teaching or the music. But people most certainly say it is the "come as you are" attitude and welcoming spirit. God has given us the desire of our hearts for Table Rock. We are a refuge.

I love media (Audio, Video, Projectors, Lights, Online Web Tools...Blogs!) But none of this should ever be why people come to our church. Hopefully I say this correctly so it makes sense. What should draw people to God's family is the people of God's presence in the community around them. If people come to Table Rock because we have great sound or cool videos or loud music, we are breeding expectations that draw attention away from the message of the Gospel. People come to church expecting good sound, great videos and loud music. When we don't deliver, they leave or even worse they just stick around and complain. But, when people attend Table Rock because we are a church that welcomes them as they are, expressing our interest in them as people, and then we turn around and care for them in their need, I believe those people will be changed by God's Spirit and will turn around and do the same. They will hear the message of the Gospel (whether by word or deed).

Media is a powerful and dangerous tool for expressing the message. It is something we use weekly and will continue to communicate the gospel. But, Table Rock will not be a church that fluffs up the gospel message with lights and sound just to attract visitors. That's the day, I need to reevaluate my leadership as a Worship and Media Pastor.