Slice of Laodicea had a little commentary on Granger Community Church’s “Tight Like Spandex” from their “I Love the 80s” sermon series. The title was eye catching. I went and watched the entire sermon. I was pleasantly surprised. If Slice had watched the whole sermon, they might have been pleased themselves.
The worship band opens up with an instrumental version of Van Halen’s “Jump”.
After “Jump”, they sing a couple upbeat worship songs and show a couple goofy videos. And then the pastor gets up and preaches a sermon with the opening of a description of Spandex. The analogy was a bit of a stretch. However, once he gets past the spandex, he preaches a tough sermon on obedience. It’s not about pleasing the flesh at all. He even talks about Hell, law, and judgement. In one example, he talks about hundreds of churches that Granger supports in India and how the people they’ve lead to Christ are going to suffer persecution. Persecution, he explains, can show that we aren’t following a safe, fake Jesus. In addition, the pastor reports that around 1000 new converts to Christ were going to be baptized by one of these Indian churches.
Did Slice watch the entire service? What part, besides the opening, didn’t they like? What part of the sermon did they dislike? Can’t they praise God that 1000 people were going to be baptized in India in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ? My suspicion is that it’s just about style.
This whole thing brings to mind this verse: Phillipians 1:18 “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”
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Thank you Matt, this lifted up my heart to the Lord. It’s obvious they didn’t watch the whole thing, saw the first song, and put on their Jesus suits and condemned.
How…sad?
Joe
This has always been one thing that I always **shudder** have kind of agreed with the ODMs, although not in the substance of their argument. I don’t think it’s a holiness issue, or a matter of the Church being compromised, I just think it’s a stupid method of communicating with people.
I mean what demographic are pastors aiming at by doing such themed sermon series? I really can’t imagine many people even being drawn in by such things. I think if I was at a worship service where the band started playing Van Halen, I would leave. Not because I was offended, but just because it’s cheesy and dumb.
I don’t know, I’m not at all against laughing and having a good time at a church service, but I just feel these are another way of pastors wearing their “I’m cool and hip” masks. Is it too much to ask that we just be authentic when we have a church service?
“and put on their
JesusMoses suits and condemned.”They probably got up to the part where he said “if you’re saying “we want to get back to the sanctity of music in church, like hymns….” what you’re really saying is “we want to get back to a bunch of bar/drinking songs set to Christian lyrics!” and then judged it as evil.
Joe
Phil-
I agree. The opening to the service seemed like they were trying too hard to be cool. However, the content, once you got past that, was pretty good. There was no easy believism at all.
Really? I just saw it as friendly banter, a little joyful humor. The pastor came across as increddibly affable, and I wanted to listen to him…So I did. lol
Joe
I’m just a grumpy, old codger I suppose…
Seriously, though, Ingrid’s description is ridiculous:
I bet she thinks the manger was swept by angels and Jesus never went to the bathroom. This is why I think a lot of the ODM are soft gnostics. They really do act like everything physical = bad, and everything spiritual = good.
These are issues about which we need to be careful and with wisdom and grace. I too would not wish to be in such a service. However -
*God can and does work through less than perfect gimmicks. I know missionaries who were saved at such theatrics.
*There must be room for appreciating the passion to reach souls.
*Methodology is very subjective – many would have severely criticized Jesus as not reflecting the “Triune God” when he gave out fish sandwiches at church.
*We must learn how to pray for the evangelistic success of methods we would not use.
And my question is this as well: What kind of energy does it take to search out and find these things about obscure churches. I have a hard time finding service times for the church down the road. You must be CONSUMED with an insatiable need to judge to come up with things continually.
We get the picture, you don’t like them and neither does God. Let’s move on to something else you and God don’t like. Oh yea – SINNERS!
Kind of my sentiments too, Rick. I’m not condemning the churches for doing this, but, personally, I question why it’s necessary. I certainly do not want to waste my time looking for things in churches I don’t like, though. It’s none of my business, really.
When you spend your time looking for things to be offended by, your search will be successful the vast majority of the time.
You know what though? I bet everyone in that congregation was rivoted and listening all the way through until the end of his fantastic sermon. Gimmicks or not.
I too thought “this is overkill on the 80s music and 20 minutes of humorous videos and speeches” but honestly it made me want to listen more. Flannelgraph Jesus…LOL
Joe
Van who? Their music actually used to matter. I suspect the author of Slice is angry that she didn’t think of it first. But I could be wrong….:)
Now, a parable.
Speaking of 80’s music, Remember Huey Lewis and the News? I used to hear their song “I want a new drug” and I thought they were saying, “I want a new truck.” I could never figure out why they were so intent on getting a new truck. So every Thursday evening me and my family would go to the Rollerena and roller skate. I would roll around the skate rink in all my glory, shouting and singing, “I want a new truck…” Then one day I quit singing my understanding of their words long enough to actually listen to what they were singing and I heard something entirely different and it changed the way I sang along with the music. It changed me forever. Now before I sing, I listen.
yours for the Kingdom,
jerry
ps–”One that makes me feel like I feel when I’m with you…I want a new Truck.”
Oh, my point was that it is amazing how much we can learn when we grow weary of hearing our own voice.
PS–Rick, do you ever leave the computer off?
jerry
Its on issues such as these that we don’t have a basis to speak because we don’t know the community, or the church. You can say “I wouldn’t want to go”, but guess what brave interweb warrior, you’re not relevant to the discussion. Neither is your congregation, your pastor, or anyone you know unless you are a part of that church or community. Shocking, I know.
Tim,
I agree. I think we have to be careful to warn our people, in our church, in our community of what we perceive as dangers. I think it is something else entirely to assume that we have that same authority in other congregations. I attended a community worship service last night. A local man, who has no pulpit save for his coffee shop counter, got up and preached to us. He doesn’t even attend a local congregation but rather one in another community. He stood and presumed to tell us what we needed to do. He spoke of things like ‘the authority of Jesus’ and ‘releasing us’ and other such nonsense. His ’sermon’ effectively put a damper on an otherwise blessed evening of worship. He presumed to judge those of us he had no right to judge. It was very difficult and at one point I had to leave the room. He was a walking, breathing ODM. Anyhow, yes, shocking; terribly shocking.
jerry
You mean a pastor in Indiana should listen to what someone in Pennsylvania has to say about him? I am shocked, I tell you, shocked! I demand satisfaction!
All I can say was that guitarist was great!
As far as Ingrid, well we all know as long as it is her taste of music it can be sung by gay, non-believers… and she can worship to it. But if it rocks, then it must be wrong. And if it rocks in a church she deems less worthy of Christ and are worse sinners than herself… even more the condemnation toward them…
Good job Ingrid… I am sure all the those classical performers you love who don’t now Jesus appreciate you support of them.
iggy
haha, i wouldn’t. i probably would stay to make requests.
“Why Can’t This Be Love?” or something.
and i’d probably be like “who on earth ARE these people?” and i’d stay out of morbid curiosity, if nothing else.
Phil, If it would garner Evan’s interest then they must be connecting with people through it. You asked:
You are assuming that these guys aren’t being authentic. You call this cheesy and dumb. I have to tell you, my first assumption would be that that is as authentic as you are going to get. I don’t know about you but I am extremely cheesy. I laugh at all my own jokes. I think I’m hilarious. I have spectacular ideas (that usually don’t get followed through with because of a lack of resources) that would show that I’m just as cheesy as these guys. That’s who I am. Don’t assume they aren’t being who they are.
after all, if God really intended all of us to fall in lockstep behind one doctrine, one way of worship, one-size-fits-all religion, then why did he create each one of us to be so completely unique?
Christian,
I’m not trying to pass judgement on them, although I’m sure it’s coming off as that. Perhaps I am projecting too much of my own experience onto this. I have been involved in worship teams at larger churches for a while, and I’ve been in on some of the “planning” that goes into these things. It’s always come off as contrived to me, but that’s just me.
I came of age musically in the era of Nirvana, so I have a natural aversion to pretense and postering, so even Van Halen in its own right is almost impossible for me to listen to. I’m definitely of the opinion that music and a sermon should have enough substance to stand on its own, and doesn’t need to bolstered with props and the like. I know it’s all in the vein of good fun, so I can’t condemn it, but it just grates on me personally. I’m not offering my opinion as a universal fiat.
The first thing that stuck out to me in that video was that the Pastor was wearing the “J-Mac Suit from the O.D.M. approved apparel line” found only at J.C. Fundies.
I would begin the service with Jethro Tull’s “Thick as a Brick”.
“I really don’t mind if you sit this one out,
My words are but a whisper, your deafness a SHOUT!”
Then I would go to Tull’s “Passion Play”
“Looking for a sign that the Universal Mind
Has written you into the Passion Play.”
Then I give an invitation.
Ya Rick, and when you prepare to take up the offering you can play “Feed the Church, Toppins a Bag” from Mary Poppins. Or, if it is a harsh message, you can play, “A Spoon Full of Sugar Makes the Message Go Down!”