i hope you don’t mind, but i am using some of the comments from the “i like michael moore” post to make some parallels on this one. it is not my intent to misuse these quoted words, but to discover how michael moore and the church are similar.
Bobby says:
I think the question for Michael Moore is the real, underlying motivation for his passion. What change is he trying to initiate? What is he trying to accomplish?
Michael says:
like many pharisees or unbelievers, he brings an element of truth to what he says but you have to get through the propaganda to hear it. we just need to be wise in what we let in and wise in not disregarding what we don?t like.
good subject even though he distorts the truth for his causes.
Tony says:
I do have a tough time w/ the spin he puts on things. But, it?s politics, everyone spins – there?s no ?truth?.
And Leslie says:
dare I say that the American church has it?s own bit of propaganda and agenda in the public arena, too. But don?t take my word for it?I?m just a little jaded.
Leslie pretty much asks my next question. Yes, Michael Moore is biased, he spins the truth, embellishes, exaggerates and takes things out of context.
How often does the Church do the same thing? One of my favorite people wrote about Cheap Grace…I have seen my share of churhes preach that. And there are so many things that are easy for churches to sell but I think we all can agree the Bible is full of things that go against human nature, what comes naturally:
In order to live, we must die?
In order to be great, we must be least?
The meek will inherit the earth?
We must seek sorrow without despair?
We must love our enemies?
I am not being a killjoy. Through those things we learn joy. We find joy – A joy that is beyond our human nature. And I am not opposed to happy pastors and authors, but there are far too many of those pretty white teeth on our bookshelves. We are not fulfilling our purpose and calling by only telling one side of the story. In fact, I think as Michael Moore does a disservice to those who buy into his philosophies, we often do a disservice to everyone – Christ followers, or not – by not presenting all of the truth, or taking it out of context in order to meet everyone’s “felt needs.”
Some notes I had earlier written on Colson’s book, Being the Body:
Since when is the gospel of christ comfortable? Since when is confronting sin comfortable? Grace is all encompassing and forgiveness covers all sin, as well as the fact we serve and worship a loving God, but the truth is God cannot stand to look at us if it weren?t for the cross.
Has the Church put a spin on these essential truths because we’re afraid we’ll scare people away?
Comments
19 responses to “i like michael moore (part 2)”
You are right…
In hiding the ugly truths, we really try to pretty up the whole thing. Sometimes it cheapens the gospel. Sometimes it winds up as plain heresy (see prosperity gospel). And it’s not the TRUTH, but the prettiness that ends up on the new york times bestseller list. It sits right between The Secret and 1,000 PLACES TO SEE IN THE U.S.A. AND CANADA BEFORE YOU DIE.
Yes. Great question.
I wish the church would begin to ask themselves these questions. That’s part of the problem I think; we don’t ask ourselves the really hard questions. Churches should preach more questions – all I ever seem to hear are answers, answers, answers. It’s because we’re not asking the hard questions in life and faith – the questions where answers don’t come easy.
I’ve been in the book of Job now for months – I love the fact that Job had the guts to approach Almighty God with questions. His friends touted a lot of pat answers that didn’t really satisfy his craving for knowledge. Finally, God shows up! And, what does God do… ask rhetorical questions. Job had the balls! (pardon my choice of words)
It’s this whole mega-church, super-growth, high-tech, multi-million dollar, name-of-fame, God’s-really-blessing-us dream that pastors seem to be striving for, that’s driving this spin on truth. I saw a pastor on tv the other day when asked if he believed whether people who don’t follow Christ will go to hell. I watched him dance around this issue for 10 minutes saying, “well I’m not the judge” and “uh, I’m only responsible for my own life” – and never gave a clear answer. What’s wrong with saying, “well, the Scriptures tell us….”
I don’t want to beat people over the head with hell either, but if someone asks – I’ll answer honestly. This pastor was panic stricken because he knew that if he answered the question the way he really believed it would be very bad press and might affect his church and ministry negatively (meaning his numbers would drop).
I think a lot of our pastors care more about their success than they do about real people and the truth. Somehow the role of “shepherd” has been replaced with CEO. WHERE ARE THE SHEPHERDS IN AMERICA TODAY? They must be serving God in churches of around a hundred because we never hear anything about them.
What would a CEO feed his “sheep”? A bunch of out-of-touch garb to keep the masses happy so they won’t quit or revolt. CEO’s are all about putting the best foot forward, highlighting the highlights, and fixing the problem areas. I’m sure truth is handled the same way in these cases.
I’m going to stop now and pray about this…
“Has the Church put a spin on these essential truths because we’re afraid we’ll scare people away?”
In answer to your question, I think the spin developed because it’s a gospel of comfort and self-gratification. Apparently it’s possible to read scripture selfishly and surmise that God exists to make us successful and fulfilled…. to make everything around us go smoothly…. to sustain our comfortable lives. That’s an easy spin to live within, and it requires nothing of us.
What really scares me is that this is so prevalent, and so profitable, and so wrapped into the fabric of middle-class American Christianity, that many people don’t even know there’s a ‘spin’ happening.
I totally agree with Kim. Those things scare me too! I’m a member of a local church that is the closest thing my husband and I could find to a church that is outward, not self promoting, and missional. We were disappointed at what we saw the longer we stayed. Plenty of prosperity gospel, superficial “mission” projects that tend to glorify the church (little “c”), and TONS of “politics”. We’re still there…because it’s the only church in town that is anywhere close to what we were looking for! Some days we wonder why we stay.
Basically, true Christianity is far from easy! Salvation is more than a prayer. Being a disciple is more than a 10 min. per day quiet time. Giving of yourself is more than a 10% tithe.
Sometimes we wish we lived in Michigan. We’d go to Mars Hill Bible Church. My heart resonates with everything they stand for.
“Has the Church put a spin on these essential truths because we’re afraid we’ll scare people away?”
Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Spin is everywhere. Truth is elusive. I hear just as much spin whether I’m listening to Michael Moore, or sitting in church Sunday AM.
I was talking w/ my boss the other day about what I consider (from a good old fashioned, flag-wavin’, red-white-and-blue capitalist point of view) to be perfect business – casinos. People come in, sit down, empty their pockets, and leave. It’s amazing.
But what are casinos really selling? They’re selling hope. The hope that the next nickel in that slot will bring riches.
It’s the same sort of hope that gets sold in churches across America and the world every Sunday. Put your nickels in the slot (plate), and everything will be OK.
It’s the perfect business… dressed up as faith.
Not every church, not all churches… but too many, too many.
couple grammar errors in there. my bad. geez
Wow. Great parallel there, Tony. I couldn’t have said it any better!
Wow… this is a cavernous maze you’ve opened up here. So many different places to go. So here are random thoughts:
* Sometimes I wonder if most organizational Christianity isn’t 80% spin (programs; image; dressed in our Sunday best; superficial relationships; buy our books and tapes; shrink-wrapped, snappy Sunday series titles and graphics; purpose-driven materials so everyone can have their best life right now!)
* Churches have become expensive operations to maintain with brick and mortar, mortgages, staff salaries and benefits, youth centers, technology, etc. We have to keep people happy, attending, and giving in order to stay in business.
* Christianity is too often deathly affraid of the open-ended, unaswered question, as though this will crumble the wall of our doctrine if the ?s are allowed to remain.
* It is a subculture with it’s own products, media, news, music, books, and economy.
Sometimes I think the real search is to cut through all that spin and sparkle and shine to find the real Jesus. I think He’s usually still there somewhere. Even when the gospel is preached out of wrong intensions, Paul said “Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice” (Phil. 1:18). So I guess God can use it all.
It is so refreshing though, when you finally get past all the spin and stumble into a real live incarnation of God’s sublime grace. It’s the difference between strawberry flavored candy, and the ripe and juicy real thing.
D Rho – yes, yes, yes, have you been sneaking in my house and listening to my wife and I talk this stuff over? I’m putting new locks on when I get home.
“Has the Church put a spin on these essential truths because we’re afraid we’ll scare people away?”
I’m afraid so in the American church. In most of the “mega” churches today, it’s all about numbers and finances. I was on staff at one and resigned because of the focus on numbers and finances instead of loving God and loving people and preaching the whole truth of God’s Word. It got to the point where the senior pastor would exagerate the numbers when reporting them and try every scheme and gimmack to attract the numbers instead of relying on God and His Word. God help us.
gaj
In defense of the “mega-church”, there are lots who are doing it right.
• thousands of people are coming to some mega’s just out of curiosity
• mega’s are finding a way to meet felt-needs of culture
• trends and innovation on how to present the gospel, and speak and relevant terms are coming out of these mega’s
Most of all, thousands of people that First Baptist Anywhere wouldn’t attempt to reach, are coming to know Christ.
That’s not to say that all “mega-churches” are this way, nor is it to say that only these things are coming out of mega’s. I’m just saying it’s easy bash ’em. Likewise, it’s easy to bash any church.
Bobby, good points…megachurches are not evil. And in the grand scheme of Church, they are really not mega. 2,000, or 20,000, or 200,000 of people is a speck in the Kingdom! :)
No, megachurches are not evil… but are they effective?
I’m sure there aren’t solid numbers on this out there anywhere as it’s just too big of an issue to tackle (from a data perspective)… but what percentage of church growth is new converts vs. transfers from other churches?
It’s nice to hear thoughts that echo my own. I was beginning to think my husband and I were alone…our small town is quite lacking in “outside-the-box” thinkers!
Thanks guys!
Tony…I don’t know the percentage. And that may be happening in some churches.
There’s several reasons that churches move to the mega status. And there a tons of books written on how to grow churches. But the only real reason churches grow is one that can’t be formulated. The reason is God simply moves his hand. God is there.
And where God is, attentive people are drawn. People who are unhappy in the place they worship now…people who are seeking God….people who need to find healing.
It could be that transfers are happening at a ginormous rate at mega-churches. I don’t have a problem with that. As for me, I want to be right in the middle of a God movement. I can’t blame the people who transfer, nor the churches who receive them with open-arms.
I don’t know the percentage, either, Bobby – as I mentioned, there’s really no way to answer that question on a broad scale; no one has that data.
I also do not blame the people who transfer, or the churches who receive them with open arms. I should probably rephrase my question about mega-churches.
What I asked was whether they’re effective. That question was poorly formed on my part.
Mega-churches are really effective. At what, though? What are they really effective at?
Don’t get me wrong; everyone, not looking to start “Bash Mega-Church Fest 2007” or anything.
But, in the context of the original post re: spin, truth, etc… is a growing church automatically considered to be effective at ministering the Gospel?
Is it possible that it’s just marketed well, and as such, attracts other Christians from churches who aren’t quite so well marketed?
Again… not in all cases… of course… there is good being done in big churches…
I think there are plenty of churches that are very much so about the “come and lets all be counted and celebrate”. But I know of churches that say that numbers do matter. They say they count people because people count. Each person is a soul that can be introduced to Christ.
The Village just outside of Dallas is a church that has actually encouraged people to go to other churches, but Matt Chandler’s preaching continues to bring people in. It’s quite a strange “church growth” story if you’ve ever heard it.
But I think there has to be something to compel people to want to check out what’s going on with a church, but what’s going on should be Gospel and Biblical instead of the country club.
Tony: Am I breaking into your house, or are you breaking into my house? Ha, ha. You’re question is right on – and still really hasn’t been answered in support of the mega church model. Whether they’re effective at making disciples and fostering real intimacy with God and others is the real question.
Bobby: I believe anyone can find Christ anywhere – I have friends who actually found Christ outside of a church service. One was looking at a painting in an art gallery, another was in a near fatal crash, another was during a cup of coffee, and another actually dressed up as the devil for halloween. It’s difficult to say that just because they’re full of people that it’s healthy. Think of the systems, values, and social dynamics in mega churches (those form people too)… not just the numbers or what’s preached from the stage.