Truth for today

i read these words today (quoted by todd rhoades from “monday morning insight”):

“If you expect people to come to church just to hear your music, you’ll be disappointed. If they want to hear music, they’ll pop in a CD. It’s better quality than you can do.The unchurched will not crawl out of bed to watch your drama. They can get a lot better drama on television by watching a rerun of Seinfeld or Friends or whatever show is hot today.If they want to sit around tables and talk, they’ll go to Starbucks…Present God’s Word in a clear, compelling way with a deliberate sensitivity to those you’re trying to reach, because the Word of God alone has the power to bring people to Christ and keep them there.” (from “The Seven Habits of Highly Ineffective Churches” by Ron Gladden)

this was a good reminder for me.  it’s an overwhelming and humbling thought to realize that the word of god…alone…has power to bring and keep people.  i think it’s pretty easy to get into the trap of trying to come up with “cool” stuff…like music or coffee or visuals or programs…just to attract people.  dangerous.

i learned a principle years ago in my early days of youth ministry.  it goes something like this:

“what you win them with, is what you win them to.”

i think that is more true today than it was thirty years ago.

#music #purpose