I'm watching one of the most unique films I have ever seen. Searching for the Wrong Eyed Jesus Its about southern (mostly that of Louisiana) culture. Its a mix of musicians, interviews with locals, and footage of scenery you would never see in a brochure.
It brings to mind a conversation that Maggie and I were having the other night over dinner. America, being the size it is, is a country of so many cultures. I see people all the time searching for the 'American culture.' The more I look at it, the less I believe there is an American culture. I have traveled quite a bit in America, what I have seen is multiple cultures.
South Florida has a very distinct culture and a very different culture than north Florida or that of people in Arkansas.
If America is going to last it needs to celebrate these cultures, these mini cultures that make the melting pot of America so unique. The more I drive around the more concerned I get about new businesses coming into these towns. These businesses are bring in an outside culture, a different culture.
Now is this wrong, not necessarily, what is wrong though is when these businesses, these new individuals look down upon the existing culture that is in place.
Where I find this the most is in churches. New churches sprout up every day, some last a few weeks, most a few years, few last longer than that though. These new churches are not built upon the problems of yesterday.
See in the past the churches were segregated based on race and socio-economic ranking. Today the churches are segregated based on clothing style, music style, or political party. As churches embrace technology they reject those who are too poor, too old, too 'country' to understand the new technology. Churches embrace house groups = pushing out those who don't have houses. Churches embrace small groups who go out to eat, who go to the movies, who spend money on a regular basis = pushing out those who struggle to make their bills. Churches who embrace the internet as a way of communication = pushing out those who aren't connected to the internet. Churches who embrace sermons based on popular tv series = pushing out those who don't watch those series. Churches who embrace one thing will always push another group away.
What we need are churches that are a mix of things. Have a online social networking aspect but also have a printed out weekly newsletter that those who don't have internet can get in the mail. Have house groups but also have ones meet at a central location for those without homes.
If the church spent half the time it spends on trying to be cool on teaching the Bible it would be tons more successful. I am so over messages that are more ad than Bible, so over churches that are more 'cool factor' than 'God factor.' I keep getting invited to church groups based on having fun, eating out, playing board games, extreme sports, etc etc. yet I have never been invited to group that is about studying a certain aspect of the Bible, or just a open Bible study, or better yet what a group that studies all religions. One week the group goes to Buddhist temple, maybe the next they can to Islamic center.
I find it amazing that churches think they are fulfilling the Great Commission by feeding the homeless once a month, or having a yearly service with a local 'black' church. What about having a 'small group' in the middle of a homeless area, what about going down picking up a few homeless people on your way to that restaurant based small group.
Instead of trying to make your church look 'cool' why not try making it look like it fits the local culture? Up the road from my house is the largest population of 'short people' in the country, yet not one local church has even thought about have a 'short person' accessible church. (I know that sounds bizarre but think about it, we in the church talk about being multi cultural all the time yet here is huge population that no one has even thought about!)
My problem with most church plants is they forget about the seniors of society, they forget about those on the fringe of society, and most even forget about the youth of our society. I am tired of cool churches, tired of familiar church. I want a church were different cultures (even those of different areas in American culture) are celebrated. Why not have a small group that goes to the rodeo or a group that celebrates ancient cultures.
Better yet instead of separating people based on what they like (cause that changes like the wind) why not just have groups based on different aspects of the Bible, or each individuals spiritual walk, or each persons location in a city. I am tired of trying to find a group that has some interest of mine, when I go to church I want to learn about Jesus, about the Bible. I can join the Lions, the Shriners, and the Moose lodge if I wanted to hang out and meet people who also enjoy board games or eating out.
The church isn't the place for the 'cool factor' We already have social networking sites, we already have clubs for different interest, we already have enough coffee shoppes and enough Christian bookstores. What we need are places to go to learn about our spiritual journieies, places to meet others to live out our faith with, places to help us grow closer to God. We need churches again, not just cool kid clubs!
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