MORE EXCITING THAN A-HOLE-IN-ONE

Perhaps, I am far wrong, but it seems a valid observation that when a restaurant makes a big deal of taking something off or adding something to its menu, it is because it is in big trouble. I get this feeling about many churches. There was a time that all it took to attract and keep people was a passionate preaching of the Gospel of salvation. When folks quit coming and began drifting away from Church, those that stayed assumed that something had to be done to get people back. So, they did one of two things, or often both. They changed the message and added other “attractions.” They both took some things off and put some things on the menu. I have been mulling this disturbing and alarming metamorphism of the Church of our time when I saw this headline in our local newspaper: “Tee Off at the Cathedral: House of Worship in Great Britain Adds Mini-golf.” This is no addition out behind the Church gym. This nine-hole mini golf course was installed INSIDE the church’s sanctuary. The nine holes are designed like bridges. The stated purpose for installing golf on God’s turf is “to teach young people about engineering and also have spiritual overtones.” If any young people show up to play the mini golf, I don’t think they will learn anything about engineering—though some rare, lone, prodigious putter might. I am even more certain they won’t get the Gospel from it. Notice that the nebulous goal was that players might pick up on some spiritual overtones. “Overtone” connotes suggestion, secondary effect. The Church has gone from bold, boisterous, booming proclamation of the Gospel in its sanctuary to covert, quiet overtones. If a bold blast of the Gospel will not catch one’s attention, I do not think he would pick up on a tepid, diluted overtone either. The Gospel is too powerful a thing to be shrouded in an overtone. It is to be proclaimed. As a youth, I belonged to a denomination that had monthly youth rallies. The rally was simply a high-octane church service. We gathered, and there was noisy singing, passionate praying, and anointed preaching of sin-forgiving salvation and seeking of Holy Spirit-empowering infilling. Service concluded with seeking God in the altars. Each month the rally was held in a different church in the area. Each month the church was full. Then the leadership decided that since these were youth meetings, something should be done that would attract youth. So, occasionally at first, then consistently, instead of church on rally night, there would be roller-skating, a movie, or ball-playing. Each rally became some event other than just church. Admittedly, to justify the Church’s having such events and to sanctify them that they might not be called secular occasions, a short devotional was slipped into the night’s schedule. Maybe a quick song, too. However, instead of attracting greater numbers of youth to the rallies, fewer and fewer came. I moved away from that area, but I believe the monthly rally, because of lack of attendance, was soon discontinued altogether. The leadership failed to realize two things. First, the Gospel was the attraction to the rallies. None other was needed. Second, the church cannot compete with the world with the things of the world. It must offer something the world does not have. Young people, no people, need go to the church for skating, movies, and ball. Those things all exist in the world. And, the world always does worldly things better than the Church. In the end, the Church does not need mini-golf when it has the mighty Gospel. Playing golf never saved anyone. Proclaiming the Gospel has saved all who have been saved. What can happen in a church that proclaims the Gospel is far more exciting than a hole-in-one.

MORE EXCITING THAN A-HOLE-IN-ONE

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