Concert Church

Thiswill probably get long, and it will offend some people. I don't mean to be offensive, but after thought, discussion and prayer, Ricky and I came to this conclusion a couple of years ago, and since it is my blog, I get to share my opinion.

Last night we went to a church service for "Christmas Eve." We went with Ricky's family, and it was a good time - dinner at Shari's first, and then the service, and after the service we all sat around and talked for a while before we left. I got to play with and hold my nephew, and he cuddled with me and was just a love. It was nice.

But I hate it when I go to a church service expecting to worship and I get a concert. Seriously, there were several times that the ensemble on stage was singing and worshipping, and the words weren't even on the screen - it was obvious we weren't meant to sing along.

And don't get me started on the over $100,000 worth of lighting instruments that were hanging on the ceiling. I counted at least 50, and at $2000 a pop...well, that could feed and clothe a lot of homeless people.

I hear that this church does a lot of good nationally and globally, but all I could think about was how much more good they could be doing if they got rid of the unnecessary things, like concert lighting, and focused more on serving the world.

But it's not just this church. Ricky and I left our former church because we felt like there was a lot of mismanagement of funds, being fiscally irresponsible. Buying things that were unnecessary, spending millions and millions of dollars on new buildings and whatnot. Trying to be cool. Having a good reputation, being popular. Paul tells us we're to be in, not of, the world, and yet I feel like a lot of these churches are of the world. They're doing the things that the world deems to be cool and popular. They've got their priorities out of whack.

It made us realize that, really, home church is the way it should be. Home church - where there is no overhead because the group meets in someone's home, the way the early church did. Where all of the money that one gives to the church goes to the work of the church, rather than light bills and a mortgage and the heating bill. And certainly not toward buying Elation Professional robotic lighting.