[Wrigley]

Who cares if they have a sermon. It is what is preached during the sermon. The couple of times I have gone there I have been very disappointed with the quality of the sermon. Candy is nice, but you need food too. I saw no food there. (well, there is the food court...)

[the Wayne]

When did you attend? On a Sunday morning? Their philosophy is that Sunday morning services are mainly for non-believers. If that's the only time you go and you're a mature Christian, I wouldn't be surprised that it doesn't feel deep.

I think that's why they get a lot of criticism from traditionalists. (Not saying you're one. Just springing off your observation to address the issue more fully.) They're using a different paradigm, and that's terribly disorienting to someone who confuses the method with the message. How many "mainline" churches in America have fought to preserve the method for a hundred years while loosing the message (and attendance as well)?

Actually, to contradict myself somewhat, the idea of a "seeker service" -- a service that's oriented towards non-believing seekers, not Christians -- is quite old. I believe they had them in Presbyterian churches a hundred years ago. Probably more hellfire preaching that we'd use today, but the method is not more sacred than the message.