If making church “exciting” is the only way to get some people to go then the answer is yes.
This is what turns off many Christians That want to go to church for worship and instead get a fast food, watered down, telling people what they want to hear in order to not offend them type of experience. I will say back in the mid 90s when I was in my mid 20s, I wanted to seek out a church after I spent time reading the bible on my own and finding God as real as I had ever known or experienced as a child growing up in Catholic church. After I had this new realization about God I felt it would be important to have a place to worship and to be around other like minded believers. I met a friend and they recommended this church I had never heard of. We were to meet that Sunday. I never saw my friend there but I had a great time despite no idea what to expect. It was a high energy praise and worship which in itself was foreign to me as all I ever experienced was Catholic services. After being there for a few years I started feeling that this was becoming mundane and after doing research on what our pastor was teaching it was the name it and claim it and prosperity messages which is part of the word-faith movement which is basically a cult and not of God. Fast forward to today and most of the churches are like this now.
Church is to get Bible teaching and fellowship.
It is fine to do what is needed to make services engaging as long as the message stays true, strong, and uncompromising.
You could try “The Talk Show Hell Hates” with Pastor Mike Hoggard — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LrXb4VfLpM
That’s at Bethel Church in Festus Missouri
Or a “BaptiCostal” Mass Deliverance Service by Win Worley
Here is part 1 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsVLs89YkVA
But in part 2 about minute 11, the demonic manifestations begin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVG3ow2-MR0
At minute 13:15 the spirit of Karate shows up: Very lively.
Maybe spiritual deliverance services would cure the boredom...
The most important thing, is that the church follows the actual Word of God. And some can make that message exciting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK_LUuFjpXk
If people are running away from your church blog, it may be because you need to flesh out your thesis more, and close less abruptly, tying it all together with a more coherent conclusion.
We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, and that would include prayer and worship, but what the pastor’s job is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.
The productions today make people feel really good, but are they actually worship, or just an emotional high.
Do people even know that we can worship God in everything we do, where ever we are?
We should not be going to church for our weekly *fix* for what we can get out of it. We should go expecting to hear from God and to be further equipped for the work of the ministry.
I guess it’s news to many that it’s not just the pastor’s job to minister to people, visit the sick, those in prison, feed the hungry, help those who are struggling financially, etc.
Doesn’t need extra “glitz” but making it boring and depressing serves no useful purpose. Animated discussion on the Word as it is in the Bible can be interesting as well as fostering the Word....
A particular type of exciting. Not simply the popular variety.
My sainted mother used to say that if you needed to entertain people to get them to church their being there didn’t mean much. My greatest church experience was not in some mega church extravaganza, but in a small monastery in France where the daily mass was chanted in simple plain song
After having read the author’s blog, I am not convinced that he is a follower of or believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
He does, however, have a book to sell.
The mystery of God is what most enthralls me. I’ve experienced it from black Baptist, Missouri Synod, Anglican, Evangelical churches and synagogues.
Deut 4:19 & Mal 1:11.
Think of being a Christian as joining God’s Army. A solider can do pushups at home, shoot by himself at a range,, read books about military tactics at home - but he won’t get anything DONE unless he joins up with others and works together with them!
“For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.
According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts:
If prophecy,
use it according to the standard of one’s faith;
if service, in service;
if teaching, in teaching;
if exhorting, in exhortation;
giving, with generosity;
leading, with diligence;
showing mercy, with cheerfulness.” - Romans 12
Your finger isn’t effective without a stomach, and you need your feet to go somewhere and your eyes to see where you are going. “Excitement” isn’t the point. That we can pray while driving isn’t the point. We NEED the Body of Christ in order to achieve the AIMS of Christ.
No one who has been in the military thinks it is always fun, or that you always like your fellow servicemembers. But you either work together, or fail.
Church isn’t about worship, or bible study, or charitable giving. It is about being part of the Body of Christ, and needing all parts of the body in order to achieve the goals of Christ.
“And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.” - Ephesians 4
We’ve got our orders. If we refuse to carry them out, we are rebels.
Well, it was so boring in the early church that some fell asleep and then fell out the window.......................
Act 20:9 As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below.
Well, most are just social clubs anymore. Might as well be entertaining too.
This is God’s universe and He does things His way. You may have a better way, but you don’t have a universe.
J. Vernon McGee
And it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t express our thoughts because that is iron sharpening. But the conclusion to every discussion should be like the conclusion to every Psalms, “but you Oh Lord......”
I was at Chik fil a one day during a very busy lunch hour. Some gal was taking up a whole booth by herself and working. One person in a booth for four. She was oblivious to what was happening around her.
No. I prefer reverence, time for quiet meditation, and a sermon that provides guidance, encouragement, insightful thinking, that reminds me how thankful I should be.
I grew up in a church like that.
James Brown - The Old Landmark - The Blues Brothers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKKVVnKjr2g