WHAT WORKS?  GIMMICKS OR SUBSTANCE?

The Church has truly changed drastically in the 45 years since I first considered laying aside my plans to become a dentist and to instead pursue ordination in the Lutheran Church.  In those days, the Church had very little competition on Sundays.  “Blue laws” were still in place in Pennsylvania which meant, of course, that no department stores or shopping malls were open.  There was absolutely no competition from “youth sport” leagues either – no baseball, football, cheerleading or anything else scheduled on a Sunday morning!  People actually came to their local congregation to worship and not to be entertained by gimmicky preaching methods, popular music renditions or “worship spectaculars” like those we see these days on television courtesy of televangelists.  With the exception of perhaps Billy Graham and Norman Vincent Peale, in fact, no “serious” Christians paid much attention to the ramblings of preachers on TV in those days.  And certainly there was not yet any threat from the spread of secularism or, for that matter, Islam, in our country.  We didn’t have to worry about how fancy our “website” was - or whether it was user friendly – or if it was able to attract people.  You see, websites didn’t exist, nor did the internet, nor did personal computers!

And so, you see, congregations had not gone into “marketing competition” with other congregations.  People in those days were loyal – if you were born Lutheran, or Roman Catholic, or Reformed, or Episcopalian, or Methodist, etc. – chances are that’s what you stayed and you were content to raise your children in your chosen denomination as well. 

But now, good solid theology and well grounded liturgy and worship is no longer enough it seems.  Increasingly secular, the people of America in 2010 now wish to be entertained at worship.  They care less about being challenged and/or enlightened at a worship service and more about being made to “feel good.”  And so, to survive, congregations everywhere are trying to cater to America’s latest whims.  To do so, many think that gimmicks are the way to go, following the pattern of private enterprise and its advertising.  It is really sad for me to watch, to be honest.  It makes me believe perhaps I should seriously consider retiring from the ministry since this isn’t “what I signed up to do” when I was ordained 36 years ago.  I often think that I am the wrong man for the task, and perhaps am actually “getting in the way” of St. John’s progress now rather than aiding it since this all seems so alien – and wrong – to me.

But somehow, somewhere within me, I still have a deep seeded belief that the church is better served by genuine substance rather than gimmicks.  Somehow I must still believe that our willingness to reach out to one another in Christ’s name is more important than the impact our website makes.  Somehow I must believe that solid theological content in a sermon and liturgical integrity still matters to serious believers.  Somehow I must believe that quality ministry programs in education and outreach for parishioners still matters.  Somehow I believe that making a difference for the poor, the homeless, the hungry and the struggling give both congregations and members of those congregations a real sense of purpose in their faith.  At least I MUST keep believing that.  May the New Year continue to bring all those “traditional” things to us at St. John’s in this our 100^th year of service to our Lord.