Did that get your attention? ChurchCrunch had a post yesterday on how we oversell things in ministry by the big words we use and how that has spilled over into the technological front. He showed a mashup of Apple’s keynote and their excessive use of these words.
I have grown tired by the over promotion, hyped up marketing, that many pastors and churches use to promote their next series, program, worship or whatever it is. “Don’t miss my next series it will change your life.” “Hear never before heard revelation that not even God knows!” “Our worship is the best on the planet and even the angels stop their worship to hear ours!” “This word I’m going to deliver is going to blow your mind!”
It seems that in order to keep people coming back they have to one-up their previous message as if the Gospel isn’t enough to keep people coming back. When everything is amazing, incredible, the best, wonderful, stellar, will blow your mind, knock your socks off and awesome — well then, nothing is!
I’m for marketing but we had better make sure we are delivering on our hype. This over use of powerful adjectives has desensitized a whole host of people to what is truly amazing, incredible, life changing, majestic, glorious, awesome — Jesus, transformed lives, maturing Christ followers, a community growing in love and good deeds and people coming to Christ. Now that’s amazing!
Psalm 12:3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts”
What do you think?
Wow! now this caught my attention and it really made me think about how many times I’ve used those exact phrases to express something “church related”. Thank you for speaking truth – we need it, even if it hurts a little.
This is the most amazing galactically revolutinary grouping of words I have ever seen. LOL!!
Seriously though…good word.
Tanya.
LOVE This! The charismatic church need to get their flattering lips under control!
Hey Dan! Too many times our services are loud and “Ichabod.” We are left with only the anointing of human personality. This is not what we are seeking. In fact, I dont have a clear picture of what God wants a church service to look like. In Acts, they prayed, ate/communion, the prophets had a turn at speaking, and they gave to the poor. In next 1500 years a magical quality developed in the eucharist/communion and in the next 500 years speakers took on the central role of church services.
I am weak and broken and Im sure most Christians are too. It stands to reason that our services will be this also a majority of the time. However, God is not like us at all. I feel that from a weak and broken posture with an overwhelming humility manifested as strict obedience to the word of God, perhaps Jesus or various members of the heavenly host may decide to pay us a visit in our services. That will definitely change the order of worship. And if it ever did happen, I would only see it as a confirmation, not a lever to have more exciting services.