Today I read an article on Fox News' website in which a writer out of D.C. was lamenting the fact that many "megachurches" were cheating their parishioners out of Christmas worship this year. Some churches were cutting out their Sunday service altogether and others were cutting back to one service on Christmas Day. The author speculated on this movement and even quoted a scholar from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, who was also disturbed by how many evangelical churches were buying into the "consumer" pleasing agenda.
Two things stand out here: first, he specifically indicated that he was concerned about the megachurches doing this. As a matter of fact, the title of the article is: Some Megachurches to Close on Christmas. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,177908,00.htmlNever mind the small, medium, and large churches that are most likely doing the same thing -- it only seemed to matter to him that the supersized churches were doing this fiendish thing. Or perhaps it was just more obvious because he was able to go to websites and find the information. Still, I find it a little odd that he specifically discussed only the largest of the large evangelical churches in America and their Christmas Sunday happenings
Secondly, he tooted the fact that most Catholic churches were having their services as usual and would, in fact, have some of their most highly attended services that day. There was a quote that there was a stark contrast between the loosening of evangelical values and how the Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist churches very rarely cancel any services for any reason. (Does this indicate a leaning of the author towards a particular denomination?)
He quoted a staff pastor in a large church up north as saying that it was not a good use of their time or staff when the numbers would be so incredibly down. When put like that, even I seethed a little at how calculating and coldhearted the decision sounded. Having worked in West Africa for many years and perhaps not having a balanced or even entirely knowledgeable view of how things work in megachurches in the U.S., I still offer this observation. My Heavenly Father owns a cattle on a thousand hills and no where in the Bible do I recall the principle of withholding because WE feel it is not large enough, not beneficial enough, not financially or socially pleasing enough, or not conducive to our schedules to perform what we know is right. Are some evangelical churches sending a negative, testimony-damaging signal to society that we are sold out, committed only to our calling when it does not socially interfere with something as major as Christmas (which by the way, unless you are an ostrich, the defense of Christmas and being able to use the term has been in the forefront of debate for weeks now.) Now, after we have regained the general consensus that we can indeed have Christmas back to enjoy as we always have, are we reacting as ordinary society and watering down our commitments for the sake of the very Christmas traditions that we have been defending?
As I said before, I have a very different perspective on these kind of things, and would like to say that I am glad that I am not the one in charge of making the calls of canceling or diminishing the amount of services we will have. In the past two weeks, I have been in two different churches (my home church and another one) and the very same announcement concerning Christmas Day was given. There would be one main service in the later morning, but all other services would be cancelled. I looked for reactions of disbelief, dismay, or discontent, but found none in either church. It's a sure-fire sign that our churches are rubbing shoulders closer to the "world" than we could ever imagine.
On the other hand, God did create families and deems that we give our families the respect due to them as an ordained gift from Him. Christmas is the perfect, traditional time to do this. Most people travel during this holiday, and the switching out of the services really helps. In 1994 when Christmas fell on Sunday, we were not in the U.S., so I cannot compare the reaction of today and then. But somehow I do not believe there was half the stink that we are seeing and hearing this year about Christmas. I would be curious if anyone remembers anything about the trends of the 1994 Christmas Sunday.
I personally feel that scaling down to one service on Christmas Sunday is not, in the sight of God, the abomination that some would make it. In the right spirit of worship and correct attitude, it can be just as honoring to God as if we scheduled four services on one Sunday! (But I could be wrong and only perceiving it in a totally "American" viewpoint). However, I do think we dance close to legalism and living by the letter of the law when we get caught up in the number of times we worship on a given Sunday. God is much, much more concerned about our heart attitude!
In Africa, the focus of Christmas was on the person of Jesus Christ, and in the absence of the means to celebrate in any monetary way, church services were the gifts. The West Africans looked forward to the Christmas services like none other. Even when Christmas was on another day of the week, they still believed in having a Christmas service so that they could offer their praises and adoration to their Savior.
No matter when your service might be scheduled or even if there's not one scheduled, don't let that become your focus. Do not forget that worship always starts in the heart. Open your heart to the Holy One that offers eternal life and abundant peace to you this Christmas season!!
No comments:
Post a Comment