I keep hearing about churches that are using all kinds of gimmicks to get people to come to church. Everything from giving away guns to free gift cards to restaurants. It occurs to me that if you have to use gimmicks to get people to come to church then you will have to use gimmicks to keep them there.

Besides, it is not about getting people into the church as much as it is about getting the church into the community. Isn't it more about being the gospel in the culture; showing the gospel to a lost world. It seems to me that we ought to be modeling what it means to be an authentic follower of Jesus. In order to do that we need to be connecting with a lost world, building relationships with lost people, loving them where they are.

Let's think more about being the church in the world than trying to use shallow gimmicks to get the world into the church. Just a thought.

A Heart of Worship

I have always thought if a believer has a heart for worship then style wouldn't really matter. I am experiencing that right now in the church God has allowed me to interim pastor. We are enjoying every style from bluegrass to contemporary and young and old are worshipping. Thank you Lord for this experience.

Context Rules

For years I have believed that you can't separate the word "contemporary" from the word "context." Most of the time context will determine what contemporary is. I am now experiencing that fact in the context in which I now find myself. I am amazed by the diversity of musical style we have experienced in the Church family we are serving right now in North Carolina.

Every Sunday we experience everything from blue grass to southern gospel to what we would call contemporary music. We have a 87 year old banjo player and an 87 year old mandolin player along with young key boardist, drummer and guitarists. It is so refreshing to watch the older adults and the younger adults and youth embrace and enjoy each others style.

Worship is from the heart and style really doesn't seem to matter. I feel so blessed to be a part of such a worship gathering.