In the March 15-17 USA Weekend the reader finds an article entitled “New Ways to Pack the Pews?” The focus of attention is similar to that of John MacArthur’s book, Ashamed of the Gospel? The subject is the new approach that many churches are taking in an effort to attract new members.
Most of the allurements cited in the article involve changes in music. Some congregations have bands playing live rock music; others are playing “Christian pop music.” Then there are the “megachurches,” like the one mentioned in Houston, Texas, which “claims 22,000 members, a 600-voice choir, and staff of 500″ They also sport their own health club, hot tubs, aerobics classes, basketball courts,” etc. (17).
Perhaps faced with criticism by some, those who use these various methods have mounted a defense, such as the one found in this closing paragraph. “Billy Graham built his ministry in the 1950’s based strictly on what the Bible says. That doesn’t work today. Not as many people assume the basic tenets of Christianity; so we have to first tell them why we believe in the Bible before we can tell them what it says. We’ve rethought the approach. But that’s all that’s changed” (17).
Oh, really? And how does playing rock music prepare them for the basic tenets of Christianity? The changes that have been made cannot all be assigned to a difference in approach. The fact is that not only has the method changed–so has the substance!
The fact that the message has changed, as well as the approaches used to gain members, is seen in the statements of preaching philosophy. Consider a brief acknowledgment from this same article. The author poses the following hypothetical question about the congregation: “Will they get an earful of fire and brimstone?” The answer is, “Hardly.” The “sermon” will consist of “a video clip of a doctor discussing medical aspects of crucifixion, a drama staged by church members, and a slide show” (not to be confused with side show) (17).
John MacArthur reported similar sentiments in his book decrying these new “approaches,” Ashamed of the Gospel? Summarizing the philosophy of many, he wrote: “The new rules of preaching in the user-friendly church are simple: Be clever, informal, positive, brief and friendly. Never loosen your necktie. Never let them see you sweat. And never, never use the H-word” (47).
MacArthur (who incorrectly holds to the doctrine of Calvinism) correctly states the following about preaching: “No church can remain healthy for long if the pulpit is not strong. And no pulpit is truly strong if the Bible is not the basis for preaching. . . Biblical preaching cannot be geared toward meeting felt needs, solving psychological problems, amusing the audience, making people feel good about themselves, or any other of the hollow fads that have commandeered pulpits in this entertainment oriented age” (187).
Jonah’s Story (RSSV)
To demonstrate that there is a substantial change in the modern message (and not just in methods), let’s apply these afore-mentioned techniques to the prophet Jonah to see how the current philosophy might have altered his work.
Jonah was so reluctant to preach to Nineveh that he tried to run away from the responsibility. God caught his attention and gave him the same charge He had initially. This time he went to Nineveh and preached the message that God gave him. “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4).
Fortunately, there was no one there to tell Jonah that strictly preaching the word of God wouldn’t work in that day and age. Instead, all the people believed the message; they also took it to heart, and they repented “from the greatest to the least” (Jonah 3:5).
But suppose we could transpose cultures and centuries, and some of these modern “church growth” principles were applied back then. In fact, why not imagine a conversation between Jonah and Pastor Vainglory of the First National Church as Jonah is traveling on the way to Nineveh. The following dialogue is taken from the Hebrew Imaginary Text and is recorded from the Revised Substandard Version (RSSV).
Pastor Vainglory (hereafter referred to as PV): “Jonah. I hear you are on your way to Nineveh.”
Jonah: “Yes, but I’d rather be in Tarshish.”
PV: “Have you thought about what you’re going to say when you get there?”
Jonah: “Yes, I’m going to be very bold, straight-forward, and plain-spoken.”
PV: “What will be the content of your message?”
Jonah: “I’m going to tell them that if they don’t repent of their sins, they will be destroyed in forty days’ time.”
PV: “Apparently, you have never heard that you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”
Jonah: “Why would I want to catch a bunch of nasty flies?”
PV: “What I mean is: how do you expect people to listen to you, if you say such unpleasant things?”
Jonah: “Listen, I didn’t want this job, but if I do it, it’s going to be done right. I didn’t originate the message; I’m just delivering it.”
PV: “You’ll hurt their self-esteem, which violates the first commandment of public relations. I’m not suggesting that you change your message, Jonah–just that you take a different approach.”
Jonah: “What do you suggest?”
PV: “Well, you need to get people’s attention; you can’t just run through the streets shouting at people. Why don’t you see if you can rent an auditorium in town? Hire a band to play music–something contemporary, with a smattering of spiritual content. Then advertise.”
Jonah: “And that will get people to come in?”
PV: “Oh, sure. Schedule various times to address them. Use the Sabbath day, but set some non-traditional days, also. They’ll love that. But now about that message. It must be brief, say twenty minutes, and very palatable.”
Jonah: “I don’t think I know how to make judgment and destruction palatable.”
PV: “Is that a necessity? People really don’t want to hear that stuff any more. Tell some amusing stories and personal anecdotes.”
Jonah: “But it’s the heart of the message.”
PV: “Well, you can’t expect to keep a very large congregation with that attitude. Instead of emphasizing all that “doom and gloom” stuff, why not focus on God’s grace and mercy? You can love them into righteousness instead of badgering them into it.”
Jonah: “It is true that God is ‘a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm'” (Jonah 4:2).
PV: “Now you’re getting it. Just briefly touch on their sins. Say: ‘Maybe there are some things in your lives that displease God. Look into your hearts, be honest, and change what you need to.’ Then remind them that God’s grace will cover all their failings.”
Jonah: “Okay, I’ll give it a try.”
Jonah spoke to packed houses every night; he had the largest religious gatherings in the city, having become the most popular speaker there. On Pastor Vainglory’s advice, they instituted dramas and other interesting practices aimed at the people’s “felt needs,” which all seemed to enjoy. This blissful condition lasted for forty days, at which time they were all destroyed. Because they were never taught God’s holiness and justice, His love and His grace simply could not be understood.