Hello Christianity: Your message is losing relevance

Lacking any original ideas, popular culture Christian-themed media continues to render the message of the Bible irrelevant, unless it's in the context of other popular culture symbology and messaging.

For example: "The Light" shirt is a knockoff of the Twilight visual branding.  Blatant and embarrassing knockoff.

So why aren't more Christian-themed media or art copied?  It's not hard to figure out: we're slaves to the story.  Somehow we can't get away from the idea that we have to get the whole gospel message in every time we speak or say or create something.  In doing so, we lose focus, and in losing focus, others lose interest.  And if this is the best believers can do, then there's nothing compelling to inspire anybody else.

We don't have to include any message in our creativity.  Art needs no justification or reason to be.

Outside of the context of the movie, the shirt has little meaning. Little relevance.  Because without context, there is even more explaining to do about what it means.  Instead of starting a conversation, it just looks like a word that was misspelled.  That means its bad design too.

C'mon believers! You can do better than this!  Embrace the best.

The tension between the familiar and the new

I found a note, written during a worship seminar: "the tension between the familiar and the new."

It's a theme that is discussed frequently as we plan worship (for youth, the lovers of all things new), who actually tend to prefer the familiar, who avoid change.

On the other hand, the musicians want to do what's new, to try new songs, to do old songs new ways.

In our role of leading worship, I remind the worship team that those who in the role of worshipper (ie, not leading) will best connect with God on a personal level when the songs are familiar – when they can be sung from the heart, when the words are known, the tune recognized, the song is known.  There is comfort and reassurance in that which we know.  There is uncertainty in that which is new.

We cannot worship a stranger.  God must be known to us as personally, as familiar as the songs we sing to praise Him.  We must know Him in order to be deeply comforted and reassured.  We must know Him in order to respond to Him.

The tension that's created between the familiar and the new is a healthy one.  We will grow stale if we sing the same song. The psalmist declares  in Psalm 40 "I will sing a new song."

Embrace the tension. Sing a new song!

Am I equipping or being equipped?

Most churchgoers are simply content to do their time in the pew, toss a few coins in the plate, and drive home, content until next week.

If you're reading this, I bet you're one whom has thrown themselves into fray, seeking the arms of the Father, aware you're a prodigal, yet assured you're a beloved child.

You're serving, living a life of worship, aware that everything you do is for God's glory.  But in the back of your mind you wonder: am I properly equipped to do what I need to do?  What's expected of me?  Where are the boundaries in my service?

Which is why the church (and those who are are the gifts Christ gave to it) need to focus on equipping God's people – especially those volunteers who are equipping others.  The equipping may not be what the church leadership thinks it should be.  If you're a pastor or a ministry director, have you considered asking your volunteers what they need to be properly equipped (and how they are motivated)?

After all, the role of good communications is to understand what your audience is listening for, not what you think they need to hear.

A bit of behavioral psychology and profiling may be in order, to understand what motivates (and demotivates key volunteer leaders.  Short of that, making expectations clear for what their roles are, and then equipping and empowering individuals to serve, can make up for the behavior analysis.

In practice: If you want to serve, make the way ready.  It may be another volunteer's role to prepare the way, in order for you to step in and serve.  It may be your role to prepare the way for another. Are both of you prepared?