Are you threatened by other chuches?

My bullet point response would be:

• What a neat way to stifle the gifts of the Spirit by centralizing them in one place and broadcasting it to many sites!
• Welcome to McChurch, please collect your study notes and fries at the welcome counter, feel free to upsize.
• Please feel free to go to the conveniences during intermission.
• Please don’t throw popcorn during the sermon or do Mexican waves during the worship.
• Oscar Wilde said, “imitation is the homage that mediocrity pays to greatness”.
• Let’s hope they have no technical problems otherwise church will be called off.
• Hey folks!, let’s go one better and broadcast an animation of Spurgeon to his old sermons!!!

I will briefly add my thoughts, but I don't know if it's worth it after that barrage :) Have you had a bad experience?

Are you saying we should cancel 'Daily Bread' devotionals and throw away all those tape recordings of sermons from the 80s because they are 'imitations'? Should we shut down our gospel radio stations if they broadcast to more than one continent? Should we not send DVD's and MP3's of recorded gospel messages into unreached parts of the globe? It's such a shame that these people have to put up with 'recorded' messages...sigh...all those people missing out on the gospel...oh well, surely they could make it to a real church couldn't they?
Dan

Like all good arguments there needs to be a third counterbalance argument that strides the equatorial ground between the two poles. Dan and Stan would both testify more than likely to a time when God has spoken to them through the means of a recorded sermon, or a dvd, or a song etc. Our God is amazing and I have read in the Bible and seen him in my own life use total non-believers to achieve his will. Does the exception make the rule? No. Even though God in his sovereign choice and power uses to work through mediums such as audio sermons etc, this does not mean that we should plant a church on this basis. A lot of issues arise, like with those who choose to watch church services on TV instead of attending a REAL church; what about pastoral care, discipleship, service using your Spiritual gifts, fellowship, mission, etc. I know the church that is doing this is sincere in their desire to build God's Kingdom, we just need to tread carefully because what we do now may seem small but can be the mustard seed that matures into heresy later.

Hi Guys,

The real issue is that people worship God,interact with and learn from his word and love each other. This church obviously belives that this video approach is a useful strategy at the moment to achieve some of those goals. The form is not sacred it is just a strategy which will either work or it wont, and it can be changed if necessary. I hear Paul effectively saying that he would, "stoop to anything short of sin in order to reach people for Christ". I contend that delivering a worship service via video link is not sinful, it is purely a strategy and it should only be judged on whether is has the desired effect or not.
My bigger concern is that we talk as if a worship service is sacred and cannot be changed or even left behind. Songs, pews, announcements, and even a physical preacher may be good ideas in some contexts but the are not necessary to being the body of Christ. Lets face it the Chinese church at present is allowed none of those attributes and it is in the midst of revival.
Us Christians seem far more interested in our church gatherings than we are in God.

This whole arguement about form seems ridiculous to me...

THE GOAL...
Lead unbelievers to become missionaries of Jesus Christ

THE METHOD...
Don't sin. Trust in God. Be Biblical. Do whatever it takes!!!

Does anyone actually care that people go to hell???

If so, then why are we arguing about form?

If not, then why are we even in Christian leadership? Why even stay on earth? We could go to heaven now and that would be far better. But we've been left here for a window of opportunity to reach out to people who are perishing.

Mark

Just a couple of comments.

I'm not a big fan of video church. But then I enjoy and benefit from listening to the sermons of others on CD or DVD. Maybe it's just that I'm old-fashioned? Maybe there is something about recorded preaching that moves it to a safer, more processed distance? Maybe church was meant to be ordinary, real people worshipping and seeking God together? The problem is that I don't think we'll know the answer for many years. I just hope we're not damaging something that is integral to spiritual growth. Now I really do sound like I'm a Luddite!

I certainly don't think that we abandon everything for the sake of evangelism. We are called to make disciples, not just evangelise.

Just interested...

WHAT DID WE THINK OF THE PASTORS RESPONSE?

Mark

I'm sure you are not alone in your goal. However I'm sure if pressed you do have lines that you would draw. This issue is not purely about form. It goes to the heart of ecclesiology, which is fundamental to the spread of the Gospel.

Debating the issue on a blog shouldn't lead to people questioning whether or not we care that people go to hell. Take the higher ground if you wish, but we all share a missional intent.

If the McChurch model is taken further I can see a minimal role for theological colleges in the future [from whence this blog emanates]. Only the most genetically gifted few would be worth developing, and the rest of us can learn how to be ushers at the satellite McChurch franchises which receive the feed from the Mothership church.

Surely the commission to disciple all people requires more investment in people than this consumer driven model provides?

Text book pastors response straight out of Diplomacy 101