How I Wish “church” People Got It…

Once upon a time the very first pipe organ was installed in a church, surely somewhere in Europe.

I wonder if there was someone who was raised in the church, came every time the doors were opened, who just seriously threw a fit over that modern piece of machinery being installed in her church. “Only pagans use that! It’s a distraction, I just can’t worship.” she would argue.

There once was a time when the hymnal was introduced to the church pew.

I wonder if there was someone who was raised in the church, came every time the doors were opened, who just seriously threw a fit over the fact that, “It shows a lack of discipline if people can’t memorize songs. Plus, we have enough songs already why do people need to keep writing new ones? It’s a distraction, I just can’t worship with people reading books the whole time.”

Once upon a time praise choruses moved from fireside youth retreats to Sunday mornings and were first projected using overhead projectors and then video projectors.

I wonder if there was someone who was raised in the church, who came every time the doors were opened, who just seriously threw a fit over the fact that, “You mean the screen is going to cover up the stained glass window! My grandfather paid for that stained glass window! It’s a distraction, I just can’t worship knowing how much sacrifice went into that window and you’re going to cover it up with a screen.”

So, I walk into a local place of business of people who attend church, who confess to be in one every time the doors are opened, who asked what I thought of the band last weekend. I said, “I thought they were great. ” She said, “Why did that guy in the back have a hat on? It wasn’t respectful. It was a distraction.”

Whenever tradition or cultural norms dictate our ability to focus on what Jesus did for us and does to us we’ll never be able to profess that our church is full of people like this…