I spotted a highway billboard, which stated, "A Church for THIS Generation." The billboard also held a huge photo of what appeared to be a very handsome family; one would think perhaps it was the Preacher, his wife and kids or the Brady Bunch. Let's agree that the ad suggests three factors: (1) Jesus, (2) Church and (3) followers (church people). However, Lo' and Behold, there is NOW a Church for THIS GENERATION. This can only mean that churches of the past fell short serving or possibly folks of this twenty-first century have more sophisticated needs; we must offer a different religion for new folks comprising THIS generation.
I am left wondering what changed to create this need for the now generation. As I began considering possibilities, I immediately determined that it was NOT Jesus who changed. His message has been consistent over all generations. I then imagined that the Church of my past had it all wrong and thus a change was in order. Shall we be honest and agree that most things change in our society for three reasons:(1) a desire to make money, (2) to find comfort and/or (3) an addictive glutinous.
Upon a personal reflective review of the Methodist Church from my youth to today's United Methodist Church, I note the following: In the 1940's and 1950's, we John Wesley folks had Sunday School on the Sabbath followed by Sunday morning worship service and Sunday evening service. The youngsters returned Monday night for MYF, aka, Methodist Youth Fellowship. Tuesday night my Mammy (maternal grandmother) met with the WCTU, aka, Women's Christian Temperance Union. Wednesday evening was mid-week prayer meeting night. I suppose the Methodist church held five ice cream socials a year, a dozen various family potluck dinners and a minimum four revivals; I especially liked the revivals held under tents when I could watch old ladies fan themselves in the hot July East Sr. Louis summer with those funeral fans. When it rained the mosquitoes were in picnic heaven.
It was those 'hell-fire-damnation' sermons that caused church attendees to squirm in the pews and feel as nervous as a cat in a room filled with rocking chairs.You soon began losing Sunday morning crowds. Let's face it, no one wants to hear that 'if you don't change your ways, brother and sister you are going to spend an eternity in the fires of HELL!'
The NEW Church for the NOW generation conducts all kinds of activities for children that would cause parents to bust their buttons. The 'New" Church strokes pew-dwellers with sugar-coated up-lifting words of assurance. The birth of the "FEEL GOOD SERMON and church for the NEW generation has large movie screens, a stage filled with musical instruments once associated with those 'Rock & Roll' bands that my parents and grandparents cautioned me as 'the Devil's music.
Back in the day, after the hell-fire-damnation sermon the Preacher gave an 'alter-call' for folks to 'come forward' and repent of their sins and thus 'be saved'. Today, my NEW generation Methodist Church offers for me to come forward and randomly pick a name from a container on the alter to then meet someones prayer request. It makes me feel good to pray for 'others;' God only knows how others need prayer...will you all pray for me?
These days I must leave a few minutes earlier for church so that I can grab a donut and cup of coffee in the parlor and still get one of those better seats in the back-pew.
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