Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
Let’s face it: church can be a
strange place for visitors, for the first-timer and old-timer, the unbeliever
and believer. While no church is perfect, some have adopted trends that are
hard to ignore and easy to respond with an eye roll, trends that can come
across as formulaic, robotic, phony, and, well . . . silly—and they are turning
visitors away.
Since we all hail from different
backgrounds and denominations, finding common ground can be difficult; thus
making grace of utmost importance as we consider 10 church trends that turn
visitors away.
1. Church Membership
I attended various Christian
churches throughout my childhood and young adult years. I didn’t just attend
these churches; I belonged to them, served at them, and learned from them. But
I wasn’t introduced to the concept of official “church membership” until I
moved to another state at the age of thirty-four.
For the first time in my life,
church membership classes were all the rage. Not only that, but people were
transferring their memberships from one church to another, flinging around
phrases like “certificates of transfer” and “inactive vs. active memberships,”
sounding more like they were joining—or un-joining—an exclusive club. And while
there is no scriptural mandate for or against making church membership a
requirement (after all, it really can be a good thing!), my first-time-visitor self-found
it off-putting.
2. Satellite Campuses
Satellite campuses are certainly
on trend: one pastor and one message, streamed live throughout multiple church
campuses and venues. And there’s no arguing their effectiveness at reaching
communities far and wide. But still, most people prefer having a traditional,
flesh-and-blood pastor on stage -- one who can connect with his audience, shake
hands at the door, and pat young’uns on the head.
3. Rock Star Worship Teams
My sister and I once had lunch
near a table of rock stars. We saw tattoos and man buns, guy-liner and
distressed skinny jeans, fedoras and pocket chains. But upon closer inspection,
to see if Bono was present, I realized who they really were: my church’s
worship team. We then rolled our eyes and had a good laugh.
Affectionately speaking, there’s
something about ultra-hip worship leaders that borders on fantastic and absurd,
leaving a church guest confused: Are they a bunch of one-hit-wonders turned
worship leaders, still holding out for something big? Does the church require a
certain “look” on stage, so as to appeal to millennial? Regardless of whether a
worship team is in it for all the right reasons, their cool vibes could
potentially turn many a non-20-something parishioner away.
4. Performance-based Worship
Laser beams circling about. Fog
machines turned on low. Denim/black/denim/black patterned outfits. Frustrated
looks between worship team members—you’re playing too loudly! Dramatic instrument
pauses before the final round of the chorus. Vocal freestyles. Hopping around
the stage.
This is no concert; rather, it’s
an ushering-in of the presence of God. And no matter how genuine the worship
team’s efforts may be, many people are going to find themselves standing there
. . . just watching—and visiting elsewhere next Sunday.
5. Modern Church Lingo
As the culture changes and
shifts, so does the lingo—especially in churches. This could be problematic,
should the language detract from the gospel message. But oftentimes it’s
because a church is establishing their “brand” (see #6) or simply keeping
things fresh. Many churches, for example,
prefer “community” instead of “church,” “Christ follower” instead of
“Christian,” “story” instead of “testimony,” and so on.
People new to church probably
won’t know the difference between old and new lingo. But when veteran
church-attendees hear a pastor say, “Out on the patio, let’s have an ongoing
conversation about your personal journey,” instead of, “After service, let’s
chat about your relationship with God,” they might wonder what he’s talking
about (though they may fail to consider that “service” and “relationship with
God” were also new terms at one point).
6. Church Branding
The words “church” and “brand”
don’t seem to go together; combining the two makes people uncomfortable. All
week long folks are pitched products via clever and catchy marketing, and when
it also bombards them at church, they might get turned-off.
But because we live in a
media-driven age, branding is here to stay. A church’s brand goes beyond a
simple logo. It’s the consistent expression of who they are and often includes
color schemes, graphics, the use of language, and the occasional acronym for
fun—and some people aren’t buying it. After all, when a pastor encourages his
congregation to “head over to H.Y.P.E. tonight,” visitors won’t get the hype
and will be left in the dark.
7. Trying Too Hard to Be Trendy
In the same way my kids accuse me
of trying too hard to be funny, I think many churches try too hard to be
trendy. No longer settling for weak coffee and pink donut boxes, many churches
have created informal, Starbucks-esque spaces for gathering. While gourmet
coffee is a church trend most of us are on board with, the trying-too-hard part
happens when their coffee spaces get named: “Hebrews” or “WWJD Café” (What
would Jesus Drink . . .)
Or some churches incorporate
technology into their services—a lot of it—asking congregants to post church
selfies on Instagram or download apps during the message, forcing a cool
factor. And of course there are the fedora-donning worship leaders (see #3) and
modern lingo (see #5), all of which can feel a little stale if the church is
trying too hard to be trendy.
8. Overeager Greeters
I once volunteered as a church
greeter—along with two-dozen others. They spaced us about 30 feet apart, to
ensure each visitor received 25 welcomes by the time they got out of their car
and into their seat, where they then had to greet at least three people around
them.
Do visitors really want that much
attention?
9. Pastors Promoting Their Books
Nowadays it’s rare to find a
pastor who isn’t also an author. It’s even more rare to find a pastor who
doesn’t promote his books behind the pulpit. However well-intentioned he may
be, he risks being viewed as a self-serving merchandise peddler. Keeping in mind
that some people view churches as having their hands out all the time, a pastor
should be sensitive to these things. Though it’s fair if he references his own
material while digging deeper into his message, or should someone desire to dig
deeper on his or her own.
Even if the pastor is beloved and
trusted by his congregation, newbies have yet to make this connection, joking
that they showed up to an author’s book tour instead of a church.
10. Programs, Teachings, and Traditions That Don't Follow the Pattern
of the Gospel
The title of this last point
speaks for itself. A prayer written by JD Greear perfectly summarizes the one
trend every church should focus on -- the gospel message:
“In Christ, there is nothing I
can do that would make you love me more, and nothing I have done that makes you
love me less. Your presence and approval are all I need for everlasting joy. As
you have been to me, so I will be to others. As I pray, I’ll measure your
compassion by the cross and your power by the resurrection.”
Molly Parker cherishes her role as contributor and
editor for Anchored Press Devotional Planners and for Sacred Holidays Bible
studies. When Molly's not French-braiding hair or scolding her basset hound,
she's eating cake, baking a cake, or thinking about cake, which is surprising
considering she's worked in the fitness industry 25 years. Molly lives in
Southern California with her husband and three children.
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