Not of This World
9 Comments Published by Camron Ware - Visual Worshiper May 12th, 2009 in Miscellaneous, Visual WorshipBeing that I’m in Nashville for the week; this post seemed fitting. LifeWay did a survey that basically reveals that the unchurched actually find traditional-type/cathedral-type church buildings more appealing than “contemporary” looking buildings. Why? Because it looks DIFFERENT than their normal life…for whatever reason.
Here is a quote from one survey respondent:
“I don’t like modern churches, they seem cold,” said one survey respondent who chose the Gothic design. “I like the smell of candles burning, stained-glass windows, [and] an intimacy that’s transcendent.”
WOW. A lot (dare I say MOST?!) of churches today are BORING!
While this might not sound like a big deal, it is to me! It says: “Hey Church, remember that we are not of this world, and that we are called to be different.” You could tie this in quickly to how we use technology to “be relevant to culture”…which is another topic I’m passionate and frustrated over.
Now, obviously a church’s “warmth” has a lot to do with the people INSIDE the building, but let’s just focus on what the survey was about.
And of course this is VERY interesting to me considering the number of churches wanting to do Environmental Projection to make their blank walls of their worship space into a dynamic canvas….hmmm.
This was taken from ThinkChristian regarding the survey:
Why does older church architecture remain attractive and resonant in our culture?
Traditional church buildings used as churches may be more attractive to the unchurched because they want to see something in the church that is different from other aspects of their life that are shaped by market forces and narrow demographic branding strategies. A traditional church suggests that there still are (or at least have been) people who care for more than just the bottom line and want to support something that is broader than their own interests and evoke a sense of solidity and permanence.
Tradition has a bad rap as some kind of oppressive fixed rule that can’t be violated, when actually tradition can be a more organic accumulation of the best ideas and practices that have endured across the generations. If someone builds something and it is not liked, that will be the end of that idea. However, if someone likes what is built, they may copy it. If enough people copy it, then the new thing will become a style. And if that style becomes beloved, then it will become a tradition.
Great stuff Cameron! Definitely something for all of us “in the church” to think about.
“Tradition has a bad rap as some kind of oppressive fixed rule that can’t be violated, when actually tradition can be a more organic accumulation of the best ideas and practices that have endured across the generations.”
Yeah, man! Preach it!
It seems that for many (me included), the “newer is better” adage is not necessarily true. I think this survey provides support for some of the postmodern ways of engaging truth like narratives, art, architecture, tradition, and experience instead of relying solely on propositional truth-filled sermons.
Very interesting info, Camron. Enjoy Nashville
Hmmm… I’m not sure that stained glass could handle the decibel levels at some churches…
What people say on a survey and what they do when they are exposed to a post-modern relevant seeker church may be two different things. The trick is to get them through the doors. Let Jesus take it from there.
@MandoRon: Time to either turn it down, or just get stronger stained glass.
Just kidding.
@Jimmy: I thought about that too…like, how does this survey play out in the real world…
i might question that the trick is NOT to get them through the doors, but to love them and engage them in relationship in the context of their own world/culture so that when they DO come through the doors of our church buildings they are met with love and authenticity and are exposed to burning passionate worship that is contagious but that they might not even understand fully (which is OK and actually biblical).
Our worship gatherings are NOT to be the fix-all evangelistic tool and i fear that many churches today operate in that mode. i.e. “bring a lost friend to church on Sunday so they’ll hear the Gospel” – it takes most of the responsibility off the individual congregants and places it all on the preacher. Or as today’s church culture screams “make it big and flashy and look like the latest ABC reality show so that it’s attractive and “relevant” to them.”
what does “let Jesus take it from there” mean actually? do you mean the Holy Spirit?
I dare say that church worship environments should be RELEVANT ONLY to the currently attending congregation…not made to be relevant to outsiders and non-believers. We’ve got it all backwards. Plus the one’s mostly upset with irrelevant churches are the church-goers themselves (aka you and me)…it’s not our lost friends. but we say it is so that it puts more weight behind what WE want to see changed.
but when outsiders visit, what should hit them smack in the face is AUTHENTICITY….which is HUGELY LACKING in most Western Churches today. That’s why no one wants to come and we have SETTLED to resorting to putting on a good “show” that will hopefully attract the worldly people around us…..and we usually just end up looking like fools anyway.
I dare say that a non-believer is going to remember being loved & accepted in an authentic way MORE than plasma screens in the lobby, projection on the walls, motion background on the screens, lame powerpoints, overheads, hymnals, old school songs, latest rock songs, whatever…… THEY ACTUALLY DON’T PICK UP ON MOST OF THAT unless the whole place looks like DISNEY WORLD in which case all they might remember is “dang this church has a lot of money”.
who the heck knows.
I am not qualified nor do i have a seminary degree nor any prestigious training on the matter.
Just a deep sense and ache in my heart that screams “GUYS! WE’VE GOT IT ALL BACKWARDS!!!!!!!!!”
what does all this mean in the context of the visual atmosphere of a church? well, for one, candles represent intimacy and authenticity. and more cathedral-like churches are copies of some of the most creative and artistic architectures in the world TO DATE (old churches in Europe). Now THAT’S creativity….not flash-bang production.
and three…let’s be honest here….it’s not really THAT important. Not compared to the fact that injustices are happening in the world every day and that thousands of tribes have YET to hear the name of Jesus. it’s not THAT important.
But, as Paul says in Colossians, ….whatever you do (meaning anything under the sun), do it in the name of the Lord, which means it must be done with excellence.
can someone please throw a bucket of cold water on me?
b/c i’m probably speaking out way too much here on things i don’t really know about.
it’s not popular. and it’s not poetic.
it is what it is…. authentically and un-edited from my heart.
wanting to learn and needing to gain wisdom,
a VJ
you can also blame Camron for introducing me to this book, for which is reinforcing what i’m talking about here….
http://www.creativeworshiptour.com/video/video/show?id=2131390:Video:19142
Let’s say I go into a five star restaurant with one of those fancy European chefs (tall white hat, weird accent – the whole package) and order a $75 meal because I’m just so hungry. The wait staff is amazing. They treat me like a king. The table settings are beautiful. i never payed attention to table settings before, but these – I notice. They must cost a fortune. A four piece orchestra plays appropriately in the background – no canned music here! I place my order, eagerly awaiting the feast-to-come. After a short time, the meal arrives. Except… it is served to me, by the professional wait staff, rotten and smelling up the entire room. I don’t want to eat it. I certainly don’t want to pay for it. I wouldn’t go back, regardless of the professional staff.
I think there has to be balance. Creativity without content is like faith without works. It is dead. No matter how hard we try to lead people in worship, we can only go as far as the Word which is given will allow. The Truth is the only thing that will satisfy.
Let’s say I crawl into a hole in the wall “cafe” (imagine a border town watering hole kind of place) just needing a drop of water before I pass out from the heat. When I look around, I see cockroaches, filth… the heat inside is worse than the heat outside in the blazing sun. The place has a smell to it – like porto-potty water was used to mop everything down. And the bar tender offers me a tall glass of water. No way am I drinking that. It may be normal for those people. Commonplace. They may not notice the bugs or the smell. But it’s not for me – not for those who are where I’m from. I drink bottled water treated with reverse osmosis. Tap water is just plain unhealthy.
Even with content that is vital to life as a Christian, a culturally ignorant house of worship should only expect to draw and keep a certain kind of crowd. We need balance. It would be different for every church. If there was a blueprint, I think the blueprint’s foundation would say Balance. Great worship without a solid foundation in the preaching isn’t nearly as effective. And (I believe) a great sermon without proper worship leaves me feeling empty inside. We are commanded to praise Him with a shout, with dancing and singing after all.
As a photographer/video guy, I say turn it all off – first listen to the content. Without content, I won’t stay around. There’s a mega church 5 miles from my house. I don’t go there because it’s so overproduced. I’m looking for depth, not HD projectors. I want a solid relationship with my Lord, not a band with more than three number one hits. Pardon my tone if it seems coarse, but I’m ready to find a home. I’m so tired of the rotten stuff. Let’s change the way things are done.