A timely teaching.....

Entertainment-based services serve the emotion, but nothing more. And, the same entertainment becomes boring over time. The best entertainers might build up large congregations. But, it doesn't create disciples. It doesn't even create people who'll stay in church long.

 

You do not know what trolling is. Did you call members of this board murderers?

 

“An evil is in the professed camp of the Lord, so gross, so impudent, that the most short-sighted can hardly fail to notice it. It has worked like leaven so that now the whole lump ferments. During the past few years it has developed at an abnormal rate, ever evil. The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church that part of their mission was to provide entertainment for the people with a view to winning them. From speaking out, the church has gradually toned down her testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day; then she has tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of ‘reaching for the masses’.”

 

Wow, who said that?

 

It is usually credited to Charles Haddon Spurgeon, but I think it actually comes from Archibald G. Brown's The Devil’s Mission of Amusement. I think Spurgeon quoted part of what Brown wrote, and later that part got accidentally credited to Spurgeon.

Nevertheless, I think whoever wrote it is right on the money. This writing also includes:

 

A church near me had signs posted all over town announcing they were awarding a $5000 cash giveaway. All a person had to do was attend a service and fill out a card. In their "Beliefs" section of their website they state, "We will do anything short of sin to engage those who have not-yet embraced Jesus Christ in our communities". While that sounds good it opens the door to all sorts of wacky things. This type of approach downplays the sufficiency and power of the gospel (Romans 1:17). It does attract people that are only interested in loaves and fishes (John 6).

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If we mull it over awhile, we might find some of it does not stop short of sin.

 

They do but they won't... The people created the entertainers and the people want to be entertained so they do... I grew up hearing many preachers and they were not there to entertain the congregation... Some times they stepped on your toes and showed your sins what they really are... They also took much of the same as they could also slip and fall like any other member that heard the message... It was as much for us as it is for them... I heard a preacher one time say, preachers are put into three separate categories, first they are idolized, then they are criticized and then they are scandalized... Have you ever been to church and felt that the preacher of all those in the congregation, was taking directly to you?... To many sermons today are feel good sermons, how can you convict anyone in a feel good sermon?... Don't want to offend anyone?... WE ARE ALL SINNERS... That brethren needs to emphasized more in churches... Quit candy coating the message and called it what it is!... The preacher is the messenger, so deliver the message, the one from God!... Brother Glen

2 Timothy 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

 

I look at entertainment as a huge wavelength spectrum, such as you would see on an oscilloscope. It ranges from a wholesome, Godly aspect to total hellishness. Christians own only a small piece of the spectrum whereas non believers may feel free to indulge in the entire piece. The non believer's father doesn't even care if his children indulge in the Christ-centered entertainment, as long as they don't take it seriously.

If a church is offering the world our little piece of the entertainment pie as an enticement, the reaction might be "Why would we want that when we can have all this other stuff?"
The church's heavy artillery is in God's word. Entertainment doesn't hold a candle to the effective delivery of God's word. As believers gathered in God's house for worship, we can aid the effective delivery of God's word by insuring that our hearts and minds are properly focused on our Saviour
Matthew 18:20 - For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

 

I believe that worship services should be JUST THAT; we can seek entertainment another time/place.