Take the day off!!
Amusing article today about the fact that a number of US megachurches will be closed on Christmas Day, citing the difficulty in getting volunteers to staff services and fears of low attendances:
Willow Creek Community Church, in Illinois, one of the six largest US churches, with a weekend attendance of nearly 22,000, is among those closing its doors.
“At first glance it does sound contrarian,” said Gene Appel, its senior pastor. “We don’t see it as not having church on Christmas. We see it as decentralising the church on Christmas: hundreds of thousands of experiences going on around Christmas trees.
“The best way to honour Jesus’ birth is for families to have a more personal experience on that day.”
Christmas Sunday services were not the most effective use of staff and volunteers, a spokesman said.
Other big churches closing on Christmas Day are in Kentucky, Texas, Georgia and Michigan.
Cindy Willison, a spokesman for the evangelical Southland Christian Church, near Chicago, said at least 500 volunteers were needed, plus staff, to run Sunday services for the estimated 8000 worshippers.
Many volunteers appreciated the chance to spend Christmas with their families.
Well, it is not as if Christmas Day is one of the most important christian dates of the year or anything…
December 9th, 2005 at 8:21 am
Astounding. Perhaps the only day in the whole year that people will willing walk into a church building and the doors are closed.
Decentralizing church on Christmas Day - if it works then, why not do it every week, eh?!
December 9th, 2005 at 9:30 am
To me the problem seems to be that it takes them 500 people plus staff to “run” church. Maybe they need to look at their model!
December 9th, 2005 at 9:48 am
um, let’s see
-people to plan the service
-someone to set up the flowers
-parking attendants
-door people
-ushers
-a/v people
-choir
-band
-people to do prayers
-soloists
-one minister
-offering collectors & counters
-communion carriers
-people to run creche
-people to run sunday school
-morning tea people
-cleaners
And I’m sure there’s more I’ve missed. I can see why they think they ‘need’ 500 volunteers. Maybe they could employ homeless and unemployed people to volunteer for the day so that church could run as per usual for the christians
December 9th, 2005 at 10:43 am
churches can become too big.
Afterall church is about relationships.
December 9th, 2005 at 11:57 am
Who will show up on Christmas?? Everyone who feels thay HAVE TO. Of course it’s in our (US) culture to go to church because we have to, or are supposed to.
December 9th, 2005 at 12:42 pm
Only people who wish to encourage their brothers ans sisters in Christ in their walk with god should show up on the day we celebrate Jesus’s birth.
Everyone else should stay at home
December 9th, 2005 at 1:18 pm
Mmm good point Matt on both.
It’s astounding the amount of walk-ups we get on Christmas day, people who only once a year get their taste of Christian community, and leave the building with a smile on their face.
December 9th, 2005 at 2:00 pm
Maybe this church in Illinois feels that it is so big it doesn’t need to go out of its way to be open for walk-ups on christmas. Let them come back at a more convenient time
December 10th, 2005 at 11:10 pm
I think it’s interesting/encouraging that the volunteers have all been brave enough to say “no”.
I always regret the times that I missed family birthday celebrations because I felt obliged to turn up to worship rehearsals/services instead.
December 10th, 2005 at 11:27 pm
sem-sav-blanc - does the sem in yur name refer to semillon?
July 29th, 2006 at 5:08 am
2 more pastors have found some backbone…. (that’s 3 in a week…woohoo…Australian record…).
This time declaring the Willow Creek Leadership Summit a scam…
http://www.backyardmissionary.com/2006/07/the-wca-blatant-rip-off-how-silly-will-you-be-this-year.html
“After the various discussions about conferences around the place we are soon to be hit with the Willow Creek Leadership Summit, but in what can only be described as the most absurd rip off I have come across (since last year’s WCA summit) these guys are going to slug you $179.00 to watch the conference on a DVD!!!
I would credit Bill Hybels with being one of the most influential communicators I have ever listened to. The man is simply brilliant, but who in their right mind is going to shell out that sort of cash to have someone press a button [on] a machine.
If you want to do a conference by DVD then at least have the decency to charge people only for the cost of the auditorium.
I am not one for witch-hunts and exposes on so called corrupt ministers (no doubt some probably are) but this really deserves to be shamed out of existence.
Absolutely bloody appalling…”
…And….
http://ignitecommunity.blogspot.com/2006/07/conference-junky.html
“NOTE: THIS IS A RANT!
Been some talk around the blogosphere about conferences lately, in the wake of the 2Inspire one last week. I went and was thoroughly unimpressed. But then, the purpose wasn’t to impress i guess. But what i am getting at is it was a bit of a waste of time.
Coming up soon is the Global Leadership Summit. I went to this last year, and whilst the content is quality, its on DVD. Yes, you heard me, a couple of hundred people sit there and watch a dvd, then have people getting up to try and sell other dvd’s and books and things. I was gobsmacked to be truthful. And the cost? not your standard $15 movie ticket, but $179, yep you heard me. Thats a budget of like $30,000 or more for perth alone, then you add to the fact that they run about 150 of these things, takes your budget for this DVD to $4,500,000. Thats a decent movie budget! When you start dealing with numbers this high, i think we should be asking where the heck the money goes.
Honestly, dont go. Buy the DVD because it is good stuff they speak about, but come on! $179 to sit there and watch a big screen? sheesh!
Here is a promotional quote for the conference:
“God shows up in a powerful way when we engage in corporate worship with other Christian leaders; you don’t get the same impact when you watch a DVD in house.”
really? They cant be serious!? Acts two happened in a house….. so watching a DVD in a church is more holy than watching one in a house? I’m probably over reacting, and perhaps my pain meds are making me a bit funny, but i really struggle with this sort of talk. It is misleading and down right wrong!”
August 1st, 2006 at 6:48 pm
I take back absolutely everything I have ever said about pastors having any backbone.
First time a pastor puts his head up to denounce a blatant rip-off in the church…..and a few days later…..he’s doing a wobbly-legged climb-down after being got-at by the self-serving money men.
http://www.backyardmissionary.com/2006/08/the-wca-summit-part-ii.html
“I had a friend emailed me yesterday regarding my post on the WCA Summit which was inappropriate in its tone and criticism.
I hadn’t done any homework and had a rant without solid information on which to base my criticisms.
I rang WCA today and apologised to the Australian director (John) for my comments as they were harsh and quite nasty. I then asked for some clarification on where the money was going. The short version is that they believe they need to charge that amount to produce a quality event and to pay staff to run it, host it etc. I won’t go into all the details.
John spoke to me for 20 minutes and was open to my questions. As we finished the conversation I was still not convinced of the appropriateness of the cost so he offered me a free pass to the two days to go and check it out.
I will be in Broome while the Summit is on, but if you are a genuine skeptic regarding the cost of the project and would like to attend then he has told me I can share the ticket with you - either one person for the two days or two people for a day each.
The deal would be that you would need to attend for the whole time you commit to and then write a fair review for me on the blog here.
If you’re up for it then drop a line in the comments.
In the past I have always appreciated WCA’s commitment to integrity and while I am yet to be convinced of the need for such expense I am again impressed at their up-front-ness.”
I think ‘backyardmissionary’ owes an apology to everyone who’s again going to be ripped off by this Willow Creek DVD scam.
August 1st, 2006 at 7:05 pm
By the way…the ‘friend’ who emailed backyardmissionary was the WA Churches of Christ leader ‘Mike’…..who’s denounced the ‘carnality’ of ‘freedom of expression’.
http://chat2gether.cocwa.org.au/2006/07/31/a-call-to-christian-communication/
“« Many book summariesA call to Christian Communication
When did Criticism become a virtue?
I’m disturbed inside. I’m seeing a lot of “freedom of expression” of Christians towards other Christians. Some of it happens over the internet with blogs and other contributions. Some of it happens person to person. Some of it happens in small groups. It even happens in Churches and yes, even comes from pulpits of all descriptions.
Galatians 5:13-15 comes to mind. “You, brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh. Instead, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘love your neighbour as yourself.’ If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”
I have no problem with people expressing opinions about issues in order to contribute to dialog and discover truth and understanding. Sometimes there is the need to critique someone else’s position in order to show how it isn’t true. But it seems that things have progressed beyond engaging in debate or discussion. It seems that it’s now ok to denounce other Christians, their beliefs and practices. And this is often done without any communication with the person or group whom we are denouncing. How can this be redemptive? Where is Jesus in it? When did criticism (in the negative sense of the word) become a virtue?
Paul’s instructions to the Church at Corinth can help us. It seems that there were factions in the Church and each faction held up a different leader (1Cor 1:11-12). Paul told them (v. 10) to “all agree with one another.” Later, in Chapter 3 he told them they were “carnal, not spiritual – mere infants in Christ.” And the evidence of that carnality was jealousy and quarrelling among them (3:3). And, more to the point, in 3:16, Paul says “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”
This is a serious message against “destroying the Temple.” It’s not about smoking or drinking or anything like that. It’s about quarrelling and jealousy in the Church. This is what destroys the Temple that God is trying to build.
I can’t help applying this word to our current desire for “freedom of expression.” We want to say what we want to say, when we want to say it. But that is carnality. We always need to remember that God has done a miraculous work in Christ – in bringing together people of different races, languages, perspectives etc. The world could not do it. Empires have tried to do this and failed. But in Christ, God has done it. And the unity of the Church is a mighty showcase of the goodness and power of God. But, our current emphasis on “freedom of expression” threatens this.
We simply must start communicating differently. More gently. More gracefully. More lovingly. More positively. More Christianly.
Can I suggest the following “questions” to be used as a filter for the expression of our opinions towards and concerning one another (whether on a blog, from a pulpit, or just in casual conversation).
Will this communication build up the body of Christ?
Will this communication maintain the unity of the body of Christ?
Have I communicated to the person(s) or group(s) concerned and expressed my critique to them and given them opportunity to respond and correct or change their perspective before I communicate mine?
Have I judged the motives of the people / groups I am writing or speaking about?
Do I have the best interests of the other person or group in mind?
Am I speaking out of revenge / wounded pride / bitterness etc?
Am I free to not communicate?
I’m calling all of us, whatever our denomination or church genre, to a higher standard of accountability in our communications. Surely this is what Jesus wants. We’re kidding ourselves if we think we can overcome the darkness with darkness. We are the light of the world. Let’s shine in the way we communicate with one another.”
We wouldn’t need to criticise..if you stopped trying to foist bullshit upon us.
Do these people SERIOUSLY expect us to say nothing..when they try and charge us $179 to watch a DVD?
August 1st, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Lance that’s a good post @ 13.
It seems Mike enjoys the “soft cock” version of Christianity, the one where we all love each other in our Jesus bubble and no one is ever offended, hurt, used, manipulated or taken advantage of.
What a shame we live in the real world.
I see Mike is quoting scripture to back up his fluffy pink feathered version of Christianity…
Mike if you’re reading this what was Christ’s answer to his disciples when they questioned him about the end times? I’ll save you the time mate “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name… and shall deceive many”
Mike what was Paul’s attitude to those taken with false motives and teaching? Did he silently slip them a note and ask them *pretty please* to amend their ways?
Let’s read it together Mike -
“…But when Peter came to Antioch, I OPPOSED HIM TO HIS FACE, because he was to be blamed. For before some came from James, he ate with the nations. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, being afraid of those of the circumcision. And also the rest of the Jews dissembled with him, so as even Barnabas was led away with their dissembling. But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly with the truth of the gospel, I SAID TO PETER BEFORE ALL, If you being a Jew, live heathen-like, and not as the Jews, why do you compel the nations to Judaize?” Galatians 2.11-14
Gee was Paul “Christianly” Mike?
Here is another instance where Paul publicly denounced and named those caught up in deception and error -
“…You know this, that all those in Asia turned away from me, of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes…” 2 Tim 1.15
Ah dear, how un-Christianly of Paul to name names and point the finger… What was he thinking?
Mike I also suggest you read Matthew 23.
The entire chapter is Christ publicly denouncing the established church leaders of his day.
Tell me Mike if you’re reading, was he also un-Christianly?
WIGGY
August 1st, 2006 at 10:24 pm
Was St Paul ‘Christianly’? … well what about Jesus.
He went into the Hill$ong Building of the day and overturned that cash registers selling hmm, hmm “resources”.