Communications experts tell us that the words of something comprise about 7% of the total communication content. The other 93% is communicated through the tone of voice and via the body language. I believe that is one of the things that makes writing/blogging so difficult for some people. Just exchanging information in written form can be boring at times regardless of the substance. It is hard to put personality into what you write, and I think sometimes people misconstrue that personality as compromise or shallowness. I read a few blogs that are full of great information but boring; I have a shelf full of text books like that, and so do you.
If the communications experts are correct and only 7% of communication is content then how does that translate into a church setting. This would reveal a lot about us who step up onto a stage week after week. We have all been in church and seen those who seem to “perform”. I don’t know about you but I have seen and heard enough in this life that I am not easily impressed. Sometimes I am thinking, “how about communicating some humility.” I have been to Christian concerts where it seemed the crowd was worshipping the band more than they were worshipping Jesus. That is ok, however, because it was being done in the name of Jesus, right?
In Acts 14 Paul and Barnabas were in Lystra when they healed a crippled man. The people thought they were gods and started to worship them. You can imagine how Paul handled it. He didn’t say, “It’s not me. No, give all of the praise to God”. He didn’t graciously thank them for the compliment and move on about his business. He did not smile smugly, thinking how wonderful and godlike he really was. No, he and Barnabas tore their clothes in dismay and ended up getting stoned.
I would love to see a Christian group tear their clothes in shame at the way their audience was acting. Just cry into the microphone “STOP. Go home and repent of your idolatry.” To me that would be refreshing.
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36 year old husband, father, pastor, singer, musician, reader, eater, rider, watcher,
I was at a Metallica concert when I was still a baby Christian–and what I think you’re trying to convey with those pictures struck me like it never had before–and it really bothered me.
Scott,
Don’t me started on this topic…
Suffice it to say, people dress there idols up to look like God so they can worship them without guilt.
Another well-put post…nice job Scott.
Could this be the reason that my wife and I (who have been huge, and I mean huge, CCM fans) have started to pull back and show some discernment in who we listen to? You bet!
We have Steve Camp to thank for that…
Oh, what will we ever do without our Toby-Mac?
I fail to see your point in the two concert pics you placed on your blog. Since you didn’t spell it out for us I assume we are supposed to infer something. Since I am not a card carrying Hyles-Anderson MacArthur Study Bible toteing Fundi you may have to help me along with the message you mean to convey.
Rev, Jackson I find it hard to take you serious with that name. Obviously you know enough about these blogs to have kept up with the name stealing going on over at the real Rev. Jackson’s sight.
You should do better research. The odds of a Hyles-Anderson graduate carrying a MacArthur Study Bible are about a million to one. Since they declard the internet to be the devil they still think he believes in incarnational sonship.
The point of my two pictures is kinda of like Emergent Church truth. You infer whatever you would like, good or bad.
Dude, well done with the post.
Cheers
V-word… ehhnuh… not sure what it means, I guess I need to type it in.
Key word – it “seemed” like the crowd was worshiping the band more than Jesus.
Their business is partly evangelism and partly rock ‘n’ roll music, and you can’t do your craft (rock music) if you’re just standing on the stage telling people for Pete’s sake to get their hands down and sit down please! What’s wrong w/ the crowd getting excited, jumping, dancing to good music?
Better we should pray for these musicians, that they would know how to point the glory back to God and live as witnesses when difficult situations come up. Many of the concert-goers love God but some, who are unsaved, may act or think unseemly. But they would do the same to a secular group anyway. It’s not like Audio A soaks up the praise for themselves. What makes you think they do?
This had nothing particular to do with Audio Adrenaline. They just happened by some luck of the chance to be the ones whose pic popped up first in the google search.
I was going to complain, but I think you’re right.
Again.
I was in this BUSINESS as a drummer(CCM/Christian Rock) for several years, touring arenas as well as mid-size to large churches. Grew up in church ALL my life, and I floated between ‘Christian’ music & secular gigs (Musicians Union…If the money was good…)
all the time being lost. I saw way too much vanity to think it was that much different from the secular. Don’t get me wrong…I think THEY thought it was different….and those thoughts were vain.
One night, secular venue, 2nd set, I am suddenly aware of the sea of sinners there before me, and that I am chief. Well….
…I want my song (music) of praise to God who sovereignly chose to make me alive when I was dead, to be God-centered. I want it to praise Him, extol His name, & in all ways glorify Him! I think this was good training for a Pastor, as I then knew that vanity/pride is rebellion against God. I pray that He constantly keeps a mirror before my eyes that shows me always…that, I am a sinner saved by His grace. God, I pray that you prune the lives of YOUR people…
It is not only at Christian Concerts that idolatry can pose a threat, but right inside the walls of our church buildings. Anyone who is elevated, placed on a platform of awe and admiration, for any reason, be it the worship leader, pastor, youth leader, faithful janitor, is put in a position that no human being deserves. We are all equal in God’s economy: Sinners saved by grace. When a person places another on his/her mantle, that “idol” will eventually sin and humpty dumpty comes tumbling down and shatters. We have the responsibility as you pointed out using Paul’s example, to keep off the mantlepieces that other erect for us. Tear them down in if we must. I think one way that helps keep our feet locked on the earth, is to conscienciously go before God after one’s service is done for God; worship, teaching, preaching and again give it to Him who deserves all honor and glory. We tend to go to God to bathe our ministries in prayer before the fact…and this is good. But do we go to Him afterwards and make sure that we haven’t taken even the slightest credit for anything that took place. It keeps our pride in check and allows us to bask in God’s glory and not the manmade limelight that sometimes comes with a job well done.
Yup, big issue.
Although I have seen the O.C. Supertones tell people to back off on idolizing them and worship Christ, and I was at a Third Day concert where they ended it with everyone singing “I have decided to Follow Jesus” and the members of the band one after another slipped away till it was just the audience singing acapella..very cool.
And yes, it’s not just bands, if I had a nickle for every time I have seen a gifted preacher end his sermon and see the people lined up to just get a word with him, or when the pastor is away how everyone gets a cold and cant make it…are we there because we hunger and thirst for the Word as a newborn craves milk? Or are we there to enjoy the rhetorical style of a good speaker, and be a aprt of the “clique” that follows him??