For a whole lot of reasons, this commitment seems to get harder year after year.

Hirsch writes: 'If you have to use marketing and the lures of entertainment to attract people, then you will have to keep them there on the principle because that is what people buy into…Win them with entertainment and you have to keep them there by entertaining them. He said if we strip away the offense from Christianity and try to make things fun and easy for everyone 'then lock the churches, the sooner the better, or turn them into places of amusement which stand open all day long!''Ĭhan also references the Christian author Alan Hirsch on this point. But what Kiekegaard saw in the Church were constant attempts to make Christianity more palatable, more popular, less offensive. Because the gospel exposes our failures and insists that we can only find life through the grace of God, our self esteem comes under attack as we acknowledge that Jesus alone saves. Kiekegaard believed that true Christianity is costly and demands humility. 'Soren Kierkegaard was appalled at the state church which he believed had grown apathetic and insincere.

Referencing the 19th Century Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, Chan explains relevancy is “an old game' Being relevant, pursuing popularity and using entertainment won’t grow your churchĬhan believes well-intentioned pastors have tried too hard to make church popular. The responses look very different: “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12), “Look after widows and orphans in their distress” (James 1:27) and “Make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).Ĭhan continues, “I then ask them what would upset their people more: If the church didn’t provide the things from the first list, or if the church didn’t obey the commands in the second list.” 2. Typical replies include: 'A really good service, strong age-specific ministries, a certain style/volume/length of singing, a well communicated sermon…parking…coffee.'Ĭhan then asks the same leaders to list biblical commands regarding what church should be.

Sonic waves: How Generation Windrush brought Gospel to the mainstreamĬhan often asks church leaders what their congregants expect.

Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh: ‘Church is the place where you can be a hot mess you don’t have to be fine’.

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