The amazing thing is how infatuated everyone is with what's hot and exciting and "in" and how little we care about real value. That's why Paris Hilton (among many others) gets air time.
I read in this cheesy newsletter, which was really just an advertisement with a few oddball stories and some fortune cookie class proverbs, this one - "Fashion is so ugly and cheap that we can only stand it for about 6 months before we change it all." Yeah. But we stick with it.
But that's not as amazing as this guy who had such a hard time getting a novel published that he became convinced that it was just impossible, that unless you had an agent who worked the system of favors and whatever else they do, you can't get novel published. So he changed the character names and chapter titles to Jane Austen novels and sent them in. The publishers thought they were crap. Only one actually recognized the ruse and retorted.
It's the same way with preaching. Go to church. You don't hear things that are true and beautiful and painful, filled with joy and grief, filled with passion and adventure and romance. In other words, you don't get reality. You get the easy sell, what plays well, what's popular, what's in vogue, what can be expressed with style and rhythm and "amen?" and the know-it-all grin. In 42 minutes. And there's about 1000 varieties of the same cheap trick.
Those publishers have lost touch with what is good literature. They are living in a reality of what sells, and of who's who.
It's the same with preachers.
Oh, I know. Your church is "different". Your preacher even preaches about those other preachers who have sold out, or who are populists, or who water down the gospel, or who preach ear tickling sermons...and your ears tickle the whole time they talk.
If you're saying "not me, not my church, it's different" right now, then I'm talking about you. If this is you, if your church is different, you are still blind.
Thing is, you can't build a church today on the beauty of the gospel. People will vomit it up. The very reason they go is because they know they can get cheez whiz there. Just invert the can, bend that applicator, squeeze out some processed, predigested cheese-like substance on your cracker, and munch away.
You can't build a church on the beauty of the gospel anymore. People need something to say "amen" to. "Selah" is right out.
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Reality...hmm, well you know me...I'm all sorts of about re-effing-ality. My heart as a messy believer is to share my mess. Come over to my messy freaking house, all's I can offer is this here ecclectic mess aesthetic and a good cup of coffee. I hear you about all this shit, Steve. Yer right...So, now when are you going to start telling me about your reality? You got to hear me talk the paint off your walls about mine...and then some. So what about yours?
Heh.
Here's a dose of reality. I'm triple booked this week, not including a freebie follow-up for a former customer. I worked 12-14 hours every day last week, most of Saturday, half of Sunday, and I have another good 4 hours of work to do tonight before I can go to bed. But with the maelstrom which is tomorrow morning I need to shut 'er down right now to at least get 6 hours of sleep.
The impending question is when the road forks tomorrow morning, do I go east on 635 or north on 121? Maybe someone will call me at 6 in the morning to tell me what to do. Oh for the wisdom that comes from above...
That sounds very tiring. But, I'm glad to hear a little bit about your burdens...we are supposed to be sharing those,no? Get some rest. I pray he multiplies it...sounds like you are going to need him to do a little time magic.
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