We have an annual men's get-a-way at our denominational church camp just south of Canton Ohio. It is nestled in 200 acres of trees with a nice pond and sleeping lodges. It also has a cool ropes course. I have attempted to navigate it several times with other brothers from my fellowship and have observed that the larger one is the more difficult it is to stay balanced on the ropes. I believe the same is true for churches. The larger the facility, budget, attendance and programming the more difficult it is to achieve homeostasis -"balance."
One area I find most difficult to balance is addressing the preferences of our attendees worship style and designing a service that will stimulate the target audience we wish to attract? How do we cater to the emotion of the regulars and address the psycho graphics (perceived emotional needs) of our mission field? How can we provide a positive emotional experience for both through our worship venue?
At times the two are vastly different. Our target audience "mission field" is unchurched contemporaries who have little interest or emotional connect with church tradition and style. Whereas our regular attendees feel disenfranchised because the venue does not align with their preferences, expectation or experience. What is a healthy church to do?
We teach in psychology that emotions follow thinking and behavior. The worst thing we can do is set our mission and values by emotion. Most of the time, the last thing we should do is act out the way we feel. Our hope is that regulars attendees of Willoughby Hills Friends Church will continually remember the mission of our church is to attract the lost for the sake of Christ when it comes to worship style, and will consistently put their emotion in check and find great joy in suffering for Christ by catering to the need/preferences of our mission field. At Willoughby Hills Friends we expect a maturity level that will "die to self and live for others," namely Christ.
What say you? Is this expectation to unreasonable to ask of our regular attendees? What thoughts do you have on how we can better balance the emotional needs/preferences of regular attendees and our targeted mission field? Thanks for stopping by!
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Adrian
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Yes.
ReplyDeleteIs it wrong to say that our needs must be met by Christ? People will always fail us, Jesus never will.
Will God allow any fellowship to fulfill what only Christ offers?
Can whefc provide salvation? Conversion,transformation? Sanctification or consecration.
Can we create in another the Heart of Christ or renew their minds so they may think like Jesus.
Humans are helpless in providing these needs yet they are the answer to the question.
No.
ReplyDeleteI think back to a time some years ago at our church, when a long time member/leader, (an older man in his 70's) would cruise the santuary while what he surly would have described as obnoxiouse music blarred from the speakers. I watched him and wondered while he smiled. I concluded he was an evangelical, he knew the intent of the service was to bring people into a relationship with Jesus. He saw the effect the presentation had upon the audience (good) and put he personal tastes aside.
When Billy Graham had his crusade at Cleveland Stadium the rock group DC TAlk played for the youth (granted, there were also more traditional offerings during the weekend),it was the first time Billy did such a thing, Billy knew that the demographic target would not identify or be moved emotionally by "Hymn like" music.
I'm using contemporary "pop/rock" music as an example because it is the music of choice of the largest demographic in our society. I may like classical, but the classical music stations simply don't draw the listeners. Look at arbitron ratings of any radio station and see for yourself.
Now this whole argument is easy for me because I dwell in the majority and for the most part our fellowship is more contempory in flavor, but as I watch some services, and I see the presenting of some gifts, I beleive they are not appreciated by the majority of the audience, and at that point they become self serving.
There is a place in the life of the Meetinghouse for the member to be fed. I beleive it is a critical part of the culture. But when it comes to the "Church Service" the target is just that, the target.
I am a business owner. I own a company that sells a product that I personally do not need. The indusrty I work in has many levels of service from budget to luxury. I have chosen my demographic target (luxury). I cannot act like budget.
Has your church identified it's demographic target?
I got nothin'...
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