The Results: Has the emperor clothes?

After 25 years as the prodigal son, God brought me back, but I see church with an agnostic hangover. These thoughts are provided by request with the hope that the church will prosper from the perspective of one of its own who now sees through a lens unfettered by the status quo:

1. Why, in 25 years, is there no innovation?

   The audience has changed, the world has changed. New generations favor technology, integrated media and fingertip access to information.

2. Why does the church service proceed in that order everywhere . . . everytime?

   Is it so the church bulletin will be accurate? What changes in music are incorporated in church music? Who, other than the President, stands up and speaks uninterrupted without visual aids for more than 30 minutes?

3. Is the average income of a church leader higher than a church member?

   Church elders and/or deacons do not reflect the congregation. The people who are leaders in the community are also leaders in the church. Should there be a 1:1 correlation? Should spiritual leadership be determined differently? Is there a relationship between church leadership and the amount a church member contributes to the church?

4. Why do Christian teenagers (who have attended services) feel uncomfortable in it?

   Some traditional church hymns were set to the "pop" music of the time. Is any of your church music contemporary?

5. Why do non-Christian teenagers (who have attended services) hate it,
   especially the music??

   Is any of your church music "edgy"? I don't mean most contemporary Christian music. Do you have someone musical who can put new lyrics to a song that is popular right now?

6. Why is there so much exclusionary jargon in a church service?

   I see a lot of this in church music. You sing passionately about being "in Christ" while non-believers tune out for lack of understanding.

   "El Shaddai", are you kidding? Do you think they will find someone and ask? Really? I hear Amazing Grace a lot, sometimes to a different beat. Does a non-Christian know what "grace" is, or "the anointed one" or "the redeemer" or a reference to "the blood"?

   I suspect that church services are full of Christian jargon because only Christians attend.

7. What about evangelism?

   Is your church reaching non-Christians and sharing the Gospel with them consistently and sometimes successfully? Are Christians so afraid of turning an unbeliever off that they don't speak? Do they think God can't work around them or use their imperfect approach?

8. If Jesus is God, should something amazing be happening in our churches?

9. Has anyone seen a verifiable miracle?

   Have you seen someone you know publicly healed with a verifiable infirmity like a diagnosed or visibly broken bone or Alzheimer's? If God meant miracles to cease after the time of the apostles, then let's teach that. If not, please ask yourself this question again.

10. If any of the above applies, why not change now?

    Is God big enough? Do you think big enough or have you accepted minor gains? Why not you, why not now?

The Survey: What is your view?