Whiz bang.  Lights.  Cameras.  Text overlaid on video.  Rock bands.  These are things that we usually expect to see on television or at music festivals.  Yet more and more we are seeing them in what has come to be an unexpectedly expected place:  church.  I know, I know, I’m late to the game, you say.  Churches have been moving this direction for a while.  Well, ours hasn’t.  We’re just now starting to think about it.

The Importance of Engaging the Culture

Our culture is visual.  We can’t drive anywhere without seeing some kind of billboard, even in the country.  Magazines greet us at every checkout lane and television seems to be on perpetually.  We can’t pretend that all of the visual things people are used to don’t influence how we retain information – even within a church service.  We have a responsibility, as Paul said, to “become all things to all people so that by all means (we) might save some.”  But that doesn’t mean any type of compromise.  We have three choices when it comes to culture:  ignore it, embrace it, or engage it.

Compromising God’s Peace and Stillness for Fast-Paced Visuals

Although the only choice we have is to engage the culture by finding ways to use what the culture is use to and redeeming it, I can’t help but wonder if embracing the fast pace of the visuals we’re used to might cheapen the peace and stillness that God provides in His Word.  We read in the Old Testament that God was not in the fire, or the earthquake, but the still small voice.  Yet, unfortunately, the people of our culture that we need to reach the most might not even listen if we don’t speak their language.

What do You Think?

I know there are strong opinions on this, but I’d love to have some constructive discussion from you.  What is your philosophy on redeeming cultural tools?  How have you implemented these things and have you seen good results?  If you shy away from these types of things – why?  I’m still trying to sort some things out as I think about future vision for our church and would love any input you could offer.

I definitely don’t have it all figured out by any means, and I’m still working on the process, but some thoughts that were shared with me a while back really keep striking home.  Take a look at 1 Timothy 3:12-13:

A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.”

Whenever I’ve looked at and pondered those verses in the past all I saw was the qualification of a deacon to manage his children well, but the verse says children and household.  Household encompasses a great deal!  Managing your household includes, but is not limited to:

• Having the means to provide and sustain your family. (Getting out of debt if your in it and staying debt free, not living paycheck to paycheck, making wise financial decisions, etc.)
• Having the discernment to not let that provision and sustenance become your idol and god.  It is very easy to fall in love with your job, especially if it pays well and you like it.  Family comes before working 70-80 hour weeks.
• Deciding where to spend your time. (Do you spend it watching hours of TV, trying to find an excuse to go play a round of golf – or do you spend your time wisely, knowing when to stop working, when to enjoy leisure, and when to get things done that need to get done.)

The last factor of managing a household is key.  Instead of trying to balance the time that you have, begin to manage it.  If you’re like me, and are a pretty spontaneous person who also tends to procrastinate, conisder setting up a schedule.  Of course you’ll need to schedule in some spontaneous time that you can just enjoy, but a schedule might be extremely helpful.

I’m just starting to really think about these things and haven’t officially applied them yet, but after thinking about Paul’s words to Timothy to charge deacons to “manage (a) household well” I’m beginning to be convicted that I’m not really doing that – and something needs to change.  Join me and the journey – and maybe you have some ways that you’ve learned how to manage your time and household.

Throughout the last few weeks I’ve been involved in lots of things – looking for a new job, trying to develop ways for me to freelance, working my current job, figuring out how to stay on top of volunteer worship ministry, spending time with my wife and daughter and trying to spend time in God’s Word and prayer.  That’s a whole life in itself, but I still love taking pictures, reading, watching a few select TV shows and doing enjoyable things.  Then there’s housework, yard work and more.  Yikes.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how our time management is part of how we worship God.  I want to spend some time thinking about our time, using my own life as an example and talking about some ideas of how time can be managed.

Teaser for tomorrow:  There’s a huge difference between managing your time and balancing your time.

See you tomorrow.  In the meantime, our pastor wrote one of the best blog posts I’ve seen dealing with our nation’s financial issues and the political race. You should check it out.