Are you with me?

Are you in?

Are you on board?

Are you plugged in?

Pastors ask questions like this all the time.

And obviously what they’re asking for is buying with the life of that congregation. They are trying to differentiate with you between being present and being part. Those things are not the same.

I can go to a basketball game experiencing the excitement of people around me, but have no dog in the fight between the two teams. I’m present & disconnected.

I’m sure we’ve all been somewhere during an event of some kind where we were there just to make somebody happy but we didn’t have a whole lot of emotional connection with what was actually going on. For example, if you’ve ever gone to a recital for somebody else’s kid, you probably know what this feels like.

But when it comes to the church, it’s not meant to be an audience experience where you are just there and present, but still somehow emotionally detached.

If you’ve ever heard somebody complain about church feeling like a concert, that’s part of what they’re talking about. 

If you’ve ever been to a church before and noticed that during the musical portion of the service people were standing, but not singing then you’ve probably seen this live and in action yourself.

They were there physically, and they may even be glad of what they think they got out of it, but they didn’t actually participate, their heart was not in it. It was emotional, but the heart-connection wasn’t and I growth or change took place.

We know God is very clear in his word about desiring the hearts of people more than just their walking-out of religious activity.

An audience watches.

A congregation participates.

An audience is a gathering of people with similar interests.

A congregation is meant to be a gathering of people with a similar life, even a shared life, a common worldview and a mutual allegiance.

I’ve written plenty of times about consumerism at the church. It’s a real problem that deserves a real and regular discussion.

Here in the west, it has been a very normal problem for many years now, and even though the people who headlined and streamlined those efforts have admitted that the pathway they carved was empty and fruitless, people haven’t heard the message.

Those who began that pathway have admitted that it doesn’t go anywhere regarding biblical obedience and faithfulness. It makes an assumption of unsaved people that scripture itself denies.

In Romans 3, it is very clear. “There are none who are righteous. There are none who seek God,” Paul says, “no, not one.” There is no such thing as a seeker sensitive service because seekers don’t exist. So shaping our church culture, our gatherings, our shared time in worship to cater to those who do not believe? It’s unwise, it’s biblically backwards.

It cannot and does not honor God, Who is meant to be the focus of all we do.

Audiences just want to enjoy. Congregations join together in common mission.

Audiences buy a ticket, but have no ownership.

Congregations give of their time, talent & treasure to be part of a shared goal.

I’ve never left a movie theater or a play feeling bound to the people who watched it with me. But when the church gathers every Sunday? That’s my family. Those are my siblings.

Ownership creates a congregation.

Partnership grows a community.

Audiences just sit together for a few minutes, and their lives do not intersect otherwise.

Individuals & churches:

What do you see more when you gather?

An audience or a congregation?

If it’s an audience, what can you do to aid in healthy change?