We cranked up an experiment on our website this week. We created a new landing page and on that landing page is a button called "Free Gift." People in the Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson area can fill out a brief survey and in return, we'll ship them a free copy of Andy's book How Good is Good Enough.
We're excited about this for a number of reasons. One, people are going to get their hands on a great explanation of God's grace and forgiveness. Two, it's another avenue for CC'ers to use to invite their friends. Three, the people who receive the books may just tell a few of their friends and may show up at Catalyst. Fourth, we get to peer into the minds of people we don't know and ask them questions we want answers to.
One of the questions on the survey is "Why do you think most people don't go to church?" The answers to that question have been eye-opening. Not one person has said, "Because Jesus is a loser." Or, "Because there is no God." EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM has said something about church being boring, disconnected, out of touch with reality, or confusing.
The answers are even more interesting when we put them up against the answers to the previous question on the survey: "What do you feel most people are looking for in a church?" Every answer so far has said something about a comfortable place to learn more about Jesus, to have my questions answered, to figure out what a relationship with God means, etc.
Bottom line: People don't have a problem with the God of the Bible. People don't have a problem with Jesus. In fact, most people are interested in both. But, people have a BIG problem with the local church. For whatever reason...a bad experience in the past, a weird preacher they saw on TV, a overly religious family member, the boring church they grew up in...people have decided church is out of touch.
In fact, I met a guy yesterday who desperately wants his daughter to connect in a church. Here's the problem...she says she is spiritual, but doesn't want to go to church. She doesn't think it's necessary.
If we needed any more argument for why one of our core values is "Relevant Environments," we have it. Another phrase we use is "create irresistible environments." Some people get rubbed the wrong way when they hear either of those phrases...it seems too man/entertainment-centered. Not so...not even close.
Our goal when we say "create irresistible environments" is to do everything we can to use what is cultural to say what is timeless. Saying what is timeless without any cultural compass comes off as dry religion. Changing what is timeless to be more cultural is diluting the power of the gospel. Using cultural avenues to communicate a never-changing, timeless message of grace and forgiveness...that's creating irresistible, relevant environments.
Jesus was irresistible and relevant. The Pharisees...not so much. People flocked to hear and see Jesus. People rolled their eyes and ran in fear when the Pharisees came around. People who should have hated Jesus absolutely loved Him. People who should have loved Jesus...the Pharisees...hated Him and had Him killed.
Some of the stuff we do on Sundays can be a little odd to church people...sometimes it's odd to me. When people ask me why we played a certain song, showed a certain video, gave away an iPod, etc., I tell them, "Hey, that wasn't for you. It was for the guy or girl who is here for the first time and this is the one chance they're going to give our church or any church." Of course, there are elements of our service that are for everybody - our worship songs, the sermon, corporate prayer, etc. But there are some things that are purposefully there for outsiders...to connect with them, to show them that we are connected to their world, to help them feel like this is a place where they can figure out what a relationship with God really means.
So, every week, we try to do the absolute best we can at presenting timeless truth in a relevant and irresistible environment. We believe the gospel deserves nothing less. And...it's working! Over 30 people have publicly prayed to begin a relationship with Jesus in our worship services. Many more are very close. Every week, we hear from people who haven't been to church in a long time if ever at all and they ALWAYS comment on a song, or a video, or some other element in the service that surprised them...or connected with them. And then, they tell us how God spoke to them.
A girl, who has grown up Muslim, attended Catalyst this past Sunday. She's not really ever been to a Christian church. She's most definitely not a Christian. But after attending Catalyst this past Sunday, she said, "I don't know what it was, but something was happening inside me. I felt like God may have been talking to me." And that was after she went crazy when the band opened the service with "Dirty Little Secret."
I'm going to stop now. I'm sure I'll get some emails about this...but folks, I believe in it. I believe in it because I see and hear how God is using it. It fires me up. And...YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET!
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