{"id":367,"date":"2010-04-19T15:02:52","date_gmt":"2010-04-19T22:02:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sharefaithblog.wpengine.com\/?p=367"},"modified":"2017-10-09T10:40:18","modified_gmt":"2017-10-09T17:40:18","slug":"modern-church-entertainment-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sharefaith.com\/blog\/2010\/04\/modern-church-entertainment-education\/","title":{"rendered":"The Modern Church – Entertainment or Education?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We love to be entertained. We love it so much that we spend billions of dollars and vast amounts of time satiating our thirst for fun and amusement. The church exists in this culture of entertainment and has a choice as to how it will respond. Some churches put a big emphasis on entertainment, even if they don\u2019t call it that. Pastors try hard to keep jokes coming thick and fast; the more stories, anecdotes and one-liners, the better. Lights, videos, drama, and loud music form the core of the \u201cworship\u201d experience. But hey, this is a whole lot better than a few dreary songs and a dry-as-dust doctrinal discourse, right?<\/p>\n

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Striking the Balance<\/strong><\/p>\n

It should be obvious that neither flat-out entertainment nor bored-stiff lectures are what is needed in the modern church. But what is <\/em>needed? The ever-elusive concept we call \u201cbalance\u201d is probably where we should go. Where is the \u201cbalance,\u201d and what does it mean?<\/p>\n

Understand, Adapt, Educate.<\/strong><\/p>\n

First, we must understand the people and culture within which we minister. A few generations ago, the parson was expected to be the most educated man in town, often doubling as the schoolteacher. As the modern church, we must understand the people with whom we work. We must know their educational level, their hobbies, their interests, and their careers. In this way, we can make appropriate adjustments in order to minister more effectively. We adapt. This isn\u2019t about pandering to people\u2019s appetites. It\u2019s about intentional ministry effectiveness. Next, it\u2019s up to us to education the people. They don\u2019t need more entertainment upon more entertainment. They need instruction.<\/p>\n

Instruction?<\/strong><\/p>\n

2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that \u201call Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.\u201d The church has the responsibility to communicate Scripture. Scripture is profitable for instruction. The word translated \u201cinstruction\u201d is a Greek word that refers to \u201cthat which is taught.\u201d Sounds a lot like education to me. Since the Scriptures form the core of what we do and say, it logically follows that we must teach<\/em> the Scriptures. Education is imperative.<\/p>\n

Boring. Boring. Boring.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Education need not be boring. If we think that imparting doctrinal truth has to somehow be boring, we\u2019re wrong. Where Christianity in today\u2019s culture has failed has not been so much in being too boring, but in being too entertaining. The feel-good nature of preaching and the surface treatment of Scripture run the risk of producing anemic Christians. <\/em><\/p>\n

Biblical Understanding<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mark Dever pastors a church in Washington D.C., and leads an organization called 9 Marks. The teaching of the organization is that every healthy church has nine characteristics, or nine marks, in common.<\/p>\n