Church as Experience

It is a growing market trend to sell an experience, not just products. Barnes & Noble is a great example. You can buy a book anywhere, even off the internet. So why go to all the trouble and waste all the gas involved in a trip to the store?

Because Barnes & Noble sells an experience, not just books. They have big, fluffy chairs where you can sit down and read. They sell overpriced coffee and desserts from The Man, which you can leisurely consume as you lounge around and flip through anything that catches your eye. You’re not paying for books, you’re paying for the opportunity to participate in the phenomenon known as Barnes & Noble.

Unfortunately, church has become one more “product” marketed as an experience.

Yesterday I attended the 11 o’clock service of one such church. It wasn’t as overtly entertainment-based as some I have had the pleasure of participating in, but it was still pretty obviously “priced-to-sell.”

This church markets their experience as an emotional one, with dimmed lights and lit candles and hymns mixed with contemporary rock music. They lacked the smoke machines and light effects I have witnessed, but still hit their target pretty well.

I figure the 20-somethings were in above-average attendance since we were at their latest service, but I think the oldest person there was in his 40’s, and I saw only three non-whites come in.

The preacher is a great speaker (although I didn’t completely agree with everything he had to say) and he’s probably a few years older than me. He has a very laid-back style and even wore jeans.

A lot of those in attendance wore jeans, but they didn’t look casual at all. It was obvious that whatever their style of dress, they were dressed to impress. (And churches thought they could avoid this by allowing casual wear! Hah!)

That’s what bothered me most about the experience: the fact that no one seemed “real.” No one looked sad or confused, and we didn’t sing any “sad” songs (although we did manage to squeeze in a few of those “we’re-so-bad-but-God’s-so-good” moments that I abhor). Everyone had on their game face and it made me very uncomfortable.

My aunt, who attends a church for the homeless in Lubbock, said she was glad to attend church with people who didn’t feel like they had to put on a mask when they came in the building.

This was not that kind of experience.

But I digress. My point is that many churches have now turned to an entertainment model, and seem to be very successful with it. The church I attended yesterday is very large and I assume it will keep growing. Part of me thinks that as long as these people are hearing the word, it’s a good thing. But after you HEAR it, then what? Attendance in the “Welcome to our church” orientation class? A spot in the pew every Sunday? A small group? So what? Are these churches doing a good job of discipling, or are they continuing to churn out Christians whose only activity is church-going? I don’t know, but I do know that they have cornered the market on young people, an age group that typically avoids the Church.

But what about the elderly? Are they all stuck in conservative churches that are dying? Why can’t we get along?

Surely it’s possible for ALL of us to attend church together. And surely that is more of a testament to the love of Christ that allows us to be a community for each other than to only spend time with those who are exactly like us.

I have to believe that there is a way for people of all ages, colors and backgrounds to work and worship together, to do their best to create a model of the Kingdom here on earth, to keep their eyes on the things that MATTER. They’ll disagree and they’ll fail, but I think it’s the TRYING will set them apart. Does that exist? I don’t know that I’ve seen it in action, but I've heard about it, and you probably have, too. Isn't that what Acts is about?