A number of “mega-churches,” including Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago, have decided to close their doors on Sunday, December 25th so the faithful can focus on the family. The news has drawn the attention of several bloggers, including the venerable Paul McCain who’s blogging in a cybershelter after his unfortunate blog meltdown over at World.
Well, as the apostle Paul says, “One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike. Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind” (Rom 14:5). I guess the purpose-driven crowd isn’t fully convinced in their own utilitarian minds of the ancient custom of worship on Sunday. So be it. I can't condemn them for it.
While it’s certainly a fine custom and tradition, there's no dominical commandment to worship on Sunday, let alone December 25th. At least we won’t be competing with them in case anyone might desire to worship his or her incarnate Savior on that Sunday which also happens to be Christmas Day. Maybe some folks might actually hear the Gospel for a change. Opportunities abound! May the Lord so grant it!
What troubles me about this is the incipient idolatry of the family, which is achieving near sacramental status in some “evangelical” circles. Whatever lies at the center is your god, the object of your heart’s fear, love, and trust. When one's focus is on the family instead of on Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega of our faith, family becomes a god. And no family, no matter how “godly,” can bear the burden of divinity. Without Christ in the center, “family” becomes a steaming cauldron of sin and dysfunction. For many who have grown up in hurtful and broken families, baptismal water often runs thicker than family blood.
I sometimes hear people speak of the congregation as a “family.” I used to think that was a good thing, mostly because I come from a really wonderful family. The images of my family are warm, loving, and inviting. But I’ve discovered over the years that you don’t necessarily want people to “treat you as family,” especially when it comes to all the manipulation, envy, strife, discord, and self-centered power games that mar today’s blenderized families. Have you ever wondered why suicides and homicides increase over the happy holidays? Family is hardly a means of grace; it's in dire need of grace.
Want to “go home” for the holidays? Then come to the church, to the baptized family of God, to your brother Jesus and your heavenly Father and the Spirit, your Advocate and Friend, to the preached Word of the incarnate Christ who was born to save you, and to the Sacrament of His Body and Blood, which He gave for your life and salvation. In Jesus, you’re always at home.
Note: We are boldly advertising our Christ-mas Eve (by candlelight to save on the electric bill) and Christ-mas Day services.
Not going to buy into the idea that we shouldn't have communion that day - because we will have too many viistors, and that will complicate things too much. I prefer to shwo them that we believe in a Chrsit among Us!...
Posted On: December 07th, 2005 at 5:46pm by Dave Cochrane
Worship opportunity on holy days is one of the things that attracted me to churches of the reformation. What attracted me to Lutheranism is the oft celebrated Eucharist.
You are so correct how the family has become an idol in some circles. I dearly love my children and grandchildren but they are sinners indeed. They come by it honestly I am afraid.
Thank you for another great article. I am sorry about Paul McCain's meltdown. I wondered why his blog was so silent.
I'm wondering what could be better for the family than to receive the gifts of the our Lord's Incarnation, which, the last time I checked, was the reason for the season.
The logic of the mega-church has always escaped me.
The devil doesn't understand family values. Just look:
In response to mounting unrest from demons, witches and ghouls, Satan called a press conference Monday to denounce efforts to make Halloween a "holiday" for his minions.
"The Prince of Darkness will abide no rebellion in his workforce," Satan declared. "Those who do my bidding shall continue to slave at my behest forever -- and that includes every October 31st from now unto eternity."
Posted On: December 08th, 2005 at 12:59pm by revcwirla
In the spirit of Screwtape! Most excellent. A true champion of satirical wit, a master of the ironic if not sublimely ridiculous. You have earned a coveted slot in my link list.
In the spirit of Screwtape! Most excellent. A true champion of satirical wit, a master of the ironic if not sublimely ridiculous. You have earned a coveted slot in my link list.
Thanks, Pastor Cwirla. This particular story is far more ridiculous than I usually like to make Horn+Swoggled, but reality left me no choice. If you compare the real-life story of megachurch Christmas Day closings with most of the other posts at Horn+Swoggled, you'll see it would fit right in!
Posted On: December 08th, 2005 at 4:06pm by Stan Slonkosky
Interestingly enough, Lee Strobel and Mark Mittelberg, who were on the staff at Willow Creek (Strobel is now at Rick Warren's Saddleback Baptist Church; Mittleberg may still be at Willow Creek, but I don't know for certain) will be doing a presentation on "The Case for Christmas" at another megachurch, Mariners in Newport Beach (http://www.marinerschurch.org/media/ministry/case_handout.pdf).
I looked at their web sites and see that both Saddleback and Mariners are having one service each on Christmas Day (instead of the multiple services they usually have on Sundays).
By the way, Mariners recently allowed the Mormons to use part of their parking lot for people coming to the open house of the new Mormon temple in Newport Beach. They would not allow Christians, such as those from Mormonism Research Ministry (http://www.mrm.org) to come onto their property and hand out inforative brochures about Mormonism.
Posted On: December 08th, 2005 at 5:09pm by revcwirla
Lee Strobel has done some decent popular apologetics notably his "The Case for Christ." I'm sure his "The Case for Christmas" will do a nice job, from a journalistic perspective, on the historicity of the Christmas narrative. I'd actually like to hear his presentation.
Our own Paul Meier does much the same thing, from an historical-theological perspective. See his "In the Fullness of Time" (Kregel, 1997) for a nice discussion of the historic events of Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection.
I don't expect the mega-churches to have any liturgical sensibilities whatsoever, since liturgy is tied to sacrament, a totally foreign concept in entrepreneurial Christianity. These churches intentionally act like American business and not the historic church. This is their strategy: Church for people who don't want church. They may be aliturgical and without any decent doctrine, but they aren't stupid. They know precisely where the religious consumer is.
I've also noticed that what passes off as 'contemporary" praise music has no concept of the church year, like Advent, Lent, Epiphany, Christmas, Easter. We did an Advent hymn sing last night before vespers. There are no comparable hymns in contermporary Christian music. No nuances of theme, nor the whole counsel of God. It's just all praise all the time. Feast without fast. Very American in its consumer self-orientation.
I commented on a related subject on my blog. I think that it is to bad that they don't put Jesus ahead of their family, but as you said perhaps someone will actually hear the Gospel because they will venture to one of our churches.
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