That's Entertainment?

He should be nicknamed 'Marmite' - you either love him or you hate him.  Some people wouldn't watch anything he's involved in while for others, his programmes are a 'must see'.  I refer of course to Simon Cowell - the man who, at times, seems to monopolise our viewing options.  To be fair he is usually very honest about his feelings towards the wanabees who appear on his shows.  The fact is that some people don't like him because of the way he is so brutally honest, to the point of being offensive.  But he certainly leaves the aspiring entertainers in no doubt as to what he thinks of them or their acts.  He is always saying that he wants to see something new, different, something he hasn't seen before, something that will catch his attention and keep him interested instead of the same old, same old that he's seen and heard so many times before.

The other day I received a phone call from someone who is regularly in touch, keeping me up to date with what's going on in her life.  She commented on what lovely Easter services she had had at the church where she goes.  She went on to explain in some detail of how the church leader had taken them right through the Easter story a bite-size at a time and interspersed his words with other items in the service.  She said that she really enjoyed the way he held the attention of the congregation and so afterwards deliberately made a point of thanking him for his hard work.  While she was talking, for a moment I thought of Simon Cowell and how he's always looking for something different.  I must admit I was grateful that the conversation was by phone and not Skype so at least she couldn't see the cringing look on my face while she related it all to me.  Ok, there's nothing wrong with trying to find a more engaging way of getting your message across but there are those who seem more taken with the novelty, entertainment value, feel good factor of what's going on than what is actually being said.  Has Sunday morning become nothing more than some sort of spiritual entertainment that we consider good if there is some sort of novel idea or thought?


There is a danger of always looking for a new angle, a different way of doing things in order to keep people interested in church - the catchy tune, some gimmick to get attention.  It almost smacks of 'attention seeking' - in a very spiritual way, of course.  A 'good' church leader is considered to be someone who can always bring something new to their congregation, always has interesting ideas for things to do, projects to be involved in.   I know, I have been in church leadership and done exactly that.  I mean, how many ways are there of telling the same story?  The prophets of the Old Testament would live out their parables and prophecies in order to get their message across.  Jesus not only spoke to people about God but he showed what God is like by the way He lived, the things He did and His attitudes.  In parables He praised the publican while criticising the Pharisee for their prayers in the Temple.  He made a Samaritan (national enemy) the hero of a story while showing disdain for the actions and attitudes of the religious of His day.  He not only spoke against injustice but was prepared to stand up and be counted.


So much energy and time is spent on trying to find a new angle on a Bible story or verse, as though God's Word were not powerful enough in itself.  It seems that what is needed is not that Christians look for ever new ways of saying the same thing but actually living it - that's the Jesus way for a Jesus follower.  More of our energy should be used in spreading the gospel message by our words, actions and attitudes in our everyday living and not just gauge it by what happens when people gather on a Sunday morning.  Actions speak louder than words, as they say.