Warning: Satire below! 👇
That guy over at Plumbline Faith keeps saying that church, as shown in the New Testament, is simple, participatory, and organic …
With ministry one to another for our mutual edification.
So what’s his problem???
Participatory?
I do that.
I sit and stand when the worship leader tells me to and sometimes even sing along, do the happy clap or raise my arms with my eyes closed when prompted;
I shake hands with the guy in the pew ahead of me when the associate pastor says to greet one another;
On occasion I say “amen” when the senior pastor asks us to say “amen” during his sermon;
I put money in the plate when it’s passed down my row by the ushers; and
I even bow my head when told to do so during the invitation for folks to raise their hands and receive Jesus.
So yes, I participate when I go to church, thank you very much!
Simple?
I do that also.
I find a spot in the church parking lot exactly five minutes before the service starts;
Passing through the foyer, I give a perfunctory reply to the perfunctory greeter’s perfunctory greeting;
I continue through the big lobby to the comfy pew where I always sit;
During the show I stand, clap, sing, raise my hands and bow my head, exactly as prompted from the stage;
I feel the “spirit” move me – right on cue – when the worship band hypes it up a notch;
I am inspired and nod my head – also right on cue – at all the right spots in the pastor’s sermon; and then
I get up to leave at 11:00 am – right on the dot – when it’s all over.
Seriously, what could be simpler???
Organic?
Yup, I do that too.
The new coffee bar in the church lobby uses only certified organic, GMO-free, fresh-roasted, hand-ground beans for their lattes.
And you can’t get more “organic” than that.
Yes, indeed, I love my simple, participatory, organic church!
P.S.
I did hear, however, that a new church down the street uses a fog machine with their band to create just the right amount of awe during the show – oops, I mean worship. I think I need to check that out, because I just might love church even more if they have a cool fog machine!
~ Jim Wright
  (feeling just a little mischievous)
