Good points, Andy, and points which I guess a lot of us involved in youth ministry will recognize. It reminds me of an article my Mark Sayers I read a couple of days ago, "Will being cool save the church?".

Have we become too concerned about being cool that we actually forget about discipling these young people? I'm curious to follow up in the discussions.

Yeah, this is scary. Fortunately there is an easy solution, and I hope the second part of Andy's message includes it - be yourself. To quote Kevin Max, "There's no one here who does it quite like you." Yes, it really is that simple. Simple - yes; easy - no. Cut and paste is easy, but people will eventually see right through it.

Although the word wasn't used in the article, the underlying concern of many "GenX" pastors is authenticity, and I can think of nothing more authentic than being the unique individual (or ministry) that Christ has created one to be.

A preoccupation with image is always based on some underlying insecurity, be it a need for approval, the desire for quick results, a lust for a large audience, whatever. If we seek to root our identity in Christ, we will be on the right track. And if droves of people don't attend our churches because of it, we need to be ok with that.

I suppose the opposite of being image-conscious is to be image-unconscious. Perhaps we should not pay attention to what we wear, what is on our website, what names we use for things, or the feel and context of services. But I don't think so.

I would challenge every church leader to be image-conscious. We need to pay attention to how we present ourselves corporately and individually. I think what you are describing is being image-obsessive not image-conscious. If image is all you care about then I agree you/your church has problems. But if you care about God's glory, people's needs, and the Kingdom being advanced, then don't let a cheesy name, ugly website, or poorly constructed worship service get in your way.

There is no doubt that there is an image copying aspect to this phenomenon. Aren't almost all of our images taken from someone else in our society. What is cool is dictated to us by celebrity. What is in is dictated by the media and consumers. What is cool in the church reflects all of these ideas along with Christian celebrities and media. But, this is certainly not a new phenomenon and certainly not limited to Gen-X pastors and ministries. How many Willow Creek and Saddle Back clones are there where all the pastors where golf shirts and have names from nature and handle worship in the same way. In Gen-X churches it is just a different generation that many emulate. Yet, is that inauthentic? For some maybe, but for many it is who they are. It would make sense that those of a similar generation would find value, beauty, and meaning in similar forms. As a pastor of an Emerging Church ministry I recognize that our ministry would fit many of these stereotypes and you know what, they weren't copied off of anyone. We tried to create a worship service and ministry that were organic for our college town and Evolution, our service, was birthed. I will be interested to hear if there are any insights as to dangers, realities, or non-image driven examples of ministries in Andy's next post.

Emergent, Gen-X, Wesleyan, Denominational, and authentically me-

As Christians we are called to "work as though we are working for God and not men" so I'm not sure that I would want a tacky website and then say "Hi, I'm a Christian and I do things half way!" We must strive to do everything passionately as it would be done for Him. Image seems to fall in to another category in and of itself. I was at a large emerging leader Christian conference two years ago and was blown away by the "torn jeans", etc. that seemed so commonplace. For some this look IS authentic. I look to Passion Conferences as a ministry who is bridging this divide by having folks on the same stage together who are polar opposites from an image standpoint but share the same passion for Christ, i.e. John Piper and David Crowder Band.

I've seen plenty of authentic and inauthentic people but let's remember that there are plenty of inauthentic people who are sporting black socks and loafers with shorts.

I do not know how old Mr. Rowell is, but I would think that he is a little older then Gen X. I think this because so far he has not realized that being flashy and wearing jeans and drinking expensive coffee IS our generation.

How else do you expect to have raport with the generation? If a youth minister walks up to me in suit and tie and says "come follow me" I probably will have better things to do, like clean the lint trap in the dryer. If he walks up to me and engages in my culture and my thought process, I listen. You can be concerned with the heart and still "dress for success" in reaching the lost, preaching the gospel and plundering hell of it's victims.

Hi my name is Scott, I am a recovering Youth Pastor, it's been 3 months since my last camp, and 1 year since my last youth conference...I was so sold out on image, some of the very image issues that you speak about. But now Ii feel somewhat more confussed as I find it haqrd to discover what is NOT image. I guess we are getting into Frued...Ego, alter etgo etc, but When I am not "trying" to do the trendy "image" thing, I find I am actually pushing anopther image, that of "not being the image guy". I start to wear not soo cool clothes, start listening to Frank Sinatra...hmmm, start speaking about things that are not "on topic" or "cool"...I suddenly find myself re-creating yet another image...aghhh I need counselling!

This sounds like another cultural relevance/embracing culture debate. The tension is between trying to be appealing without losing touch with the truth. I've struggled with that on a number of issues. How much is too much?

Thanks for your excellent comments on my first post.

Here are some of things you've said which I think are very good.

- Be yourself. Be authentic.
- It is ok to be image-conscious. We shouldn't be image-unconscious. But we shouldn't be image-obsessed.
- Not just Gen-X ministries are image conscious.
- Thank God for non-tacky websites.
- We have to wear something. We have to name our church something. It might as well be something good as opposed to bad.
- To reach people we need to engage their culture.
- How do I know whether I am being authentic and how much I am trying to put on an image? Sometimes I don't know myself.
- We must be faithful to the truth but also relevant. This is a fine line.

Someone wondered how old I am – 30 - so I'm on the younger side of Generation X.

Thanks again for your excellent comments.

Andy,
Great post. I look forward to reading the second part.

One of my ongoing concerns is the reverse generation gap. It has become a truism that "parents just don't understand" (to quote the Fresh Prince). The stereotype that the church has adopted from our culture is that people in their 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, etc., can't "relate" to people in their teens, twenties, and thirties. I think the reverse is much more problematic. In the church I currently attend, the older generation (60's and above) has been *extremely* gracious in their willingness to accept new music and fashion styles from the pulpit. In my experience, at our church, at least, churchgoers under 30 are far more likely to complain about music than churchgoers over 60. As a result, many churches use worship music from only the most recent 1% of Christian history.

My fear is that our society's emphasis on youth culture will lead younger Christians to ignore valuable teaching and mentoring from older generations. It is extremely dangerous, IMHO, for the church to concentrate so much effort in segmenting Christians by age, gender, interests, etc., when the Bible and experience teaches that unity is so much harder, and so much more important, to achieve. I have been repeatedly blessed by relationships with Christians older than myself (I am 29 - 30 in 2 months, ack!). There are so many benefits, I can't even begin numbering them here. I worry about churches where the oldest attendee is 35. If everyone dresses the same, listens to the same music, reads the same books (I'm exaggerating for effect), how will we ever discover true unity in Christ? If we can't even worship with our own grandmother, how will we accept someone of another race or culture?

I would have to disagree with Carl's comments above. The example is too easy to dismiss. Of course you might be turned off at first by your "suit wearing youth pastor," but that is an admittedly cliche' example that you are using. Most youth pastors I've known are not "suits" but jeans and t-shirts guys who love to have fun with kids. And wouldn't you be turned off by anyone who walked up to you and blurted out "come follow me"?

What if someone consistently came to a place where you hang out and got to know you? I say this because an older friend of mine used to go to punk and goth clubs and hang out with all the kids there. He, in his mid to late forties at the time, appeared completely foreign to them. Sure he dressed down, but that's how he always dresses. He didn't put on fishnet tights and eyeliner - he and everyone else knew how ridiculous that would make him look. But over time, he got to know the patrons of these clubs and his love for them became apparent.

We can still engage culture and meet people where they are without trying to look like a bunch of hipsters. Of course, some of us are hipsters, and that's ok too :)

I think Andy's right but would add, it's not about image at all, it's about motive. This is something we all should be asking ourselves daily. "Am I trying to be cool, or am I trying to follow Christ?"

If you're honestly following Christ while wearing tattered Jeans then go for it. But don't make others feel they should join you. If you follow Jesus wearing a suit, great, but don't make me feel I need to dress up for you. If people compliment the way you look more than the way you serve, there might be a problem.

I think the Catholic Priests are on to something, let's bring back the collars! Of course that would probably just end up trendy.

As a kid I used to watch these afterschool specials. Other GenXers might remember those. They all preached the same message. Don't give in to peer pressure. Don't worry about image. Don't worry about appearances. "Just be yourself."

It would have been good advice, except I didn't know who I was. In fact, working out my identity continues to be a daily struggle.

I am not surprised that the body of Christ faces the same struggle. We know who we are theologically, but how do we live out God's will in today's culture?

Someone said GenXers admire authenticity. Do we achieve authenticity simply by making ourselves vulnerable? What does it look like for the church to make itself vulnerable?

Image is not everything, and should not be treated as such. However, neither is it nothing. If I am called to work among prison inmates, I will dress one way, seeking to project a certain image. If I am called to work on a university campus, I will not want to project the same image, since to do so would damage my credibility and the effectiveness of my ministry.

We all have an image, like it or not. And as representatives of Jesus, we need to consider the image we project, because it makes a difference in how people will receive us and anything we say.

So we ought not to be plastic and artificial, but we absolutely must be conscious of the importance of image.

Andy, thanks for the questions. I think they're important ones to consider. I'm 22, and, to be completely honest, am appalled at the constant jockeying to pander to some sort of culturally defined idea of "cool". I think back to what Os Guinness says in Prophetic Untimeliness: the harder the Church tries to be "relevant", the more it guarantees its irrelevance. It seems to me that my generation's current obsession with rejecting things that scare us (things like church hierarchy, "churchy" names, "traditional" forms of worship), we've rejected a lot of really good stuff in the effort to cultivate a "properly" contextualized image.

Why do we feel like people will reject an image rooted in a 2000 year history? And, more importantly, if our answer is "because history isn't culturally relevant", shouldn't the church's response be one of trying to change our culture, rather than bending to it? I'm just not convinced that allowing ourselves to held hostage to a cultural of comfortable mediocrity should be the mission of the American Church.

Great topic and first post Andy, thanks! Some great thoughts here in most all responses imho.

Seems to me that the core def. of "culture" is "common" and we'd probably all agree that much of this is tribal (regardless of generation). Much depends on the tribe(s) you're in/reaching.

I think many in the West are obsessed with culture and "acceptance". I think we can even get obsessed (as in "not thinking nor acting in actual faith in God", esp. God the Holy Spirit) with people accepting Jesus Himself, much less our local congregation- to the extent we focus so much on image we lose focus on content. But content with no concern for context can foster thoughtless living and thoughtless ministry. It's a slack approach to ministy just as it is with regard to biblical interpretation.

Betcha Andy will touch more on authenticity and comittment to the Truth and moreso, character (fruit of the Spirit as in Gal. chapter 5) of God being reflected through us in his next post.

I read articles and enter discussions like this and think of texts related to "shadow and substance" and "the law came by Moses but grace and truth via Jesus Christ". Sometimes we focus far too much on forms.

In the end, nothing more nor less than the character/attitude of Jesus relected via us will create biblical disciples ("listeners, learners" in the Gk.). Dress this up any way you like- fruit won't prove eternal if it's only external!

With kudos and apologies from a modernist 53-yr. old hippie-preacher-musician... but I do have a tat :) -Glenn

I'm a new pastor and I'm 53. My experience with younger adults (20-29) goes back six years. I do not look cool, nor will I come across as anywhere near cool even if I tried. Yet, I somehow manage to get through to my younger friends. Praise the Lord. I thank Andy for his honest questions, and I agree wholeheartedly that we must not go overboard trying to look cool. Who knows? Maybe our younger friends are growing out of their need to be cool?

As a crusty and balding 48 yr old I find that image is less and less an issue. Function is somewhat a self-promoting phenomena. I'm just as familiar and comfortable in an old fashioned suit and tie service as I am something far less formal. The fact that I'm also the father of two children under the age of ten makes me especially aware of the need to present unvarnished truth. It may take time for some to come to an agreement, grudging or otherwise, but most people have respect for truth. The stories of virtually all great christians have as a central focus their boldness of word or example, and their unwaivering committment to truth.

Maybe more time spent in prayer, asking God to lead people to us that we are best equipped to minister to, would be more productive than worrying so much about what what we look like. Somehow I don't see Paul strategizing about what his duds needed to look like. Yet he was certainly one of the boldest of the Apostles when it came to telling it like it is. I think truth sells itself.

Andy, thanks for your thoughtful post. I think Dave and Greg have made really important comments so far - they seem to take most seriously the visual or aesthetic aspects of _mission_ to postmoderns.

Any missionary to any culture needs to think through issues of dress and appearance. Granted, these are theological issues, but like all theological issues, (necessarily) influenced by context. I really don't see why there should be any fuss when a missionary dresses in a way he or she thinks is appropriate to the culture they are evangelising.

Perhaps twenty-five years ago the same questions were being asked of those who Robert Webber calls the pragmatic evangelicals (also known somewhat ironically as 'contemporary' evangelicals). Rick Warren's Hawaiian shirts, the removal of sacred symbolism and the emphasis on 'stage-managed' excellence. Not only this, they were probably asked fifty years ago of those he calls the traditional evangelicals (Pastors wearing suits and churches calling themselves 'First Baptist etc.)

Good morning Everyone,
I found this post via a Google News alert for image-related subjects, and was intrigued. I am a certified Image coach and consultant, and I work with both men and women to help them project a Total Image (Visual, Vocal and Verbal) that supports and promotes their personal and professional goals.

That said, if your goal is to reach people with a message - no matter if that message is the love Christ has for them, or the latest product or service your business has to offer (and isn't the church on some level a business?) - then if the audience you are seeking can't relate to the biggest part of your image (Visual), they will never hear your message.

I'm not saying that anyone should be inauthentic, or contrive an image just to reach certain people, but if you can help someone to be more at ease with you, your church and your message by giving them a visual that they can relate to, why not do it? Making something up to appeal to just one segment of society is not a good idea - it rings false, even if people don't come out and say that it does.

Be your authentic self - the you that Christ created - and be as approachable and relatable as you can be. If that means taking off the suit and tie so you don't seem so intimidating, do it. If that means wearing jeans occasionally, do it within the bounds of your own personal style so it doesn't seem like something you just 'put on' for effect.

Find out what your best possible Visual image is, then back that up with the Verbal and Vocal aspects, and you'll reach the people you were meant to reach - and you're the only one who can.

Peace and Blessings to all.

Image, packaging, special FX and the defines of "cool" change perennially. Those are but tools of the times. The deep, spiritual, and community needs of people are the same in every generation. To gauge the balance, ask: Do you see the people themselves becoming more authentic with each other, looking to meet needs and share Christ even outside the confines of programs? Or are they caught up in appearing slick, promoting their businesses/programs, and creating a respectable image of prestige? Just as a suggestion, why not ask those you wouldn't normally ask, those outside the regular parliamentary circle? The perspective of "the least of these" may surprise you.

Comments in response to this post have been both insightful and encouraging. To be sure, I’m all about connecting with people in order communicate effectively. It seems to me, though, that we will always miss the mark if we pretend to be something we are not. I think “poser” is the modern-day word for this, but that’s probably “so last year”! It’s hard to keep up, isn’t it? Does anyone remember the song: “Don’t Be a Phony!”?

My GenX friends have told me the thing they like least is to be singled out and targeted with the latest, coolest, hippest, sure-fire method of “reaching them.” One in particular told me just a few days ago that all the efforts to customize our ministries to reach his peers seem a little naïve and misguided, since he is unable to discern a particular set of GenX characteristics. He’s just one person, but I think he represents an attitude shared by many of his generation.

Still, since so much is hanging in the balance, let us do our best to emulate the Apostle Paul who said: “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22 TNIV)

I'm 36 and have been doing student ministry and associate pastoring for about 17 years. I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy. When I'm in church on Sunday mornings, I wear a suit. When I go to meetings with other ministers, I wear khakis and a golf shirt. When I go work at the Boys and Girls Club, I usually wear shorts and a t-shirt because I play basketball or soccer with them. The fact is, we dress appropriately for the circumstance we are in. Some pastors plant churches because they have a passion for an unreached people. Some church leaders wear Hawaiian shirts and sandals. So what? I can't do that. I'd look like an idiot, but the pastor down the road that always has one on, looks about right in it. I can't lead in traditional worship, because sheet music confuses me; but I can read guitar tabs, play guitar, drums, congas, and now I'm learning mandolin.

I went to see a local church planter and while I was over there, visited a veteran minister friend of mine. He said that he had just had a pastor tell him that "God packs us for the journey." I don't remember the pastor's name, but that quote has stuck with me. God has made us just who we are so that He can send us where He wants to do what He wants and we will be perfectly suited for His mission for us and for the Kingdom. I'm a movies and story kind of guy, so I wear my jeans and teach the Bible's deep eternal truths in a way that I have come to understand them with all the stories, quotes, song lyrics, and movie clips that will help make those truths visible to those I teach. That's how I'm packed. Some of us are. If you're not, that's cool. If you are, that's cool. We each have our own journey. Maybe we should spend more time waving at each other from our different trails, than we do yelling to others that they're on the wrong one.

Just a few questions from someone who is in her mid-twenties and has never in her life felt "cool" ( and for this reason was always drawn to Jesus who loved her anyway and didn't require coolness to belong ). What do you think it feels like when I walk into a church I have loved and felt accepted in my whole life and now the pastor is using slang and popular music, quotes from celebrities and changing the image of the church to fit his current perceived notion of 'cool'. Am I supposed to feel cool because I go there? Am I supposed to see these movies he's showing clips from and listen to rap artists so I can fully understand his message? Would you feel it's okay to be both Christian and cool... or that you had to be cool to be a Christian?

I think this is a great post, and some great discussion on a timely topic. Should church be only for the cool kids? Is it more important the change everything for them because they might be harder to reach? Does the bride of Christ want to be a consumable?

The young minister's fad in our Bible school days was loafers sans socks. The ministers who were confident in reaching through relational love went on to be effective no matter what the cultural changes. When students know that you love them no matter how much they stumble, the hair-dos and the clothing disappear.

Thanks again for your charitable comments on my post.

People’s comments have mostly focused on “what pastors wear.” People agree that we should spend more time caring about people than picking out our wardrobe. However, there is a range of responses about how seriously to take image management. On the one side, there are people who think that church leaders should simply “be themselves.” Your green plaid jacket may initially repel people but eventually people will be won over by your sincerity. These people suggest that trying to do “what’s cool” is bound to backfire because cool changes so quickly and people will be turned off by what they perceive to be “fakeness.” Furthermore, promoting a certain image will subtly communicate to people that cool people are more welcome in the community. They contend that Jesus and Paul were truth-conscious not image-conscious.

On the other side, we have heard from an image consultant and many other pragmatic voices. They have argued that we have no choice but to project an image. We might as well be aware of what we are communicating. They argue that some people are naturals at fitting into their surroundings but most need a spouse (or an image consultant) to help them pick out what to wear. They would probably advocate researching your target group and trying to take small steps towards a more attractive image. They would admit that what is “appropriate” (perhaps a better word than “cool”) moves. And so this target image will probably continue to evolve and so you will probably have to keep changing your image to fit. They would contend that Jesus and Paul were certainly truth-conscious but were also image-conscious in adapting their outreach to their hearers.

Two conclusions:
First, I think most agree that we should at least try to manage our image by trying to keep body odor in check with regular showers and deodorant. Most of us also agree that we should not use thousands of church dollars to hire image consultants to conduct polls about whether people perceive us to be “hard-working” if our sleeves are rolled up. (I heard President Bush’s image consultants told him to do that. I thought it was a good idea). It is not wrong to be image-conscious. But the key question is resources. How much time, money and focus are we putting into our image projection? How much is too much?

Second, I think we should think long and hard before picking our “target.” Typically, we pick high school youth, punks in a club, or the golfing business owner. This is where we often make the mistake. We tend to change our image to look younger or cooler or richer. God may actually have intended us to reach someone else who we are now alienating by our new image. We need to ask ourselves, “who has God put in my life to reach? How can I serve them?”

Good to read Andy. This issue was part of the reason I started writing (back at Regent) "Cadavers, Celebrities or Children of God: a bloody biblical spirituality for this generation" Our generation in the church seems to be full of dead famous brats. May the Spirit of grace and supplication continue to strip away the Greco-Roman in all of us.

Homo Spectans vs Homo Participans
Most Media have trained us in Voyeurism

Andy,
The cool issue has been around a long time. I was let go from my first youth ministry position thirty years ago because I was told I was too "intellectual" for high school kids. Of course they didn't ask the kids what they thought.

When we are young, with such high expectations placed on us, the tendency to mask our fear and insecurity in cool is natural. What all these young pastors need is an older mentor who can help them deal with the emotional demands that leadership brings.

I am in agreement with a number of you: Carl Holmes, Glenn Kaiser, Art, Doug and a couple others. Can image go too far? Yes, it certianly can. I can go on for hours about how many, if not most of our churches today, cater to the people. Church has become a "have it YOUR WAY," mentality. I, along with Carl Holmes, go to a church that is a slight trendy, however the message and the main focal point is nothing short of phenomenal and life convicting when the presence of the Holy Spirit is present. If image is a concern for some of you, then think upon this: Let's think about the days when all preachers wore suits and ties. What did everyone do? They went to church in their best suit or best dress. It was the thing to do.
Look back even further into history. What were people wearing in the days of Shakespeare and Socrates? The church then had their own pews filled with a certain kind of "dress code."

I guess the point here is this: If we can't participate in some of the trends of today, are you asking us to wear robes, dresses, and sandals of the old and new testament? Or maybe we should really go original and all be clothed with some leaves or animal fur like Adam and Eve. It's interesting the conversations we have and how we almost judge churches for engaging the culture, and yet as the culture changed in the Bible, so did the people's dress! Just some thoughts.

I know there is a point when too far is too far. The factor for the trend has to be laid at the feet of Christ, knowing that Christ should remain the focal point above all. I mean goodness, we could talk about trend in so many different arenas. The kind of bicycle us Christian's have, if it's the top of the line mountain bike, or if it fits our need to go from place to place. The car we drive. The house we have. The food we eat. If Christians should use teeth whitening or not. I mean, we can go on and on.

Why can't we just cut to the heart of the matter? How is YOUR walk with Christ? It says in Scripture that as you become a Christian the old life has passed away and you are to now live in your new life. How many of us as Christians have put our old life completely down at the cross to NEVER return to it again? How many of you actually strive to remain sin free? How many of you are actually on the offensive side of the battle rather then most Christians who stay on the defensive?

P.S. I like your article Andy, because it engages the culture to think. Here is a thought to ponder. Walking in the footsteps of Christ will always be offensive to somebody. It doesn't matter what you do. You can be perfect (like Christ) in every way, but what did Christ end up doing in His perfection? He offended people!

Does it matter how the message is presented or how the person is dressed that is presenting it as long as it is "the message"?
Paul was one of the most influential missionaries and he said: "When I am with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ." 1 Corinthians 9:22 (New Living Translation) or if your more intune with the KJV " To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."
I think it's a pretty good idea.

I don't see anything wrong projecting a "cool" image. Unbelievers see the church as uncool. It's about time, we change that kind of perception - that it's cool to be a Christian!

But of course, image alone is not enough. There's got to be more substance in what we do such as being holy and pure and sacrifice, taking up our cross and the like. The packaging may change but not the message. Jesus is, was and always will be a trend-setter.
In Christ,
Ptr. Ed "Anoint-ed"
Alcantara

As a 40 something, I've seen my share of "ways to do church!" From being a little girl watching my Papa preach with passion and impact, to being an Outreach Minister in a new church plant that uses a creative team approach, I've questioned if we've lost our true focus as churches.

I grew up in a wonderful church, but along the way they became inward focused, planning services and events based on their needs. This led to being ineffective to the community around them. They needed to keep a pulse on how the world was changing culturely to be better equipped to know how to reach out to them. Traditions, control, and power issues set the tone of the day rather than being disciples of Christ. Since they've not been willing to make changes where they needed to, they've become invisible to the world around them. They lost their salt!

Fast forward twenty-six years to a new church plant. Starting off in our home with just a handful of people who set out to be different, we invited people to a "come as you are" setting, encouraging them to investigate their questions of God and faith, and to experience doing church in a new way. The core group had just come out of a painful church experience, but God birthed a new vision and dream inside us all through that experience. Not wanting others to believe that all churches are full of self motivated individuals, with their own agendas, we purposefully set some organizational safeguards to help us stay on track with our main objective, to bring others into a relationship with God.

We've tended to be driven by what we think seekers are looking for to gain permission to share Christ's message with them.

This past Sunday our pastor was troubled about how to deal with some specific issues arising, but I believe through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, he was sensitive to what he and the rest of us needed for the day and he "preached!" We even had an altar call in which many responded.

During our staff evaluation of our service, people commented how powerful our last service was. Now to me, the question really comes down to this, "How does the church keep the message of God's love and forgiveness fresh without compromising and being flashy and superficial?" I have to admit, as a believer for several years in an seeker focused environment, at times I long for some deep teaching and preaching to stretch and challenge me.

Being leaders in a church, you're called on to provide knowledge and encouragement to seekers and new believers. Churches need to remember that congregations are complex, they have people checking out this God thing (unborn Christ babies), new believers (infant Christians), to growing and mature believers (young and seasoned Christians). We should be planning every aspect of our ministries with that balance of understanding. When it's all said and done, we should be lifting up Christ to people, and the rest is up to God. We don't do the "saving", that's the Godhead's job! We're simply called to be Jesus' hands, feet, heart, and mouth, delivering the invitation.

I attend one of these "image-conscious churches," called "Flood" in San Diego, CA. I consider myself more a fan of a home-grown, family style church, where people can speak poignantly and not worry about image. But I love it, and I don't see anything that is worse than other churches, no matter what the style or ethos. I enjoy good worship music, which we have. I know our pastor personally, and he is a God-fearing, family man, that has carried out a calling that God placed upon his heart 5 years ago. The worship is God-centered, and the preaching is scripturally sound and convicting. I have a heart for wierd, tore-up jean-wearing, skater punks, just as much as I do for 50 year old business men, and my grandparents.

I see the significance for this issue to be addressed, but didn't we see it coming a long time ago?? The Western church is movement-oriented, and always will be. Thus, I speak vividly about the need to allow God to move, no matter the venue. We need more huge Christian conferences like we need more sports arenas (we don't need them). Yet, if people come to know the Lord there, so be it, and let us rejoice, for they are returning to their Creator. Amid a partisan culture, let's rally together as brothers and sisters in Christ, and avoid the tendency to be divided between young and old church attendees. But, also, not be upset if a church is more heavily youth-centered than it ought to be. Or if there are more aged adults in a church that has an organ and a 70-year old pastor. If you don't want to be image-savvy, then don't be. God will still use you! But, don't spread bitterness toward the "boring churches" or the "new-age churches." Instead shine the light of the Holy God, that will do what He desires through us, as long as we are willing.

We have no easy solution for how a church is supposed to run, unless we look at scripture. The Acts church is to be our focus, and not the next trend, or movement. The strange thing about contemporary Christianity is that we are always looking for the next big idea. This is not what God wills for His people. We need to use more wisdom than this and allow God to speak through us no matter our stance on how a church should function or look like.