Entertain for a Change

Over the past few weeks, I have had several people make a comment to me that I simply doesn't make sense to me. I understand the comment, I just do not understand why a person would think that way. Here's the comment:

"People shouldn't come to church to be entertained. I guess they were just coming for the show."

I totally agree that Jesus should be all that we need. His Word and His presence should be enough. But here is my issue with that statement.

Entertainment shouldn't matter. But it sometimes does. We would be ridiculous if we didn't acknowledge that we are competing for people's attention. People have very busy lives and will not give their time to something that is irrelevant, pointless, and boring. Things have changed. People will no longer attend church just because they are "supposed to".

Churches should be the most creative places on the planet. God gave us a brain and allows us to use it freely. We have the opportunity to create an atmosphere that is appealing to those that are far from God. However, most of the time we spend little time and energy making it excellent. People tend to make statements like the one above because their churches are lazy.

There are those people out there that think that their attendance only counts when they are miserable at church. They feel like there should be no fun (After all, God demands reverance, right?). I think the opposite of that is true. Church should be fun. It should be a place we desire to go to. We should get out of bed on Sunday mornings longing to go to worship. In fact, I think it is a sin to make church boring. How can we take the most exciting news in all the world and communicate it in a way that people are not interested? That, my friends, is a sin!

You want me to tell you what is exciting? LIFECHANGE. People having an authentic encounter with the Creator of the Universe will create excitement and buzz that no one can contain. People beginning a relationship with Jesus. People getting set free from the chains of sin. People being forgiven.

If I have to do creative things to draw in the people, that's perfectly ok with me. Because I know if we can get them in the door, we can see God do something amazing in their lives. Without a doubt, I am willing to entertain someone, if that means that their life can be changed for an eternity.