There is ALWAYS something new. Even if we aren’t in the market to buy, it’s in our face.

Watch. Read. Buy. Repeat.

I am starting to think that my adaptation to constant newness must have an impact on my expectations of church and ultimately God.

On Sunday my pastor spoke about how he fears every sermon will be a new infomercial. Something people are intrigued with for thirty minutes, and then forget about when they shut it off.

(unless it’s the The Perfect Brownie infomercial. So perfect.)

It’s true, Church can be a very voyeuristic activity where one is sitting back entertained. How we feel about God on Sunday can be due largely in part, by how we felt about the sermon. If we get goose bumps from hearing or singing something new, it = real encounter with God.

It appears if there is no new feeling in the pew, then overtime, negativity arises.

The amount of negativity I hear regarding “the church” as a whole would make me conclude there is rampant heresy going on in and around the pulpit.

However, I think the heart of the issue lands on what I am familiar with. I remember going to a church in college that I didn’t really enjoy. I went because it made me feel better about myself, and as a pastor’s daughter it was tradition. I always complained about how shallow the sermons were. Then again, I was also living a life that, in some corners, were pretty dark and hypocritical.

I didn’t want to believe the sermon could have substance so I came up with reasons in my head why I was above it and didn’t need to engage.

A couple years later, when I was back visiting my college I attended church to see old friends. This stage in my life was different. I loved the Lord because of what he had done in my life, not out of duty. I remember praying before the sermon began. I asked God to humble me and allow me to learn instead of having negative expectations.

“Got Love?” was the sermon’s title. It was a pretty cheesy title and “seeker friendly” as they say in the biz.

Oddly enough, I was encouraged and learned something new from this basic sermon. I don’t think the pastor had changed, but my heart towards God and listening for truth had.

Nothing was new. Everything was new.

Our voyeuristic nature didn’t come out of nowhere though. In our state of “finding a church we like” churches often want to be liked. We mutually feed one another and the cycle can become unhealthy.

I wonder if in our age of “authenticity” talk we need to be more aware of why we are negative or unstimulated in church.

Are pastors being forced to create stories and teaching styles to “get” us each week. It’s a time of teaching, not a talent show. I should like a pastor because of his substance not his style. Having style is a bonus, but if it’s all style, that could mislead me from the substance.

Why? Because the Bible is only one book. I can’t dress it up too much. What do I expect? It was here before I was born and it will be here after I die. Pastors have only so much to teach and when they finish, they repeat. Nothing new.

Time to learn. Apply. Change. Repeat.

“But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” –James 1:22 NASB

Questions

Do we have realistic expectations of church?

Have we created a culture where the church has to convince us to buy in?

Can authenticity be culturally defined or is it timeless?