It’s Not About Your Church Logo…Name…Sermon Series Title…
It’s not about your church logo.
It’s not about your internet campus.
It’s not your catchy church name.
It’s not about your church conference.
It’s not about your LED’s.
It’s not about your iPad sermon notes.
It’s not about your upcoming book release.
It’s not about your frequent flyer miles.
It’s not about your conference speaker name tags.
It’s not about your new DSLR and the pimp video you are about to drop that aperture down to 2.2 on.
It’s not about your primo meeting space.
It’s not about the attractiveness of who is on stage.
It’s not about that cover song you are about to attempt.
It’s not about the worship project you are going to put out.
It’s not about that new projector that could feed a third world country.
It’s not about impressing one single person with anything about you, a building, a service, or that amazing sermon series title.
It is about JESUS.
The name of JESUS.
All those things above are not necessary.
They are all optional.
Jesus is not.
The second we forget that is the second we become a really cool self help conference that meets on Sunday mornings.
Have mercy on us Father and stab our spirits with an infusion of Your Name.
Carlos
RAIN IT DOWN
How true, and how easily do we sometimes mis this point. We start to think that we need to have the latest and greatest in order to reach those outside, when all we need is God the Holy Spirit. He does not need material things to work through.
I must say Carlos this is a big critique of the mega-church/relevant/contemporary church world going on right now – which you quite frankly cater to. We easily get lost in all that stuff. And I even think we’d be better without it. Like all of it.
while much of it is applicable to the mega church there is a lot written that pertains to even the smallest of churches. small does not mean mature, in fact i’ve seen very unhealthy small churches who are stuck in their traditions and don’t want to let in the lost. the article seems to point to the heart, the reasons, the motives why churches do what they do.
my point though is that carlos ascerts that these things are optional. the thrust of the writing is that it’s all about Jesus. so, if the heart/motive is right then those things can (and in some cases should) be used. they are all only tools, they are not the end-all. dare i say, EACH of the things listed can be used to help point people towards the gospel, but they must always maintain their proper perspective.
God bless. great writeup los.
Amen Drew
I am currently serving in a church that is less than 100 strong and they are bickering about me starting a choir. There’s no one there that can sing, the main argument of the pro-choir group is, “We need a choir because we have a set of choir robes.”
When I ask the question, “How will a untalented choir bring people to JESUS?” I get blank stares.
This is NOT a mega church issue. This is a church issue.
(Thanks for the post Los! After hearing from three deacons this week already, I needed my perspective back.)
@kelps-thanks for bringing your perspective to this.
Amen brother! Thanks for the reminder. Some time we (okay, I) get caught up in the social media/graphic/marketing/inspirational world and need reminders like this.
Jesus.
Simply Jesus.
a-flippn-men!
VERY CLEAR! love it! Thank you for standing firm on this…so many folks forget what you have stated here!
BRING IT!!!
Love love LOVE this!
Amen, particularly about the book release. The church doesn’t exist to support the Christian publishing industry. Also, it’s not about the numbers of people you bring in each service.
I wish our cranky executive pastor would see this list.
Amen, amen, amen. I’ve often wondered how the people in my church (or any church) would react if we stripped away the music, the band, the pre-planned sermon, the comfy pews and were left with scripture alone. Would we find that He is enough? Would we find that people really do love Him so much to just come and hear His word and be together? Or would we find that, when all is stripped away, people are bored, disinterested, angry, and that people leave?
It’s scary to me that I feel like a very, very large chunk of American church-goers don’t actually find Him and His word reason enough to go to church. How very different we approach the gospel and its Creator compared to other countries.
My toes hurt, but my heart is glad . . .
“Amen, Preach It”. I feel like we need more, not less, of these kinda reminders around us. Not because our hearts are not Faithful but the world is constantly trying to conform us to it’s image – away from this Truth. I join you brother – it’s, indeed, all about Jesus. Thank you for this post.
@collyder
http://www.fromtheheartofthecollyder.com
I used to teach my students that we all need to be “Cross-eyed.” This was our reminder that it’s all about Jesus. Those words still sit above own blog, because we live in a world of distractions. Thanks for the reminder.
AMEN!
Sometimes I think we can lose the *true* focus of our worship in all the gadgets, gimmicks and glitz.
There are times when a simple candle, in a simple room, with just one voice, can be more powerful than anything.
However – when applied properly and effectively, we should never be afraid of pushing the boundaries of where technology can help us in our relationship with Christ.
I agree. But so many conferences are about branding, vision and business. Men and women who just ‘make the most of Christ’ are a dying breed.
Ok, I am going to play devil’s advocate here. What you wrote is oh so true, but who is going to take it to heart? I’m on Twitter, follow all of the influential Pastors, worship leaders, creators, etc. Most of them are always talking up the videos they are working on, the music they’re going to play, the number of people going to services, etc. Pretty all of the things you list above.
Why not turn words into action? Would churches be open to doing a month of services on the cheap? No videos, no promotion, no social media, totally unplugged bands, house lights, etc. Four weeks of churches doing nothing but making it all about Jesus.
I’d like to see that.
Love this! Having a group of churches commit to simplifying for four weeks. And then publish the results – reactions from staff, congregations, pastors.
Afterwards, if they choose to go back full speed ahead, that’s fine, but I can’t see how taking 4 little weeks off would be bad for heart-centering.
Lent would have been a great time – a fast for the church.
Jay, we are so blessed with talent and technology these days it is easy to get sidetracked with self-sufficiency. But I don’t think there is anything inherently *wrong* with any of that stuff. I say don’t throw the baby (impressive sermon series, technogadgetry, etc.) out with the bath water.
I’m all for using our gifts and inventions to bring attention and glory to our God. We just need to remember the purpose of our *ministry* and that all our planning, programs and fancy presentations mean nothing apart from the Author and Perfector of our faith! 
It’s all about Jesus! Great post Carlos!
I’d like to see this too
Gotta smile at the thought – my church, and the 90% of others like it in the US – who have a solo pastor and no staff, who have no time or expertise to turn out videos and no choice in the kind of music we will use because of the limited musical gifts in the congregation – do worship “on the cheap” without videos, promotion, bands and house lights every week. I confess to coveting those things, though. We DO have a “preplanned” sermon that is the result of a week spent reading and studying scripture, counseling people in distress, visiting the sick and the elderly, working with the poor and taking the youth group to camp ourselves. I wouldn’t call that “doing nothing” but it IS all about Jesus. It’s good to think about such things – May God bless your ministry.
Preach Preacher. You have hit the nail on the head. Once again you have told it like it is.
Keep on spreading the word. It is all about Jesus and that he Reigns, each and everyday.
I love this
This is so refreshing and encouraging for a pastor of a small church who feels inferior because I can’t offer all of these things.
Sometimes I wonder why people choose to come to our church when we don’t have all of the works to offer.
It’s Jesus. Thanks for the reminder.
I agree with getting back to basics, remembering who our first love is. I say let’s remember what our calling and ministry is all about, it’s not the glitz and the technology but the service and following of the Most High God. I would hate this discussion to turn into dumping on technology, branding and meeting spaces. Let’s not forget that God has called all to serve Him, including those involved with the tech and such. That is how I serve Him, with my talents. I pray that God keep me from worshiping my talents instead of Him.
Amen!!! How often we forget that it is all about JESUS! We are only joining in what He is already doing. We are vessels for Him. He is center-stage! He is in the spotlight! He is the main focus! He is the reason for everything!
Amen & Amen, yet take it back to the authentic original new testament church worshiping & meeting in secret because of persecution, if it weren’t for their symbols marked on door tops & elsewhere, believers & their guests would not know where to meet. Marketing & advertising is not new, nothing under the sun is new. As Carlos says, keep the focus real, the reason is Jesus!! Tools, dime a dozen, yet still necessary as the symbols to let those that are far from God know where to go and meet Jesus.
Preach it!
Dude…way to lay it down. Unless we’re putting Jesus out front, were all white washed tombs.
Truth!!
any way you can get that down on paper and send it to every church? tired of church looking like it does now…
It sure seems like that’s what it’s about when I see who WHO in Christian super stardom-
Word. I needed this reminder.
Amen..
This is one of the best things you’ve posted since 2005.
I’m am amazed at how true ou are here. It is amazing to me to see how quickly we (the chruch) can fall into this trap of producing things rather than worshipping God and equipping the saints for the ministry. YOu have done a great job at showing this side of the argument, which honestly, is factual, and needs to be said. However, I would like to say somthing else about this.
There is NOTHING wrong with writing books, having your worship team doing covers, having a good looking logo, making your church environment warm and welcoming, or as the pastor/speaker to look good. While I agree that those things ARE NOT, & SHOULD NOT be the focus, they are all tools that can be used to help facilitate worship. If a pastor writes a book and it brings somone closer to God, or strikes up a conversation, then it is a good thing. Logs, and church environment are also tools that we can use to help bring people closer to God. The Holy SPirit does the drawing in of them, we are to just not get in the way! IT’S NOT ABOUT US, OR WHAT WE DO! (The focus *MUST BE* bringing people to a place where they can have a personal relationship with JESUS CHRIST, or GROW in their daily walk with HIM)
I’ve seen this happen before. Great post! I say repost this every month or so just as a reminder to keep our focus on Jesus!
I agree. This is the kind of reminder we need regularly. It is so easy to lose focus on Who we are supposed to be pointing the world to. We get so wrapped up in our methods that we forget the point–Jesus Christ.
That is not to say that all those things listed can’t be used to God’s glory, but they should not be the focus of our ministry.
I agree. If my local megachurch has a cross, it’s really hard to find it. I happen to wear it on my neck so I can be sure I know why I wake up every morning, have a bed to rest in every night and all my blessings in between. I think when the church loses the cross, we lose a little part of ourselves and our redeption.
Lets get real. It’s not where our sermon is, thats for sure. I do believe that church should be synonymous with community therefore, when we are with eachother praising the Lord, we are at church. This morning, and every morning I take my son to school, we speak about God’s word and God’s will for us as a society and as a family. Church. When my father talks to my son about the unconditional love of Jesus. Church. This blog. Church.
With that said, I do think whichever conduits we chose to spread that message, we should embrace. I must admit, my son loves the daily bible verse app on my phone!
And yet, this is what almost every Christian conference is promoting – sometimes unintentionally. “Famous pastors” signing autographs and hanging out backstage. It’s just weird to me. It’s not just their fault, why do people seek for their autograph? Again, I just don’t get it.
I have my own issues of pride and chasing versions of success that are about lighting, videos and cool websites. I’m not immune but I don’t think that those who are leading the leaders are showing anything different. I did hear about one cool conference back east trying to do that.
I think many times (certainly not all the time) the fancy songs, videos, lights, etc. are used in the name of attracting the lost because the sad truth is that Jesus in us is not attractive enough. We all need to realize that if Christ is fully formed in us, He will attract the lost world to Himself through us. When we don’t fully submit to Him and conform ourselves to His ways, we (Him in us) aren’t attractive to the lost world and we feel the need to manufacture attractiveness.
Interesting stuff Los..
Two things:
(1) Though this post is completely “cool-contemporary-northpoint-ish” church centered… it’s also SO true of more traditional churches as well…
It’s not about how clean the offering plates are…
It’s not about putting the wine in the right type of cup…
It’s not about the wafers…
It’s not about the organ…
etc etc etc
(2) At the same time, I’m not sure if I’m 100% on board with the post. I mean, yes, it’s about JESUS… DUH. and you’re COMPLETELY right about the whole just becoming “a really cool Self Help conference” …
but there are churches that make their service all “All about Jesus” and yet are completely irrelevant to the world today. There are sermons where the word is preached, but no one’s listen because the communication style is so poor. There are beautiful hymns that are song.. but sung so poorly that the people in the pews can’t get past the lack of quality.
So there’s just so much that says that the PRESENTATION of Jesus is INCREDIBLY important. But if it’s not about Jesus… then… who cares about the rest. I get that.
But that’s like saying
“The windows in your house don’t matter. The plumbing in your bathroom doesn’t matter. The houses foundation – THAT’s what matters…”
but we know that’s not right — of course the plumbing matters. Bad plumbing causes major problems. But a bad foundation…well.. then who cares about the plumbing
When it comes to church work… I tend to be a ‘plumber.’ I’m primarily helpful if the foundation IS is good condition. then I can come in and design a cool master bath (okay… I’ll stop before the metaphor completely breaks down…)
I don’t know that I agree with your second point Johnathan, and I have been a member at a couple of those churches where the preaching was so dry it hurt. I think the distinction has to be made, though, between a church that is “all about Jesus” and a church that says it is “all about Jesus”. There is a huge difference.
The truth is that the gospel is never irrelevant and no matter how boring our style or how poor out communication skills are, we can’t make it irrelevant. Paul tells us in Romans 1:16 that the power of salvation lies in the Gospel, not in how eloquently we communicate it. As a matter of fact, Paul goes even further in 1 Corinthians and says he intentionally didn’t try to be overly eloquent when communicating the gospel so as not to rob the cross of its power (1 Corinthians 1:17).
I think our problem is that we don’t really believe God can save others through our simple, clear proclamation of the gospel. We think we have to have reached a certain proficiency to be qualified to be used by God. The truth is that all God needs is our obedience to know, live, and proclaim the gospel and He will save as He chooses.
The only part of the presentation that is important is that it is authentic, that we have been transformed by its grace. If that is true, then God will use our humble efforts for His glory and for the advancement of the kingdom.
One clarification: our presentation of the gospel must not only be authentic, but it must be accurate. We must be able to rightly articulate the gospel. Eloquence, skill, etc. are nowhere near as important as having been transformed by the gospel and knowing it well.
What a phenomenal job Los. Excellent call to refocus on why we’re involved in all of these things in the first place. Thanks much – Jim