They Are Done With Cirque du Soleil Church
I’m seeing a growing up and coming generation of Christians who are done with Cirque Du Soleil church.
As one youth pastor put it to me at the show 2 nights ago…”I hear my kids telling each other and me…Can our service not look like our parents service? You know. The smoke and pretty people on stage?”
Now there are a few things at work here.
1. It is simply generational. Evey generation will want to look vastly different than the generation before. That’s why many church plants say silly things like…”This is not you mama’s church”. So that is to be expected.
But the second reason might not be so clear.
2. Kids are growing up faster. The college freshman this year might not have as much book knowledge as they did 10 years ago but they have more world knowledge. I had to go to bed before World News Tonight when I was a sophomore. @KimKardashian is now tweeting that Osama is dead. So they know. The world view is close to their chest now so as opposed to wanting to BE CHANGED this new generation wants to be PART OF CHANGE.
I honestly believe that.
They don’t want to follow Jesus because He looks like the cool thing to do.
They want to follow Jesus because He changed the world.
There are amazing organizations popping up that are hell bent on fixing this world.
And they are doing it without Jesus at the core.
Which, in all honesty, is fine.
Because Jesus can use whomever He pleases.
And if the church isn’t going to do it…Then by all means TOMS shoes can.
I’ve got a pair of those stanky shoes on my feet right now.
But trust me.
RAIN IT DOWN
wow, now that is a blog post.
Great stuff.
Point number 2 is absolutely dead on.
Gimmicks use to work because the church seemed stuffy, now the church (building or little c) is just a gimmick.
So how can we help fuel this change?
well i think gimmicks come because we think that we have to “get people in the doors”
But I always go back to a Shane Claiborne quote, “the church has asked me to lay down my cross but they have never given me something to pick up”
And that is the struggle, in some ways it is like we (myself included) believe that the entry point is the door, and once they are in we have done our job. But void of all of this is relationships.
Gimmicks are surface level and what I hear teenagers and people my age (20 somethings) saying and asking for is relationships. something that they can invest in. No more scavenger hunts, iPod giveaways or cheesy church videos but a chance to have conversation and to be challenged.
just my gut reaction
LOVE THIS
I definitely agree on the relationship building – that’s what I’m craving most in a church right now – a family.
Me too.
I totally agree with Kyle about relationships, I’m 23 and find if very difficult to find a church in my surrounding area that focuses on relationships and being the change. I dont care about being a Christian ( I am, dont get me wrong) but its about so much more than that, and I definitely want to invest in relationships w/ others that bring life and growth not only to my own life, but also to the local church. I believe thats part of whats missing in some of our churches these days.
Absolutely agree. People (this generation specifically) are not looking for something they can nod their heads or tap their feet to. They are looking for something real, something tangible and something challenging their thinking and their culture. That’s what Jesus did.
yes yes and yes!
Encourage the crazy ideas even if you might go broke trying. The experience gained in pushing through something new is worth just as much as the end result.
And just because it sounds like a crazy idea to you, doesn’t mean it won’t help someone else see Jesus.
The older leaders need to be willing to jump in head first while the younger leaders need to be willing to accept help in some areas where experience is key. I believe both can work together, but its a rare and beautiful find.
1) Teach the bible to kids deeply and the mission of Christ to reconcile the brokenness.
2) Build a culture and structure for serving in the city.
3) Let the kids lead.
4) Send them to summer camp where the serve.
Just a few thoughts.
Gimmicks still work, they just change. The TOMS shoes gimmick is certainly making Blake Mycoskie a lot of money.
Boom.
These conversations have been popping up a lot more lately and I am excited for churches to realize what it looks like to resource/facilitate or get out of the way.
Let’s do it
Great points brother, very true in whom I spoken with also.
thanks
a-freaking-men.
I have three kids—25, 23 and 19—who are on the fighting edge of this attitude. They are restless for God to break loose a new wave and, bless them, they are poised to be a part. As worshipers and leaders and musicians they are digging in, studying, loving and praying so they can be ready. They smell it and are ready. And so am I…
Love it
I would want to ask your kids this question, was this passion and desire brought about because of the church or because of their own growing and desire?
so does cirque de soleil church have to fall before this can happen? or can it recreate itself (again). because the circus in my hometown will have a hard time firing its jugglers and clowns to actually allow love and change to come to fruition.
love these thoughts though, Carlos. Thank you for sharing.
Holy crap. This could be my favorite comment in weeks.
wow…yeah. me too
isn’t there a danger in abandoning or waiting out leaders in churches simply because it’s not what we think is best, or you disagree with style, etc. why not roll up your sleeves, and support and love the leaders and the people being reached … recognizing that in our humanness, imperfections abound and “the church” will not ever get it right for everyone, but God has and is and will continue to use imperfect people to reach people. you can be a part of the change that makes it what it’s supposed to be … what it could be … it may not get there without you.
oh man los, AWESOME! I feel as though this was written for me; these words speak straight to the heart of my desires. I know I am suppose to be out there helping teens and young people. I desire so much to help them realize their place in this world and how very much they MATTER. It is just so hard to get going on this without direction or a mentor, but I am working on it!! This post is perfect! THANKS!!
Wow…you just blew my TOMs off. Yeah…I agree. There is a lot of good social change going on that isn’t Christ centered. It will be exciting to see what happens when we add the boomsauce of the Holy Spirit to those efforts.
(Is boom sauce supposed to be one word or two??? I am new at this whole trying to be cool thing.)
I’m just glad youth & the church are finly catching up with me! I wanted to be a world changer since I was 3, I was kicked out of my first church at 3 for that very reason, I was not going to put up with people falsifying the word of God to meet what they wanted to protray, well hafter 33yrs, & over 50 churches I finly found a athentic church that just wants to reach out to everybody with a messige of grace & truth & wants to be there with you every step of that journey, I have herd severl churches tout community & desipleship but found them sorly lacking in both but eventhough we are a small, newly planted church, we are doing the real deal & are deturmend to keep it up even when if we grow bigger. we are family! we have disagreements like family, lean on eachother like family, & humbly ask forgiveness when were wrong like family. we don’t always ge it right but we are always striveing to present Christ in the most athenc way possible & be more like Jesus. it’s sad I had to wait this long & move to another state to find it, but I finly did & I appaled the youth for standing up & demanding it now. it’s about time we get back to the truth & not either laws & rules & regs or a party envirment where anything gos.
Amen a hundred times. If the church wants to be relevant it has to undergo a paradigm shift. For my generation and the one following behind us, if it’s not authentic then we/they won’t bother. Relationships and close communities centered in Christ are a start, but it can’t be something to “check in” to. It has to be something that permeates every aspect of our lives. It’s going to be fun watching the church grow up in this way.
Being 23, I kinda grew up with the “entertainment” church scene and I think the biggest issue that I have right now, is the fact that it all seems superficial and fake. If I could walk into a Church and talk about the things that I want to talk about, I would immediately be shunned and judged. I think the Church should be a place were people can come, be as they are, and are able to speak openly about things. Let’s start being real with one another. If you not having a good day, don’t tell me that you are “fine”. Let me know. I want to be there for you. Life isn’t always smiles and high fives and I think people need to realize that is okay.
Being allowed to be real is such a valuable element of any church that wants to grow and be an element of healing and growth in it’s community! It starts with each individual. Don’t be afraid to be the instigator
I am praying that in this shift of “how we do church” that the whole idea of discipleship is not lost…. again. The pride that stands at the door to the old way of doing things and does not allow the next generation to value a stinkin’ thing the previous movers and shakers did is killing relationship and unity in the church… and the pride of the previous generation that says that the youth cannot have a good idea in their immature heads is the other killing machine. Jesus prayed for US for unity. Let us listen to him to see how to accomplish that and value all brothers and sisters in Christ. The nitty gritty: how to do that??? Selfless love that listens to the Holy Spirit and allows God to work even if we don’t understand the hows and whys!
Great points.
I’m an old man planting a church knowing I must encourage, support, mentor, facilitate, set an example, rally, send out, cheer on, work alongside, learn from, follow Jesus, challenge…this generation to be… rescuers, redeemers, Jesus followers, travelers, catalysts, instigators, world changers!
It isn’t just the “kids”.
I am 42 and I can not take it, people starving for a relationship but thinking it is the flashing lights and the big music, they don’t understand THAT is not THE Holy Spirit, THAT is entertainment and they are not the same thing. And when they aren’t satisfied they think it is because music isn’t loud enough, or the praise band doesn’t raise their hands high enough.
They are starving on happy meals.
+1 (and I’m 46)…love the last line…they ARE starving to death on happy meals!
Talking about generational stuff is one of my favorite topics. Probably the product of being a social science major. Instead of writing out a bunch of stuff that others have all ready said, I am going to recommend a book. “The Fourth Turning” is an awesome book about how generations flow and how the next generation will act. It is one of my favorite books. So I recommend it if you like this sort of stuff.
I am all for the “next generation” to , for lack of a better word, reinvent this thing called church. Every generation has their shot to get it right, I think my generation (baby boomers) missed it.
So how do we take all of this and put it into practice?
YES! The very question that has been on my mind for the last two years!
Relationships have to be modeled. Kids know how to have relationships but they need help making positive relationships. Everything we will ever do in life has relationships at it’s center, good & bad ones. We believe that creating environments where they can learn, practice and get good at their relationship with God, Family & Peers will help them hold onto their faith when they most need it. ***** And have FUN doing it! *****
So how do we have these relationships when the church has stopped having service but once a week, dont allow spiritual things to happen during service, and everyone is separated with small groups…We are so afraid of offending someone with the way we do church and everything is turned upside down and changed to “reach” people? I see a lot of blogs like this criticizing the church and how they dont “get it” but offer no real solutions. loswhit — what solutions do you have? We seem really busy about critisizing each other and church, and all the while we are caught up in everything out there of the world on TV, movie screens and radio. Wouldnt we be more effective at reaching others and forming those relationships with each other, having “family” with each other, if we werent so caught up in everything the world has to offer. I think we need another revial to sweep our churches to get this right. Even Jesus commanded the disiciples to be filled with the HOly Spirit so they could go out and do what He wanted them to do.
Great stuff Los. I think you are speaking for more people than we might think. I’ve really been struggling lately with the reality that a LARGE percentage of churches set aside a LARGE portion of their budgets to simply ensure that Sunday morning goes off without a hitch. They hire staff and paint walls and buy HD TVs for the kids areas and put up LED walls in the main auditorium so people will come in to their church and just be in awe. The problem is…I’m not sure they’re in awe of Christ when they leave! They’re just impressed with everything they’ve seen and experienced.
Scripture says not to ‘forsake assembling together’, but really gives no parameters as to what that looks like. I’m not dogging the church…I believe in the power of the local Church to literally change the world. I just think we’ve moved a little off course.
I think one solution is for churches to start putting their money where their hearts are. Why can’t we see churches who operate their entire physical operation on 50% of the revenue they receive, and pour the other 50% back into their community and to global projects that will make a difference. Most pastors would look at that and laugh out loud. I guess I’m just dumb enough to think that people will be drawn to a God whose followers care more about the guy on the street corner than they do about making sure their church coffee shop has the latest vintage blend.
it’s so great to know that there is a cross-generation realization of the potential for young believers. i think the point about us growing up earlier on in life is exceptionally valid.
actually, a big point a lot of my non-Christian friends make about churches is this: “why do so many churches have to be so grand and showy? it feels like a sporting event.” or the big ones like this: “couldn’t they have used that money for mission work instead of buying a new plasma TVs throughout the church?”
i’m not saying we should tear everything down that seems superfluous and extravagant, but the views of those who are not in Christ should at least be acknowledged, specifically in the decisions we make. but then again, i’m sure all things have a purpose and can be used for God’s glory, even 20 new plasmas.
….says the site with a majority of entertainment, oh “Christian entertainment”, ads….
I think this sentiment you’ve found may be these younger generations see through some of the smoke and mirrors placed in front of them during some contemporary services. Many contemporary services emerged as a way to break away from the confines of tradition, but now the traditions (or expectations) for such services can prove to be just as stoic, and in fulfilling them lose authenticity they began with. It is important to realize our contemporary services must evolve more quickly than a traditional service, because it is meant to reach people through the vernacular of today.
completely agree. i’ve got sons aged 20, 18, 16 & 2 and see the young adults yearning for so much more. sometimes i can’t tell if the church is listening. btw, i feel the same as my children…. my soul burns to be the change… to do so much more. my sons say they’re blessed cause their dad & i encourage & support them to GO and DO!
thanks for the post cause it reaffirms what’s in the spirit of many parents of young adults.
Great article. I completely agree. With just the exception of one thing. While we are not looking for a circus, we are still looking for excellence. The circus was born out of the lack of visual, audible excellence. There were people tired of worship being boring, and the church feeling irrelevant in regards to some sort of artistic interpretation of the word of god (I.e. Graphics, video, etc). While this generation is looking for authenticity, discipleship, and true relationships, is does not allow for us to forget that our ministry should be done with the utmost excellence. As a graphic designer and musician myself, I know that God has given us all unique talents, an while the juggler in the service at this point may be doing the juggling for himself, it is a talent God gave him to use for his glory. The challenge comes when we have to “re-purpose” that juggler. Don’t kick him out because he is juggling. Love on him and show him how his gift can truly be used to authentically reach those who thirst for that authentic truth and love that is out God.
What I find particularly interesting is that while Cirque du Soleil Church has been on the rise over the last 20 years, the percentage of born again Christian’s has dropped, especially in the age range that this style church is trying to attract-young people.
Nailed it. I hate to ‘promote’ my blog…but I literally just posted this past week about this. It’s almost as if God’s trying to say something…
http://www.josiahsolis.com/?p=281
I personally believe it’s all about OUTREACH. The word itself explains it all. God reaches his had out to all of us, and none of us deserve it. Its crazy to even think about. I think that regardless to how old your church is, there has to be a separation on maturity of religion.
Think about this, I am 19 years old. When I was in middle school, we were lucky to have flip phones. The 14 year old kids who are now entering high school have had the technology of Droids, Iphones, and Iphones through out middle school. This is a different, more spoiled generation. That’s why I believe we need a great, effective way to keep these kids interested in the place where they not only need to be, but where they are better off being.
I have a type of church service that I call a circus…
The pentecostal tradition that I grew up in is something I now look at as very circus like; it is a tradition that my father, brother, and friends still participate in. This church (and others like it) have tons of authenticity and missions focus, but I still feel like the “worship service” is a little sensational. (Side Note: I still believe in many of the “pentecostal beliefs”, just not the way they are often carried out in corporate worship.)
There are black churches in my community with unison singing choirs and ladies wearing giant hats with feathers – lots of circus-like behavior.
I have a friend who attends a small store-front Puerto Rican church. Their music is LOUD and the kids run around in the church with the adults – definitely a circus.
The large baptist church down the street has a full orchestra, hand-bells and a giant choir with brightly colored shimmering robes.
And I could go on and on.
Some of these churches are very missions focus, some are relationally focused, some have small groups, others have Wednesday night services and so on and so forth.
Lighting, electric guitar, haze; these things are effective tools at my church. I do not live in a metropolitan area where every church uses these tools. This is still a fresh way of worshiping to people in our community, especially young people.
Yes, I believe this generation is looking be a part of the change, but the worship style is just that style. Whether a person wears TOMS, cowboy boots, or even crocs they are still a person and so it is with a church. We are the bride of Christ and that has never been about the outward appearance.
We can reach people with the love of Christ without the overhead it takes to run the circus (buildings, staff, smoke machines, sound systems, etc). So… I’m supporting change by refusing to attend or support the circus anymore.
A to the friken MEN!
I gotta say, as much as I think you’re right that people want relationship, if a church was actually as cool as cirque du soleil, people would be breaking the doors down. Unfortunately, the experiences you’re referring to, are still just bad church. Production for production sake. Reality is, this next gen (and when i say next gen, I mean current 14-19 yr olds) still goes to concerts and movies and loves to be moved and entertained. Smoke and lights for the sake of smoke and lights – pointless. Smoke and lights to move some towards a moment encountering Jesus – brilliant. You’ve really got to examine as a community what you’ve been called to, what your strengths and resources are, and why you’re doing what you’re doing. If a community of people is able to create moving, theatrical, thought-provoking moments that lead people who are far from God to have an encounter with him from which they would have the courage to engage in real relationship – DON’T STOP just cause it’s not hip right now. Do it and do it big. Continue to examine stewardship of resources, but if you are seeing fruit in the form of discipleship. cirque du soleil is ok with me
I just read (or am reading..) a book about this thing. It’s called “Transforming Church” and it’s all about this consumer culture we’ve created at church and how if we stop performing and actually expect people to be part of the body of Christ, they jump ship and find better grass somewhere else. I’m glad that youth are tired of show. I hope we can get some kids participating in church — the way we all should be.