Praise the Lord, Super Wal-Mart opened it’s doors in my town at 7:30am yesterday morning. People were rushing in and out of the coffee shop to see it. I found myself feeling anxious as I waited for Danielle to get off work, so we too could zip over and see the Materialistic Temple.
Super Wal-Marts (SW-M) are very hard to find in Wisconsin. Only one in the Greater Milwaukee area, unlike Indiana where we have migrated from. In college we would spend hours just wondering the aisles see all the pretty things we will own when we were out of school. And today, I bought speakers, and a sub-woofer…why? Because I like loud music. And as I sit here and reflect on my present location in my journey through life, Black Eyed Peas, “Where is the Love” is rumbling through my speakers.
So back to my title of my reflection…why I wish church was like the Materialistic Temple we call Super Wal-Mart?
I have a few reasons:
1. They remember the ONE THING: No matter what day you walk into SWM you will know what the main thing is…the price-the cost—the MONEY! That’s right, SWM open all across this red white and blue nation with the one goal in mind. Make money! Sure they ALWAYS (which they now own that word) want the lowest price for you and I. But the truth is, they want our hard earned money.
Church is a little different, and when I say church I am talking about your church, and my church, and that church on the corner where your grandma used to go, before the young preacher came in, and that church that sits in circles and guy with dreads sings with a guitar, while we try to figure out the tune. And I am talking about the church where everyone wears a suit on Sunday, and have like a billion kids in every family. Church has lost it’s ONE THING. I bought a book a year ago called “THE ONE THING” great book, as it explores Martha and Mary and sometimes we need to be a Martha in our work, but most times we need to be a MARY and just chill and rest at the feet of Christ.
I am reflecting on the church as a whole, so I am making big generalizations. Buti feel today, that the church has lost it’s one thing. We are so caught up in ministry we forget what the ONE thing is. We forget what every person that walks through our doors want and need.
The one thing: GRACE: Salvation Grace, Discipleship Grace, Evangelistic Grace, Servant Grace.
2. Wal-Mart figured it out…it takes more then one product to get your money. They know they could not have a SWM only selling clothes, or just food, or just oil changes. They have figured out that, to make the most money, they need to have products for everyone of our needs….and most of all WANTS
Wal-mart feeds to our nature to want things we don’t need. Maybe the church can learn something from this. Except turn it around. Feed to the need, not to the wants of the people. Yeah people want to be entertained, but seriously, where in the Good Book does it show eternity as entertaining. And if Children’s ministry is so important in today’s church life…why are we so bent on entertaining the children and not feed the family’s need for deep relationships, practical virtues, and honest communication?
The church needs to simplify, cut out the fluffy fat that’s been holding us back from truly running the race for the prize. As a preacher, I want to give people what they need, not what they wanted.
Do people like it? Not really, seriously, I am sounding like I like it. But I am the first who wants to be entertained, the first to be spoon fed the message every Sunday. But the truth is, people stopped following the message of Christ because it was to hard. It required so much, it required all of us.
Well, it’s 9:46am and I need to get back home to my beautiful bride, she is probably sleeping in…I love that about her. She knows how to enjoy the mornings. This is my day off…why am I here?
Any way, I will probably swing by the new 3rd largest in the country SUPER Wal-mart on the way home. It is right across the street from my 800 sq. ft. apartment. What a beautiful world. What a beautiful Mukwonago!
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you know they are doing something right when they can be reached within a 30 minute drive from anywhere in the country.
one thing though is that i would never pass one swm to get to another. because they are all the same. however if i didnt work in a church then i would drive past some churches to get to the one that best suited me. which brings me to my next point. why do we go to churches that suit us? not sure where i am going but some interesting questions none the less.
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