entice the skeptics, challenge the lukewarm and thrill the believers...

There is an ongoing battle of how we design worship elements and who our target is I hear it being played out all over the blogsphere and at my church...

It's an ongoing battle between what I call the "holy" line of thought process vs. and designing for Philistines (skeptics)...

From the "holy" camp...

Interestingly, our church doesn't do the seeker thing. I sort of worried about it at first, but our leadership explained that "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself..." and they don't worry about the seeker thing. They got that philosophy from a reliable source, by the way...

If we design from our hearts (read what we like) then God changes those who come..

from the "designing for Philistines" point of view...

I personally strive to: design to glorify God, design to entice the skeptics, challenge the lukewarm and thrill the believers... in that order.

My question for every camp, is it working for you...
Whatever pov camp you come from...are people becoming followers of Christ or are you just attracting other Christians from other churches...

I'll say it, because I know some of you are thinking...

No, this isn't about designing Christian "lite" worship elements...you still have to be uncompromising in sharing God's word and truth!

To all I say, design to glorify God, design to entice the skeptics, challenge the lukewarm and thrill the believers...

Yes, it's true, BUT...Jesus hung out at the wells. If Jesus was walking around metro DC these days I know I would hear him say...the other day I was hanging out at ______ (a gay bar)

As one person said: "As a pastor it is sometimes all too easy to think that I am actually important to God’s church when the reality is God could quite easily get the job done without my help. In fact,God may be a lot more effective with me out the way which is humbling to say the least. "