FOCUS

What if the focus of the church was not to get the criers to cry harder, the jumpers to jump higher, and the shouters to shout louder? But, what if it were to get the unbelievers to see the love of Christ.

I had the privilege of playing keyboard for a worship leader at a worship conference in the mountains near Estes Park, Colorado. When we walked into the church building we were immediately hit by this "Christian pop star" mentality. The workers of the church building had marked our seats signifying it was saved for us with water bottles already perched on the chairs. Skipping over many details of odd infatuation over the band, the service began and the worship leader started singing. As soon as the music began the entire church rushed to the back of this church in a frenzy. I naturally looked back to see what was the issue. Each person started grabbing various colors of flags and banners from a bin full of these. A little old woman made her way to the back only to find that no flags were left. So, she proceeded to grab the American flag that was on display by the front door and began waving it over the crowd. This being a little humorous, I bowed my head so no one could see my smile. When I looked up though, I saw something that was not humorous at all. I saw these visitors, probably first time guests (about four of them) pointing and laughing at the ridiculous display of flags that most could easily be discerned as more of a show than a true expression of worship to God.

The display continued throughout worship. When it finally came time for a message to be delivered, a man known only as "The Prophet" emerged and began to speak. One by one people jumped up out of their seats making their way up to the platform. Each of them laying down money at his feat. Then in a loud voice he proclaimed, "keep it coming." More and more cash piled up like a mountain of greed reaching just below his knees. At this point in the service I was sitting in the furthest right of our designated seats. This was right in front of the visitors I had mentioned. With my peripherals I glanced at them to see their reaction. It's hard to even express what horror I could tell they were experiencing on paper. Wide eyed and open mouthed the four of them looking about the auditorium in disbelief. I shared their dismay as I looked at the expressive "prophet". But, it hardly ended there.

We, the band, were called back up for the closing altar time so the man known only as "The Prophet" could pray for anyone who willed him to. Again, these visitors were laughing and snickering at the man that was quite literally pushing each person he prayed for to the floor as if the power of God moved through him to cause them to be slain in the Spirit. To go into further detail about the demeanor of this "prophet", if people resisted his push on the forehead, he would say in the microphone a "bad" prophesy about them. "You have hidden sin that needs to be dealt with. Only then, will God reign blessings on you," he proclaimed. Chuckles came from the visitors' seats behind where my seat was. At that time, what looked like church elders or high-ranking officials in this specific church building came down the aisle toward the visitors in the seats behind me. Each of them grabbed the arm of a specific visitor. It was easy to tell that this was a planned out mission for these "spiritual giants". They then proceeded to drag the visitor up the aisle toward the altar. As the three men visitors and one woman visitor was standing in the center-right of the altar a group formed around them with the soul purpose of making them slain in the Spirit. As "The Profit" stood with his hand stretched toward the gathering circle they all began to lay their hands on each of their foreheads swaying them too and fro. The visitors' eyes were all open and looking around in terror and disbelief. It looked like a spiritual middle school and that church was the spiritual bully picking on the new kid. The bullies' fervor ran out and one by one they gave up (much to the relief of these visitors). I never got a chance to speak to them after the service because of their rapid pace out the door. But, I can guarantee this, that they will forever have a sour spot toward the Kingdom of God. So I'll say it again.

What if the focus of the church was not to get the criers to cry harder, the jumpers to jump higher, and the shouters to shout louder? But, what if it were to get the unbelievers to see the love of Christ.

We need to focus on what is truly important and what is our God-given mandate.