What if Starbucks Marketed Like a Church? A Parable.
From the uploader’s own words…
It’s amazing? to me just how far from the biblical model of “church” our culture is. “church” is for the SAINTS—-not for unbelievers. Most make “church” a place where evangelization is the primary goal. The “unsaved” cannot worship a God they do not know, nor “hear” His words unless their eyes have been opened. Today’s churches are filled with immorality—-homosexuality, adultery (remarriage), and fornication. Jesus says, “come out of her MY PEOPLE” so you do not partake in her plagues.
Before I go on, I want to confess that I haven’t followed up with this video so I can’t commend or condemn the authors but it highlight a major problem found in the church today. There are different motivations for this behavior (or attitude about how to church) but ultimately it seems to come down to a misunderstanding (or mis-application) of the Gospel. Some are prideful and see more members as more success which they use to boast in themselves. Others seem to feel they must earn their salvation through good works so they work very hard at trying to convert people. Others simply are genuinely joyful and enthusiastically try to share that joy but forget that that joy they have is a gift you can not generate through events or actions.
Now all this is not to say that we do not do good works, but those good works are a result of our joy in Christ. As a Christian, I love God and because of that love, I obey God’s commands and His instruction. But the point I want to make is that WE are the church, not any building or special program and that it is a 24/7 job.
For non-believers, is this how you see Christianity?
For believers, same question.
If you mean ‘Commercialized’ then in a lot of cases – yes.
A lot of the video seems to be alluding to a Hype Machine that has to be perpetually wound up, just so it’s not so obvious how empty it is.
And coffee has water in it – doesn’t it?
Empty? as in hollow? Yes, I think that’s the problem – that and too much water. Well said.