I Prefer Anachronism over Anti-Christ

I was watching a video of a worship service that utilized a humorous drama in a modern, relevant context along with a catchy popular top 40 song and felt like I was watching a sanctified version of SNL.  Perhaps it was "Sunday Night Live."  I love gimmicky.  I use props and gadgets in my sermons to create interest and catch an audience's attention.  I have always wanted to plan worship in an SNL mode of weekly prep with writing and re-writes to bring together truly unique and contemporary themes.  For the first time in my 24 years of ministry I think I would like to go back instead of forward.

The church as it stands in many conservative congregations suffers from chronic anachronitis.  We are so out of date that our expiration stamp can no longer be read.  We do things in ways that people no longer appreciate, no longer want, and no longer need.  But our out-of-date style communicates one thing very clearly . . . we are very different here.

Now I know that none of us strives for a prehistoric perspective or tries to come up with over-used ideas from the annals of history, but I might prefer that to a contemporarity that moves worship from sacred act to commonplace dramedy. 

While we work to discern the mystery of the incarnation, I don't believe the point was that Jesus was common.  He was as unique as they come.  His humanity must never subsume his divinity or he becomes nothing more than a mythological demi-god.

I don't really have a problem with clever strategies to reach out with the gospel to people who speak a contemporary language foreign to the church of our history.  I get concerned when we trade radical, unrelevant worship for common comedy or expertly performed dramatics.  At what point, do we stand up and say, "This show is for Him, not you.  Enjoy if you will, but worship because you must."

I will still have my gimmicks and props for this Sunday.  I will continue to be amazed by the talent and creativity of people who do remarkable things in the name of worshipping the King.  I just hope I can understand the difference between anachronism and anti-Christ.  Maybe there is virtue in being out of touch?