i saw the above video on a friend’s facebook profile and thought i would comment on it. before i say anything about my thoughts on the vieo though please let me start by saying that i know this is meant to be a humorous attempt to address what is seen as a need at that church. while i have issues with ever using eternal damnation as a punch line i do recognize this is supposed to be a joke and not a theological statement.
BUT …
… i believe that all of our statements, including our jokes, come out of our theology. they come out of what we believe life, faith, and church is all about and what is most important in life, faith, and church. if i have ever had coffee with you there is a decent chance that somewhere during our conversation i have pulled out my journal and drawn the illustration to the right. it is a drawing i use when i discuss how our churches’ architecture and setups reflect what we value the most. i believe you can usually tell what is most important to a church simply by looking at the space they use for their gatherings and how it is setup.
i think this video does the exact same thing. it shows what is most important to this church and how you are supposed to respond to it. just look at the escalation of “fines.” interrupt announcement? throw $25 in the offering plate. interrupt the sermon? i think the punishment is a little worse. yes, i know it is a joke but i do think it shows what part of their worship service they want least likely interrupted?
when a cell phones go off during a tapestry worship gathering, and they do often enough, most people think nothing of it. usually the phone is turned off and every thing continues as before. other times it is such an awesome ringtone that i actually comment on it during the message. finally there are times where it is most GOD-honoring for the person who received the phone call to answer the phone and start a conversation. they do so by moving to the back of the room to carry on their conversation. sometimes after the phone call they actually report on what was said (i remember a baby’s birth being announced during the message). we just don’t believe that a little thing like a cell phone is powerful enough to chase the presence of GOD out of the room.
i think our actions and setup in tapestry show what we believe is most important about our worship gatherings. the music and the message are important but they are not the most important. connecting people with the ONE WHOSE image they bear is what is most important to us. sometimes that involves the sermon, sometimes that involves the music, and sometimes that involves a ringing cell phone.