Seeker Sensitive: Is It Biblical?

Most of the first hymns were also the world's style of music. They were bar tunes sung in the local pubs that folks could identify with as the culture of their day while adding rich Christian words and theology to those familiar tunes.

Edit: Hmmm. Did a little digging and this seems to be an urban legend.

I believe a more accurate statement would be that some of our most famous hymns from the Wesley brothers does use secular melodies.

[ December 04, 2005, 07:54 PM: Message edited by: Gold Dragon ]

 

And a simple answer again: any method that does not compromise the gospel itself can and should be used.

 

The whole "world's" rock music is so illogical at its core that it is not even worth a lengthy response. Christians all over the world contextualize the message of Jesus Christ in their culture's medium of means. America is no exception. If you travel to other countries you will hear a style of music "foreign" to ours but conveying the same truths. The music is simply the vehicle.

 

You asked for an answer. I gave one. You are now welcome to respond why or why not it is an accurate one. Why do you have a hard time with the answer?

What might appear to be "of the flesh" to you may simply be someone else's form of worship. I am sure David's dance would be considered "of the flesh" (literally) within your standards of preference.

"Rock" music is a medium. Can it be used in an unChristian manner? Of course. But so can Southern Gospel music, hymns, etc. I have heard some Southern Gospel music and hymns that cause me to "get in the flesh" in other ways.

Your medium of choice may or may not be mine. But that does not make either medium in and of itself "of the flesh".

And by the way, I would take this a step further to include all forms of music (not just "Christian" music).

 

Can you provide an example of a church using a method that is obviously forbidden in Scripture?

 

guitar,

yes I can.

Granted, these are not Baptist churches, mostly being Catholic churches, and I think some are non-denominationals, but every single summer we have churches all over our city that hold festivals to bring in people. Festivals in and of themselves? Not a real problem.....

BUT they serve alcohol freely to draw the people in, they have LOUD raucous music to get people's attention, and I have never heard one single instance of any actual preaching being done during these things.

I believe they are using highly unBiblical methods to try to draw people to their church. Basically they serve as just drunken parties being held on the church property.

 

Look at the chapter as a whole. Jesus is addressing a multitude of people in general. He doesn't appear to be addressing believers or nonbelievers as a specific.

 

Come on Bapmom. That has absolutely nothing to do with this thread. This is about churches who try to be seeker sensative. I know of a Presbyterian church that fields a church men's softball team every year. After every game the pastor opens up the trunk of his car a grabs the ice chest filled with beer and passes it out to the team. They are extrememly traditional. Is that an indictment of all traditional churches? Is that even an indictment against church softball teams? Obviously not, it's what one church does.

But here's the thing, you guys start discussions about things like seeker sensative, and you are so unfamiliar with the concept that it's really hard to have a decent conversation with you. You bring up a Catholic church that held a festival in order to draw a crowd. Can you tell me what it the world that has to do with seeker sensative? Absolutely nothing.

I'm still waiting. Show me something that a church has done, in the name of being seeker sensative, that violates Scripture.

 

Are they accepting members? I'm not too bad at third.

Seriously, though, I must concur with guitarpreacher here. I attended a church-sponsored passover meal that served real wine. I had Arbor Mist at my own thanksgiving table.

 

guitarpreacher,

you asked for things that churches do to try to be "seeker sensitive" that would cross the line.

I am not seeing "seeker sensitive" as any particular group of specific churches, but rather a method which may or may not be used in an appropriate manner. Thus, when someone else said that they went to A "seeker sensitive" church, HE felt that THAT particular church or churches had stepped over a line. It was not then an indictment on YOUR church, guitarpreacher.


Are we having some sort of misunderstanding based on definitions?

I dont understand why my example is not to the point. Its of a church that is taking "seeker sensitivity" too far. They are turning their church grounds into a drunken party (not the same as having Arbor Mist at your Thanksgiving table.)

Johnv, what I described is also much different than a Passover Meal with real wine present.

 

"seeker sensitive" is something that I believe we ALL must be, to some degree or another.

There are not two sets of church types.....one is sensitive and one is not, and they advertise themselves that way.

ALL Christians ought to try to be sensitive to those around them who are seeking Christ.

 

You must acknowlege, however, that your posts do a fair amount of generalizing, potentially resulting in painting a multitude of churches with a brush of condemnation, when in all likelihood, their actions are not worthy of condemnation.

Although, there is no shortage of people on this board who will condemn me for consuming wine at Thanksgiving.

 

But not to the point of converting to the world to fill the pews.

 

but Johnv,

I have never said that ALL "seeker sensitivity" is wrong. We have to be very general in discussions like this, because the topic is a general one. It does not apply across the board to any one specific group that you can NAME. It could apply to any number of churches, even any number of MINISTRIES within any number of churches.

Perhaps a music ministry at a certain church is starting to get off-balance....that does not mean that EVERYTHING at that church is. Perhaps they have a vital soul-winning ministry still......

I don't understand why some would be offended, except for that THEY are assuming more than Im saying. They may see a finger pointed at them specifically, but I must say....they are fleeing when no man pursueth, in this instance.

 

Seeker sensative is not a method. You can be ultra-traditional and be seeker sensative. In fact, one of the teachers in my church planters basic training classes was a pastor in Chicago. In his area, contemporary music and casual clothes were a real stumbling block to un-churched people. The area was so heavily Catholic that everyone was influenced by that mind-set. So in order for his baptist church to be seeker sensative they had to hold "high church". He wore a robe and a clerical colar, they did the pipe organ music with lots of pomp and ceramony. It worked and they were able to reach many with the Gospel.

Seeker sesative is about removing as many aritificial barriers as you possibly can. We talk about this a lot in our staff meetings, and we evaluate what we're doing and try to determine what's working and what we need to change in order to be more effective. Something that's always said is this - The one barrier we can never take down, and one that we would never want to attempt to take down, is the Gospel. We will never try to change the Gospel, or do anything to make it easier. But anything we can do to cause more people to hear the Gospel, we're open to.

You guys never did answer my question. What are you not willing to do in order to reach someone wiht the Gospel? Don't say violate Scripture, because that's a given.

 

so are you only looking for "guys" to answer? or why was my answer not one that you would accept?

I agree with much of your post that you last made.

I don't know that Id go towards looking more Catholic in order to reach people.....but perhaps that is my own personal preference to stay as far away from catholicism as I can.

I should certainly agree that as long as the pomp and ceremony does not deaden the spirit or take the place of faith and joy in Christ, than it really wouldn't be something that violated Scripture.

 

That's been an issue since Martin Luther. Unfortunately, many things have been avoided just because they "appear" catholic. Are we so insecure in our own faith that we will allow ourselves to become romaphobic? I certainly would hope not. But unfortunately, romaphobia is alive and well in protestantism today.