Last Monday I gave a presentation in my Principles and Practices of Worship class on “seeker sensitive churches/worship services.”
You can download the power point presentation by going here:
Seeker Sensitive Powerpoint Presentation
I would define a seeker sensitive church this way:
Using the weekend services to reach the unchurched through high quality music, media, and sermons referencing popular culture and other familiar/cultural themes. Churches believe this approach will attract people searching for answers, bring them into a relationship with Christ, and then capitalize on their contagious fervor to evangelize others.
If you have almost no idea of what I’m talking about I made a video for my presentation to show examples of seeker sensitive churches and how they use music in their services. I apologize for the overly generalized statements in the video, they are meant to provide examples not necessarily how you have to “do” church to be seeker sensitive.
(Come here to watch the video RSS readers, come on, I made it myself)
[Vimeo=http://www.vimeo.com/6432799 w=480&h=264]
Here are some good things about doing church this way:
- Presents a biblical message in relevant terms that people understand.
- Focus is on reaching people who are outside of the church instead of keeping those inside happy.
- Makes a church and a church service a mission.
- Takes away some stumbling blocks to religion.
- Allows church to be a place for those looking for God.
And here are some of the negative aspects of seeker sensitive churches:
- “Seeker-sensitive churches may convert God’s message into a form more likely to impress but less likely to save the unbeliever.”
- Promotes a culture of attenders being customers and in turn a consumeristic church.
- Focus is on the unbeliever instead of God.
- Method always has some effect on the message.
- The main assumptions of why being seeker sensitive is necessary could be wrong.
Any thoughts on seeker sensitive churches?
(If all this seems pretty basic, I get into more depth on the power point slides.)
