BRING ON THE ELEPHANTS

One of my college professors once made a comment to me in the context of the modern emphasis on entertainment in the church that has stuck with me ever since. He said, "If you use elephants to bring in the crowd you are going to have use something bigger to keep them there." What he was saying is so true. When people are drawn to religion because of the entertainment offered by religion, something more spectacular and entertaining will be required to keep the members there in the long term.
Congregations of the Lord's church have followed the denominations into foolishness by building gymnasiums and family life centers. Churches of Christ have mimicked the denominations by creating choirs, imitating instruments, and copying comedians. Some congregations have built youth programs around recreation and entertainment while our "Christian" Universities promote this irreligious type of religion. "And why not do it," some folks say. "After all it brings in the crowds."
There are several reasons why we should not follow the denominations of men in this regard. First of all consider the fact that the drawing card for the world is the crucifixion of the Son of God (John 12:32, 33). We should be trying to save souls through the preaching of the cross of Christ, not through shallow, mind numbing, brain draining religious entertainment.
Another reason we ought not use entertainment to bring in the crowds is because that kind of superficial, "feel good," religious experience will not save any souls. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is that which saves souls (Romans 1:16). Our outreach out to be centered around the spread of truth (John 17:17). Our worship ought to be in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Our pulpits ought to be filled with strong, stable, sound Gospel preachers who are not afraid to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth (2 Timothy 4:1-5). Knowing how to clap your hands, stomp your feet, wave your hands in the air, and gently sway to the music just won't save your soul. Getting all excited about humorous, entertaining, comedic speakers will do nothing but increase one's level of spiritual weakness. The Gospel must be loved, preached, and practice. Nothing else will save men.
In the interview on the Christian Connection TV show Terry Maybery spoke of the fallacy of using fun and games to draw the crowds in. He said those things may increase your numbers but they don't really cause you to grow. How true that is! There can be no true faith without the truth (Rom. 10:17). By the same token, there can be no spiritual growth in the life of the Christian without the sincere milk of the Word (1 Peter 2:2). What's the use of big crowds if you are leading them all to hell? It is much better to have a small group of folks who have heard, obeyed, and continue to live by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Poets and puppeteers have no place in the pulpit. Compromisers and comedians won't save the crowds they bring in. Evangelists evangelizing will save souls (Matt. 28:18-20; 2 Tim. 4:5). Preachers preaching belong in the pulpit (1 Peter 4:11). You can bring in the elephants if you want to and you might just draw a crowd, but what are you going to do to keep them there? You can use circus type entertainment to win the multitudes but whom have you saved? "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry (2 Timothy 4:2-5)."

~Kevin V. Rutherford