famous phrase “ the medium is the message .” The nature of the worship environments that we draw people into ( the medium ) has an effect on their beliefs and actions ( the message ) that is far greater than the impact of what we tell them in that worship service .
Different worship environments communicate different messages , to be sure ; think of the different messages sent by a eucharistic mass with a ten- minute homily , a smoke- and- lasers rock concert with a twenty- minute pep talk , and a thirty- five- minute expositional sermon with an acoustic warmup . But there are certain unintended messages commonly sent by churches of every style that start with a culture of worship rather than a culture of mission :
• Church is a place you go to ( versus a family on mission everywhere ).
• Church is a part of your week / month / year ( versus a family on mission every day ).
• Church is a dispensary of services ( versus a productive community ).
• Worship is for inspiration and enjoyment ( versus pleasing God ).
• Ministry is for professionals ( versus the opportunity of every believer ).
• Service means activities that keep the organization running ( versus actions that kindly help one ’ s neighbor ).
• An unbeliever ’ s first point of contact with the church is the largest programmed event ( versus their relationship with a believing friend outside church walls ).
Every one of these messages reacts like static interference with what the Bible teaches , which is the very thing we are trying to convey in that worship service . These unintentional messages do not “ equip the saints for the work of ministry ” ( Eph . 4:12 ESV ); they may even excuse them from the work of ministry . We might preach the opposite of these messages , but the medium speaks louder than we do ; while we are shouting we are really whispering . There are indeed gatherings for worship in Future Church , but they send a different message
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