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&
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answers
Question: I have been reading about the ‘Seeker
Friendly Church’ movement, are there any other
like it that we should be aware of?
YES, I CALL IT ‘THE PERFORMANCE DRIVEN CHURCH’
Answer: Yes, like yourself, most
may have heard of the errors of the
‘Seeker Friendly Church’ as there
is much in the media that speaks
about it. The problem however, is
that the beast from which it came
is growing yet another head. From
my observation, the ‘Performance
Driven Church’ seems a fitting
description for it. Groups infected
by the ‘performance bug’ are
becoming very popular especially
among youth.
A religious theatre of man’s
worship.
On visiting one of these Churches
you will be impressed with what
man can do, the decorations, the
organisation, the technology and
programme. Their services, often
two or three to facilitate their large
membership, have human talent,
skill and efficiency stamped all
over it. You cannot help noticing
that they have money, they boast
expensive sound, music and lighting
equipment. Very few will have less
than two large screen monitors or
a smoke machine to complete the
special effects department. Do not
be surprised if you don’t see any
Bibles for no one can read in the
darkness, well, unless you have a
Bible on your phone that has back
lighting. You wouldn’t need one
anyway as all Scriptures referred to
come up on screen. Yes, everywhere
is dark except for colourful strobe
lights passing intermittently and of
course on stage where the spotlight
is focused. “For My people have
committed two evils: They have
forsaken Me, the fountain of living
waters, And hewn themselves
cisterns—broken cisterns that can
hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:13
If you manage to escape the
euphoria long enough to think, then
you will realise the absence of the
presence of the Spirit of God, you will
struggle to experience His power.
Though there is much motivation
there is little or no conviction. They
act right but at the core they seem
to be mostly unchanged. Their
many programmes are designed
to create human excitement but
no Holy Spirit resurgence. Week
after week they put on a wonderful
performance but there is no move
of God. The ‘worshipers’ are very
professional but one wonders
if they are saved. The ‘worship
leaders’ are very popular, celebrities
of sorts, with many youtube hits
and facebook likes, obviously well
known on earth but one wonders if
they are known in heaven. They all
came early to prepare the stage,
test the equipment and rehearse
the songs but did anyone spend
anytime praying, touching heaven
and its God? Leonard Ravenhill
perfectly describes the Performance
Driven Church.
“The New Testament Church
was identified with persecutions,
prisons, and poverty; today many
of us are identified with prosperity,
popularity, and personalities.”
Revival God’s Way – A Message for
the Church by Leonard Ravenhill
pg. 57
After ‘worship’ the preacher
comes and uses charisma and wit
to connect with the audience and
create an atmosphere but quite
often the Spirit is not there. Their
message is hollow and empty.
Imagine someone laughing at their
own joke though it wasn’t funny. As
the crying of paid mourners at a
funeral lacks soul so their message
lacks depth or the power to convict.
Year after year, week after week,
these motivational preachers give
great lofty promises of prosperity,
breakthroughs and favour that
never materialise but still the
desperate followers hang on to the
elusive dream of one day winning
the ‘God lottery’. Their promises
are as empty as a woman telling
everyone, ‘a few more weeks before
I give birth’, when she is not even
pregnant.
Like the ‘Seeker Friendly Church’,
the ‘Performance Driven Church’
service could go...
Continued on pg 31
July - September 2017
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