What's Your Draw?

Recently I was re-scanning a book I read a while back called "Organic Church" by Neil Cole. In the book Cole makes the argument that the current strategy many churches have adopted of competing against Hollywood by trying to out-entertain the consuming public is a foolish strategy and a needless one.

The result of this strategy is that we have created churches full of consumers who are always on the lookout for the next great church; one that offers them the best bang for their buck. There are numerous flaws with this strategy. Perhaps the most glaring problem from a biblical perspective is that the Bible teaches that what we draw people with is what we are ultimately drawing them to. Jesus said "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself" (John 12:32). That's pretty clear isn't it - he uses the word "I" twice, so we don't miss that it's HIM we're supposed to lift up, and then he says he will draw all men "to myself."

But what happens when we attract people with our rockin' praise band or amazing speaker, or fabulous facilities? What happens if this foolish strategy of ours works? Well....if people come expecting to be entertained, we had better entertain them if we want them to come back next week. In the end what we create is a vicious cycle of "endless program upgrades, staff improvements, and building campaigns to feed the consumer monster" according to Cole (page 95).

Jesus drew crowds, but he drew crowds to himself - not to some product or service. That's not to say people didn't try to convert what Jesus offered to a commodity. Remember when Jesus fed the multitudes in John's Gospel? Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill..." (John 6:26). Jesus goes on to tell them to "not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you" (v. 27).

What Cole says here strikes a chord with me - it's a good question for every church leader to ask. "What are you drawing your people with?" Is it your praise band? Your preacher, your "vibe," your "coolness?" Is it your amazing building or children's ministry or youth program? This is important to clarify because whatever you are drawing them with is most likely what you are drawing them to. And drawing people to anything less than Jesus himself misses the whole point of the Gospel and surely breaks God's heart.