McDisneyBucks
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
When I was in seminary, I took a course called Pastoral Ministry. Our main text was Pastor’s Handbook by John Bisagno, the longtime pastor of First Baptist Houston. In Chapter 107 of that text Bisagno gives the following advice: “…never forget the importance of reaching adults by reaching their children. McDonald’s has built one of the largest businesses in America by selling fun to kids.”
In Chapter 129, Bisagno advises his readers to look to Disney World for direction: “Just for fun, go to Disney World in Florida. Study the shuttle system and learn from the best. And why not have shuttles with upbeat music, free candy, and Mickey Mouse (oops, make that Moses) painted on the side.” In Chapter 130, Bisagno turns his attention to the appeal of Starbucks: “Special consideration should be given to the lobby. Hopefully, it’s large. If not, find a place nearby that is and create a homey, casual Starbucks type atmosphere. Lots of couches, free coffee, great fellowship, conversation, and laughter.”
Get the kids, get the parents. Be like McDonalds, Disney World, and Starbucks! Be fun! Be causal! Bisagno’s advice never sat right with me but, if you pay attention, you’ll see that numerous churches in our area (and beyond) have taken it. Maybe you picked your own church because of the way it appealed and continues to appeal to your children and your spouse.
But is this the right way to pick a church?
I’m convinced of this: There are a handful of Calvinistic Baptists out there in our part of North Georgia who are members of XYZ Baptist Church but receive little, if any, spiritual nourishment from their churches. Every Sunday they sit through feminized a worship music concert followed by a sermon that is more akin to a TED talk than biblical exposition. They send their kids to youth church activities stepped in Bethel Music and games. They know they shouldn’t be there, but they feel like there is nowhere else to go.
There it is. Come to Redeeming Grace Church.
We do not have shuttle buses in the parking lot with Mickey Mouse. Quite frankly, our parking lot is terrible. It’s grass and gravel and it’s small. We don’t have a big lobby. Our lobby is basically one table with gospel tracts and another one with crayons for the kids. Speaking of the kids, there is no separate service for the kids. There is no whimsical children’s area to stick kids in during the service. Children of all ages sit with their parents during church. Our fellowship hall is nothing like Starbucks. We do have a coffee maker though. We have coffee. We have a guy who makes it. He gets his own Starbucks before church. You can, too.
We couldn’t put on a concert if we tried. We don’t have a paid music minister. We don’t have a projector. We don’t have a praise band. We use hymn books and the pastor’s daughter plays the piano. Our pastor preaches from the Bible, no TED talks, just preaching.
If you want to be a part of a church that takes membership, holiness, worship, and doctrine seriously. Come join us. You can come demonstrate to your children and your spouse that programs, popularity, size, and money don’t make a biblical church. You can show them that.
Or…you can stay at McDisneyBucks Baptist Church.
