The Jesus the world needs more than polished livestreams

I’m not saying anything here that I haven’t already heard directly from the lips of a couple of pastors I know in the last few days.  What I’m saying here is nothing new.  Indeed, very many shepherds of God’s church will probably agree with what I’m about to say, but I’m afraid churches more generally, and some Christian leaders and worship leaders, may still be on the journey and will remain unconvinced.

I lament the idea that pastors are presently watching for how to be better presenters before the camera.  Since when did looking more professional on a livestream make you a better shepherd of people?  (What I think looking better before a camera creates, however, is more consumer Christianity, where people are encouraged to rate the sermon.)  I know there must’ve been many people tempted to gather some handy equipping in these ways, and nothing against those doing equipping, because I was one who was tempted to watch such videos.  And kudos to those who did — it’s all learning.

But I wonder if we are getting our priorities right, when we spend time on the vanities of presentation, when perhaps now is the opportunity to plug into the anxieties and griefs of people in the season.

For one observation, I have been heartily impressed with those pastors and Christian leaders who have just shown up, and been their real selves before the camera, foibles and all.

I have loved those church services done in homes, with children playing musical instruments, and mums and dads singing and leading worship, having a Jesus party.  I think we all embrace the unplugged versions of worship that remind us that worship is not about performance, but that it’s about praise.

Of the several worship sessions that we as a family have invited ourselves into, there is spiritual passion in one, truth and authenticity in another, prayers and even silence in another, a beautiful sunrise in another, and even a refreshing fumbling through of the particulars of announcement in another, and still another livestream came in from a backyard patio where a frayed garden hose was the star of the show.  What they shared was a raw humanity that takes courage and humility to parade.  I also enjoyed how these people interacted with those who joined their service: “Hey Marty, great you could join us, brother... Jamo, fab to have you join the joy, mate... Debs, thanks for coming along!” could all be heard.  Such a welcome by name is sweet to the human soul.

I personally don’t think it’s a good idea that we go super inward within the existing performance cultures of church.  I’ve heard too many horror stories of senior pastors or chairs of boards or worship leaders tearing strips off worship team members for singing off key, not ‘having the passion’, missing a transition, looking sloppy, too sexy or not sexy enough.  Church, that’s not church!

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We may well ask, “What’s God up to in this period, and how does our Lord want the church to respond?”  What are the questions lead on from that question?

Surely there are questions around the bringing of God’s kingdom in the context of COVID-19.  Surely there are also questions around, what new and innovative ways are there to BE JESUS in our communities, not least for the people we serve within our spiritual jurisdictions; let’s not feel guilty about serving those within.  Maybe now is the time to really get pastoral care right, as an impetus for what God might be doing in the next season, as we sow into the journeys that God has placed in our lives.

Could it just be that the expression of church that the world really needs hasn’t been invented yet; or better put perhaps, that that revelation hasn’t yet been acted on?

Sure, livestreams may be seen by the curious outside the gates of our churches.  This is almost certainly happening, already.  And we need to be ready for the conversations that will come.  And I do imagine the vast majority of livestreams are rawer than we’d usually expect J

One last thought about Jesus and livestreams.  The Chosen.  Perhaps as the world ‘binges Jesus’ many may be captivated to meet their Messiah.  The Chosen’s Jesus is a wonderful symbol of what our Saviour must have been like.

I wonder if the world will come looking for him.

Photo by Tye Doring on Unsplash