I might even go a little further (I usually do) to say that too many churches "have a plan" and run their ministry like a business. At my old church we had/have some very successful social programs; a Friday night program for families, a Saturday program for kids, a soup kitchen, a thrift store. It has been my experience that when you stop giving away trinkets, these people stop coming. What they got was not "living water". We had a pastor instruct us not to get all Jesus on them or they might not come back. No kidding. No surprise that none of these programs have born much fruit. Now our mens study and womens study and couples study have all been fruitful.
I am not against planning but I have seen a bunch of churches that do not seem to trust God enough to just preach The Word and allow God to do the rest. This idea that He needs our help and without us, how could He possibly get people into the church shows a lack of faith, IMHO. My theory is that if you are staying true to The Word, God will get the people there who need to hear it. People will travel pretty far to get a good consistent filling of The Spirit. People will eventually find other things to do if the only thing they get from the service was a really swell song.
For me, this comes back around to worship teams versus Christian bands. Worship versus entertainment.
If someone's salvation is dependant on your rhythm section, I would suggest that they have bigger problems as does your church.
I do not have the figures here but if anyone is interested, do a search on the number of people who convert during one of those Harvest Crusades versus the figures that the local churches report of new attendees after the crusade leaves. Conversions based upon emotions of the moment are not often fruitful. Those types of converts are the same folks who are often easily be led away to then next new thing, still hungering for something new and shiny to keep their attention.
I am not saying that music cannot be a tool to help draw people to Christ but I do not think that it is good theology. I was not saved by music. I do not know anyone who was. Of course I dont know everyone! I play on the WT to enable people, to hopefully help them prepare for the message. I jam on Saturday nights for myself.
Again, I think that the music program of any church is very important and a ministry but I also feel that it is not the most important thing and should only be there to enhance what is important.
Of course I could be wrong.
PS. Am I preachy or what!?
