All You Need to Know

The only consolation I have when the weekend ends is that Tuesday night is only a day away. Boston Legal boasts some of the most brilliant and talented writers and actors of any show on television, and like sharing a nightcap with an old friend on a balcony overlooking the Boston skyline, the show is even better when sipping a merlot with my friend on Tuesday night cackling at James Spader and William Shatner.

The show began this past week with Alan Shore's secretary Melissa being arrested for tax evasion because she returned a tax notice to the IRS with a post-it note bearing the direction to "Stick It!" While assessing the merits of her defense Alan asked her why she would do such a thing. She responded matter of factly that she did it "for my grandfather." Alan quipped back, "I suppose you thought you told me everything I need to know."

While working in Florida the last two weeks with my friend and business partner, Sim Church Planter, we came to the conclusion that Pensacola has an obscene number of churches. There is almost one on every street corner, if not a pair of them, each blinding the public with religious graffiti to sell their special niche in "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show." It's enough to make you nauseous or at least run through on Sunday morning turning over tables and sending turtledoves flying.

One particular church edifice was particularly inviting. Smyrna Baptist Church on Pensacola Blvd. boasted a massive white-washed brick facade on a busy street corner proudly displaying the church name and two descriptive signs on the left and right:

Fundamental
Missional
Doctrinal
KJV - 1611

and

Fundamental
Premillenial
Traditional
KJV - 1611

I thought it impressive that they listed fundamental and KJV 1611 on both signs . If they are trying to reach unchurched people, they might as well be speaking Martian, because those religious buzzwords mean jack to the general public. They do however preach loudly to the choir of the converted and brainwashed. "If you don't measure up, you need not apply."

If that's you, take heart and be not discouraged, because there is "A Church with a Choice," at least that's what their gigantic interstate billboard says on I-110. On opposing sides there are pictures of a guitar and a violin with the consoling words "Contemporary" or "Traditional." As my astute friend pointed out, they only offer the illusion of a choice because no matter how you spin it, it's still the same old song and dance.

I suppose both churches thought they told us all we needed to know. It begs the questions for something of substance. Surely, there is more to being a follower of Jesus Christ than clever puns, fundraising ads, and program promotions convey. If you only had a few seconds to make an impact upon thousands of people a day, what would you do? Evangelism is not a marketing strategy; it is a lifestyle.