Seeking In or Sneaking In?

“Everybody’s looking for something …”

So sang Annie Lennox of The Eurythmics.

And she’s right: everybody’s looking — for something.

Back in the ’80s, there was a huge push in evangelical churches to become what they called “seeker sensitive”. Essentially, it meant building churches that were larger and accommodated more people — less like liturgical spaces, and more like shopping malls or movie theatres. Soft seats, big screens, stages, lights and sound systems … slicker programs, incorporating drama, visual displays and various other marketing tools, a more polished and professional administrative staff, special programs for counseling, grief care, visitation … and more elaborate programs for children and youth, too.

Anonymous Asks (295)

“Should churches be seeker sensitive?”

A few weeks ago, I went to a church I’d never attended before. I took a couple of friends, one of whom is searching for meaning in her life and finally considering the possibility that her problems may have a spiritual component. From my perspective, the main attraction of this particular church was that it was close to her home and the online statement of faith looked orthodox.

The perfect is the enemy of the good and all that, right? I just wanted to get her there, and get her some spiritual food.