^^^^^^^^
Interesting subject; culture in the church/church in the culture.
It has intrigued me that the church I have been going to the past three years or so doesn't even think about numbers, or programs designed to attract more numbers. I think programs can be a big hinderance, the attendees of a church that focuses numbers often seem to rely on a particular person or program to do the job. I find it fascinating that the youth run the youth program at my church, most of them take a very active role in putting the program together. They even conduct the worship service on the last Sunday of every month.
BTW, over 50% of the attendees at my church are under the age of 24 or so.
Most of us tend to view things of faith and the practice of our faith from our cultural view. Of course there are some things that are just plain wrong and sinful in any culture; I'm not trying to justify sin.
I've learned that some things that I was raised to raise my eyebrows to are merely things that are foreign to my cultural upbringing.
Good points waggler, and yes, there are many young folks, the next generation of believers that are worthy. I school with many who are quite young and I smile often as I listen to them speak of what is and isn't important to them. Many are turned off as we say, by cultural immorality going on everywhere. I wonder, "Is this the remnant?" We need as many as God will gather IMO.
That said, the integration of different cultures of the faith is called ethnodoxology and it is very cool, whereby different cultures are respected for how each worships God and are encouraged to worship alongside each other, just like they will be some day in the heavenly multitudes.
I can't see how this activity would be anything else than a cultural norm injected into the Bride of Christ, and as an elder I would ask wonder why? What's the fruit to be expected?
Blessings,
Mark
