Ringling Brothers Christianity

Ben Bailey

In the past, if you were to ask someone why he or she attended worship the answer would be unanimous. “I attend worship to study the Bible and glorify God,” most would reply. But as Bob Dillan said, “the times they are a changing.” We now live in a world that is highly entertainment oriented. People used to read a book to pass time, visit with their neighbors for enjoyment and attend worship services to learn. Now religion has given in to the seductive allurement of entertainment in the name of God. Religious people try to justify this by saying, “We must do whatever it takes to get them in, then we can teach them!” Does God really want you to get people to worship at any cost? Is our God a god of bribery and entertainment? NO! God has always demanded that people come to Him because they love him and appreciate the gift of His son (Rom. 5:6-8, Jn. 4:24). However, our religious world has taken several foolish entertainment-based steps to reach out to people. Let’s notice a couple of these movements.

1. The Circus Act. To bring people into worship, religious groups are changing the old format of worship to make it more like a circus. No longer is our attention directed toward a pulpit, podium, and message from God. Now, auditoriums are made in the arena style, with the seats arranged in more of a circular fashion. In this “Ringling Brothers Christianity” each person plays his or her corresponding circus role. The preacher is no longer a speaker of truth. He has turned into the circus clown. His job is no longer to convict people of error and edify in truth. His job is to tell jokes, tickle the senses and create an acceptable humorous environment (2 Tim. 4:3ff). The singing, which used to be congregational, has now turned into the three ring circus act. A selected choir, or band now sings to us and entertains us with dramatic body movements and heartfelt emotions that are more acting and playing than singing. Where beautiful voices once praised God, loud amplifiers, guitars and drums now exist. The audience, which used to listen, learn and respond to God’s message, is now much like a ticket holder in a tent circus. We are now told to sit back and enjoy the show. We drink our soda pop, eat our popcorn and enjoy the entertainment.

How ashamed the religious world should be for allowing this to happen!! When will we wake up and see that we are really making God into a clown? Do we not see that this is against the structure and teaching of New Testament Worship? It is high time that faithful Christians stood up and spoke out against this ignorant worship (Acts 17:23). When we make worship, the church and God out to be a circus, how can we ever expect for people to take it seriously?

2. The Gymnasium Approach. In the late 80’s and 90’s religious organizations began appealing to people’s sports attractions. They felt that to get people into worship, they needed to add a sports aspect to it. As a result of this thinking, they began to build gymnasiums. This appeal became especially directed toward our youth. The “church” began to feel that we were no longer effective with our youth. They gave in to the old philosophy that most in the church were nothing more than old fogies and that we needed to shape up or ship out. In keeping with the times, our church buildings were outdated for gymnasiums and aerobic/workout centers. We no longer had messages from God’s word. Instead, Richard Simmons or some other health specialists was telling us how to have a deeper relationship with God through a better control of the physical body. Recently I saw a sign in front of a church building that expressed this gymnasium style worship appropriately. The sign read: “Sweat Shirt & Jogging Pants Sunday.” Brethren, how far are we going to go from the Bible to try and get people to the Bible? Doesn’t this seem like a conflict of interest?

God has never asked His people to try to bribe or entertain people into the church. God has chosen the foolishness of preaching to save those who are lost (1 Cor. 1:21). If good, plain Bible preaching about the message of the cross and the love of God will not convict people of their sin and make them want to do what is right, then nothing will. May we not give in to the societal winds of change, but always follow the old paths of God’s word (Jer. 6:16). God help us to be a beacon in these troubled times!