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I’m a church girl . I cannot begin to tell you how much church has been a part of my life. And the thing about it is that most bloggers don’t like to comment on posts about the church. But listen I cannot help that I was born a Pastor’s Daughter, so all I know is church .Just today be with me as I just pause for church.
As some of you know I grew up in a full gospel holiness church . We were that church that believes in speaking in tongues, dancing in the spirit. We are the radical saints, we run around the church , yell and throw things at the pastors. We clap our hands , and play tambourines during service. And it’s not unusual to find some of the strangest instruments like washboards in our churches. We had feet washing services, we use oil to anoint our heads and falling out was or is the norm. Needless to say church has evolved. And like I mentioned before we have become more civilized. We have educated ourselves in the word. And although our prayers are still similar to those of the time of slavery we sure don’t look like we used to look . Did I mention we act different too?
I have to be honest I don’t mind that we look all that different . I must confess that if my parents church still did not believe in pants, make up and getting your hair cut, I definitely wouldn’t be serving in ministry right now . Sounds superficial but that’s bondage NOT to look normal. Or look your NORMAL. But I have to ask the question that has our changes made the church more watered down ? Are we looking too normal ? Are we too worldly?
There was a time when people just appeared in churches. We would hang out on the streets and invite and in one Sunday it was normal to have those people heed the call of God. And then they would testify , I once was lost but now I’m found. Now we use gimmicks. We actually have to give things away to get people to attend an institution that is in place to help them . No longer are we just having prayer meetings, bible studies, youth ministry. We are currently having coffee dates, festivals, party nights and other attention getting campaigns just to get people to walk in church . Things have changed and I blame the church for the majority of the changes. And no longer are we finding lost sheep but we see more sheep transitioning from one flock to the next.
Which brings me to fact that we are a commercialized industry. My parents church comes on local television and before the time that we first aired , I don’t think I ever had to think about our Brand as a church before . People can and will judge you on everything and because we live in such a judgemental society so the consistency of having a proper Branding for your church is crucial. But has this allowed us as a church become more commercial and less a place of refuge , compassion and peace.
With the television as well as the internet being our source we have watched our churches evolve from this 
To this 
And clearly there is nothing wrong with the evolution of the church . Because all things evolve and all things change. Well all things but God. But does that make it okay to experience church without changing your life? Does that mean that the church needs to continue on without lives being changed, people being saved healed and delivered. Does that mean church is all show and lacks the anointing.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,
Where do we go from here? When will we go back to our foundation , where church was about church and less about a brand. I’m sure I will have a part two on this , in the meantime I’m off to Pier’s basketball game.
Is the church’s evolution a good thing?
Basically Tesha
