Blog
“BIG TIME — A BIG MISTAKE”
BIG TIME — A BIG MISTAKE
Rusty Stark
According to an announcement dated January 10, 2005, the Farmers Branch Church of Christ (Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex) has launched a new “children’s ministry” called “Big Time.” “Big Time” is a program that “uses leading-edge Christian music, drama, and video linked to Bible principles.” It is designed for parents and children to experience together, and its proponents hope to use it to bring in “unchurched” people.
“Big Time” consists of 15 segments packed into 45 minutes, and is sure to appeal to our modern society with its attention deficit. Eddie Plemmons is the “Children’s Minister” at Farmers Branch. He claims that “Big Time” is unique because “we are the only local church that provides a ministry which targets both children and parents in the same setting.”
“BIG TIME”
A BIG MISTAKE IN DEPARTING FROM GOD'S PATTERN
The idea that the Farmer’s Branch church is unique in offering a religious experience that targets both children and parents is mistaken. The Bible commands a general assembly of the saints in which a congregation meets together every first day of the week (Acts 20:7; I Cor. 11:17--16:2). The Farmer’s Branch Church doesn’t believe in this Bible pattern, instead, they offer a “contemporary” worship service on Saturday nights and two “traditional” services on Sunday morning. If they followed the Bible pattern, all of the families involved would come together for worship and experience the same things together.
Every church that is faithful to the pattern has a religious experience for all ages together. And truly spiritual men and women have long recognized the great value in this general assembly of adults and children for orderly, formal worship of the God of heaven.
“BIG TIME”
NOT A NEW MISTAKE, AN OLD ONE
Like Jereboam the son of Nebat, the perpetrators of “Big Time” are encouraging Israel to worship idols (I Kings 12:26-33). When people come together for a sporting-event, concert atmosphere, it is not worship to Almighty God. Almighty God demands to be worshiped in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), and decently and in order (I Cor. 14:40).
When men use sensationalism to draw a crowd they are bowing at the feet of the entertainment god. And, just like Jereboam, they are doing so in a way that they devised out of their own hearts (I Kings 12:33). It is an age-old problem that began with Cain (Gen. 4:1-7; Heb. 11:4; I John 3:12). And, it is a problem that makes worship vain and empty (Matt. 15:9).
“BIG TIME”
A BIG MISTAKE THAT COMES FROM A LACK OF FAITH
So what’s wrong with the old Bible pattern? It simply isn’t exciting enough. It is not fast paced, not dramatic, and not sensational enough. Those who create such things declare plainly their lack of faith in the Gospel, God’s saving power (Rom. 1:16).
It doesn’t matter if they deny it or not, those who feel the need to dress the Gospel up in drama and excitement do not believe that the message of God is the power of God unto salvation.
The simple Gospel was good enough for Paul to take to sinful Ephesus and it was good enough for Peter to take to Cornelius, but somehow modern religious leaders are convinced it isn’t good enough for today’s unchurched masses. They seek drama and sensationalism. Forgetting the substance, they cry out for a new, exciting form!
Such arrogant, blind unbelief is surely a big mistake -- one with eternal consequences.
