Big Idea

Reading a book called "The Big Idea", by Dave Ferguson, and surprisingly enjoying it. I say surprisingly because I'm often skeptical of "how-to" books on church organization or starting new churches. That said, it's a great book for church-planters or established churches looking for a fresh take on organization and being on-message.

I'm writing this not for my pleasure, but to let you know what we're talking about when discussing the most effective ways of communicating the message of Christ.

Couple quick thoughts we're looking to be aware of at Eikon:
We have bombarded people with too many competing ideas, and the result is a church with more information and less clairty than perhaps ever before. Often, people young and old walk away from church and have to really think of what they learned for that day, I know I do. How is that possible? The average churchgoer is overloaded every week with scores of competing little ideas. Here's a simple list:

Little idea from the clever message on the church sign as you pull into the parking lot. Little idea from all the announcements in the church bulletin you are handed at the door. Little idea from the prelude music that is playing in the background as you take your seat. Little idea from the welcome by the worship leader. LIttle idea from the opening prayer. Little idea from the first song in worship. Little idea from first point of sermon. Little idea from second point in sermon, and the list can go on and on.

In the book, Biblical Preaching, people are complaining unanimously that the sermons often contain too many ideas. The complaining tells us that people in the pew want clarity, direction, and guidance in how to live out the mission of Christ.

How about using Presidential elections: $20 million was spent on a campaign for the very first time under JFK. The money spiked that election because candidates could deliver their political ideas to the people in a compelling new way through the medium of television. In real terms, that amount has increased by 400% to $880 million in 2004. One would think that with all that money spent and all those ideas being communicated in every imaginable way, people would be better informed and more convinced to take action and cast their vote.

However, there has been a 40-year trend of declining voter participation in national elections. Why? After the 2000 election, despite almost a billion dollars spent to communicate lots of ideas, when surveyed on election day, a majority of people flunked a series of twelve questions seeking to ascertain whether they knew the candidates' positions on prime issues such as gun control, foreign policy, tax cuts, education, healthcare, and affirmative action. I don't think voters are more apathetic than they were 40 years ago, they are more confused. For most, the main feelings in connection with voting is confusioin, and confusioin does not produce positive action.

What about deeper teaching? That is what the rich young ruler wanted. He knew all the commandments and had obyed them since he was a boy. He wanted more. (I can relate to this) Christ responded with clarity and one big idea to go and sell everything giving all to the poor. The message was clear, it was a call to action. It sounded simple, but it wasn't.

His thesis is that in your church, you can walk away and here one Big Idea for that sunday, and focus on applying it throughout the week. The Big Idea is applied to every facet of the church: sunday school, main service, biblical teaching, small groups during the week. It all centers on a single overarching theme. That sounds very attractive to me as someone assisting in a church-plant and as a churchgoer myself.