My Favorite Bible Verse Is
Picture a Race Car Driver who uses regular gasoline instead of high-octane. He’s not going to win. In fact, you’d have some serious questions about this driver. Does he not care about winning? Does he just have no idea? Or is he too cheap to do what it takes to accomplish his goal?
Now picture a church that does something that will impair its ability to accomplish its mission of connecting with people who are far from God and bringing them to Jesus. Maybe you’d have some questions. Do they care about the mission? Do they just have no idea? Or maybe they’re just not willing to do what it takes?
Thought I’d share a few ways I see churches doing things (often small things) that I believe impair its ability to accomplish its mission. Here’s one:
You’re reading the staff page of a church’s website, and each staff member tells their favorite Bible verse. As a Christian perhaps you find this mildly interesting. As a non-Christian you find this … pretty weird. It may seem normal to Christians, but it’s actually pretty weird. Let’s say you were cynical but curious about the Muslim faith and decided to check out a website for a local mosque. You check out the staff page and each Imam tells their favorite verse from the Koran. Does that make you feel more comfortable, or less? More likely to go to a service there, or less?
One of the problems the church has is that people who are not yet Christians think there’s a great divide between themselves and Christians. Putting your favorite Bible verse on your website is only going to accentuate this impression and further the divide. So take your favorite Bible verse off your site and at least seem normal.
Vince,
I am not arguing your point in this article, but I simply do not get it. I realize that I struggle to see the world from a non-Christian perspective … I have been in church since I was one, I went to MACU right out of high school, and have been in ministry since my freshman year, all with established churches. I don’t see the logic of why my favorite Bible verse would be weird. Sure they see a divide, but it does tell me they know their stuff, that they do like the Bible enough to have a favorite verse. I am sure there is something I am missing in your point. Thank you for all you do, continued prayers for VERVE.
Hey Michael,
Thanks SO much for your prayers for Verve. We need and appreciate them!
Honestly, I don’t think any non-Christian would expect that a pastor doesn’t know their stuff or like the Bible enough to have a favorite verse. That’s exactly what they expect. They think that all Christians, and especially pastors, do is read the Bible.
For instance, when I first became a Christian the pastor of the church I started attending asked if I wanted to watch football with him and I was SHOCKED. I figured all he did was read the Bible.
So I just think if you’re going to have some “favorites” in the pastor’s bio on the home page, and you want to connect with people who are not Christians (instead of Christians) it would be better to have favorite team, TV show, movie, etc. instead of favorite Bible verse.
Hope that makes sense. And even if not, I appreciate your comment and your prayers for Verve!
vince