At a recent party, I wound up chatting with a young Protestant mom who described herself as an evangelical. She told me that she was surprised when, at a recent service at her church, their new young pastor had the congregation pull out their cell phones to participate in an online poll. He then had a graph of the results of the poll projected, in real time, on the wall of the church.
“I watched all of this and I thought to myself, ‘Now here’s a new kind of pastor,’” my new friend smiled at me as she shook her head in disbelief.
This young pastor is not alone in his use of new media as an attention-getting scheme. There is a widespread attempt to “re-brand” Christianity as young, cool, and hip:
“There are various ways that churches attempt to be cool. For some, it means trying to seem more culturally savvy. The pastor quotes Stephen Colbert or references Lady Gaga during his sermon, or a church sponsors a screening of the R-rated “No Country For Old Men.” For others, the emphasis is on looking cool, perhaps by giving the pastor a metrosexual makeover, with skinny jeans and an $80 haircut, or by insisting on trendy eco-friendly paper and helvetica-only fonts on all printed materials. Then there is the option of holding a worship service in a bar or nightclub (as is the case for L.A.‘s Mosaic church, whose downtown location meets at a nightspot called Club Mayan).”
While these efforts appear to have varying degrees of success in attracting and holding onto young Christians, I think the author of the Wall Street Journal piece makes a valid point when he notes the dangers of such schemes.
“But are these gimmicks really going to bring young people back to church? Is this what people really come to church for? Maybe sex sermons and indie- rock worship music do help in getting people in the door, and maybe even in winning new converts. But what sort of Christianity are they being converted to?”
While this article happens to be about evangelical churches, I think the lesson here applies to Catholics as well. I am all in favor of Catholics “re-branding” and keeping up with technology in order to bring Christ to wider audiences, but we do need to follow up the “branding” and “cutting edge” with something solid.
Fortunately, our Church has that. Over 2,000 years’ worth of the “real deal” of Catholic teaching and tradition, to be precise. It’s easy to get caught up in the “cool” ideas of tweeting, facebooking, and otherwise broadcasting a “cool to be Catholic” message to the masses, but we need to be sure that we follow up the flash and the fluff with substance.
As Brett McCracken astutely points out:
“If we are interested in Christianity in any sort of serious way, it is not because it’s easy or trendy or popular. It’s because Jesus himself is appealing, and what he says rings true. It’s because the world we inhabit is utterly phony, ephemeral, narcissistic, image-obsessed and sex-drenched—and we want an alternative. It’s not because we want more of the same.”
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If there’s one lesson I learned this month at the Cahtolic New Media Celebration, its that ancient truths, faithfully presented via the New Media never lose their relevance.
Leave Lady Gaga out of it, we have another Lady, clothed with the sun, whose presence shines brightly through our blogs and podcasts!
Danielle,
You hit the nail on the head. Back it up with solid theology and tradition. When I was in high school the WWJD bracelets were all the rage. In fashion. It was cool to be in groups like Young Life and wear those bracelets. Then do drugs afterward. I wore one for just a short period of time because I didn’t want anyone to associate me with that group. On the animated series King of the Hill when Bobby starts rapping with a Christian band, Hank gets him to stop by going through an old box of things Bobby was once as excited about like a virtual pet and beanie babies and told Bobby he never wanted the Lord to be in that box. And without a solid backing foundation for these new technologies, that’s exactly what could happen with God, if the evangelizers are not careful!
Danielle,
Very timly article esp. after the CNMC that Leticia mentioned above. As a convert to the faith I can tell you for me (and my wife who is also a convert) that novelties did nothing to attact us to the Church. For me it was a great desire to take the Eucharist and to learn more about the ancient mysteries of our faith. I thirsted so much that I recieved my undergrad in Theology and am now studying for my Master’s at St. Charles Borromeo seminary (as a layman obviously). I agree that gimicks can attract people and that is not a bad thing at all, but as you said if there is no substance to keep them it is an empty shell. I like your closing statment by Brett McCraken, I think it sums everything that you said up perfectly. Pope Benedict encourages us to go forward proclaiming Christ’s message via the media, esp. through his 44th Annual World Day of Communication’s letter. It was very exciting to read and know that the leader of our Church (and our beloved spiritual leader) understands that we need to reach people where ever they are. My wife and I were so inspired by his letter (and other Catholics in the medai) that we started a Catholic web design business (www.eglantz.com) where we offer low-priced, dynamic, user-friendly websites and have done (and will continue to do) free volunteer work for those who need it. Let us use our skills to glorify His name…the work is it’s own reward.
Great discussion and so important. I loved what Leticia said, and the comments which followed. Take a look at “Good News, Bad News: Evangelization, Conversion and the Crisis of Faith,” by Fr. C. John McCloskey and Russell Shaw [OSV]. The crux of making converts? Relationships. If we can have authentic relationships through new media, if our “gimmicks” lead to the Truth, then we can be very creative in finding our audiences. Having encouraged them to seek answers in the Catholic Church, we also must remember to sacrifice and pray for them. Our Lord does everything else.
Kristen, I think you and I went to the same high school ;)
My husband worked with youth for over 7 years and he had (has) grave concerns about the predominant youth group model. Most church administrations want numbers. They measure success by how many children show up. All the crazy games, concert going, mall scavenger hunts, big-hair bowling, sing-a-longs and water park trips are FUN, but do they help these children develop a mature, deep, lasting faith? He saw so many children who were products of these bells-and-whistles youth groups fall away from Christ when they entered college. They had not grown roots deep enough to withstand trials, disappointments and temptations. It broke his heart.
Another factor my husband noticed were the parents of these children. They would drop their children off at the youth group and expect them to come home insta-Christians. It doesn’t work that way! The faith needs to be lived in the home by the parents and as a family. But for many children he worked with…this simply was not happening. So their impression of being a Christian was living however you saw fit, not ‘judging’ people, being ‘nice’ and going to a fun church event once a week. They expected to be entertained. And when another youth group appeared with more of the in crowd attending, better snacks, crazier games and a live band, the children would ditch your youth group to be with the new and improved one.
I don’t mean to impugn youth leaders/groups. Many are doing simply what is expected of them or what they think will work. They mean well. These youth groups are a life-line to many children from non-Christian homes or lukewarm Christian homes. So if this is the one chance we have to reach these children, shouldn’t we be feeding them nutritious food for the soul instead of spiritual junk food? Should we provide them with a superficial slick marketed hyperactive youth group or a youth group with opportunities for deep spiritual growth, service and a safe place to have their big questions answered?
This is a youth group model my husband can get behind: one that goes for QUALITY, not QUANTITY. A priest at a local parish is in charge of the youth group. I believe that every meeting is 2 hours long and there is Eucharistic Adoration with Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Benediction, Confession, and faith formation activities. The social time is afterward. They do have the occasional ‘fun’ event. This puts things in the proper order! Many people would balk at this and say no teen would ever come to a program like this - well, they are wrong. Sure, the group is growing more slowly than a bells-and-whistles youth group but it is growing. More importantly, the children who attend are learning the faith and how to love God more each day.
What I meant to say before I submitted my comment is that many churches now treat adults like youth and their ‘marketing’ borders on the ridiculous. This video is a parody made by evangelicals poking fun at themselves. http://vimeo.com/11501569 At least they can see how silly and superficial these attempts are. I have seen some Catholic churches making lame attempts at these marketing tactics and they are a HUGE turn-off. Stop dumbing our faith down! We have Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament in every parish! That is all the marketing we need! Beauty, truth, reverence, respect, fear of God, theologically sound homilies, ample confession times, devotions and appropriate music attract people to the Catholic Church - not espresso machines in the hall, rock bands with lightshows or powerpoint homilies on projector screens.
Thanks for bringing our attention to this phenomenon. I agree with much that Mr. McCracken wrote, but I think ultimately his analysis remains a little superficial. The problem with “cool” is not merely that it is an ephemeral phenomenon, it is that “cool” today largely means investing oneself in a trite version of consumerist ideology (buying the latest clothes, technology, hairstyle, etc.) that is in tension with the teachings of Christ. I wrote a fuller response to this phenomenon on my blog which is about having become a devote Catholic after a long experience as a young atheist: http://catholiccommentary.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/crisis-of-cool/
@Kathy @J.W. I too agree and have experienced what you have commented on to a certain extent (I was a high school Theology teacher for 4 years). To over-simplify everything (which never helps) it comes down to worldliness vs. holiness. Are people inordinately in love with themselves (and pleasure) or are they really striving to respond to others in love and be in tune with the Holy Spirit? That to me seems to be the spiritual crux of the problem which plays itself out in many areas (such as consumerism as J.W. correctly stated or lust or fame-seeking, etc). I agree Kathy that one’s spiritual life needs to be started, fostered, and needs to thrive in the family. The schools/youth groups are NOT the main areas of education/spiritual growth for a child, the home is (and going to Church on Sunday is a necessity for how else can one grow in sacramental life and love if they are not taking the Eucharist?). With that being said, those who volunteer and work in the schools and youth groups have a grave duty to live and promote only authentic teachings of the Church. Anything less is unacceptable (taking into account we are all sinners who strive imperfectly). Kathy, I am proud to know that you and your husband are so aware of this issue and are striving to do something about it!
@Lisa, yes!!
what, like blogging?
Peace to you Paul! Peace brother.
True Christianity is…..intensely practical….The very evidence of the
divinity of Christ,was His…adaptation…to the needs of suffering humanity.Christ met people where they were…He mingled with men..
As one who desired their good…He showed sympathy for them..Ministered
to their needs,and won their confidence,and bade them follow Him.
In whatever company He found Himself He presented a lesson that was appropriate to the time and circumstance. Thank God…carl
Carl, yes I agree with your statements. The good thing about Jesus is that He was always authentic (among some obviously other really good attributes) in His reaching out to people in their own time. He never over-did it which I believe was the crux of what we were talking about when referencing “cool Christianity” and where it makes a mistake, at least in my view. Pax.
However…when I post anything,I am painfully aware,that….If there is one thing over another that I have learned in this life on planet earth,
I am greatly challenged intellectually in having the sufficient understanding to even begin to know my gross level of ignorantness.
So I come to the Lord as a child,asking for wisdom,as He has promised.
carl
Wishing all a good year of joy in Jesus the Christ,I start the year with
such an awe of our Creator,that would another language be invented,so as to begin to express a feeble attempt to thank One who gave His life,so we may live.None of the ransomed ever knew how deep were the waters crossed,
or how dark the night when the Lord passed through,to save His sheep last were lost.
I had a vision,I can just simply relate it as I saw it…I was driving
home from a prayer meeting,thinking what a privilege it was to have a small part in the gospel sharing,when all of a sudden the stary sky
disappeared,and Christ stood filling the sky with His arms outstretched
and a inner voice said “Just as the book of Revelation is the last book
and the 22nd chapter the last chapter and the 17th verse(And the Spirit & the bride say ,come…..and let him that is athrist come,and whosoever wiil,let him drink the water of life freely”)is almost the last verse,so
my coming is almost”...then a message come to me that I carry always in mind,Christ said “Now is the day of invitation to all,not condemination”
written just as I experienced it…carl
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