Cartoon Reflection: Stirring the Worship Pot
Published November 23rd, 2006 in Cartoons & Cartoonists
Feel free to send this to anybody who you think will be upset by it. I’m seeing if I can start a riot amongst mega-church Christians…
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This is so awesome. It expresses my sentiment exactly – Mega-Churches being a good place for (tag line) Christians to go hang out and hide out from the truth. They leave there feeling empowered about their own un abashed, un accountable and conscious sinning. From one artist to another. In other words, Gods Will is thier Won’t. Awesome illustration Matt. Keep in touch.
Hmmm,
Mocking your fellow brothers and sisters? Sad, very sad.
Coming from a pastor, this is incredibly sad.
Come on! I agree that perhaps people need to be made aware that going to church isn’t salvation. But fighting against our own - mostly, I bet, out of ignorance and predjuice - is not helping.
Let your goal be restoration, not division. These people are genuine in their beliefs, just like you. These people are living the best that they know how based on the knowledge they have, just like you. You don’t KNOW whether someone is going to heaven or not, that’s not for you to judge. The only thing that separates you from them is a little knowledge. And you can’t honestly say you have all the answers.
Do GOOD work, be helpful. Work together with people.
Who’s work is this cartoon accomplishing? God’s? Or our enemies?
I love this cartoon, Its sad that some see criticism as negative and as “attacking” especially when there is a note of humor in it. Also sad that some only see church and Jesus as a gateway to heaven. Seems we have missed an awful lot about what the purpose of worship is about. Thanks for reminding me. This cartoon is on my blog this week as I record some thoughts on worship.
Thanks for the creative art and thoughts that go with it!
Mark
“if they are not against us, they are for us”. Spread the word pastor! The name Jesus is awesome and ” …will not return void”. Bring them, and God will add them [to the kingdom] - good work!
heia! I’m from Romania…i found this cartoon with google search…it’s so good! really, you relised to surprise a critical truth in today’s church. really, here in romania we really are struggling to be holy youth IN church. sad, but there are few true worshipers all around the word. chistian music - authenthic worship or industry?
Hi Pastor Glover,
As a worship director and leader, I gotta say…I love this and hate it at the same time. I love the truth in the cartoon, but that is also to part that I hate. You’re right about the attitude that some Christians have toward…Christianity. This could be our falling-point. The people in your cartoons are the ones who listen to people like Joel Osteen and crumble under any questioning. Keep on drawing. Even if you get one person’s attention, then you’ve done well.
-Nareg
Well, I’m not here to judge or guess motives or settle any arguments amongst people. . .I’m just putting off finishing a term paper and googling random words.
But I do like things that stir people up. Good or bad, righteous or evil, beautiful or ugly, if it makes one person uncomfortable or causes one awkward conversation, its totally worth any effort the artist put into his work.
Why a riot amongst mega-church? That’s not a christian idea!! The cartoon has a truth, but not specific for mega-churchs. Little-churches has the same risks. But little-chuches and mega-churches are all churches of God!
Excellent observation which is all too sadly prevalent in some churches today…
I dun really agree mega churches r behaving in this way. A mega church will grow and still growing is mean that they r fruitful.
Bible say in John 15:4:
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
So if a Church lost the foundation and the heart of worship, they surely will not grow.
Hey Matt!
Great idea. Great message. Great artwork.
I’m glad you won’t shy away from spreading the TRUTH no matter what. And spreading laughter while at it? God bless you sir.
I don’t understand why a pastor is trying to start a fight with other Christians. Just because someone else worships different from you isn’t an invite for insault. This is some deep waters you’re getting yourself into.
I don’t concentrate on the genre. I focus on God. And isn’t it better that unbelievers go to a chuch and have this fed into their subconscious rather then avoid church altogether? It’s better then all the music about sex, drugs and such on the secular radio stations.
I’m not good at this whole Christanity thing but it’s a bit twisted when you get enjoyment out of getting Christians to fight with eachother.
I think the truth in the cartoon is great, but to single out mega-churches is where i think its wrong. I agree with doolz, and a few others, we should work together to bring the message of Jesus to the world. What good is it for us to criticize one another. And just because you’re not a mega-church, doesn’t mean you’re exempt from this kind of thing happening.
Despite the obvious dig at mega churches, what strikes me is actually the fact that the man appears to be “new” to the church and is prompted by the music to at least ask the question. The response of the woman says more about the church’s “pastoring” than it’s worshp.
We live in a world now where kids at my wife’s school (11 - 18) will actually ask questions like “What on earth has Jesus got to do with Christmas?”. The fact that people are turning up and listening to God-inspired lyrics will at least go some way to encouraging the “asking, seeking, knocking” that we surely want all mankind to do?
For the record, I come from a tiny parish church and we are just attempting to provide more contemporary worship. We are struggling with people coming along who “just for the music” but in time I hope and pray that the fact they are turning up will lead to a deeper knowledge.
Mega-churches (and all others) need to back up whatever style of worship they have with authentic teaching and “discpiling” of it’s members.