Archive for August 2008
the power of the machine…
Michael Phelps is an amazing swimmer. Watching him in the Olympics has been a thrill and to say that we’re witnessing sports history in the making is a unique opportunity.
As fun as it is, we’re also seeing something indicative of culture in the U.S. This cultural mind-set can eat up the Church without our even being aware of it. How? Case in point…
We are witnessing a machine in the making — how folks can capitalize on an image and how much money can be made doing it. I come away with this impression, “if Phelps does things right, he can make mondo-bucks“.
I don’t oppose Phelps making a living. I think he can do well parlaying his Olympic success into something that is good for the sport and him personally. BUT what prompts folks to pontificate about how much more Phelps can earn? Why is the $, the measuring stick folks are using for success? When did this transition take place, because I thought it was about gold medals?
Unforunately, all this makes Phelps sound like a shark (sure, he can swim as fast and eats up his competition but c’mon…). Maybe I’m “pie-in-the-sky” but shouldn’t his reputation be based on what he accomplishes at the pool versus what he gains at the bank — the latter will turn him into a utilitarian icon. It will be interesting to see what the Phelps brand and legacy becomes over the next few months.
How does this relate to the Church? I think we face the same question of reputation when we talk about what we want people to see. Yes, we want people to be introduced to Jesus, but the challenge is the means by which this is accomplished. When the activity (i.e. — “oh, you should go to <insert church> because they’ve got great <youth group, worship, preaching, community service, fellowship, etc…>) takes precedence over the message (Christ), we’re in danger of parlaying one reputation for another.
Yes, the message can also be given devoid of any connection to life, but that’s another post…
