I know there are people who aren’t going to like what I’m about to blog. You might want to read the blog below first and then hit page up.

I think the church is in the entertainment business. Before you brand me a heretic, let me explain. The word “entertain” means “to hold someone’s attention.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m against entertaining for entertainment sake! Church gimmicks turn my stomach! Nothing is more of a turn off than trivializing the gospel.

But the word “compel” in Luke 14:23 means “to demand attention.” I’d call it extreme entertainment. If you can’t entertain–hold someone’s attention–you lose the opportunity to share the gospel. It reminds me of the old aphorism: if a tree falls in the forest but no one hears it, does it make a sound? Is the church making a sound if no one is listening. Sure, the choir is a captive audience. But are we really communicating the gospel in creative and authentic enough ways to demand attention? Anything less isn’t good stewardship of our imaginations!

Jesus was the quintessential entertainer. Did you know people walked miles into the desolate wilderness to hear him speak? People skipped meals to listen to him. People fought crowds and climbed trees and cut holes in roofs just to be in His presence. No one could demand attention like Jesus. He was entertaining. But here’s the clincher. He always shifted people’s attention to God. That’s the goal. When it comes down to it, aren’t we trying to get people to pay attention to God? Isn’t that what we’re aiming for?

God help us! The gospel deserves nothing less.

No one should be more entertaining than Spirit-filled communicators. Call it holy entertainment. Call it redemptive entertainment. Call it eternal entertainment. Call it what you want. The church is called to demand attention.