Just for the cameras

This post is from the defunct blog “Dying Church”

From Yahoo News:

LONDON – London plans a fireworks spectacular on New Year's Eve, and Mayor Ken Livingstone hopes nobody will come. Livingstone said Tuesday he has arranged a two-minute firework display over the London Eye ferris wheel by the River Thames, but it's purely for the cameras. Livingstone said he wanted to create an extravanganza to rival the spectacular fireworks displays that cities such as Sydney and Los Angeles have become noted for. Unlike those cities where millions turn out to watch the displays, the mayor doesn't want the hassle of gawking crowds.

It's easy for churches to fall into the same trap. It's easy to try to design a lot of ministries just for the cameras. It looks pretty good, too. But if it's all for the cameras, it's pretty disappointing when the red light on top of the camera goes off and the director yells cut. Dying churches don't put on shows for the cameras. Ironically, this resonates with people more than ever. The day of the stock photo and polished production is coming to an end. People want real and raw over a two-minute show done just for the cameras.