Northridge Church in Plymouth, Michigan gets a tip of the hat for performing one of the most bizarre pre-sermon skits in all of Church history. A man in a Lobster suit comes to the stage and recites the lyrics to the Beatles’ Come Together while a Mime, Little Beau Peep, a clown, Elvis, and a snake handler dance circles around him.
Come Together includes a not so veiled reference to shooting Cocaine, among its other jumbled lyrics that reference God knows what.
Is this why you go to church?
Rick, I need to learn how to be so concise! : )
I agree with Jennifer. The whole point was to break through the “world view”of “normal” to say that God’s word should be our hope, truth and standard to live by. Grace alone saves, not lobsters.
I can see where you are coming from and understand what you are saying. BUT, I also have had my life and seen my sister’s life saved and changed by God and his word, with Northridge being a huge part of that. I am so grateful for my church, that God led me there. And I have met many people in small groups and bible studies who also are growing in Christ. I did not have any kind of personal relationship with Christ before I went there. I only had religion and an empty heart.
Sometimes I question too that there is a little too much time spent on things such as sets and creative arts. But I always come back to how I have been changed and grown and come to love God’s word after coming there 5 years ago. And I think perhaps God speaks to us all in different ways. As long as the bottom line, the overriding truth, is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the word of God!
And I shouldn’t have said ‘hate on’. Sorry. Should have just said criticize.
Thanks Jennifer. Not my intent to “hate on Northridge.” I listened to Brad’s talk after the skit. I heard his explantion for the skit. My position remains that such a skit has no place in any context where it is claimed the Sovereign God of the Universe is being worshipped. I would argue further that it is IMPOSSIBLE to worship the Sovereign God of the Universe when so much time is spent on what is clearly a man-focused activity that has nothing to do with Christian worship.
So much of what Northridge does is based on “the enticing words of man’s wisdom” as evidenced by this sort of tomfoolery.
There is an attitude in so much of the Church Growth Movement that requires appealing to our senses because we just don’t believe the word of God alone is powerful enough to do the job. I know you will argue that Northridge believes the word of God. I know you will argue that Northridge depends on the word of God to bring people to faith. But the evidence suggests (in this video) that they don’t believe the word of God alone is enough. They believe we have to do things like this skit in order to get the audiences’ attention so that the word can be heard.
Such an attitude is – in my opinion – a denial of the power of the gospel.
I was there. Afterward our pastor came out and asked us why on earth we clapped. It wasn’t supposed to make any sense. It was an example of how we often just go along with things. Even when things don’t make sense, we keep playing the game. Even that song, I knew the words because its a part of my culture. But as I sat there listening to them in that context, I realized they made absolutely no sense to me. Yet I’ve sung along with it so many times in the past. They were showing an example of how we just play along, try to conform to the world, go along with what everyone else is doing. Even if it makes no sense for us as Christians, as children of God.
The talk afterward was all about living our lives in God’s will. That he has a specific plan for each of us. “for I know the plans I have for you…”
He gave us very biblical guidance on seeking God’s word, foremost being in prayer and being in God’s word.
I wish I could find my notes. I’m sure its easy to hate on Northridge, but it is a bible-believing church urging people to live by nothing but the word of God and serve others. I know many lives, including my own, that have been saved and radically transformed at Northridge and through the small groups there.
Jesus Christ is being lifted up. The gospel is being unapologetically preached. God is working there. We should be careful not to be so quick to criticize our Christian brothers and sisters.
Well, I can’t disagree that this is a bizarre display. However, having attended many Northridge services, I’ve never known them to do a skit or a song that didn’t tie in to the message of the day. Granted, it is difficult to imagine where they may have been going with this, but divorced of context it is impossible for me to judge this fairly.
I will admit, though, that if someone walked into a church for the first time in years, and was greeted by these antics, it might serve to confirm their suspicions that were really are a bunch of lunatics after all.
What in tarnation does that have to do with the Gospel?
I agree that it’s a bizarre skit. How in the world did that apply to the sermon, which followed?