If you were a leader in the church tasked with restructuring and improving its architecture and format.
WWYD?
Are there significant improvements churches can make in the modern era with the advent of the internet, smart phones and social media?
Isn't ever going to happen. What I mean by that is that ugly and horrific word we all know...tradition.
The institutional model is a creation of men, and thus this need for "improvement."
You Gentile Protestants don't realize just how Roman Catholic you really are in at least form and practice, if not in doctrine...which has some scary parallels, but that's a different topic.
However, the unspoken reality in this discussion is the deep-seated desire to remain merely religious by walking into the main meeting room many call the "sanctuary," sit down and fade into the woodwork to remain only the passive audience they so desire, watching the traditional, boring show unfold up on stage.
Some do indeed experience their warm fuzzies throughout it all, and will even call that program their "fellowship," as if they had somehow magically mastered the art of fellowshipping with the backs of other people's heads... We humans are so very good at fooling ourselves into so many false senses of fulfillment.
For example, many feel they have done their duty for "tithing" by plopping the lion's share of their so-called "giving" into the passing plate or in the box sitting in the foyer or through the electronic kiosk in the lobby. What they fail to realize is that the majority of what they "give" is lavished right back upon themselves by way of the luxuries from the facility, heating, air conditioning, carpet, parking lot, maybe some chandeliers, spires, materials, clean bathrooms, professional, paid clergy to do their good works for them...on and on the list could go.
In the end, churchianity will always remain in the same old rutty ditches of traditions within which it has always languished in utter disregard for true, genuine, biblical fellowship and mutual edification. I know, I know...donuts and coffee before or after, right? To call that as being anything akin to biblical fellowship and mutual edification, please don't make me laugh. Many a "pastor" will not ever countenance his not being the feature attraction in the place of fellowship within the main gathering.
Some will point at their "cell groups" that convene at different times throughout each week, hosted in differing homes, which are mainly just band-aids to the lack in the main gathering. Others will heave their chests in pride that they have "Bible studies" every week, maybe even more than once a week, as if that gets any closer to true fellowship than the main gathering where the imperfections of the backs of other people's heads and salon mistakes, ring around the collar, et al.
Because fellowship is so dangerous to the modern sense of autonomy we've all had drilled into our heads all our lives here in the West, it's therefore avoided by most for that very reason. After all, someone else may pick up on the secret sins many have lurking about within themselves that they don't want betrayed for others to see.
So, dream on with the thought that you can somehow transform your churchianity traditions into something more meaningful while getting all others in your organization onboard. That's a pipe dream that will not ever come to fruition because you would be fighting against the forces of Hell at work in all those other people's sentiments about this topic. The devil will empower you to form a rock band with colorful lights, smoke machines, REALLY loud screeches from guitars and clanging, or weird, repetitive, mesmerizing and hypnotic chants in so-called "praise music" from Bethel or some other cult influenced sound channels, but true fellowship will remain in the corner of avoidance whereby each believer can edify the others around them with substance far greater than what emanates from warm greetings over coffee and donuts.
Sorry if this sounds so very negative, but churchianity has earned that criticism do a degree far in excess for anyone not empowered by the Lord to change it on a grand scale. There is something far better in many, many ways, although none of it is ever perfect. What makes the difference, however, is in the trying. The Lord always honors those gatherings where He is allowed to function through each believer, one to another or all others in the gathering rather than snuffed out by the god of program. Some practice the falsehood of claiming, "We're just going to sit here in silence and wait for the Lord to move among us in the way of His own choosing..."
That's like setting the Lord up on stage and inviting Him to function within the constraining parameters of a slightly relaxed iron fist upon what manifests from among the people through His influence in their lives and psyche. There's good to be had, but churchianity has, is and shall always will remain the restraining influence against the empowerments that come ONLY through the fellowship of mutual edification.
BTW
Please note that the words, "the kingdom of heaven is" is highlighted in a different colour to indicate that these words do not appear in the Greek texts but have been added here.
