Has the church become McDonalds???

[Jash Comstock]

Last Sunday, while out of town, I visited an SBC church, and they celebrated "communion" with this. Communion Sets - Celebration Wafer & Juice Sets - Compak - BooksoftheBible.com I must say, I was fairly taken aback. It seems we have gotten so consumer-driven and fast-foodlike, that we now use pre-packaged communion sets? The whole thing lasted maybe 15 minutes... Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

[Rich Koster]

In my humble opinion it seems as practical as it is cheesy. However, it may........nah. My preference is a scored loaf that can actually be broken and distributed. It may also be burdensome to open, for some people.

 

[Jake]

One Sunday when there was a large outbreak of something communicable (a bad stomach bug maybe) in the congregation, the SBC church I went to used something like this. It was a one time event though, for fear of unnecessarily spreading germs.

 

[Rich Koster]

One Sunday when there was a large outbreak of something communicable (a bad stomach bug maybe) in the congregation, the SBC church I went to used something like this. It was a one time event though, for fear of unnecessarily spreading germs.

I would hope that if someone has some bug that they think is communicable, they would position themselves to receive the elements last.

 

[Jack K]

This seems to take a meal that's supposed to be communal and make it more individual than it already is in many American churches. The marketing argument given is that it's easier to prepare and clean up. But any family meal worth the name should take some effort to prepare and clean up. That's part of the allure, knowing that the meal has been lovingly prepared for you and you're invited. We come to a feast prepared for us by Christ, through his church. I believe he chose elements that require being prepared and made (baked bread and fermented wine) for a reason.

That, plus it's just cheesy, expensive, and boxed like a take-out meal. And what of the highly preserved wafery stuff they call bread? No self respecting baker would dare call it that. Nor does the juice in the plastic crinkle container with tear-off foil covering make me think of the feast of the Lamb.

Allowable? Maybe. Preferable? I hope not.

 

[Mushroom]

Our building, which was built in 1870 as a RC church and was used as an event center for the 10 years prior to our purchasing it, was also rented out on Sundays to a variety of start-up Churches. We are considering remodeling the balcony for use, and in looking at it to determine the scope of work, I found wedged between the floorboards several containers that looked like the peel-off-top plastic coffee creamer containers you see in 7-Eleven. Upon closer scrutiny, I discovered they were pre-packaged containers of grape juice designed for communion. Weird.

 

[Edward]

I visited an SBC church, and they celebrated "communion" with this. Communion Sets - Celebration Wafer & Juice Sets - Compak - BooksoftheBible.com I must say, I was fairly taken aback.

I can see where it would be useful for a church that rents a facility and has to do set up and take down each Sunday, with no suitable facility for cleaning the communion set.

 

[baron]

Thats what the church I attend uses. Never thought about why. Maybe due to convenience. Maybe I will ask after the service since we will be using them tomorrow.

 

[jwithnell]

I would hope that if someone has some bug that they think is communicable, they would position themselves to receive the elements last.

I had a really bad cold this winter. As the elements came to my row, I made a quick use of the hand sanitizer I keep on my purse. The Lord's table is something to be tasted, smelled, seen and done in communion with Jesus and His people. I can't imagine how cheap the pack-a-communion must feel. I've been in the baby-est of church plants, and no corners were cut at all.

 

[Jeff Burns]

This is ridiculous. Just another example of how modern evangelicalism will sacrifice just about anything on the altar of convenience.

Based on the title I thought this was going to be a post about having a church on every street corner so you could "have it your way" (I know, that's a burger king line).

 

[Bill The Baptist]

In many ways, the church is turning into McDonald's. There is actually a church near me that advertises itself on billboards as "the church for people who don't like church." What a ridiculous statement. Do you know who doesn't like church? unregenerate people. I am actually tempted to go and visit and ask the pastor if he is the "pastor for people who don't like pastors."

 

[Jack K]

There is actually a church near me that advertises itself on billboards as "the church for people who don't like church." What a ridiculous statement. Do you know who doesn't like church? unregenerate people.

I like church. But just remember that many, many churches are not what they ought to be. Some of the people who "don't like church" have good reasons given the churches they've been exposed to.

 

[Somerset]

In many ways, the church is turning into McDonald's. There is actually a church near me that advertises itself on billboards as "the church for people who don't like church." What a ridiculous statement. Do you know who doesn't like church? unregenerate people. I am actually tempted to go and visit and ask the pastor if he is the "pastor for people who don't like pastors."

A couple of years ago, our local Methodist church advertised their Christmas service as "only lasting 20 minutes" so as not to interfere with Christmas dinner.

 

[Edward]

ask the pastor if he is the "pastor for people who don't like pastors.

If you do, expect to see that on a billboard, as well.

 

[Bill The Baptist]

There is actually a church near me that advertises itself on billboards as "the church for people who don't like church." What a ridiculous statement. Do you know who doesn't like church? unregenerate people.

I like church. But just remember that many, many churches are not what they ought to be. Some of the people who "don't like church" have good reasons given the churches they've been exposed to.

Jack,

I always appreciate your posts because you are so much more charitable than I am and you always try to find the good in things, or at least downplay the negative. I certainly agree with you that many churches have given people a reason not to like them, and I also understand that that was probably the sentiment they were going for in their billboard. Regardless, it comes of as being a ridiculous statement, akin to a restaurant advertising themselves as the restaurant for people who don't like food.

 

[Edward]

advertising themselves as the restaurant for people who don't like food.

The better analogy would be the restaurant for people who don't like restaurants. By itself, that doesn't tell you anything. But with other cues, it could mean a fine dining experience instead of the common Applebee's/Chili'/Friday's experience, or it could mean fast food. Or, it could mean an A/C/F/Red Robin experience without stuffy waiters and wine stewards.

 

[Marrow Man]

In many ways, the church is turning into McDonald's. There is actually a church near me that advertises itself on billboards as "the church for people who don't like church." What a ridiculous statement. Do you know who doesn't like church? unregenerate people. I am actually tempted to go and visit and ask the pastor if he is the "pastor for people who don't like pastors."

Or perhaps you could rent out a billboard that says, "Don't like church? You probably won't like heaven either."

 

[Andres]

In many ways, the church is turning into McDonald's. There is actually a church near me that advertises itself on billboards as "the church for people who don't like church." What a ridiculous statement. Do you know who doesn't like church? unregenerate people. I am actually tempted to go and visit and ask the pastor if he is the "pastor for people who don't like pastors."

Or perhaps you could rent out a billboard that says, "Don't like church? You probably won't like heaven either."

Win.

 

[Jack K]

There is actually a church near me that advertises itself on billboards as "the church for people who don't like church." What a ridiculous statement. Do you know who doesn't like church? unregenerate people.

I like church. But just remember that many, many churches are not what they ought to be. Some of the people who "don't like church" have good reasons given the churches they've been exposed to.

Jack,

I always appreciate your posts because you are so much more charitable than I am and you always try to find the good in things, or at least downplay the negative. I certainly agree with you that many churches have given people a reason not to like them, and I also understand that that was probably the sentiment they were going for in their billboard. Regardless, it comes of as being a ridiculous statement, akin to a restaurant advertising themselves as the restaurant for people who don't like food.

Yeah, and with a billboard like that I would suspect that church of doing away with some elements of worship that probably ought to be retained. So it's likely your assessment is correct. Sorry if it sounded like I disapproved.

I do know several people who were once anti-church because of bad church experiences and are now in good churches. I wanted to remind us that people with a negative view of church are often still good people to invite to church.

In a place like North Carolina, the number of people who've had bad church experiences is large. Instead of telling them they ought to like church, we can often agree that their experience was a bad one and invite them to a better church.

 

[tabrooks]

Something like this came in very handy as a chaplain in both field exercises and deployment to Iraq. It met a real purpose. It's use in a church in non-austere settings is interesting, but not overly concerning.

 

[DMcFadden]

Better than coke and potato chips. At least the elements are sort of real.

Churches that are marginalizing the Lord's Supper or getting trendy with substitutes for the elements should be the real targets of our ire.

I have been enjoying real wine in communion these days (after a lifetime of Welches) and have no desire to return to my pretend-wine days.

 

[wsmeathers]

"This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me."

It’s a shame that the McDonaldization isn’t going both ways because I think I’d enjoy partaking of those prepackaged juice cups even more if I knew that that Bible quote was also printed on the Happy Meal bags.

 

[kvanlaan]

We used to have our services in China in a public auditorium and it was complete take down every service. Basically, the deacons shared it amongst themselves to take turns at providing for and preparing communion. It worked well, and no MRE-style communion sets were needed.

 

[Joseph Scibbe]

For deployment: these things can be a life saver. If I can throw a handful in my go bag with a bible and a few other things and head out the door with the Chaplain in a few minutes instead of making sure I have all the bread, juice, cup, plate, etc for a communion service, then I am a happy camper. In a non-deployment environment I can see how they might be useful too and other times where it wouldn't be "helpful" but also, I can't see why it would be a big deal any way. I can't see any Biblical way of denying its usefulness. Bread and wine/juice and someone to preside over the distribution.

 

[J. Dean]

The first time I was introduced to a real common cup/bread communion was at an Orthodox church, ironically.