The Big Idea - Please, Have One!

For goodness sake, really for the sake of Christ and the gospel, if you are a pastor or teacher, please have a point to your message!

Every Sunday morning (or Saturday night), hopefully hundreds if not thousands of people come to church. They come to your church. They have stopped what they're doing, gotten dressed for church (or have come just like they are), piled the family in the car (sometimes with joy, but often with a few tears or distress), found a parking spot, checked the kids into their programs and found a seat. They are waiting, almost daring, those on the platform to move their hearts toward God.

So, for the sake of Heaven, please, please, please...if you're a pastor or teacher, have a point! And better yet, share it with your arts team well in advance (at least three weeks is ideal). When people walk out of the church service, what do you want them to:

• know?
• feel?
• do?

People want to be moved! They want to be challenged with ONE BIG IDEA that they can take home.

Think about it. When you go to Starbucks, you want to get a coffee. When you go to church, you want to experience and respond to God. If teachers and artists aren't working together to make this happen, our efforts are misplaced.

So, please, if you're a teacher, work hard on your big idea. Don't serve them hot water when they're looking for great coffee.