Comments on: Tourist Churches

By: Julie Clawson

Julie Clawson — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 21:13:10 +0000

Steve – You make a very good distinction between the tourist and the pilgrim. My point basically focused on the church's attitude more than the people's attitudes. when churches become all about the building or the program (be that concert or liturgy) then they have failed to be evangelistic and have become tourist sites.

By: Steve Hayes

Steve Hayes — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:01:37 +0000

That "come and see" mentality was exhibited by Philip when he spoke to Nathanael.

The problem is not the "come and see" attitude, but, in the tourist churches, the "look but don't see" attitude.

A lot depends on what you go to see, and what you are allowed to see. There's a huge difference between tourists and pilgrims, and in some cases a difference in how they are welcomed.

Jesus asked the question about John the Baptist — what did you go out into the wilderness to see?

And what you see depends very much on what you are looking for. Sometimes you may catch a glimpse of a Christian community worshipping God.

By: Tim Judkins

Tim Judkins — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:10:22 +0000

I have been the Teaching Minister in a church like you describe for over 12 years. The church is an historical landmark and the town is a tourist town. Two strikes already! But what we are doing, I believe, is like "R" says in that we are trying to grow something new inside the old. Our separate service that meets at the same time as the "traditional" (re: tourist) service is seeking to be presence-based, community-oriented, and missionally minded. It is tough sledding for sure but the post-modern world we live in undoubtedly offers us the same opportunities you reference to do real kingdom stuff instead of more institutional remodeling. Thanks Julie and others!

By: Pistol Pete

Pistol Pete — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:33:01 +0000

Excellent reflection on the direction some/many/most churches are heading.

By: R

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:09:22 +0000

I like your story about Holy Isle. I was at Brian McLaren's talk, too. His observation that we are elitist and welcome anyone – as long as they are educated and white – hit the mark (ouch!). But, for me personally, what was most profound was his exhortation for us (and I assume he was speaking to more than just Episcopalians at this point) to grow something new inside the old-for us to start new churches or new communities inside and alongside the old ones. It seemed to embody the third way of Jesus. It is overwhelming to think of the obstacles (egos, etc), but it is also one of the most hopeful things I have thought about in a while…

By: Karl

Karl — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:33:37 +0000

A speaker at the recent AMiA (Anglican Mission in America) conference made a similar point. Loosely paraphrased, he said evangelical churches tend to either be the tourist-type of church that you describe here (some version of attractional), or else if they do any sort of outreach it's with the mindset of a kidnapper or raider – we're gonna go out from behind our walls, grab a few and bring 'em back.

He contrasted those approaches with what you describe: an approach that goes out among the people – many of whom would never darken the doors of a church – loves them and serves them, gets to know them, meets them where they are and in time as opportunity arrives invites them into transforming relationship with God – after having first modeled the same in love. Encouragingly, he and other plenary speakers spoke of the good in postmodernism. Here's a description from another website of one of the other talks:

"Todd Hunter had a fantastic presentation on reaching people in a postmodern culture and he postulated ways that the church might adapt to a postmodern culture. Interestingly enough, postmodernity, which the church tends to fear, might actually help lead Christians back to a truly biblical model of church (community, discipleship, interdependency, intimacy, mission, incarnational living, etc.)."