Are Churches Services Too Flashy?

Church services look really different than they did even ten years ago. We become masters at creating songs that draw us in emotionally and setting lights to match the energy of the room and adding drone sounds and stage haze that really helps create a worship experience that engages every part of our being. And I love the creativity that we put into our times together to help each other engage in worship. But there is an inherent danger in it all. When Elijah was on Mt. Sinai, God promised him that if he stood on the mountain's edge and watched, he would see God. So God arranged for a powerful demonstration of everything nature has to offer. Lightning, thunder, smoke and fire. But God's presence wasn't in the power show. He came in a gentle whisper. Every time we gather as a church, especially those of us who lead gatherings, we need to be reminded that God's not in the show. God's presence exists because of God, not because of us. And while we can offer our best to support the experience, our end goal is to find the space where we hear the whisper of the Spirit